Eric Stern, Operatic Tenor and Accordion,
Robin Jackson, Tenor Saxophone and Vocals,
Skip Von Kuske Cello
Jason Flores, Standup Bass,
Mark Burdon Percussion
Influences
Duke Ellington, Frank Zappa, Marlene Dietrich, Balkan Gypsy wedding music, Danny Elfman, Tom Waits, Yiddish Theater, Vaudville, Burlesque,Comedy,slapstick,Languages other than English.
Sounds Like
Kurt Weil,Duke Ellington,Astor Piazolla ,Ivo Papazov, Yiddish theater, Django Reindhart, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Tom Waits,Balkan Wedding Music, Bellydance music,Circus music,Danny Elfman, The Mothers of invention with Accordions and Cello instead of Guitars!
European Cabaret! Vintage Americana! Balkan Belly Dance! Neo-Classical Opera! Old World Yiddish Theater! Welcome to the six-piece, Portland, Oregon-based Vagabond Opera. Based in the Pacific Northwest, yet encompassing the world, Vagabond Opera delivers passionate offerings of Bohemian cabaret. Paris hot Jazz, gut bucket swing, Tangos, Ukrainian folk-punk ballads, Klezmer and vigorous originals meet a world of riverboat gambling queens, Turkish belly dancers, and the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich. Weaving elements of Kurt Weil, Duke Ellington and Edith Piaf with absurdist flair, theatrics and an old world mood, Vagabond Opera presents the new wave of opera--lusty (trained) voices singing in 11 languages and presenting a cabaret of rich musical phrasing, sparkling lyrics and indomitable stage presence, all played with exuberance, skill and a gritty Vagabond edge. This is Opera liberated and reinvented for everyone.
The band's lineup features trained operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor and alto saxophones, cello, stand-up bass, drums, and, when the mood is right, a burlesque hoola-hooping fire performer.
Vagabond Opera at the Ford Amphitheater, LA 2009
Live performance of "Granada," Music by Eric Stern (VO) words by Augustine Lara from the Opera "Fedora." (Police siren courtesy of LAPD).
Live performance of "Ravella" and original tune. At the Wonder Ballroom 2008
Vagabond Opera on the Silver Screen! Footage by Daflew.com Edited by Robin Jackson, 2008
"DJ Monkey …soul-stirring, excitingly edgy music…just disturbing (read ‘mind-f**king’) enough to demand attention. There is a whole spice rack of auditory flavors here, served up like fractured poetry on a collection of intensely listenable Hallmark cards from Hell." Bill Margold, Cinema Seen, L.A. X..Press
Je n’sais pas si t’es au courant mais en 2010 c’est la fin du monde !!! Alors profites en vite, sors toi les miches de ton canapé et viens assister à nos messes d’enfer. Une chance ultime de sauver ton âme d’un paradis chiantissime
The new True Margrit CD - The Juggler's Progress - is now available for pre-order, along with t-shirts and artwork, photo and drumheads, check it out here: http://bit.ly/7Cu8J
Next shows: November 5, Molly Malone's in West Hollywood, CA November 12, Fox and Goose in Sacramento, CA November 15, Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, CA!
Our tour wraps up with the big show at San Francisco's best rock club, Bottom of the Hill! For the complete show schedule, check here: http://bit.ly/1UgGqQ
Listen to Batching It's debut album "Homage" in it's entirety before it is released! CD out in January 2010! Featuring songs by NOFX, Skankin' Pickle, Swingin' Utters, Pearl Jam, Rancid, Lagwagon, Metallica, Sublime, No Use For a Name, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, No Doubt, The Descendents, Less Than Jake and Operation Ivy!
http://www.reverbnation.com/muscularteeth <-- music! chilled out electronica, utilising the sounds from around the world. Sorta breaks, sorta trip hop... enjoy. Links to the album on itunes and napster etc.
Online Now!
