"A very unique mix of poetry, music, stories and just plain weird. The poetry was sharp and funny, the placement effective, the visuals fitting; a rather unforgettable experience, I highly recommend checking them out to anyone looking for something different. At some point after Zorras, I turned to someone I had met at the festival and said 'How the hell do you follow that?'" - Ultimate Metal, Edinburgh, Autumn 2009
"Zorras’ unique and unusual mix of poetry, music and bizarre sound effects, sometimes delivered through a megaphone, took you on a journey of emotions, from laughter through embarrassment, pain and anger. Alland’s cadenced recital combined with Josephine’s amazing and powerful vocal range and rapturous guitar and rhythms made their performance utterly mind-blowing." - F-Word: Contemporary UK Feminism, Edinburgh, Autumn 2009
"The debut Album from Edinburgh duo Sandra Alland and Y. Josephine isn't for everyone. Especially not me... I can just picture Maude Lebowski yupping along with Alland, while flicking paint at a canvas from a harness on the ceiling and saying 'vagina' at inappropriate moments. She also has a bad habit of slipping into some unknown language... but the album's still worth a listen." - anonymous racist misogynist reviewer from SubCity Radio, Glasgow, Autumn 2009
“The place is rammed...and the show does not disappoint. Reminiscent of Miranda July and complemented by a deadpan delivery, Alland's words are at once both drolly funny and sweetly strange...Y. Josephine's vocals and percussion really shine and embody the set with the kind of soul spoken word frequently lacks.” - Lock Up Your Daughters magazine, Glasgow, Spring 2009
"This is not My Coming Out Poem of Pain, this is Sandra Alland's brilliant Beckett cut-ups...The images come so fast you sometimes feel like a Slinky falling down the stairs, yet the emotion and intention are clear, moving, and often funny...Y. Josephine plays guitar, somehow gets a whole drum kit out of a Peruvian fruit box, and sings in a sweet, smoky, untouchably cool voice."- The Skinny (Edinburgh/Glasgow), 4-star review, December 2007
"Alland’s poetry flies, and it is full of her life’s intelligence and emotion, social and political connection."- www.rabble.ca, September 2007
“(Y. Josephine's) voice acts as another instrument, something similar to Sarah Pillow, providing a vocal backdrop for the varied musical pattern woven around the intricate bass lines.”- The Dutch Progressive Rock Page
TO PURCHASE A COPY OF ZORRAS' FIRST CD, WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE, GO TO ELVIS SHAKESPEARE OR AVALANCHE IN EDINBURGH, OR THIS AIN'T THE ROSEDALE LIBRARY OR TORONTO WOMEN'S BOOKSTORE IN TORONTO, OR EMAIL ZORRASatBLISSFULTIMES.CA.
Zorras formed in December 2007, after falling in love with each other's style at Edinburgh's Who's Your Dandy. They quickly became known for their unique bilingual mixture of storytelling, guitar, sound poetry, percussion, singing, megaphones and projected images. UK gigs include Soho Theatre, Museum of London, Moor Music Festival, Bongo Club, Itsy Kabarett (Voodoo Rooms), Aye Write! Festival, Manifesto Politikal Kabaret (Tron Theatre), VoxBox, IDAHO at the GRV, Club Welto, Poetry at the Jekyll & Hyde and Club Wotever. Zorras currently co-curate (and perform at) the multimedia event, Cachín Cachán Cachunga, at The Street in Edinburgh.
Zorras just launched their first CD, We Apologise For Any Inconvenience, and published the second edition of their hand-made, limited-edition zine/chapbook, Maricón, in May. Order your copies now by emailing zorrasATblissfultimes.ca!
Sandra Alland is a Scottish-Canadian writer, multimedia artist, performer and activist. Her poems, plays, stories, articles, photographs and videos have been published and presented across Canada, the US, Mexico, Bermuda, Scotland, England and Spain. Sandra has published two books of poetry: Proof of a Tongue (McGilligan, 2004) and Blissful Times (BookThug, 2007)l and a chapbook of short stories, Here's To Wang (Forest Publications, 2009). www.blissfultimes.ca
Y. Josephine is a singer, percussionist and composer. She has performed and recorded throughout Venezuela, Aruba, Spain and the UK, with such musicians as Rigel Mitchelena, Gustavo Dal Farra, (El Rabo del Ojo), Joaquín "Joaco"Arteaga, Antonio Bello (4 of Us), Eduardo Vals y su Kabanayen, and Des loups. Josephine has also performed and composed with Saira and Contrabajo. She currently plays with Charanga del Norte, Raise Your Hem and Zorras.
Hello Zorras - cheers! Hope to see you live too. I've spent alot of time in Edinburgh this year and have heard lots about you. Loving your poetical experimentation. Queer love to you x x x x
Zorrasxx
