Penguin Cafe Orchestra

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-01-19 rating:
Light-hearted and chill-out.
I have loved this album since it was released. It is sounds strange the first time it is heard. If you like it will become part of your life and part of your soul.

I saw the Penguin Cafe Orchestra play at Islington Union Chapel in 2007 when they played three concerts. It was one of the most astounding concerts I have seen. The atmosphere was electric with excitement that was shared by both the audience and the players alike.

The music was, apparently, created by Penguin Cafe's founding member so that he and his friends could meet and share a common interest. Not many works are created for nine musicians from very different disciplines; two violins, a cello, a saxophone, an oboe, pianist and trash percussion. The musicians obviously love playing their own innovative brand of small-scale orchestral works.

The music is light-hearted, deceptively simple in sound but (I imagine) quite complex to play. Within each piece the music apparently repeats itself but each repetition is also slightly different from the one before. It is more like and echo than a carbon-copy. The overall effect if quite reassuringly familiar and ever so relaxing.

Many of their pieces are so catchy that they have been used on numerous adverts as was their most famous piece 'Telephone and Rubber Band' that is on this album.

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review by: Roadrunner date: 2007-11-01 rating:
Tonal Poetry.
Saw them live years ago and they still sounds as fresh now, you would be amazed at how many T.V. adverts and programs use them as background music. So sad that Simon Jeffes is no longer with us....Helen Liebmann, you stole my heart that night at the Festival Hall!!

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review by: date: 2004-01-10 rating:
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Amazing cd! It's totally different from the "norm" which is refreshing. It's hard to describe which genre this falls into, all I can say is, it's relaxing and a bit like Gladiator music for want of a better description! On a par with classical music with a twist.


review by: date: 2000-10-02 rating:
A little treasure
This CD is a big surprise. A friend of mine gave it to me, thinking that I might appreciate it. The first time I listened to it I kind of liked it, especially the "Telephone & Rubberband" song which is famous from a mobile phone advert. One or two instruments are in the foreground following a small melody which melts into the background music becoming more and more complex and harmonic. There are influences of Spanish, French & Irish tunes. The second time I listened I was hooked. Little independent films spring to mind of which these melodies could be the soundtrack. I certainly recommend buying this. You won't tire of listening to it.

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