Penguin Cafe Orchestra

I never get round to checking the listings for radio broadcasts, normally picking up about future transmissions from the trailers in amongst the "Today" programme, "The Archers" and "Front Row". Yesterday I caught a preview in the radio section of The Guardian" which meant that yet again I was greatful to the BBC Radio 4 Listen Again feature.

So it was with great pleasure that I listened to A Telephone and Rubber Band (available until Thurday 07 June 2007) about the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, the ensemble created by Simon Jeffes, who died unexpectly some 10 years ago. Robin Denselow met the remaining members of the ensemble and examined how they created the orchestra's unique and eclectic sound from Jeffes's personal vision.

I first came across Penguin Cafe Orchestra back in something like 1982 - working with the Dance Advisors of the Leicestershire Arts scheme. Thanks to Judy, Kate and Sue, they introduced me to a wonderful array of music (early Michael Nyman, Philip Glass, Steve Reich and the like ) as well as the unclassifiable sound of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Jeffes had described the music as "imaginary folklore" and "modern semi-acoustic chamber music" and very much liked the comment of a Japanese girl who attended a Penguin concert in Japan and who said afterwards "that the music sounded strange, because it was as if she'd heard it a long time ago." You've probably heard fragments as they often turn up on TV programmes and adverts.

Check out some sounds and enjoy.