| The Homemade
Orchestra
The Homemade Orchestra was
founded by Tim Whitehead and Colin Riley and features some of
the UK's finest jazz and classical musicians.
Their debut album TIDES was described as "Some
of the most beautiful music you will hear" - Peter Bacon,
The Birmingham Post
Their most recent album INSIDE COVERS was released
to critical acclaim in 2004

THE HOMEMADE ORCHESTRA'S
LATEST PROJECT "NONSENSE" with MICHAEL ROSEN BOOKING
NOW
Known for shaking up the way new music is conceived and presented,
the Homemade Orchestra’s latest (and third) album project
continues to forge a new musical language. By turns tantalising,
mischievous, anarchic and exquisite, their music has recently been
described in the Guardian simply as, “intelligent, confident
and accessible”.
The Homemade Orchestra is about to start work
on a major collaborative project with the celebrated poet, writer,
broadcaster and recently appointed Children’s Laureate
Michael Rosen. The 45 min piece will be created by the ensemble?s
key writers, Colin Riley, Tim Whitehead and Liam Noble and use
Rosen?s nonsense poetry with music to ignite the surreal, the
playful, and the unexpected in a performance of music and words.
Michael himself will narrate the poetry accompanied by the ensemble
in a range of original rhythmic guises. The performance will
navigate through „baked bean storms?, „Jellyfish
under the rug?, „lonely toads in the middle of the road?,
and the retail greed of “More, More, More” in an
off the wall romp through an ever-changing musical scenario,
making full use of its versatile players and rich sound palette.
It will be suitable for all ages.
Around the performance there are many rich possibilities
for education and community work in both music and poetry making.
Michael is of course a much sought-after and charismatic animateur
in creative work with young people, and The Homemade Orchestra
members are experienced and committed music educators.
Known for shaking up the way new music is conceived
and presented, the Homemade Orchestra’s latest (and third)
album project continues to forge a new musical language. By
turns tantalising, mischievous, anarchic and exquisite, their
music has recently been described in the Guardian simply as,
“intelligent, confident and accessible”. Colin Riley
and Tim Whitehead, along with their family of versatile musicians
Liam Noble (piano), Mike Outram (guitar), Rob Millett (pecussion),
Oli Hayhurst (bass), Milo Fell (drums)) search out fresh starting
and ending points for new music. The creative process for the
music is by turns rational and irrational as the group pull
together and spin out musical ingredients. In their live performances
composed layers blend and collide with improvised parts. Beguilling
soundscapes combine electronic tintinnabulation with live percussive
grooves, and the acoustic richness of fine playing shines within
unexpected electronic sound treatments.
In their live performances composed layers blend
and collide with improvised parts. Beguilling soundscapes combine
electronic tintinnabulation with live percussive grooves, and the
acoustic richness of fine playing shines within unexpected electronic
sound treatments.
“… treasure troves of harmonic and rhythmical
possibilities … moon-bright clarity … an intricate web
of ‘cello, vibraphone and trip-hop inflected drum machine
… intimations of chaos … mischievously dissonant attack
… intriguing sound collisions …a fearless lucky dip
of a concert.”
The Guardian, April 2004
‘Modern pop is now a legitimate source for jazz.
The trend reaches a peak with the album Inside Covers by the Homemade
Orchestra. The devilishly inventive arrangements bring unsuspecting
depths to familiar songs. This attempt to expand the range of jazz
is an unreservedly good thing”
The Metro, April 2004
“Deftly interweaving scored and improvised music,
Inside Covers is an affectionate and at times overtly tongue in
cheek homage to popular song in the twentieth century. Mining a
characteristically British seam of surrealist humour, it prompted
me to ask when the last time a CD had made me laugh out loud.”
Jazzwise April 2004
“The textural inventions are fascinating –
classical singing and quietly swaying string parts, humming drones
and chiming vibes. A brave enterprise.”
The Guardian, March 2004
“An audacious venture … tantalising new
territory …”
Times April 2004
Websites:
www.timwhitehead.co.uk
| www.homemademusic.org
| www.colinriley.co.uk |