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