Ever read an adulatory description of a band and then listened to their CD and discovered that the description wasn't completely accurate? I promise that Vagabond Opera is an exception. They live up perfectly to the many descriptions and accounts I read about them.
They truly deliver "passionate offerings of Bohemian cabaret for young and old. Paris hot jazz, gut bucket swing, tangos, Ukrainian folk-punk ballads, klezmer and vigorous originals meet a world of riverboat gambling queens, Turkish belly dancers, and the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich." Sounds wild, right? It is - and it's completely enjoyable.
Their newest CD is The Zeitgeist Beckons, a beautifully produced, magically arranged, boisterously performed excursion into a bizarre musical world that is superbly incandescent and proprietary. The group boasts an impressive vocabulary, both lyrically and musically. None of the music is forced, as if they were trying to attain a certain number of tracks for their record. Each song is its own unique speakeasy show.
Vagabond Opera is comprised of: Eric Stern, the band's frontman, lyricist, composer and arranger; Jason Flores, the bassist; Mark Burdon, drummer; Robin Jackson, who plays sax; and Skip vonKuske, the Opera's cellist. They were generous enough to answer a few of my questions.
I read that you are based in Portland, Oregon - one of the finest beer cities in the US. So, first things first: what's your favorite craft beer and brewery?
Eric: You know I’m that much of a snob that I still mostly drink Belgian Ale or beer from that brewery all the way in Delaware.
Jason : I am a big fan of LAGUNITAS "Hairy Eyeball" and I must give a shout out to Chad Kennedy at Laurelwood and the "Tree Hugger Porter".
I guess now we'll have to get to music. Can everyone explain which is their favorite/most memorable song on Zeitgeist Beckons, and why?
Eric: "Goodnight Moon" is my favorite. It’s an original song and I always envisioned a mass of people singing the Chorus, swaying together, “Say Goodnight, to the friends we have made here, and Goodnight Moon.” To me it’s a paen to friendship and to the moon itself.
Jason: "Chimaeras Be Met" because it is a great example of how a basic tune can mutate and evolve into something magical. I wrote it as a Gypsy jazz number with techno backbeat, then Eric added the vocal aria, Mark a more traditional jazz pattern and voila!
Skip: I love "The Party" and the way it comically moves the intro into the outro. To me, it best captures the spirit of our performances in audio form. Secondly, I love the hugeness of "The Russian Jazz Waltz" with the layered strings and winds supporting rather than competing with the vocals.
Article comments
1 - Jordan Richardson
Nice job on this. These guys are bloody brilliant!
2 - Gray Hunter
Thank you very much Jordan.