by 17 people |
The Penguin Cafe Way
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra's music is beautiful, humorous and unique. It will sound familiar to anybody, anywhere in the world, and that's why it will make you smile.
To others, its musical style can be loosely defined as a blend of chamber music, ambient and folk with strong harmonic elements. Lots of strings, piano, harmonium, bass, cuatro and ukuleles are the main instruments.
Watch and Listen to The Penguin Cafe Orchestra
You might have listened to their music already!
PCO - Prelude and Yodel
curated content from YouTube
and tell me what you think?
"The Penguin Cafe is an imaginary and kind of introverted place which did not exist in the real world."
Simon Jeffes
PCO's Founder, Sole Composer and Spiritual Proprietor
He always considered he didn't have enough musical training to be a classical musician and no intimacy with pop to be a popular musician. And although he lived in many countries and was crazy about music from many cultures he never wanted to do "world music".
In this clip, Simon explains why he used Penguin for the name of the band.
Simon Jeffes
http://www.squidoo.com/penguincafeorchestra Simon talks about why he chose Penguin Cafe. RAI Broadcast.
curated content from YouTube
What's Your Favorite Album?
Arthur Jeffes and Music From The Penguin Cafe
What's Next?
Arthur Jeffes (Simon's son) has brought together a group of musicians to create Music from the Penguin Café, playing the music of the Penguin Café Orchestra and combining it with his own compositions.Arthur reformed the Penguin Café Orchestra for two tribute concerts in 2007 and has now taken PCO to its logical next step, bringing together a group of young musicians to play the music of the Penguin Café Orchestra combined with some of his own pieces.
Perhaps PCO's Most Popular Piece of Music
Arthur's Own Rendition
"Music for a Found Harmonium, written on an abandoned harmonium he had stumbled over on a Kyoto street. He didn't pick up the instrument straight away - he left a note on it saying he'd come back the next day and, if whomsoever didn't mind, he'd take it away. Whomsoever clearly didn't mind, and that piece of music and the harmonium have travelled the world."
"The music loves to be played"
Aquatic Penguins
PCO - Heartwind
PCO - Lie Back and Think of England
PCO - Lifeboat (Lovers' Rock)
So How Was The Show?
It's been a few years since I have been so captivated by a performance. An eclectic mix of supreme musicians who were obviously having fun and enjoying every moment of the performance. I didn't want the night to end.
Thank you for such a wonderful evening.
Graham
Still Life At The Penguin Cafe
The PCO Alumni Went Back For 3 Concerts on December 2007
The shows were timed to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the PCO's founder, Simon Jeffes.
John Bungey wrote a nice review on TimesOnline: "Under the auspices of Jeffes's son Arthur, the ten-piece ensemble revived greatest hits that varied from the melodic minimalism of Numbers 1-4 to the joyous bustle of Music for a Found Harmonium and the Latin lilt of Lifeboat (Lovers Rock)."
From left to right: Peter McGowan, Barbara Bolte, Helen Liebmann, Arthur Jeffes, Geoffrey Richardson, Stephen Fletcher, Annie Whitehead, Jennifer Maidman and Neil Rennie.Concert Prgram
1. Air a Danser
2. White Mischief
3. Organum
4. Southern Jukebox Music
5. Number 1-4
6. Air
7. Perpetuum Mobile
8. Nothing Really Blue
9. Telephone and Rubber Band
Intermission
10. Beanfields
11. Prelude and Yodel
12. Surface Tension
13. Oscar Tango
14. Music for a Found Harmonium
15. Lifeboat (Lovers Rock)
16. Steady State
17. Scherzo and Trio
18. Paul's Dance
19. Giles Farnaby's Dream
20. Salty Bean Fumble
21. Red Shorts
At the Union Chapel in Islington, England. 11th Dec 2007
curated content from YouTube
Three Reasons to Love Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2. Its Weird Name
3. Its Album Covers
Shout Out For Penguin Cafe Orchestra!
Share your stories, thoughts, raves...
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Reply
- Frankster Frankster Apr 28, 2009 @ 7:03 pm
- Sound like a cool place. thanks for sharing. Great job on the lens. 5 stars and I'm a FAN! Bear hugs, Frankster aka Bearmeister aka Cat-Woman
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Reply
- Ian Ian Jan 6, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
- I am pleased to find fellow fans of the PCO. Their music is amazing, I only wished I had experienced it live.
Is there a concert available on DVD?
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Reply
- Kevin Kevin Dec 22, 2008 @ 9:26 pm
- As a current university student in America, I'm posting here to let you know that this music will not die. I have loved PCO for years and try to tell others about their wonderful music. Thanks for the website!
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Giles Farnaby's Dream
BBC TV Old Grey Whistle Test
Giles Farnaby was a 16th century early-music composer.
The Music of The Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Perhaps Its Best Albums. Get One You Won't Be Dissapointed!
Who's Behind The Album Covers?
Artwork for the album: Union Cafe
PCO Live!
More Outstanding Videos
Music For A Found Harmonium
Air á Danser
Perpetuum Mobile
PCO - Oscar Tango
PCO - Southern Jukebox Music
PCO - Numbers1-4
"Come to the Penguin Cafe where things are just not like that!"
Broadcasting From Home
A Fan's Perspective
"First, I choose a piece of music that I like and then I experience it with videos or drawings I've made. With the right atmosphere in place, I just follow the feelings I get while listening to the music. I try to translate it into movements, colors, figures, etc. Sometimes I get surprised about the outcome while I'm using my design or video-editing program; sometimes I don't know how I create things and if I like them I quickly rush to save the edited video. I just couldn't reproduce the same thing all over again."
"The important thing is that I always try to create a balance between the music and the video. They have to become one."
A Must Have
Broadcasting from Home
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
This album can be enjoyed in a different way. Whereas the first album is more consistent, Broadcasting is more challenging to listen to; the songs are more subtle, more sombre. My favorite is White Mischief, a song that spares repetition, yet it has beautiful nuances that is haunting. In short, this is music to sit back and slide yourself into the quaint soundscapes of a reality beyond.
Film Score
Oskar Und Leni
Amazon Price: $18.98 (as of 12/15/2009)
Used Price: $6.98
"Simon Jeffes' music always lent itself to the visual medium of film, and his compositions have been featured in many movies. While many of the tunes here have been featured on earlier albums, they are given new performances, rendered with more relaxed grace and aural breadth than heard before. It's a lovely, playful, sometimes melancholy record."
- Tim Sheridan, All Music Guide
Simon Said
"I am the spiritual proprietor of the Penguin Cafe, I will tell you things at random" Simon's Solo Work
Piano Music
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Used Price: $49.99
Most of the pieces on this record are unreleased material found on Simon's tapes after his death. With the exceptions of Piano Music, Kora Kora and Silver Star. Lullaby is a new piece completed by Simon but recorded after his death by friends and members of PCO.
A Japanese Tribute Album
Penguin Cafe Orchestra -tribute-
Amazon Price: $52.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Used Price: $85.78
Produced by Goro Ito
Art Direction by Ed Tsuwaki
1. Penguin Cafe Single - Shieomi Hasumi
2. Air a Danser - The Other Four
3. Telephone And Rubber Band - Takako Minekawa
4. Pythagoras's Trousers - Yukihiro Takahashi
5. Paul's Dance - Ryuichi Sakamoto + Ren Takada
6. Simon's Dream - Anonymass
7. Music For A Found Harmonium - Moose Hill
8. Isle Of View - Steve Jansen
9. Southern Jukebox Music - Hiroshi Takano
10. Sketch - Kama Aina
11. Perpetuum Mobile - Takagi Masakatsu
12. Vega - Koki Mishina
Connect With The Penguins!
- The Penguin Cafe Orchestra Website
- The official site for PCO. Read about its origin & history, Simon Jeffes and its band members.
- The Unofficial Penguin Cafe Orchestra Site
- Neil Leacy created this website in 1994. Lots of useful information, from PCO Genesis to Other Tales.
- Perfect Sound Forever: Imaginary Folklore
- Nice article written by Craig Breaden. Through his own views, he comments chronologically on all PCO albums.
- We Were The Medium for His Wildness
- The Penguins simply stopped playing after Simon's death, though in recent years there have been private meetings, just for fun. They played in public again because Simon's son Arthur wwanted to honor the 10th anniversary of his father's death.
- Penguin Cafe on My Space
- Join the hundreds of fans who are part of this wonderful place. Check out few music samples of this amazing band.
- Sheet Music for The Penguin Cafe
- The Penguin Café Orchestra's music has been widely used in film, advertising, television and radio, where its eclectic appeal is ideally suited to a wide audience.
Fans Play PCO
Music for a Found Harmonium
Cover of Penguin Cafe Orchestra
The Dortchen Wild - Music for a Found Harmonium
Music for a Found Harmonium
TURDION - MUSIC FOR A FOUND HARMONIUM
Ｌｅａｄ Ｔｈｅ Ｋｎａｖｅ～Ｍｕｓｉｃ Ｆｏｒ Ａ Ｆｏｕｎｄ Ｈａｒｍｏｎｉｕｍ
"Music from a found harmonium" (Celta, versión Jorge)
Where Have All The Fuzzy Penguins Gone?
A Fan Writes a Song Inspired by PCO
curated content from YouTube
Looking For a Rare PCO Record?
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PCO Music and Eroticsm
curated content from YouTube
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