Orkestra del Sol
Flamboyant, brassy and irresistibly euphoric
- the riotous live shows of Edinburgh’s Orkestra del Sol are
fast gaining them notoriety as Scotland’s answer to the
celebratory wedding bands of Eastern Europe. Blending the best
of Balkan brass with the swinging sounds of New Orleans, the
rolling rhythms of the Middle East or the bouncing beats of UK
ska, they pack a punch and make mincemeat of musical categories.
The band cite influences including Balkan big names like Boban
Markovic Orkestar, Mahala Rai Banda and Fanfare Ciocarlia, but
also pay homage to Calypso and Mento, Brazilian Forro and
Columbian Porro, plus The Specials, Tom Ze, Duke Ellington and
Tom Waits.
It is their imaginative and captivating stage show that truly
sets Orkestra del Sol apart – bursting with anarchic humour,
wildly skilful musical arrangements and a roguish sense of
theatre, the band has hit upon an explosive combination. They’ve
sold out venues and delighted festival audiences across Europe
and as far afield as India and China.
The band’s charm lies in their rebellious spirit and unruly cast of musicians: Olga, sultry queen of the clarinet; world famous (in his own imagination) calypso king, Sincero Minimo; food-obsessed sousaphonist, Marco Battenburg and 12 year-old trumpet genius, Phil Philidopoulos to name but a few. This is an inspired musical feast, a journey into the irresistible world of Orkestra del Sol. Globally inspired. Distilled in Scotland.
Orkestra del Sol formed in 2004, playing music from far and wide
– Bucharest, and Bogota, Havana and Helsinki - and performing at
street festivals in Scotland. In the subsequent years their
reputation for fast and furious brass-led dance music has taken
them across the world to perform at street festivals, music
festivals and reputable music venues. They have developed
site-specific outdoor shows for Glastonbury Festival, Fira
Tarrega, Linz Pflasterspektakel, London Thames Festival, Culture
Shock Children’s Festival, XTrax, Beijing Spring Carnival and
most recently at Feet First in Edinburgh.
In 2007 Orkestra del Sol were invited to perform in Delhi,
collaborating with the Jaipur Kawa Brass Band from Rajasthan.
Later that year they received funding from the Scottish Arts
Council in to develop their outdoor performance material,
In 2008 Orkestra del Sol released their second album, which
gained critical acclaim in the UK’s press. Live radio sessions
and international tours followed, including Exit festival
(Serbia), Colours of Ostrava (Czech Republic) Fira Tarrega
(Spain) plus dates in the Netherlands and France.
In 2009 the band will be touring in Ireland, Eastern Europe, the
UK, France and Spain plus developing a new show for the
Edinburgh International Fringe Festival and recording new
material at the end of the year.
For all the latest Orkestra del Sol films, upcoming gigs, soundclips, photos, press cuttings and more, visit the website: http://www.orkestradelsol.co.uk
Orkestra del Sol websites
