This Friday night, the Burlington, Vermont based acid jazz orchestra
ViperHouse will be doing a headline show at the New Music Cafe in NYC.
Last month we were at the Elbow Room (which is also owned by the New
Music folks) and had a great time as did the crowd. It is a great
space.
Here is some viper info for those who are wondering who and what we are:
We are a 10 piece acid jazz/avant funk (i'm not into labels, but what
can you do . . .) ensemble from Burlington Vermont consisting of
trumpet, alto, soprano and bari saxes, trombone, violin, hammond organ,
upright and electric basses, guitar, percussion, drum kit and vocals.
One of the premises of the group is to put the acid back into the acid
jazz (not to mention the jazz). The whole viper thing (in reference to
the name), goes back to the old jazz musicians from the 20's who played
in the spasm bands. Vipers were people of questionable means. . of ill
repute. So what are we doing? Re-empowering the name . . . maybe kind
of. Anyway this stuff is fresh and the folks down in New York City seem
to be hip to it too -- We have been playing headlining gigs on a monthly
basis rotating between the Elbow Room and The New Music Cafe. We are
also scheduled to play a weekend show at The Knitting Factory in April.
It looks like we will be in Europe this summer, and that is one of the
reasons that I am emailing you!
We do mostly originals but here are some of our covers: Virgin Jungle
(Duke Ellington), A call for all demons (Sun Ra), Am I the same girl
(Barbara Ackland), Stoned out of my mind (The Chilites), Pithycanthropus
Erectus (Charles Mingus), Is that all there is (Peggy Lee), Sunny (Bobby
Hebb).
Come check it out and introduce yourself. I am the trumpet player.
peace
brian boyes
ViperHouse