But For Gardens and Family Homes: Bootz Orchestra
February 1, 2010 — PDXPIPELINEPosted by Mike Harper
The era of the folk orchestra hasn't given up its bloom with the new decade. Layers of musicians pile into tiny venues and pack stages like nearly lit matches huddling in a matchbox – percussive smashing of random objects, toy pianos and brass instruments shining against the floating tones of melting guitar strings wrapped around violin whispers! In the vein of Zach and everyone's favourite Sufjan comes one Berkeley via Missouri composer that has landed in Portland like an origami crane folded from sheet music. Having toured through Portland with Bearkat in 2008, Kyle Butz set his sights on this town, orchestrating his return by way of cross-continental tour, gaggle of musicians and accordion in tow.
Bootz Orchestra channels large Balkan beats through the four strings of Kyle Butz's ukulele, buried alive beneath a shuddering brass section and the soaring violin of Ashley King. "Mollifying Whirl," from Bootz's EP Bony Jars, begins with a slight eruption of trombones and trumpets waltzing with sparse piano over ukulele strings peppering subdued drumbeats. The slow building climb and escape between recurrences of soft strums behind slightly thought-strangled singing brims with suspense, cascading into a soft-landing at its end. The running bass of "Our Daughters" chases the metronome-banjo that leads a cloud of instruments, outrunning the "grey ghosts in tight knitted bones" of the first line, weaving between a wave of circling notes and glockenspiel droplets. The EP
Bony Jars is available now with new songs in the works. Keep your eyes alive for the orchestra cavorting around town with accordions, banjos, guitars, ukuleles, trombones, violins, tambourines, melodicas and all!
Next Show: Feb. 19: The Parlour – Bootz Orchestra w/ Johan
_______________________________________________
Mike Harper has his books and his poetry to protect him. Also, a formidable vinyl collection, his head in a cloud of music, and his hands hovering loudly over the clanking keys of a typewriter. He writes for BBQCHICKENROBOT.COM and edits the poetry/art zine Lexicon Polaroid (www.lexiconpolaroid.com). You can find him at the bottom of a demi-tasse, a pint glass, or just follow him @openmikeharper.
