* Portland Cello Project new album “Homage” out this week
* Group of cellists mixes classical with modern music
* It’s outside the mainstream, but that’s Portland
By Courtney Garcia
LOS ANGELES, June 1 (Reuters) – The people of Portland,
Oregon enjoy a reputation for living somewhat outside the
mainstream, so it should come as no surprise that a group of the
city’s cello players is using its classical instruments to lay
down hip-hop beats.
What rappers such as Kanye West and Jay-Z do with syncopated
rhymes and rhythms, the Portland Cello Project bangs out with
strings and bows. And they don’t stop there. Pop tunes from
Britney Spears’ “Toxic” to Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes
Around” also bring cheer to their fans.
“It just seemed like the natural thing,” Doug Jenkins, a
founding member of the band told Reuters. “We began stumbling
around trying to find the most fun or confusing songs to perform
on the cello to play with people’s perceptions.”
Now on national tour to promote their new album “Homage,”
which was released this past Tuesday, the collective aims to
challenge the conventions of their instrumental classification.
Portland Cello Project formed six years ago as a loose group
of cellists who kept bumping into each other around town and
decided it only made sense to hang out, drink beer and jam.
Eclectic in background and taste, some brought indie rock
sensibilities to the table, others clung to jazz and folk.
After playing in each other’s living rooms, they went live
in their first public gig in 2006 at a local lounge. Rather than
perform something expected like Beethoven – they did what any
good-natured Portlander would do – they opted for Spears and
over time became a local sensation.
Seizing on their celebrity, the crew of about 10-20 rotating
members then branched into hip-hop, making symphonic
arrangements out of songs like West’s “All of the Lights,” Jay-Z
and West’s collaborative “H.A.M” and Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop.”
“Hip-hop right now is the most vibrant American cultural art
form,” said Jenkins. “Like it or not, it sells a lot of records,
and is extremely influential. It was also a challenge because
these songs aren’t obvious musical compositions. They have
really fascinating productions behind them.”
“Homage” mixes tracks from West and other performers like
Talib Kweli and Outkast with the work of contemporary classical
composers in a compilation Jenkins describes as “court and
courtiers” music.
Although the band has been successful in many adaptations,
not every bass line translates well. Some tracks, like 50 Cent’s
“In Da Club,” contain hooks, bridges, and other parts too
complicated or mismatched for classical.
SHOCK AND AWE
Portland Cello Project’s music doesn’t hinge merely on
inventive renditions of others’ tunes, but also in their
contradictory play lists that keep audiences guessing and, even
at times, listening with a sense of awe.
“The juxtaposition of playing (heavy metal band) Pantera at
a live show, and following it immediately with a Bach cantata is
really funny,” Jenkins remarked. “There’s that feeling that
Grandma is wondering what’s happening on stage and then suddenly
she’s comfortable again.”
Their sometimes three-hour live shows have included guest
appearances by many of their contemporary muses, including The
Dandy Warhols, members of The Decemberists, Peter Yarrow of
Peter, Paul and Mary, and Suicidal Tendencies.
Though they have yet to feature a rapper alongside them on
stage, Jay-Z recently gave the band a nod on his Facebook page
and blog, Life + Times. And Jenkins hopes for a future
collaboration, saying that joining forces with a hip-hop icon
would offer the unassuming Portlanders a legitimacy they seek.
“On tour, we’re playing hip-hop music, but not giving a real
hip-hop experience. (The crowd) seems more like indie rock
shows, where there’s kind of a divide in the audience as to
whether the music is cool enough … But to bring a hip-hop
artist on stage, it’s just automatically you love it.”
There’s always a Tupac hologram.
Beyond unusual selections, the group aims to display the
dynamism of the cello, an instrument Jenkins feels often gets
tagged as an accompaniment.
“Historically, there’s a longstanding misconception that the
cello can’t do that much; that it can only play low bass notes,”
he comments. “But we can go much higher, right into violin
ranges. It’s a really versatile instrument.”
On the road, they bring only wind and brass instrument
players as compliments to their urbanized concerto. No other
strings allowed.
And reception has been positive.
“There are so many nights where we’re playing in a bar…and
all of a sudden after 30 seconds, you can hear a pin drop even
though everyone’s drunk … That feels like success.”
(Reporting By Courtney Garcia; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
