The idea behind The Fantasy Orchestra is one of enthusiasm, inclusion and love that has drawn two groups of people together, one based in Bristol and one in Paris, with the intention of giving an orchestral update to some of the more unusual and unexpected songs in the world canon.
Started by Bristolian Jesse Vernon of the much-missed Liftmen, amongst others, the orchestra has embraced amateur players from all walks of life and continues to do so, probably at a venue near you. Initially starting life as an Ennio Morricone covers band, they have grown to undertake some extraordinary things; the likes of Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix amongst others. Finally, a few of those have been compiled and the result sits before me.
Sweetly packaged with a long, long list of the contributors, it looks great. The list itself is fascinating as the myriad walks of life all seem to be present here, as well as every instrument that you could imagine. The two groups appear to be autonomous, with just one or two members, Jesse being one, crossing over and the recording of the tracks has been spread between the two. Each of the groups managed to record their tracks in one day, and considering the effort involved, that would have been no mean feat.
The first undertaking is by US soundtrack composer Disasterpeace; “Flow” has been turned into a horn- and string-led groove that finds the simple interplay between the instrumentation, sending the piece swinging along guided by some lovely, wordless vocals. There is a ’60s French vibe at work here and the carefree vocals shine a warm coastal light down on us. It is not quite Nouvelle Vague, but it does have a touch of that about it. The other default for the sound is jazz, which is understandable, considering the instrumentation and the joy with which it is played. Bristol artist Jamie Harrison‘s “The Bear” is given a jazz / folk makeover that sounds blown-up into a carnival, with blares of trombone accompanying the eccentric chorus, the vocals unaffected and almost chatty.The diversity of styles here is pretty impressive, and Buke And Gase‘s “Split Like A Lip, No Blood On The Beard” is divided into sections, moving from style to style in the blink of an eye. Its almost rap-like vocals hover over a lurching but insistent beat, and are surrounded by a phalanx of geese-like horns; while Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun” has a suitably stratospheric introduction, sailing on a cloud of sighing vocals. Jimi would have loved it, the vocals beaming down like the warmest of suns as I try to recall the original, and fail miserably as it has already been displaced. Their take on his “One Rainy Wish” has more of a straightforward West Coast psych vibe with folky female vocals.
By contrast, the two Sun Ra pieces are more down to earth. The lovely sultry vocals on “Love In Outer Space” give a French café vibe. You can almost see the early morning dancers moving slowly around the floor as the barman sweeps up and the sun starts to peep through the window, while “October” drags along like a New Orleans funeral band. The choir prevents it from being too downbeat, with a couple of what sound like clarinets bursting through the torpor. Kate Stables, Jesse’s This Is The Kit band-mate, appears for an eclectic take on Caetano Veloso‘s “Empty Boat”. It sounds a little Pram-like with its understated strings and horns. The choir sits well back and allows it to unfold as a frizzy guitar solo appears from nowhere and urges the rhythm section onwards. It feels as though the whole thing is being filmed, and as the camera slowly pans back, so the whole orchestra just seems to unfurl in front of you like a flower, showing everyone at work, smiling and filled with joy. In fact, the exotica-influenced version of Jesse’s very own “Kurtle” is a bongo-driven delight, filled with plucked violins and siren vocals, and manages to encapsulate everything that is great about the orchestraThe album is a rather lovely thing and impossible to listen to without a smile on your face. Even the ultimate track, Richard Dawson‘s “Final Moments Of The Universe” keeps the charm offensive going, but manages to highlight his clever song-writing at the same time. You can’t help but be drawn into The Fantasy Orchestra’s world and it is a lovely place to be. If you feel inclined, as well as picking up and album, why not check out the website and take yourself along to a rehearsal? It is open to all, and by the sounds of this would be a joy to be part of.
-Mr Olivetti-
