Review: Music from the Penguin Cafe
RNCM, 5th June 2009.
In December 2007 the musicians of the Penguin Cafe re-formed for three concerts at the Union Chapel to commemorate ten years since the death of founder Simon Jeffes. His son, Arthur, took part and obviously enjoyed it, for he has now put together Music from the Penguin Cafe, playing both his father’s music and his own, new compositions.
The convert covered all of the regular favourites – and a few pieces, particularly Swinging the Cat and Dirt from Signs of Life that don’t seem to have been performed live before. That, combined with new pieces such as Finland and Bramble, provided a wide range of music from the Penguin Cafe repertoire and a great introduction to people who only know the music from CD.
There were a few technical fumbles during the night, to be expected given (I think) this was their first performance together. And lack of any brass meant that pieces such as In The Back of a Taxi lost some of the punch. However, a few rough edges are easily forgiven in the sheer fun of hearing Penguin Cafe music performed live again.
On this basis of this concert, I’ll definitely be looking forward to a studio album of Arthur Jeffes’ new material. While of course there will be a change in style between older and newer, the concept of Music from the Penguin Cafe promises as much listening pleasure as ever.
agc (June 15, 2009, 8:00 pm).
I was lucky enough to see one of the Union Chapel gigs last year, and I’ve never experienced anything quite like it in terms of atmosphere and sheer *fun*.
Alan