Reptile Palace Orchestra

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The Reptile Palace Orchestra[1] is an eclectic worldbeat[2] band based in Madison, Wisconsin which specializes in lounge, klezmer and other Eastern European music. It began in 1994 with a gig at the Club de Wash, and since that time has become a notable fixture in the Madison music scene. Membership has varied, but the current line-up consists of Maggie Weiser, Biff Blumfumgagnge, Seth Blair, Kia Karlen, Bill Feeny, Robert Schoville, Greg Smith and Ed Feeny, and included Sigtryggur Baldursson[3] of Sugarcubes/Björk fame on their first 2 Omnium releases, Iguana iguana and HWY X[4]

Worldwide sources include their Greenman Review,[5] their Ink 19 interview by Holly Day,[6] their Dirty Linen appearance,[7] their Inside World Music interview by Paula E. Kirman,[8] a 2003 cover story in Maximum Ink[9] and an appearance in Snapshotmusic's FolkLib Index listing.[10] They also appeared on Balkans Without Borders[11] which benefitted the non-profit Doctors Without Borders organization.[12]

Among the traditional Folk dance material, the group has a song dedicated to the Freshwater Drum. Boiled in Lead members Drew Miller and Robin Adnan Anders have both played with the Reptiles, and Biff has played with Boiled in Lead. The Reptiles also share membership (Kia, Greg and Geoff Brady) with Yid Vicious a notable Madison Klezmer band.

Discography[edit]

  • Early Reptile, 1994, Boat Records
  • On The Wings Of A Skink, 1995, Motile Music
  • Hwy X. 1997, Omnium Records
  • Live Field Recording, 1998, Beeftone Music
  • Iguana Iguana, 1999, Omnium Records
  • XOPO ! 2000, Beeftone Music
  • Official Bootleg 2002, Beeftone Music
  • We Know You Know, 2004, Omnium Records
  • Songs and Dances of Madisonia, 2012, Omnium Records

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ decent introduction to RPO on this non-commercial music site Archived May 4, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "RPO introduced and the source of the eclectic worldbeat quote". Answers.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  3. ^ "Siggi documented as Reptile members in this non-trivial release of Omnium Records, part of RYKO". Noside.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  4. ^ List of Siggi's collaborations – "HWY X" and "Iguana, iguana" Reptile Palace Orchestra albums documented
  5. ^ reviewer. "Greenman Review of Reptile Palace documenting Biff, Siggi and the Omnium releases". Greenmanreview.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  6. ^ "Ink 19 article". Ink 19 article. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  7. ^ Dirty Linen Archived February 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Paula Kirman interviews the RPO". Insideworldmusic.com. April 1, 1994. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  9. ^ "Maxink Reptiles Cover story by Andrew Frey". Maximumink.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  10. ^ Doug Henkle. "Snapshotmusic lists Reptile Palace Orchestra as Bulgarian Folk music". Folklib.net. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "Balkans Without Borders". Omnium.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2000. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  12. ^ "Balkans Without Borders explained and Reptiles documented". Omnium.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2000. Retrieved December 12, 2011.