Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata Recontextualize The Sound Of Music

Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata Mashes "The Jackson Five" With "The von Trapp Seven," Injects Rodgers & Hammerstein Standards with Classic Rock Riffs

Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata's 'The Hills Are Alive,' out March 8th, 2011 from Canal Records, is a bold adaptation of the iconic songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein's score to the beloved Broadway and Hollywood musical 'The Sound Of Music.' Founded by Peter Kiesewalter, the musical mind behind GRAMMY-nominated opera revisionists East Village Opera Company, the instrumental rock quartet and guest singers (including Jane Siberry, Carolyn Leonhart and Carole Pope) mashes von Trapps with the Jackson Five and pumps classic rock riffs into Rodgers & Hammerstein standards.

"Eyebrows were definitely raised," explains Kiesewalter. "The guys in the band were initially skeptical - but that was nothing compared to the reaction we got from the people over at Rodgers & Hammerstein."

The team at Rodgers & Hammerstein, gatekeepers and protectors of the intellectual property of one of America's greatest musical partnerships, were at first surprised but quickly became so enamored with BRO's versions of the songs that they granted the group unprecedented artistic license with the music. They even invited the foursome to participate in the filmed bonus segments on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's brand-new 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray -release of the 1965 OSCAR-winning movie of 'The Sound Of Music.'

"We've always been open to new interpretations of the songs we represent," says Ted Chapin, President of Rodgers & Hammerstein (An Imagem Company), "especially from people who do it with great affection and skill, and superb musicianship, as Peter and his band have done here."

Listen to the mix of the Jackson Five's "ABC" and "Do Re Mi" on "Do Re Mi/ABC" here:
http://soundcloud.com/user5957344/do-re-mi-abc

Kiesewalter explains BRO's eclectic musical approach to the record: "The quest for individuality in the face of oppressive authority, as personified by Maria von Trapp in the film and in real life, is a quintessentially American theme. And you can't get much more American than the musical and lyrical perspectives of Rodgers and Hammerstein. So I felt these songs lent themselves to bold re-arrangements using indigenous American music forms like rock, bebop, gospel, R&B, and country."

"Fortunately, the team at Rodgers & Hammerstein heartily encouraged the artistic liberties I took. We paired 'Edelweiss,' for example, with the Ola Belle Reed bluegrass standard 'High On A Mountain' and set 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' over an R&B/hip hop backdrop that really wouldn't sound out of place on a Mary J. Blige record."

The album was mixed by three-time GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits, Paul McCartney, Bjork) and features guest singers Jane Siberry, Carole Pope (from the band Rough Trade), Carolyn Leonhart (Steely Dan), Everett Bradley (Hall and Oates), Victoria Cave (Steely Dan), emcee TK Wonder, Dave Wall (from the band Bourbon Tabernacle Choir), actor Paul Harman, and yodeler Greta von Schrie.

See Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata live:

Wed Dec 22 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub, NYC

Tue Dec 28 - Stowe, VT - Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center

Sun Jan 9 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

For more information about Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata:

http://www.brooklyn-ro.com

http://www.shorefire.com/clients/bro/