Pasadena Roof Orchestra
The Pasadena Roof Orchestra is a British big band founded in 1969 with a musical focus on the swing of the 1920s and 1930s.
The orchestra began rehearsing in 1969 and had its international breakthrough in 1974. Since the 1990s, the Pasadena Roof Orchestra has rarely played on tours in jazz clubs, but rather in classical concert halls or at jazz festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival . The music is traditionally accompanied by humorous interludes by the various musicians.
The Pasadena Roof Orchestra recorded the music for the film Comedian Harmonists (film) by Joseph Vilsmaier . The last movie with Marlene Dietrich , Beautiful Gigolo, Poor Gigolo , was also released with the music of the orchestra. Pop artists like Robbie Williams and Bryan Ferry used the orchestra or its musicians to support their performances.
After John "Pazz" Parry, Robin Merrill was the orchestra's lead singer until he married in Berlin and left. From 1990 James Langton and Duncan Galloway sang alternately. Eventually singer and actor Duncan Galloway became musical director and lead singer.
Since it was founded, 40 records with over 300 titles have been made, some of which have been published worldwide. In 1993 the orchestra made 50 appearances from Los Angeles to New York on a US tour. Another tour in the USA followed in 2001. The orchestra has been accompanying the cabaret artists' Ash Wednesday in the Munich Philharmonic in Gasteig since 2007 . The orchestra celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009 with an extensive European tour. In 2013 the album Ladies and Gentlemen was recorded in Hamburg with guests like Laura Fygi . In 2016 a live recording of a concert at London's Cadogan Hall was released under the title "Live from London".
The Pasadena Roof Orchestra tours Europe, mainly England and Germany, and is named after Harry Warren's song Home in Pasadena (1923) .
Discography
- 2016 Live from London
- 2013 Ladies and Gentlemen
- 2008 Roots of Swing
- 2002 Here And Now
- 1998 Swing That Music
- 1996 Rhythm Is Our Business
- 1993 25th Anniversary Album
- 1991 Breakaway
- 1989 Steppin 'Out
- 1987 Happy Feet
- 1981 Crazy Words, Crazy Tunes
- 1979 Night Out
- 1978 A Talking Picture
- 1977 The Show Must Go On
- 1976 Isn't It Romantic
- 1975 On Tour
- 1975 Good News
- 1974 The Pasadena Roof Orchestra
Web links
- Web presence
- Videos from the Munich Philharmonic in Gasteig
- Pasadena Roof Orchestra at Discogs (English)