"We've long known that the veteran San Francisco acoustic group Pickpocket Ensemble never fail to deliver the goods, and their sixth cd reaffirms this. Those of you outside the Bay Area might already be familiar with them and this album from their airplay on NPR. It's sure to please old fans as well as attract plenty of new ones. Always rich in mood and atmosphere, they deftly meld inspirations and instrumentation from around the globe. Some are fleeting like single threads in their lustrous tapestry, while others (such as the Appalachian folk and Balkan gypsy influences) appear more solidly, forming artfully arranged patches of the PPE musical quilt. Along the mesmerizing way, they visit and revisit the twist and turns of jazz, flamenco, tango and chamber music. Equally at home in a sunny sidewalk cafe or a vivacious cabaret, Memory is a dark and sultry album that captures the flair and charm of a bygone era."
-Aquarius Records
With their uniquely crafted contemporary world chamber music harkening to the timeless spirit of far-away sidewalk cafes and intimate evening cabarets, San Francisco’s pickpocket ensemble create a body of original work that is at once fresh and familiar, transporting listeners around the globe as effortlessly as it invites them in.
The group is releasing its 6th CD – Memory – which prior to release has already garnered accolades, with 2 of its pieces judged among the top 5 winners in the Indie International Songwriting Awards.
“Una banda del pueblo para el pueblo.”
- Javier Moreno-Pollarolo, CacaoRock
Read more...