"Tired of listening to the same recycled Christmas tunes year after year? Take a listen to "Old Time Christmas" and thank me later. This is the very best holiday CD that I've come across this year. Check out The Brothers Figaro website or CD Baby.com for song samples. Very highly recommended."
- Dan Pavelich, The Kenosha News, Kenosha, WI
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If these two guys look familiar, it's because you've surely seen them before. On records, on tour, and on TV, Bill Bonk and Phil Parlapiano -- aka The Brothers Figaro -- have worked with many of the foremost musical artists of our day. Together or separately, these accomplished multi-instrumentalists have been in the touring bands of such respected artists as Rod Stewart, John Prine, Grant Lee Buffalo, Tracy Chapman, Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs, Lucinda Williams, Joan Baez, and countless others. Phil's legendary discography also includes albums with Jon Bon Jovi, Carlene Carter, Iris Dement and Toad The Wet Sprocket. Between the two of them, they've performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (seven times), Late Night with David Letterman (twice), Saturday Night Live (twice), MTV Unplugged, Austin City Limits (three times), Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Conan O'Brien, and practically every major European, Canadian and Australian national television network. Their incredible careers have also included appearing in videos on MTV, CMT, VH-1, and MuchMusic.
In feature films, Bill played acoustic guitar and bass on "The Look of Love" for Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, and you heard him playing balalaika with Gaelic Storm in the Irish party scene of the biggest movie of our time, Titanic. (And yes, that was Phil playing the accordion in that scene while Leo and Kate danced by.) On primetime and daytime television, you probably recognize Mr. Parlapiano -- with his trademark Fedora hat -- doing cameos on General Hospital, Melrose Place, PBS' The Blues series, Ally McBeal; even a classic CHiPs episode! He also played the accordion for Snoopy in the latest Peanuts TV feature, It's The Pied Piper Charlie Brown. In addition, their music has graced the backgrounds of 21-Jump Street, Felicity, Alias and Joan of Arcadia, as well as programs in Great Britain and Japan.
Their latest album, Old Time Christmas, finds them transported back to the pre-1940's era of American Music, a time when a youthful Frank Sinatra starred with the vibrant Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The Brothers Figaro Orchestra have recorded an incredibly unique album of all your favorite Christmas songs, arranged in this classic style with a nod to Beatles chestnuts like "Honey Pie" and "When I'm 64", combining their rich musical gifts with today's digital audio technology to forge something completely original.
"Just the score for twinkling lights and nog, egg or otherwise. Sticking with tunes from the traditional cannon, the Brothers Figaro have constructed a shiny look back at the days when guys sang through big cones instead of microphones. What emerges is a record you could happily share with mom AND a Tom Waits fan. The Squirrel Nut Zippers tried this once but the Brothers work far better, leaving out the kitsch and showing real affection for the material. Their "Joy To The World" has a light calypso feel that'd make a great number in Bing & Bob's Road To Christmas Island. The minor key piano on the opening "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is even a bit stirring. This is what I'll put on when I want to watch the tree and soak up the season this year."
- Dennis Cook, JamBase.com
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