Juan Prophet Organization

Thursday, April 19^th @ JJ’s Bohemia

231 M.L.K. Blvd. Chattanooga, TN 9:00pm $6

opening act, Moscow Theatre Siege.

http://www.myspace.com/juanprophetorganization

http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.asp?epk_id=75433

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jpo2

Juan Prophet Organization, Murfreesboro’s transplanted Louisiana Dixieland meets thrash orchestra & theatrical ensemble will be stopping in Chattanooga as their nationwide tour embarks. I’m thinking The residents, combined with Bertholdt Brecht & Frank Zappa, but with a more benign and melodic lilt for the most part, before breaking off into some rough edged metal once in a while. Obviously serious music craft, and finally, some real creativity to lift us out of the pop/rock routine we’ve been chugging along in for so long. Please listen to their sound clips at www.myspace.com/juanprophetorganization the melodic and complex sounds on there from their previously released Full Length CD titled “Carrot & Stick” convinced me to bring this Art-Rock unit to town. The enclosed 6 song E.P. just released in 2007 seems to take a rougher, more contemporary approach combined with lilting vocals and explosive but complex guitar and orchestration. Instrumentation consists of but is not limited

to guitar, bass, drums, violin, viola, piano, vocals, accordian, banjo, trumpet, cornet, clarinet, glockenspiel, percussion and other noises.

Since E.P. this plays like a miniature rock opera about Factory work and truck drivers as well as birthday mortality realizations. You’ll need a concept in mind to play tracks form Juan Prophet Organization’s latest E.P.

Tracks to consider for airplay.

3. Factory (the most memorable lyric/story)

5. Clown

6. Disappointment Reflection

~R.

House band at the end of the world, these Murfreesboro minstrels are far more cabaret than rock ‘n’ roll - right down to the Vaudevillian costumes and avant-garde stage act. There are rock precedents here, mostly in the Waits-like Carney music, early Camper Van Beethoven gypsy polkas, Devotchka fandangos, and Dresden Dolls burlesque. But with all those violin, viola, Wurlitzer, accordion, banjo, trumpet, cornet, clarinet and glockenspiel accents, you could just as easily be transported to Weimar Germany in the 20s.

The NY shows (April 2007,) have been amazing. here's a quote from a bartender at the Knitting Factory,

"The music is amazing but the best thing is that you look around the room when this band is playing and EVERYONE is smiling, i've never seen that."
Galapagos Tech Director " The perfect respite from the barage of NYC indie rock, this vaudevillian rock band is much more than a sideshow." - Austin Duggan

"The band's members act as tour guides in a wild ride through countless musical genres with grace and style...”

Christopher Magan, Sidelines.

“Murfreesboro's bizarro-pop stalwarts Juan Prophet Organization play-act morbid lullabies with stunning Tom Waits abstraction…….It's a kaleidoscopic grab bag of Dixieland jazz, chamber pop, vaudeville and an anything goes dictum pureed to perfection."

Joey Hood, Nashville Scene.

"Juan Prophet Organization is often described as a Vaudevillian art-rock band, due to the diversity of musical influences they incorporate into their own music---influences ranging from Phillip Glass and the Rachels to Mother Goose and Danny Elfman. JPO's penchant for performing in costume also might have something to do with it."

Natalie Kilgore, The Rage.

*****

Chattanooga’s own Moscow Theater Siege will open the show with one of their heavy, melodic metal & psychedelic instrumental performances. They were recently tapped to play this year's Riverbend festival and their style is just right for the big sound systems at Riverbend. This band has been playing diligently in the small venues around town, polishing their sound and just waiting for that opportunity to show their power on the big stage that their music was ultimately designed for. The last performance of theirs I caught about a month ago was definitely showing a lot of progress in their sound & execution since I first started watching this local band.