Herald blogs: The Beat Goes On

‘Vagabond Opera’ musical chameleons

Far more than just a motley crew, Vagabond Opera quite original, talented

Nowadays, it is more common for a musical group to claim numerous labels than sticking to just one genre. Vagabond Opera, a group that certainly fits in the former camp, has been lumped in with cabaret, swing, neo-classical, jazz, folk/punk, and many other equally diverse categories. Describing themselves as “opera, liberated and reinvented for everyone,” Portland, Oregon-based Vagabond Opera is playing at Madison’s own Brink Lounge tonight at 8. They will perform alongside Mad Toast Live, a radio show which features a variety of musical guests and calls for audience participation.

A six piece group, Vagabond Opera is comprised of Eric Stern (operatic tenor/accordion), Robin Jackson (tenor saxophone/vocals), Jason Flores (standup bass), Mark Burdon (percussion), and Skip Von Kuske (cello). As hard as it is to classify the group based on their overall sound, the difficulty of labeling them based on their influences is that much harder - on their Facebook page, the group counts Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Beriut, Edith Piaf, Dresden Dolls, and the Sound of Music among their influences. Their tastes don’t just end there, however; Vagabond Opera also lists Danny Elfman, Tom Waits, Marlene Dietrich, Duke Ellington, and Squirrel Nut Zippers as some of their favorite musical geniuses.

If you can’t imagine what they sound like yet, you are not alone - with every song, Vagabond Opera seems to transform itself into something new. The beauty of their sound is its flexibility and originality, especially when compared to bland mainstream music of today. Whether you enjoy the environment of a cabaret in Europe, or an opera house in Oregon, you will have an entirely wonderful time opening yourself to the novelty of Vagabond Opera at its finest.

Vagabond Opera performs on November 17 at the Brink Lounge at 8 pm.