Fishtank Ensemble: Records

Current Releases

Super Raoul CD - Buy Now! November, 2005

NEW CD!!! The new, full-length Fishtank Ensemble CD Super Raoul is for sale on-line now! Gypsy flamenco frenzy! A blend of up-tempo traditional and original music--Romanian, Roma, klezmer, flamenco and Japanese--with a contemporary twist. From the smokey cafes of Bucharest to the Gypsy caravans of yesterday, this CD evokes the spirit of a past age and the sounds of tomorrow. 7-piece orchestra with vocals, 2 violins, saw, accordion, shamisen, flamenco guitar, double base and percussion. A unique musical experience--and a rollicking good time! Check out the MPEG format sound clips, below:

1.  Bordeas [ra*]  [mp3, 1.8 MB] 2.  Itty Bitty Snitty Little Frenchman 3.  Papirosen 4.  Troll Wedding 5.  Pegasus Vaulters 6.  Ringo Bushi [ra*]  [mp3, 1.0 MB] 7.  Arabu Andaluz 8.  Hora di Bucharest / Hora de Fabrice 9.  Le Kidnappeur [ra*]  [mp3, 1.6 MB] 10. Hopa di Bida [ra*]  [mp3, 1.4] 11. The Last Shamisen Master [ra*]  [mp3, 1.2 MB] 12. Suite Romaine [ra*]  [mp3, 1.6 MB] 13. Doina Sonnambule *--Requires Real Audio player. May take a few seconds to start. Requires 56K modem connection speed or better for smooth streaming (at 32 kbps). (CD cover cartoon by Garth Kauffman)

Book back (previously front cover)

Other Releases

Fishtank at the Fishtank CD (pre-mix) - Released June (?) 2004

Recorded live at the Fishtank in Oakland on January 19, 2004. Over 26 tracks. This is mostly a pre-mix of material that later appeared on Super Raoul (see above).

Song Credits

Super Raoul

1. Bordeas
2. Itty Bitty Snitty Little Frenchman (A. Seeman; 2004)
3. Papirosen (H. Yablokoff; Yiddish song based on Bulgarian folk tune, title means "Cigarettes")
4. Troll Wedding (and introducing the band)
5. Pegasus Vaulters (A. Seeman; 2005)
6. Ringo Bushi (Jap. "Apple Song"; written by Narita Unchiku in 1954; Tsugaru region, Japan)
7. Arabu Andaluz (Sp. "Arabo-Andalusian")
8. Hora di Bucharest / Hora de Fabrice (trad. Romanian circle dance)
9. Le Kidnappeur (D. Smolens, K. Kmetz; 2004)
10. Hopa di Bida
11. The Last Shamisen Master (K. Kmetz; 2003)
12. Suite Romaine (sic., Fr. Sweet Roumaine: "Rumanian suite"; trad.)
13. Doina Sonnambule (Rum./Fr. "Sleepwalking doina")

Fishtank at the Fishtank

1. Introducing Fishtank (spoken)
2. Bordeas (see under Super Raoul, above)
3. Itty Bitty Snitty Little Frenchman (A. Seeman)
4. Serbian Tune
5. Introducing Kevin (spoken)
6. Shamisen Piece #1
7. Shamisen Piece #2 (see "Ringo Bushi", above)
8. Shamisen Piece #3
9. Papiroisen [sic.] (Yiddish 'Papirosn' = "Cigarettes") (H. Yablokoff; Yiddish song based on Bulgarian folk tune)
10. Troll Wedding
11. Arabu-Andalu (Sp. "Arabo-Andalusian")
12. Youkali (Youkali tango habanera; K. Weill & R. Fernay; 1934)
13. Introducing El Douje (spoken)
14. Semi-Improvised Flamenco #1 (D. Smolens)
15. Searing Light (spoken)
16. Semi-Improvised Flamenco #2 (D. Smolens)
17. Dance des ours (Fr. "Dance of the Bears")
18. Song of Behor
19. Hopa dibi Da [sic.](see Hopa di Bida, above)
20. Introducing Aaron (spoken)
21. Firn Di Mekhutonim Aheym (or 'Fihren Die Mechutonim Aheim'; Yiddish, "Escorting the inlaws home")
22. Thieving Magpie (traditional/Rossini)
23. Introducing Fabrice
24. Suite Romain [sic] (Fr. Suite Roumaine, "Rumanian suite"; trad.)
25. Doina Sonnambule (Rum./Fr. "Sleepwalking doina"; trad. Romanian folk song)
26. Surrealist Bordeas (see Bordeas, above)