Help fund the new recording and get it first!

We're recording this summer and we need your help to finish the project. By making an early purchase or contribution to our project, you can help participate in the production of our debut recording. More on this and our contests below.

Level	Amount	Description
Fan	$8	MP3 album download (low quality 128kpbs)
Modernista	$10	AAC album download (lossless, CD-quality audio)
Hi-Fidelity Fan	$10	Physical CD
Vintage Vinyl	$30	12" Vinyl record* and AAC download.
Tiki God	$100	Autographed 12" Vinyl*, CD, AAC download, and your name in the liner notes.
Gold Supporter	$250	Everything in Tiki God plus a CD, plus you and a guest are invited to a CD-Release pre-party cocktail evening with drinks made by Mr. Ho and his assistant. You would also be invited to attend the recording session.
Platinum Supporter	$1,000	Everything in Gold plus you will get to pick one of the selections we will record during the big band selections. We will also learn your favorite exotica tune and add it to the Orchestrotica Mini repertoire, and perform it at your own private party. (Excludes wedding, bar mitzvahs, commercial/corporate functions and your party must be within two hours drive from Boston, MA). Email info[at]orchestrotica.com for details.
You choose		Make a donation of your own amount. Suggest to us what you think you should receive!

Teaser video (Aug. 2, 2010)

Contest winners

Contest #3: identify the instrument (still running!)

...to win 2 free tickets to an upcoming show. The first person to make an album pre-purchase or donation on this page, and answer this gets 2 tickets to any upcoming show:

In Esquivel's Take the A Train, in every single measure of music for the most part, there is a unique percussion sound. What is the name of this instrument? Clues: Mr. Ho plays the same instrument in his group La Tuza and it's also heard on every other measure of music in Dancing in the Dark. It's also used in exotica music sometimes. After you make your purchase/donation, you must post the response on our Facebook Wall. Contest started July 25th.

Contest #4: Tiki Twos winner: Michael Kowalski

Win a free CD with this mixology puzzle! No donation or pre-purchase required. A secret ingredient called Don's Mix is used in 2 famous tiki punch drinks. Name the 2 ingredients in the mix, and 2 of the punch drinks used. Hint: Mr. Ho's pal Beach Bum Berry. To win, be the first to post the answer to our Facebook wall.

Contest #2 winner: Philip Powell

Philip correctly guessed Mini Skirt in this contest! View the details.

Contest #1 winner: Paul Jacyk

Paul was the 10th person to donate and won the ability to choose a song on the Esquivel recording. He chose Andalucia, which ironically was Mr. Ho's first song he heard, the first song he transcribed. Full circle! Congrats to Paul who is also a Wurlitzer Theatre organist. Watch him on YouTube.

About the recording (a letter from Mr. Ho)

The last weekend of July, the Orchestrotica and Orchestrotica Mini will be recording in the studio a brand new, full length album. Or maybe even two ;-) Right now, we're not entirely sure how much material we will have and how this will be released, however an album will be released this Fall. We will spend two days tracking the Orchestrotica Mini group who will record my new exotica, jazz, and modern compositions, followed by a Monday evening of recording the full 21-piece big band doing Juan Garcia Esquivel's space-age pop. The big band will attempt to record as much of the repertoire that I've transcribed and edited over the last 5 years (more about this project). However, most of the current focus has been on the Orchestrotica Mini learning my new compositions in the genre known as exotica.

Most of my new originals are intended to evoke stories, tales, or moods and this concept is sometimes called a tone poem in the classical music world (from which I partially come). I think I would best describe our sound to non-tiki folks as "contemporary music inspired by jazz, classical, and sounds from around the world." Some folks used to call this third-stream; others call it contemporary improvisation. I like exotica! The instrumentation on most of the selections will be bass flute, vibes (me), percussion, and acoustic bass although Geni, our woodwind player, also plays c-flute and shakuhachi. Additionally, as I am a percussionist at heart, I will play a variety of tambourines and frame drums including the Brazilian pandeiro, the tammorra from Italy, the Arabic riq, and the lap-style Irish bodhran.

In terms of the band, Geni, Noriko, and Jason are as fresh to exotica as I was when I first joined WAITIKI and I love that; they are interpreting my music as it's own thing. To me exotica is more about a musical framework or concept for the composer to express escapism, moods, and storytelling through sound…and less about specific rhythms, keys, or musical constructs. It is this concept of escapism that I hope comes out in the new recording through our ensemble.

I'm excited to utilize the talents of my friend Brother Cleve during the big band recording sessions; his knowledge of production and Esquivel personally we think will add a lot to the session and the final material you listen to. During the quartet sessions, I've invited my peer Tev Stevig from Kafana to listen in and provide an impartial musical ear to the recordings. Later on, the exotica team of Brother Cleve and Ducky Carlisle will mix it (and probably some cocktails) in preparation for mastering. Artwork is still TBD. Currently, a CD and downloads will be offered, however if the funding works out, a vinyl recording will likely be offered as well, most likely in 24-bit format.

About your donation and support

A modern, professional recording of the type being undertaken by the Orchestrotica can take upwards of $10,000. This covers a variety of expenses including studio time, paying musicians, artists, producers, engineers, legal/copyright/publishing fees, instrument rental costs, and more…and this couldn't be more true when working with a 21-piece big band and a desire to release vinyl. In addition to not having a label or middleman involved, I am planning to make the recording as cost-effective as possible, without sacrificing the music and sound quality. This is rooted in the fact that I believe that many of our fans are hi-fi aficionados, and listen to music differently (i.e. not just on iPods). I also believe our fans (you!) embrace albums over singles, appreciate hi-fidelity sound, and want to hear the genres we play continue to thrive through new recordings. So, if you decide to contribute, just use the PayPal buttons above, I thank you for your support! If you have questions, feel free to email me at info@orchestrotica.com.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ho

Free live MP3 audio samples

Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter

We'll be tweeting the session and you can too using the hash tag #newtikimusic on Twitter. You can also post on our Facebook wall anytime!

* Re: refunds and vinyl: right now, it is still unknown whether vinyl will be produced. In the case it is not, we will send you 3 copies of the CD instead, or refund your money. All contributions are refundable in full, minus the cost of PayPal's transaction charges, if any, so long as you make your refund request via email before August 15th, 2010.