Fitzroy’s The Night Cat will play host to Melbourne composer Tamil Rogeonand the Australian Youth Orchestra’s 35 piece Momentum Ensemble this April in a stirring musical retelling of a tragic Rio de Janeiro shooting. Easily one of Australia’s most innovative composers, Rogeon (The Raah Project, Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda, True Live) returned from Brazil with a powerful new album, 24 Hours in Lapa.
Inspired by the true tale of young expat Joseph Martin who was shot dead by an off-duty police officer whilst celebrating his 30th birthday in the party capital back in 2007, Rogeon has taken the story of this man’s final hours and created a sweeping, cinematic suite meditating on the themes of vice, impetuosity and extinguished youth.
A mesmerising 12- part song cycle, the album is Rogeon’s first solo release and his most ambitious work to date. A powerful fusion of samples, orchestral music and Brazilian rhythms, the work reflects the rising energy and heightening mood of Lapa over the course of a day and a night and tells the ultimately tragic tale of Joseph E Martin. Part oratorio, part part hip-hop collage, 24 Hours in Lapa blends a disparate mix of samba, beats, brass, woodwinds and strings.
This is not a ‘solo’ album in the usual sense of the word. A longtime fan of Brazilian music, Rogeon packed his violin and travelled to Rio where he partied, performed and recorded. He also visited the famous ‘Selarón Steps’ in Lapa, with a wall there providing the inspiration for the felt mosaic of the album’s cover art. Returning to Melbourne, Rogeon recorded his score withOrchestra Victoria plus additional instrumentation including guitar and cavaquinho. The vocals were recorded in LA, London, Paris and back in Melbourne, with Heidi Vogel (Cinematic Orchestra), Nina-esque Krystle Warren, globetrotting MC Raashan Ahmad, RAah partner Ryan Ritchie, crooner Bobby Valentine and ethereal backings from Ella Thompson (GL, The Bamboos).
Having performed in Melbourne’s top concert halls, Rogeon has chosen to hold his album launch on 28 April at legendary Fitzroy venue The Night Cat, providing a rare opportunity to witness an orchestra in a nightclub setting. 24 Hours in Lapa will be performed in full with the Australian Youth Orchestra’s ‘Momentum’ ensemble, guests Allysha Joy (30/70), Ryan Ritchie, Doug de Vries and more. Supporting acts will be the moody progressive jazz ofKrakatau plus DJs including Heard and Felt label head and Brazilian music aficionado Ennio Styles.
The Night Cat is a environment that reflects both the context of the story and also is an attempt to take classical music out of the concert hall, to a new audience and ambience.