'HILARIOUS' BASSOON BROTHERS TO PERFORM LATEST HITS
AND AUDIENCE FAVORITES AT CD RELEASE PARTY
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Portland, Ore. … Portland's famous Bassoon Brothers, the only bassoon quartet known for resembling the Blues Brothers and for performing consistently sold-out programs, will hold their highly anticipated CD release party with performances from their newest album, "Captured," as well as past audience favorites from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, at BridgePort Brewing Company (1313 N.W. Marshall St., Portland). The event also will feature some of the local musicians featured in "Captured" as guest soloists and Oregon Symphony President Tony Woodcock performing British rock & roll tunes on the electric violin.

"Captured" is the Bassoon Brothers' follow-up to their previous album, "Wanted for Low-Down Playing and Bass Behavior," which the Seattle Times calls "Just plain hilarious." According to Head Brother Mark Eubanks, the album "is a reflection of our youth and our first inspired moments of becoming musicians … this recording also reflects the beginning of the group in 1985 when some of the arrangements were bought, borrowed and stolen from others or written for the occasion to get the ball rolling - a practice which set the tone for all future musical endeavors."

The Bassoon Brothers will perform selections from "Captured" including the popular "Fanfare for the Common Bassoonist," which premiered at Chamber Music on Tap during Portland's 10-day Copland Festival in November 2000, with the audience providing the percussion. The Brothers also will perform "Louie Louie, Roll out the Barrel," written for the very first Chamber Music on Tap concert at Bridgeport, in which the audience provides the "boom-chugga-lugga-lugga" vocals. Also from "Captured," the program will include Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze," arranged by Eubanks for the electric wah-wah bassoon. The Bassoon Brothers will perform on bassoons and contra bassoon, as well as with the newest member of the "oon" family, the "tenoroon," and the "tromboon," a cross between the bassoon and trombone.

A popular Bassoon Brothers tradition included in every performance, the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television theme (which was for one season performed with bassoons), will be included in the program, as well as a "top ten" list of why people should play the bassoon, narrated by Robert Naglee.

Also known as the bassoon section of the Oregon Symphony, members of the Bassoon Brothers are: Eubanks, Naglee, Steve Harriswangler and Bonnie Cox. The Bassoon Brothers consider their instrument to be "endangered" due to lack of players, and part of their mission is to demonstrate the bassoon's versatility and beauty in the hopes of attracting more young musicians to the instrument. Their concert repertoire covers music from all ages and styles, and with levels of musical humor from site gags to subtle and not-so-subtle musical quotes.

The group has also created their own unique repertoire, stealing material from string quartets, operas, symphonies and popular music, as well as commissioning new work from fellow bassoonist and composer Peter Schickele, a.k.a. P.D.Q. Bach. They have performed in prisons throughout Oregon and California, in schools, retirement centers and as part of various community programs. They also pioneered the Chamber Music on Tap series at BridgePort BrewPub, where each of their programs has been a sell-out.

In addition to the Bassoon Brothers' latest CD, homemade pizza and BridgePort Brewing Company's handcrafted, award-winning ales will be available for sale at the release party/concert.

Tickets are $8 for Fortissimo members, $10 for the general public and may be purchased in advance at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at the door, if available.

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