The Pick Pocket Ensemble

the pickPocket Ensemble

elegant swinging café Music

The pickPocket ensemble was formed early in 1998 to bring to life in a fresh way some of the older folk and cafe music styles of Europe that we have loved. In order to really do justice to our love of this music, we decided not to revive old standards, but to compose our own music in a way that honors these roots but also comes from us in a very natural and contemporary manner. Our music carries flavors of Parisian bal musette, Italian folk and Eastern European styles that we have devoured over the years. And of course, being Americans, we also brought our own flavors of folk, early jazz and swing to the mix. What we have forged in this blend is a unique music that is truly our own, familiar and inviting, and at the same time fresh and new.

Our music really was born in performance, on the bandstand and in the street, and has grown in creative interaction with the audience we have been developing for the past year and a half. From the start, we have performed a lot and hold down several regular "house gigs" throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, we have performed for numerous special cultural events in the area, and have been featured locally on Channel 25 in Berkeley.

The pickPocket Ensemble consists of Peter Gillette on Bass, Rick Corrigan on Accordion and Lila Sklar on Violin. Quartet. Rick came relatively recently to the accordion after years of experience as an electronic music composer and performer, releasing several albums of music with the groups Architects Office and boll Parts.

We have come together to make a new music that is both earthy and magical, sophisticated and simple. It's our pleasure to bring you the music of the pickPocket Ensemble.