http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8345000/8345073.stmNow then music lovers, this may sound rather bizarre, but the rumours circulating on the airwaves of Auntie Beeb are indeed true - The Zen Hussies will indeed be perfuming an exciting new interpretation of Handels' Hallelujah Chorus for the BBC this christmas with a two hundred strong choir under the direction of maverick choral arranger and conductor Grenville Jones.
 The premiere takes place at the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Awards at Bath University on Sunday 6th December, with a follow up rendition at Clifton Cathedral, Bristol as part of their annual festice carol concert. See the BBC website for full details, and if you want to participate in joining the choir, places may still be available.
Hurrah!

Just to keep you up to speed with some of what is happening with us zen hussies... Our recent showcase for smash! that took place in london has further upped our japanese game and supporting AkaSura jinta was very well received, it's looking likely we are to secure management for a tour out there next year. We are also honoured to be headlining the chap magazines 10th birthday celebrations in london on 5th december, and the following day collaborate with BBC radio 3 to perform a swing rendition of handel's hallelujah chorus with a full choir in assistance! Our new album sessions are underway with no fewer than 13 stomping new songs to get down, running the gauntlet of swing, ska, jive, calypso, punk, blues and beyond! New years eve sees us live at the attic bar in bristol with our old sparring partners los albertos coming down from brighton to join the bristol party. If you need a fix of stomp sooner, on the 30th october we are hosting a pre halloween jazz massacre at the golden lion in bristol! :-)

Formés en 2001 à Bath (UK), les Zens Hussies se sont affirmés comme un formidable groupe de scène composé d'une puissante section cuivre ainsi qu'une section rythmique très "roots", le tout agrémenté des paroles souvent déjantées et des mélodies accrocheuses du chanteur à l'énergie débordante, Jonah Flatfoot (Jonah les Pieds Plats).
Leur musique est un mélange original de swing et de chansons souvent décrit comme "good-time Swing Ska" et les influences musicales viennent d'une large palette pré-1960: Jump jive, rythm and blues, swing, ska, dixieland, le tout sonnant comme une nouvelle forme fraîche et stimulante de ce que certains appellent Jazz.
Aussi a l'aise sur les scènes de gros festivals (Glastonburry, Lord Mayors Thames festival, Electric Picnic et bien d'autres) de clubs ou de pubs, ils aiment tout particulièrement les festivals de rue où leur spontanéité et leur don de l'improvisation scénique a pu être appréciée aux 4 coins de l'Europe (Espagne, Italie, Autriche, Irlande, ...).
Certains les ont comparés à des groupes phares tels que le Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (groupe anglais pionnier a l'humour loufoque, amis et influence des Monthy Python) Slim Gaillard ou Tom Waits, et bien que le groupe soit honoré de telles comparaisons, leur originalité et leur son unique les placent dans une catégorie à part.
Amoureux d'un jazz d'avant guerre, ils se l'approprient pour lui redonner vie avec une énergie et un esprit qui n'a rien a envier aux groupes rock et punk actuels.
Vous pouvez aussi les découvrir sur CD (et 33 tour!) où ils ont réussi à capturer l'ambiance de fête des concerts et la subtilité des paroles et des arrangements.

DISCOGRAPHIE :
Five guys maim notes (2002 ) EP
Flatfoot sharpsuit (2004) LP
Continental adaptor (2008) LP

LES ZEN HUSSIES SONT:
Jonah Flatfoot Esquire : Voix, guitare, clarinette et clarinette basse, harmonicas.
ChaCha Gabor : Saxophone barritone, cœur.
Jack the hammer McPherson : Trompette, cornet, cœur.
Fluff mac Duff : Trombone, melodica, organ, contrebasse, percussion, cœur.
Count sebski vélo : Guitare solo, cœur.
Rockets pants allen : Contrebasse, cœur.
Bunko Greyhounds : Batterie, percussion, gramophone.

QUELQUES CITATIONS MEDIA :
"La définition sonore du bonheur" Rachel Wild, Festival Eye, 2008.
"Un vaste déploiement d'instruments, de continents et d'âges combinés dans un assaut parfait de charme pour les sens...un groupe rare, baigné dans les éléments traditionnels et pourtant tellement authentiques, excitant et véritablement nouveau. Je les salue. Chapeau bas." Tamar Newton, Venue 2008.
"Leur deuxième cd est un met de 1er choix cuisine avec un talent gourmand que les oreilles dégustent avec un plaisir rare" Dan Heatley, MOFO 2008.
"Imaginez The Specials au sommet de leur forme tout en arborant le plus grand des sourires" Colston Hall et Buena Vista presents, 2007.
"Nés Show Men avec un pied dans l'absurde, les Zen Hussies jouent des chansons qui se logent dans la tête comme un tir parfaitement vise" Venue, 2005.
"Film noir et ska entrent en collision et vous transporte dans une époque intrépide" Decode magazine, 2006.

CONTACTS :
Pour les anglophones :
zenhussies@hotmail.com, tél : 0044 7939 057809
Pour les francophones :
lazeb2000@yahoo.com, tél : 0044 7811 372071
Ou billy.pochet@gmail.com, tél : 00336 72 85 34 65

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu7qaMJf6YA

We successfully rode our jazz collosus the length and breadth of the old boot this August, cramming nigh on 24 gigs into 16 days and nights of grappa soaked travellings by plane, train and fiat 126...
Commencing our journeys in Pisogne on the shores of Lake Iseo, we negotiated the cobbled streets with an array of trolleys, skateboards and pedalos to deliver our music to the natives. Heading south to Chieti, we then proceeded to impress the Italian Youth with our dapper string vests, washing line limbo dances and charleston de la rue. After successfully ingratiating ourselves with the mayor and Carabinieri, we at last headed to the heel of the aforesaid very long shoe and Martina Franca and Manduria, where al fresco dinners with The Don revivified our now acclimatised yet weary selves. We returned triumphant, having played Jedi Mind Tricks on the excess baggage dept at Ryan Air, and clutching a magic silver tree, several multi-coloured lucky fortune seed pods, three gallons of raw spirit and a plastic plate of melted cheese to show for our endeavours.
Back to Blighty then for a much needed cup of strong tea and spoonful of marmite... until next year, we extend a most grateful Ciao to our Italian friends... Daisy, Davida,Gege, Carla, Franco and others
x

So we were on our way to plymouth maker festival last friday. in 2 vehicles.
the trusty zen wagon with kit. julesy followed in his old vw jetta with the brass section (note; rhythm and brass sections never travel together, the brass insist on chauffer driven saloons they rhythm carry the bulk of the kit. i suppose its all down the musical hierarchy)
anyway within 10 minutes of each other both vehicles break down on the outskirts of plymouth.
jules' jetta clutch. very serious.
zen van. cam belt on verge of snapping. serious and potentially fatal.
so we had to call for breakdown recovery.

whilst in dublin our otherwise delightful visit was marred by the presence of celine dion fans. she was doing a sold out show at a big big thingy there in dublin at the sam time as our stay. celine dion fans. just imagine.
then more recently a delightful all paid for meal was somewhat ruined by the waitig staffs insistance on playing celine dion. the french stuff. none of us were sure but it was soon confirmed. dion does stuff in the french tongue.
so 2 instances that would have been greatly improved if the celine dion factor had been removed.

so the rhythm section after a 5 hour wait in the dark and rain finally get in the recovery truck. nice comfy seats, warm, van being towed to safety. the driver jumps in and switches on the engine. the cd player comes on automatically and celine dion serenades us sweat power ballad back to the garage.

apologies to maker for not making it.
we hope you understand we really tried and had a terrible time in the process.

van repaired now.

i think jules' jetta might be a goner.

and them sods are all off to italy without me.
fluff started playing the drums. he is doing suprisingly well. doing all this posh snare stuff.
then he reveals last night that he was a snare drummer in the boys brigade.
is there any end to this mans talents?

bunko

WIN! WIN! WIN!
Yes, once again it's cheapskate competition time... so you impoverished swingers can win a free copy on vinyl or CD of our all new Continental Adaptor LP to stave off the doldrums.
All you have to do is send us via email or snail mail your drawings, cartoons, doodles, photos or sculptures of The Zen Hussies band members. Extra points will be awarded for displaying / portraying us in imaginative locations / situations and undertaking acts of death defying derring-do (such as sharing a tent with Bunko and Jonah after they've been on the Ale after a lamb lunch).
Please also complete the tie-breaker in no less than 50 words - 'I would like to take the Zen Hussies to (wherever) with (who) because...'
Email your entries to zenhussies@hotmail.com or snail mail to The Zenden, 24 Kathdene Gardens, Bristol, BS7 9BN.
THE WINNING ARTIST MAY WELL END UP ON OUR FORTHCOMING STUBBORN THIRD LP!
So set to it... get the plasticine and fuzzy felt out!
We await your entry with marigolds and dettol.

THE ZEN HUSSIES
Press Release 2008

Since their formation in 2001 The Zen Hussies have established themselves as a formidable live act with their original brand of swinging stomp and song. A mighty brass and reed section blow hot and heavy to the rootsy rhythm section of guitars, double bass and drums, the crafty and often surprising musical arrangements augmented by the highly catchy melodies and wordsmithery of energetic front-man Jonah Flatfoot Esquire.
Now with two full length LPs under their braces – Flatfoot Sharpsuit (2004) and Continental Adaptor (2008), The Hussies have too shown themselves to be able of capturing their inimitable style on recordings that if losing something of the effervescence of their live performances, reveal vocal and instrumental subtleties that may sometimes be missed in the often raucous atmosphere created by their followers at gigs.
Having won over audiences at festivals, clubs, pubs and indeed on the streets throughout Europe, here is a band that know about working a crowd – with a large repertoire that has on occasion seen them performing marathon four hour sets.
Musically, influences are drawn from a broad base of pre 1960s musical forms – Jump Jive, Rhythm and Blues, Swing, Dixieland, Stomp and Ska are all thrown into the pot to emerge as a fresh, invigorated new form of that thing we might call 'Jazz', delivered with a punch and when firing on all cylinders, as energetic and exciting as any punk or dance band.
There is indeed something strangely punk for such an ostensibly 'jazz' outfit, due perhaps to the off-kilter lyrical twists and turns of their song-writing, and the sheer stage presence of all the band, where drummer and lead singer, saxophonist and guitarist all vie for the spotlight whilst maintaining the overall cohesion of a very tight band.
Some have placed the Zen Hussies in the tradition of such luminaries as The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Slim Gaillard and Tom Waits, but whilst the band may be happy to be honoured with such comparisons, they truly have created not only their own unique sound, but the originality and adaptabilty of their song-writing and arrangements, places them in their own category. What quite that category should be called is open for discussion, the band themselves have been known to refer to it as 'Swingska Boogaloo' or 'Stomp n Shake', but whatever we may call it, there is no doubt these hard-working, affable musicians deserve to be recognised for creating that rare beast – a band that sounds quite like no other.

DISCOGRAPHY

Five Guys Maim Notes (2002) EP
Flatfoot Sharpsuit (2004) LP
Continental Adaptor (2008) LP

BANDMEMBERS

The Zen Hussies are currently a seven piece consisting of the following members and instruments;
Jonah Flatfoot Esquire – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Bb Clarinets, Harmonicas.
Cha Cha Gabor – Baritone Saxophone, Vocals.
Jack The Hammer McPherson – Cornet, Trumpet, Vocals.
Fluff Mc Duff – Trombone, Melodica, Organ, Double Bass, Percussion, Vocals.
Count Sebski Velo – Lead Guitar, Vocals.
Rocket Pants Allen – Double Bass, Vocals.
Bunko Greyhounds – Drums, Percussion, Gramophone, Vocals.

MEDIA QUOTES

'The Sonic Definition of Happiness' - Rachel Wild, Festival Eye

'Born showmen with one eye on the absurd, The [Zen] Hussies play songs that lodge in the head like well aimed bullets, creating a sea of beaming revellers on a dance-floor bursting at the seams' - Tamar Newton, Venue Magazine.

'Film Noir and Ska collide and transported me to another, more fearless era, I almost breathed down A strangers' neck…' Gabriel Solomons, Decode Magazine.

'Horns, huffing and cymbals puffing like a runaway steam train, a brylcreem sculpted anachronism' Krysten Grayewski, Venue Magazine.

The new Continental Adaptor LP is out at last. Copies of this & other titles can be ordered on vinyl and CD via paypal here on myspace, just click the appropriate buy buttons on our profile page.
Those without Paypal accounts can mail cheques made payable to The Zen Hussies to the following address;

The Zenden
24 Kathdene Gardens
Bristol
BS7 9BN
UK

PRICINGS

Continental Adaptor (2008)
Limited Edition signed vinyl is £14 Including P&P
CD is £12 Including P&P

Flatfoot Sharpsuit (2004)
CD is £12 Including P&P

P.S... We know you aint daft but... please remember to include a mailing address and to state which titles you are ordering when sending cheques!
Many thanks
Devlyn Sinclair
Secretary / Stylist to The Zen Hussies

Tune in dear insomniac friends at 4am this monday morning to hear The Zen Hussies play a live acoustic session on Sophie Olivers show on BBC Radio Bristol! For those of you who go to bed at a sensible hour, you can listen to the show online anytime in the next week after broadcast...