Avant-garde music comes to Bobo

Avant-garde music comes alive May 15 at the Bobo Gallery in downtown Asheville.

The Orange Tulip Conspiracy, a West Coast blend of traditional jazz, world music and heavy metal styles, will perform alongside the Southeast's own twisted version of rock 'n' roll Ahleuchatistas.

"I have actually played with Ahluechatistas before back in '04 or '05 at Vincent's Ear," said Jason Schimmel, guitarist and composer of The Orange Tulip Conspiracy. "Though it wasn't with this particular project, all in all I might have played in Asheville nine or so times and have always enjoyed the crowd there."

According to Schimmel, his first solo project once again teams him up with saxophonist and former band mate John Whooley. Their first project together was with the Balkan jazz metal group Estradasphere.

"I was actually at two of the shows Estradasphere played in Asheville in the past," said UNC Asheville Spanish major Rama Malinak. "Both times it was incredible. It's exciting that Asheville continues to attract those kinds of acts."

But pinning down exactly what kind of act that is can bit a little bit difficult, according to Schimmel.

"We play a sort of psyched-out jazz, with some Greek stuff, some odd timing stuff, and we play a little metal. It's not easy to describe," Schimmel said.

Both Schimmel and Whooley performed with Secret Chiefs 3, a name that few may have heard, but has created an intense following.

"I actually went to New York City to see the Secret Chiefs 3 play compositions by John Zorn, and Jason Schimmel was playing guitar for them," Malinak said. "I also went to see the Secret Chiefs play at the Grey Eagle in Asheville, but Jason was playing the bass guitar at the time."

"It was great being able to perform Zorn's material in New York," Schimmel said. "Not only was I performing music originally written by one of the great jazz artists of our time, but I was playing it for him in his own nonprofit club."

As for The Orange Tulip Conspiracy, Schimmel said the live show differs quite a bit from the material in the debut album.

"What we do live is sort of a stripped-down version of the CD," Schimmel said. "It's a lot more intense, and we try to change things up. We also have about an entire CD's worth of new material that hasn't been recorded yet, so we're playing a lot of that as well."

The Orange Tulip Conspiracy's latest tour won't leave much time for sightseeing in the mountains, however, according to the band's Web site. Playing 23 shows in 23 days will keep them busy enough as it is.

"We'll be playing before Ahleuchatistas at that show because we have to drive to New Orleans to play a show the next night," Schimmel said. "I've always wanted to just check out the town but it seems like every time I come through we just have to rush off to the next place."

The Orange Tulip Conspiracy's set will begin at about 10 p.m. with a cover charge at the door. The price had not been set at the time of this interview, according to Schimmel.

"UNCA students would enjoy this kind of music if they actually knew that it was out there," Malinak said. "For such an artsy town, Asheville has always seemed to have a lackluster music scene to me. It would be great if bands like this came around more often."

Schimmel took a more pragmatic approach.

"We just try to keep it interesting and hope that everyone enjoys what they hear," Schimmel said.

For more information on The Orange Tulip Conspiracy, visit www.myspace.com/orangetulipconspiracy.

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