Line up

• ebasa Pallada (Alphorn, Trombone)
• Mitch Hoehler (Alphorn)
• Norbert Schmeisser (Alphorn)
• Victoria Riccio (Vocals)

• country:
  Germany
• style(s):
  Experimental Folk
• label:
  Westpark Music
• type:
  Band
• instrumentation:
  instrumental, vocal
• artist submitted by:
  Westpark Music

Three alphorns and vocals. The concept of the band arises from its unusual "instrumentation." - The warm, rich sound of the 4-meter-long traditional instruments encounters the expressiveness and melodic flexibility of the voice.

The musical restrictions of the alphorns, which are limited to the production of "natural notes," prove to be a fascinating challenge. Like the explorers of past centuries, Alpcologne can experiment with its own sound - playing Folk, Ska, Tango, Mambo, Cajun, Bluegrass, and Oriental music, for example.

"As traditional as the start of the concert was, that's how amazing the rest of the evening was. Before tonight, Tango, "Watschen Waltz," or a Samba medley had surely seldom been coaxed out of an alphorn. Arranger Mitch Hoehler and his musicians elicited melodies from the otherwise dreamy giant instruments that were so varied, that it's hard to imagine that the horns have to rely on natural notes. Even "Anton's Ska" is possible, to which musician ebasa says that "it's the only version of 'Anton aus Tirol' that I'm willing to play on a stage." Alpcologne is completed by singer Victoria Riccio. The Italo-American vocalist swung with a clear, powerful voice and made plain to every last listener that a totally new alphorn sound was created here: jazzy, groovy, joyous, offbeat - and experimental... "