Acronym Orchestra – Initially

Eastside Radio’s Album of the Week is Initially by Acronym Orchestra.

Boasting an unconventional lineup of instruments, the seven musicians that make up this band bring their own individual experiences to their musical fold. Starting in 2010, the lineup includes Joseph Derrick (trumpet), Peter Farrar (alto saxophone), James Loughnan (tenor saxophone), Dave de Vries (guitar), Harry Sutherland (keyboards), Grant Arthur (sousaphone) and James Waples (drums), who all hail from our wonderful city of Sydney.

Their main appeal stems from their unique mix of improvisation and chamber music, with not one show going past without an unannounced improv to keep the audience both astounded and intrigued. But, as they state on their website, they do also “commission and play the compositions of external composers, all locally sourced and ethically treated, who find themselves inspired to write or adapt for its instrumentation”.

With each member of the band contributing compositions, it’s not only the live shows that have an intriguing landscape. Their debut album Initially does not stick to the beaten path, but rather twists and turns at every chance.

Tune in to Eastside Radio 89.7 throughout this week to hear snippets of their debut, as well as chances to win a copy!