![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSF-glJEz09dUhzWn-RqUO8abAq29cFzDJiY9wihDfmfozMQWGqrobiYtXukBDBXpJYheBXFmNqgC8OV3J6HNjwf7zwZx3ZfxL_XzI_jPIHYjh5N1y_1EtAHfmf5imnXNJYpXvje4TP2qODvXq_IwwVTbbYcl5KneyAQkwUK7DyjJVzU3F1jL8BeZT/s320/pco2.jpg)
In case you were wondering where I was, I'm right here! Let's kickstart December with an anniversary.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFS90dSAaui_WDTMKV-GJmesjpIG88N-SOZFhH8OfigtjIsF9NoC0wAlXtJd4G13EOO7oHd3NdZX9sKNy7UjqhDQ3bUuH3gPOXDu1ACjgoDit1Uukk4Y_BrZNBP4atp_XBsiUIKEx84R08r_fRpVVJaMlQpgV5vCMIKehreeGn5gFIlwCMtGrqn1K/s1600/pco3.jpg)
For 'twas a mere 38 years ago this evening when one of my personal favorite groups made their US debut.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61mPMaN4EgBUmwmGvVS6P4fwhxfdAi2WYL-laEjQnagCMuzsVL059gedp0ZCYQB76WsABYaATC8lMuas55bIbbRSKs0REIq9t_jfnv3DbHZNfgcVMSEvzAMZTii8dppiMC2l1DjSuv4TQhbV3OMY71E7OK6IGENYyjjIhzDtoFPT4Pu-WpGFN0Lh9/s1600/pco4.jpg)
They had been a thing for the better part of the preceding decade, having had their first record on Brian Eno's incredible Obscure label in the mid-1970s.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0rVtu1NrRhIE4eSI-V5CodCrfKOqFFLJvBJGb--HIpA-1dZWjF1iTltCDMLSglAwo3wlMOE99H-Otn0MWyFO3LK42TevnGNpkkjCuxRLcYV8l-gMGVynf6Rc1vHDpUZWVPV7NZ6MHk7YAaM8gzhgXjjaJri0-0DpYv2DInUqEGknwAibZ9y2eD3_/s320/pco5.jpg)
Something like a traditional Chamber orchestra of eons past, but with an eccentric taste in instruments and a very pronounced sort of Rock energy throughout the repertoire.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJBSzokb0w3IrVjrq-gphNhz6cyf0_3YKdPFhAHcBvc8pLUuK3xcnrOM7ojq6pOGArAsNGYgiwfv4fSK74NmkaTqwyJBv50RBFPIehlZ_Y4gHXKtk7JpR6R0C-_UYZ-JD2e43BdQaHYx-NqH4ozWvgxncbAXLEfAWEaip4w5qzfXCI0mlq6pLsJpo/s320/pco6.jpg)
They were at first the brainchild of a delightfully strange multi-instrumentalist named Simon Jeffes, but he passed away 25 years ago this week. The remaining folks, plus new ones, still reunite and tour from time to time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxma_AK9zpTjqhhkFl_BeG-9DoBN287-CsOWfrragOoWLPdAeLrscOYI5j7mhzZhcQ_ySxNlWk-3MZHIPi2f8XGbBEIqGCRlK5B53TzGN6-YXxpQ-gwssbPsIYb-6NhX2Tax2z9kFE2QtbVLvswB07GxMveOGOGzobDtor6uhZZjDH7ftzuEuDwNLh/s1600/pco9.jpg)
This concert -- as good an introduction to them as any I could think of -- was performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and broadcast over the great WNYC-FM in New York City.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvHp_FTDiTDZQKyorGy4ZC5h9avZhDCA3Sq7ZxmTapPpOLJd6gSiCCmKUra7RFV9sl1nTb3x3eGIoCbvdkbIf7rCLfb7xClqhhBJLTpOuTgntUT_6QN4WiGBDF3G9NFF_ZplesBUW9hCeHtx4a7GStlDuF0PPt3KDIOsLbmgvGIG18S_nN0r7jqGU/s320/pco7.jpg)
I edited out some of the dead air and tuning, and remastered it a little bit to optimize its eyes and size.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOda2WHPfyyJoTep4by8sqDtnvlJf2pWMlAJB6IUDwOAWgmdUtfp5psJE_G8YVRlOpEitwtv9m87FSOrEL5htdqvDObfUwVqAX0Guhp-LKDNKRsdtSpUGmrtoC5Q4SUYE2DbjN7az3Fsx9aW8N2H7Q91yPySPTXp3VNT1p1goTPD6xRdGEYsQmcYI/s320/penguin1.jpg)
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Next Wave Festival
Brooklyn Academy of Music
New York City, NY USA
12.8.1984
01 tuning
02 Air à Danser
03 Music for a Found Harmonium
04 Yodel 1
05 Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter
06 Isle of View (Music for Helicopter Pilots)
07 From the Colonies
08 White Mischief
09 Salty Bean Fumble
10 Paul's Dance
11 Numbers 1-4
12 Prelude & Yodel
13 Chartered Flight
14 The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas
15 band introductions by Simon Jeffes
16 Giles Farnaby's Dream
17 The Toy
Total time: 1:15:00
Simon Jeffes - harmonium, guitars, percussion, bass, violin, ukelele, keyboards, whistle & toy autoharp
Steve Nye - piano
Helen Liebmann - cello
Geoffrey Richardson - viola, bass & percussion
Marcus Beale - violin & percussion
Neal Rennie - ukelele, cuatro & percussion
Gillian McGregor - dancer
master off-air reel of the original WNYC-FM broadcast of the complete USA debut concert of the PCO
remastered, denoised and retracked -- with 4 minutes of tuning & dead air eliminated -- by EN, December 2022
445 MB FLAC/direct link
445 MB FLAC/direct link
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0xSdj8QnbPAlMhPI0zLXgHJFV2UugTHthbl-XgHQpZ7CXnqmOySjTcIhKgj6e2iIpKNOpE2lDm7PX91JRutlCg5CJ9op3odfVNLICzsinAU4DIeqSmLA0yY7zfW0hs4sVtJkcHo_DhLTld3nqGa0fyuNvYR_ce_QS_nLnLN0GN3_tZ7SLtDF2jv_/s1600/pco10.jpg)
This is a beautifully captured show all around and, as I said, a perfect introduction to this most unusual little combo.