Describing themselves as an “orchestra for everyone,” the ensemble group Renegade Orchestra is taking the stage at Cloverdale’s Performing Arts Center on Feb. 1.
Renegade Orchestra is led by local musician Jason Eckl, who, when he’s not touring with bands like Dirty Cello, Death and Taxes Swing Band, and the San Francisco Yiddish Combo, is the leader of the rock band program at Cal State East Bay.
When asked about how the idea for a rock and roll orchestra for all came about, Eckl dove in on the feeling that orchestral performances can be a bit stiff. “My wife is cellist Rebecca Roudman, who is a member of a number of Bay Area orchestras [including both the Oakland East-Bay Symphony and the Santa Rosa Symphony], and this means I’ve been to a lot of orchestra concerts,” he said.
“Often, while watching her concerts, I thought about how many barriers there are to enjoy a standard classical orchestra. These include the formality, the hard-to-enjoy modern pieces, and the unspoken rules about how and when you can applaud,” Eckl continued.
While Eckl is a trained conductor and says his main instrument is the guitar, it’s refreshing to hear a frank answer from someone intricately involved in the orchestra scene.
“With the Renegade Orchestra, we remove all of these barriers—we want people to relax and have fun, perhaps even dance. The orchestra loves mid-song cheering. Our concerts feel like rock and roll shows, not sleepy orchestral concerts. There is improvisation, joyful playing and some surprises,” he noted.
Those who have not heard Renegade Orchestra before might be surprised. The group covers a variety of rock classics, inspiring the Mercury News to proclaim, “The Renegade Orchestra would rather tackle Hendrix than Handel.”
Indeed, the band’s setlist often includes Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s classic “Proud Mary,” just to name a few. A real highlight is their rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” as well as local and worldwide faves Metallica with a cool cover of “Enter Sandman.”
Since Renegade Orchestra is such a large group of working, professional musicians, how difficult is it to get everyone nailed down for rehearsals and shows? Eckl says there is not as much cat herding as one would expect.
“They are tied to their calendars and can tell you where they will be playing, often over a year in advance. The members of the Renegade Orchestra are also chosen not only for their playing ability and responsibility but also because they are nice and fun people who rock out on stage,” Eckl explains.
In terms of what this different style of music means to Eckl and the rest of the Renegades, he said, “One of the best parts of Renegade Orchestra is the diverse and exciting musicians that make up the group.
“These are folks who have spent years and years becoming amazing musicians, and in a standard orchestra, they are often treated as interchangeable parts—dressed the same, seldom individually acknowledged and easily replaced. With the Renegade Orchestra, our players finally get the cheers and appreciation they deserve as individuals and as part of the group,” he continued.
“They all went to the top music schools, and everyone has heard them on Hollywood soundtracks, Grammy award-winning albums and in wedding string quartets, but in the Renegade Orchestra, they really get to let their hair down,” noted Eckl.
The Renegade Orchestra performs at 7:30 pm, Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 North Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. Tickets are $25 online,$30 at the door, and are available at cloverdaleperformingarts.com. For more information, visit renegadeorchestra.com.
