Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra
The Music of Bjork Gudmundsdottir for Large Jazz Ensemble

”Bjorkestra is no one-trick Icelandic pony. Once you've heard what a professional eighteen-piece jazz ensemble can do to a regular old Björk tune (if there is such a thing), you'll understand why composer Travis Sullivan has chosen to reimagine the pop fairy's songs as magisterial, full-bodied arrangements. The reconfigurations will raise your appreciation for the original while opening your eyes to the musical possibilities it's inspired. In the end, Bjorkestra sounds nothing at all like Björk, even if it does do a mean cover of "Hyperballad."
-Jon Steinberg, New York Magazine

Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra is an 18 piece, genre-bending jazz orchestra that has successfully fused the pop music world with the stylistic and improvisatory concepts of modern jazz. Arranged and conducted by alto saxophonist Travis Sullivan, The Bjorkestra performs the music of visionary pop artist Bjork, spanning her entire catalogue as a solo artist, truly creating a big band sound for the 21st Century.

Comprised of some of the finest musicians in the NYC downtown jazz and indie music scene, The Bjorkestra’s individual members have performed and/or recorded with the likes of The Arcade Fire, Dr. Dre, Charlie Hunter, The Spam All Stars, The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, and The Saturday Night Live Band. Special guests with The Bjorkestra have included Grammy nominated tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin, Verve recording artist Kurt Rosenwinkel, and guitar icon Ben Monder. Adding to this unique ensemble with a traditional big band horn and rhythm section is vocalist Becca Stevens, whose voice is evocative of Bjork yet has a personal quality all of it's own; and the electronic percussion and soundscapes of programmer Alex Fortuit.

Since their debut in September 2004 at New York City's Knitting Factory, Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra has performed to packed venues across the country and received extraordinary praise from both fans and the press a like. Publications as diverse as The Wall Street Journal, Relix Magazine, and Jazz Times have featured articles about The Bjorkestra. Sullivan has also been featured in an interview on the BBC radio show The World. His adaptations of Bjork’s music are also gaining international recognition, with a sold out 2007 performance conducting his arrangements with The Sicilian Jazz Orchestra at The Teatro Golden in Palermo, Sicily.

The Bjorkestra’s greatly anticipated debut CD Enjoy! is scheduled for release in January 2008 on Koch Records.