OCEAN

See OCEAN's Full pdf press kit, including a short promo video and quotes from press and presenters, at:

http://www.oceanorchestra.com/files/OCEANorchestrapresskit.pdf

OCEAN is the East Coast's premiere Celtic fusion band, with a live show the Washington Post calls "nothing short of spellbinding," over 20 Washington Area Music Awards, a history of sold-out concerts at such venues as The Birchmere and The Kennedy Center, and appearances on national radio programs such as NPR's Mountain Stage. Powered by the soaring vocals of Lisa Moscatiello and the creative genius of composer/arranger Jennifer Cutting, OCEAN is where ancient ballads meet cutting-edge electronics; where fans of all generations and musical tastes can enjoy the same concert! Known for their electrifying stage presence, innovative arrangements, and the ability to move from ethereal to high-energy in a heartbeat, OCEAN is an All-Star band featuring some of the East Coasts most revered Celtic and pop musicians. They have graced North Americas major festival stages, won over 20 Washington Area Music Awards including Musician of the Year and Album of the Year, been featured in Billboard magazine, and made two critically acclaimed, internationally distributed CDs, the first of which received four stars in Britain's notoriously tough MOJO magazine.

OCEAN stands out among the Celtic throng for its combination of compelling originals and innovative arrangements of traditional songs and tunes. As a songwriter, Cutting is best known for her Celtic-tinged originals celebrating the turning of the seasons and human rites of passage. Artists of international stature, including Maddy Prior (Steeleye Span) and Annie Haslam (Renaissance) have recorded her songs. She was named Songwriter of the Year by the Washington Area Music Association, and has won prestigious national-level songwriting awards, such as First Prize at the Merle Watson Festival, and American Songwriter magazines Song of the Year. As an arranger, she pushes the boundaries of Celtic, Folk and Folk-Rock, creating exquisitely crafted arrangements with authentic traditional instruments, shimmering ethereal electronics, and a hard-hitting rhythm section.

Together and as members of other bands, they have played on the main stages of such prestigious festivals as The Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Winnipeg Folk Festival, The Mariposa Folk Festival, Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival, and the Old Songs Festival. They have electrified audiences at exalted venues such as The Birchmere, Strathmore Music Center, and The Kennedy Center.

With its buoyant beats and soaring Celtic melodies, OCEAN provides an uplifting soundtrack for traveling hopefully on life's changing seas. Audiences can lose themselves in dreamy reverie, or cut loose and dance to the propulsive beat of electric jigs and reels. OCEAN's marriage of otherworldly Celtic beauty and raw World-Beat energy led to its tagline "Celtic Music for Ancient Moderns."

LINEUP: OCEAN comes in all sizes to fit all budgets. As an unplugged Quartet, they are perfect for smaller, more intimate spaces such as folk clubs, churches, museums, and coffeehouses. As a 6-to-8-piece electric Big-band, they are great for festival main stages, outdoor concert series, and larger indoor venues. Either way, they provide an electrifying show. Depending on size, the lineup features Cutting on electronic keyboard and accordions; Moscatiello on vocals, whistle, and acoustic guitar; Andrew Dodds on fiddle; Zan McLeod on bouzouki, mandolin, and electric guitar; Tim Carey on Highland bagpipes; Steve Winick on vocals; Rico Petruccelli on electric bass; and Robbie Magruder on drums.

HISTORY: The bands journey began when Jennifer Cutting returned from several years in Britain, where she studied with the English folk-revival pioneer A.L. Bert Lloyd, who has inspired and mentored electric folk bands such as Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, and 5 Hand Reel. During her time in England, she worked with and opened for members of these bands, and returned to the US determined to continue the tradition of Electric Folk that they began. Inspired by the subtle fire of Moving Hearts and the Bothy Band, the spine-tingling power of the Battlefield Band and Ossian, and the stately, majestic qualities of Pyewackett and Malicorne, she created her own electric folk bands, first The New St. George, and then The Ocean Orchestra. With OCEAN, Jennifer has reached the bar set by her heroes, applying the principles and techniques of electric folk to traditional and self-penned material alike. Her musical heroes have passed the torch on to her; Maddy Prior (Steeleye Span), Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention), Tony Cuffe (Ossian), and Gabriel Yacoub (Malicorne) have all guested on her albums.