The British music scene has always been known for being at the forefront of experimentation, defining new directions and trends on the global musical scene. One of the most innovative jazz-cum-electronica acts coming out of England in the last decade is The Cinematic Orchestra (TCO), whose musical repertoire, evocative of dreamy images of cinema noir sets, made the band an instant classic worldwide. TCO’s soul-quenching power that draws on their ability to translate raw emotions into fluid soundscapes is comparable to the dark and melancholy lyricism of their compatriots, Bristol-based Portishead.

The Cinematic Orchestra was founded by Jay Swinscoe who used to work at South London-based record label, Ninja Tune back in 1999. Their debut album, Motion, received critical acclaims, and was voted Album of the Year by the listeners of Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide radio show. The success of the album landed them a performance at the Director’s Guild Awards ceremony for the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to film director Stanley Kubrick. Six albums later, The Cinematic Orchestra remains a force to be reckoned with, continuing to play a major role in shaping the future of nu-jazz.

In the last three years, TCO have been spreading their wings across the globe packing venues from intimate jazz cafes to massive outdoor festivals, including the highlight of their US tour playing as the supporting band for legendary jazz-fusion guitarist John McLaughlin in Central Park, NYC. As a culmination of their 2007 tour repping their latest album “Ma Fleur”, bandleader Jason Swinscoe brought an enhanced line-up of the Cinematic Orchestra incorporating the 24-piece Heritage Orchestra to the stage of legendary venue, The Royal Albert Hall, and played a show to a sold-out crowd of more than 4,000 people.

This month welcomes the release of two live recordings, the Barbican Live DVD and their epic Royal Albert Hall Live CD. You’ll have a chance to catch them performing live this week on

April 23rd, - Williamsburg Music Hall (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
April 26h, - Coachella Music Festival (Coachella, CA, USA)
April 28th, TBC, (Los Angeles, CA, USA)

Check here for more info.