TZIGAS the band

The Legend of Tzigas

Tzigas are a ragtag bunch of rather talented musicians playing a mix of original and traditional tunes that incorporate a blend of gypsy, klezmer, jazz and Eastern European music, all performed with lashings of firey passion and healthy doses of humour, dancing and overproof vodka.

The inhabitants of the nominally democratic (but in fact brutally repressive) Republic of Tzigastan are diverse bunch with backgrounds in jazz, Irish, Balkan, rock, punk and bushdance music, but all share a love of the musical cultures of Eastern Europe and bring their own unique interpretations to the table.

Since getting together in 2004 they have played at many Melbourne venues, including weekly residencies at Fitzroy's Babel and 303 in Northcote. They have been regulars at Bar Open, Open Studioand Carni and have played at festivals including Folk Rhythm and Life and Northcote High Vibes Festival 06,07, Apollo Bay Music Festival 07.

The line up includes a part-time clown, a cross-dressing physicist, an ASIO informant and a bag of kettle chips, and goes something like this: Dushan Mitrovic (clarinet and sax), Mike Mueller (tea-chest bass, percussion), Dave Hoxley (tuba), Adam Ferguson (guitar and trumpet), Maya Green (violin), Taegen Hannah (clarinet), Mikey O'Connor (flute), Caitlin French (violin), Madeleine Hoxley (viola and baritone truba).

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	Caitlin French - Violin Caitlin provides Tzigas high-powered, soulful melodies and shimmering airs on her trusty fiddle, which she plays with such skill it is whispered that she learned her trade from Beelzebub himself (or at least one of his evil minions). Caitlin has appeared in a myriad of bands including Shivoo, Umanee, Reel High, Celtic Rogues, Keating's Brew, Gea Mala, The Filthy McNasties and the Plastic Paddies. She has twice won the Maldon Folk Festival Fiddle Competition and twice the National Celtic Festival Fiddler of Dooney Awards, and festival-hops between Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy, Maldon, Queenscliff, Victor Harbour and the Ukrainian Fish Slapping Festival. She also musically directed and played in a short film called 'Kid Kelly' starring Judith Lucy and Dave Hughes.
	Dushan Mitrovic - Clarinet Dushan makes his liquorice stick moan like an Azerbaijani oilrig worker getting a full body sensual massage from a large-breasted second cousin. Originally from Czech Republic and later moving to Serbia, he was steeped in Eastern European music from an early age. Since moving to Melbourne in 2003 he has played all sorts of instruments various projects, including beat poetry collective the Low Priests, rock band the 13th Floor and world music band Umanee.
	Mike Mueller - Tea Chest Bass Mikey thumps out deep, booming rhythms on his beautiful homemade Tea Chest bass. Conveniently, the instrument is roomy enough to allow Mikey to sleep inside it, and contains a fully stocked mini bar and a compost toilet. He has played in all kinds of bands over the years, including funk/jazz band Red Ryder and Bill Steam Shovel, not to mention The Melbourne Austrian Choir.
	Maya Green - Violin Maya, with her mane of black hair and crazy hats, is the loose cannon of the band. Prone to violent rages, she thankfully manages to channel her latent psychosis into raw, passionate violin playing with enough emotional power to shred the heartstrings of bronze statues and make grown men feel like lost, frightened little boys. She began playing at Irish sessions in Galway, and since then her playing has continued to grow via klezmer, gypsy and Eastern European styles, with influences from bands like 'The Dirty Three'.
	Taegen Hannah - Clarinet Public servant by day, snake charmer by night, Taegen lavishes us with dollops of saucy, sassy, sensual clarinet melodies and a bit of raucous tabletop dancing. Taegs plays in klezmer and bushdance bands around Melbourne, including Billystick and The Fraggles. Although she may seem like a lovable and happy-go-lucky lass, the predatory glint in her eye is a warning to all that she is not one to be trifled with.
	Mikey O'Connor - Flute Mikey Flute (as he is known to all) blares out throaty typhoons from his silver wind-stick, letting everyone know that the flute is not (necessarily) a pussy's instrument. Since moving to Melbourne early in 2005 he has hooked up with DJs, jazz groups, funk outfits and just about anyone else who would take him. Madcap, lightning fast solos and the occasional ear-piercing scream are the trademarks of this Wild Man of Gosford.
	Adam Ferguson - Guitar Adam chugs out the backing guitar chords for the band. Originally from Perth, he played for a few years with rock bands Pathogen and Smaug, and since moving to Melbourne he has played Irish music in Immram, world music in Umanee, and 16th century Javanese folk music in his toilet. He lives in a plastic bag in Moonee Ponds.
	David Hoxley - Tuba Ah, the (partially) naked tuba player. Where would Tzigas be without those erotically charged 'oompah oompahs'? It was after a decade of playing piano in a darkened room that David made the fated decision to start playing the tuba, and this opened door after door (some of them trapdoors). After seeing the Klezmer conservatory band on late night SBS in 1992, he began listening to and playing Klezmer in a darkened room. Then, five years ago, he met his wife Madeleine, and has been dancing in the light ever since. He plays in Klezcab, and as a hobby he investigates the electronic properties of diamond surfaces. He also claims to own a world-renowned collection of irregular-shaped quarks (though this has so far been impossible to confirm).