Visions of magic

With a sound reminiscent of pirates and gypsies, oceans and cobblestone alleys, The Underscore Orkestra rocks a jazzy spell over audiences and unsuspecting listeners find themselves romantically inclined to dance the night away.

Known for the bands of belly dancers, hat-trick artists, jugglers and stilt walkers that perform with the band, The Underscore Orkestra defies the modern folk band archetype. Though they may first appear to be another folk band, complete with violins, accordions and guitars, they embody a much more worldly approach to the folk scene.

“It all started as a vaudeville circus act consisting of anywhere from 15 to 25 performers” self-proclaimed ringmaster Jorge Kachmari said. “The members of the band that played music for that show got together and formed The Underscore Orkestra.”

This week, the band will consist of Kachmari, who plays violin, piccolo and harmonica, guitarists Scott Stobbe and Lucas Warford, Russian-born Andrew Alikhanov on clarinet, bassist Russel Gores and percussionists Doug Schafer and Bruce Beaton.

The currently seven-piece ensemble can liven up any room with their celebratory essence. Their style is heavily influenced by the ancient Jewish style called “klezmer,” which was often associated with weddings, where the band invoked the whole spectrum of human emotions. Other styles found in their music include gypsy jazz, balkan and swing, not to mention a pinch of contemporary humor.

“I’m Romanian, Andrew’s Russian, a few of us are Jewish,” Kachmari said. “It’s just in our blood to play these styles of music.”

Stobbe also plays with the group Zdrastvootie, an avant-garde pop band from Santa Cruz, Calif., and teaches guitar, composition and music theory on the side. Warford is a truly incredible guitarist, trained in all styles of music, though most notably jazz. He may have indeed sold his soul to the devil for fingers so effortlessly quick. Alikhanov is amazing on the clarinet. As that first note of his solo blows through that horn, one should not be surprised if women in the audience begin to swoon as faces melt.

This week’s performance is hardly out of the ordinary for The Underscore Orkestra. Organized by Reed College student Hazel Rickard, who will also be performing that night as a singer in The Dapper Cadavers, this event will be taking place at Reed’s student union. Beginning outside with fire dancers, the alchemy-themed carnival will end around midnight after a variety of performance art, slide shows and the creation of magical potions. From dream interpretation to ghost stories, the event revives a spirit similar to that of the Orkestra’s sound.

“We needed art project funding and jokingly I brought it up, the idea to have a medicine show,” Rickard said. “It really is going to be a surprise to see how the night turns out because so many people are contributing to the production.”

The Underscore Orkestra will be playing throughout the night but The Dapper Cadavers will be the final act.

The future does not seem to slow down for The Underscore Orkestra. Their new project RevelMe! incorporates Kachmari, Gores, Shafer, Znama Dance Company’s Danielle Smith and multi-instrumentalist Gus Clark. Aiming to create a Balkan, Spanish and Middle Eastern influenced production of original music and choreographed dance, they have recently booked 2010 West Coast tour dates.

The Underscore Orkestra is heading out soon after their appearance at Reed College to spread their magical ethnic flavor to the alleged cold shoulders of the East Coast. Fear not friends, for the all singing, all dancing captivators of spiritual hypnotism will return to Portland in April.