Doggox n. (pl. -doggoxen) An allusive and elusive mythical creature born out of local contemporary youth culture. It's not unlike Arthur Boyd's Ram-ox: (see RAM-OX) Doggox Art Orchestra n. A 20 piece orchestra named after the afore mentioned creature, with a predisposition for poly-rhythmic musical textures that is based in Perth WA
For a video sample of the Doggox Art Orchestra in action and more audio samples, visit www.doggox.com
Doggox Art Orchestra was formed in 2002 by brothers Nick and Pippin Kenworthy who have more than 25 years combined musical experience. Pippin Kenworthy was the musical mastermind behind Flux Capacitor.
The 20 piece ensemble is made up of Western Australia's premier musicians playing brass, wood wind, strings, guitar, bass, drums and percussion tied together with operatic female and funk rock male vocals.
Doggox combines an extensive range of musical styles to create technically challenging yet soulfully entertaining compositions. The band is primarily devoted to performing original works by young Australian composers.
Doggox's all-star lineup features some of WA's best jazz and classical musicians with great soloists that can really blow a horn! - Ben Phillips -M Mus Improvisation; Mike Cartwright - conductor of WAYJO and Adrian Kelly -creator of The Collective; Robyn Sarti and Matthew Hoy from West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
All of these great players are brought together by the challenging nature of the Doggox repertoire. "If Doggox were a straight funk band it wouldn't exist because it never would have captured the interest of so many of Perth's top musicians - It's the diversity of the music that has bought us together."
-Pip Kenworthy, Doggox Art Orchestra.
The audience is kept on the ball through stylistic fusion - styles they know and recognise are combined in a unique way that people have not heard before. The band members are ready, willing and able to push the limits of form and break the boundaries of style. Musicians are included from many musical backgrounds in order to maximize the potential for stylistic diversity.
The music pushes the boundaries of how music is written and played whilst exploring many contemporary themes: positive and negative lifestyle choices; religion; politics; terrorism; the environment; and the uncertainty of the modern world. The works conform to musical structures whilst embracing the freedom of jazz improvisation, which is why the music has such a feel good vibe and a lot of soul.
Although the orchestra's main focus is to perform works written by WA's young composers, it is also working on new arrangements of Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Charles Mingus and Charles Ives classics.
Doggox truly is a unique musical experience.