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Fishtank Ensemble

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Fishtank Ensemble (alterntively, simply Fishtank) is a 7-piece acoustic Euro-American musical group that was formed in Oakland, California in 2004. They are named after the venue they first performed in; Fishtank.

The band is known for meshing Romanian, klezmer, flamenco, Romani (Gypsy) and Japanese folk music. They are also known for the wide variety of instruments they perform with, some of which include: violin, violintromba, flamenco guitar, accordion, double bass, musical saw and shamisen.

The band is one of many to be associated with the California-based eclectic indie band Estradasphere. Members of Fishtank often perform with or as members of Estradasphere and vice versa.

The ensemble has recorded independently and on the Mimicry Recordings label. They currently have one official album release, entitled Super Raoul which was recorded entirely live at Fishtank.

As of January 2006, the band is on a touring hiatus as Fabrice and Ursula return to Europe for the summer. Ursula is also having a baby.

Band history

The Fishtank Ensemble members first played together in January, 2004 at Fishtank in Oakland. Fishtank was originally an old commercial building that had been converted into a residence that featured a stage in the back that had been decorated with a tropical fish motif.

The original members included:

Originally from France, Fabrice Martinez spent seven years traveling Europe in a mule-drawn caravan with the group Croque Mule, collecting folk songs and performing. Much of this time was spent in Romania, often in Romani villages. Romani secrecy is notoriously difficult for outsiders to penetrate and music is one of the few contacts between Rom culture and the outside "gadje" world.

Ursula Knudsen sings in the Romanian, French and Japanese languages, in both folk and bel canto styles. Ursula also lives in Europe. The remaining members are based in Oakland and Santa Cruz, California.

In May, 2005, Kevin Kmetz won top prize in the individual class at the National Shamisen Competition in Hirosaki, Japan, the first foreign national ever to win any award. Kmetz is half Japanese and was raised in Northern Japan, where he studied with Tsugaru shamisen masters Kazuo Yasukore and Akihito Narumi.

Accordionist Aaron Seeman also performs under the name "Duckmandu" and as the conductor of the Punk Rock Orchestra.

Flamenco guitarist Doug Smolens also performs under the name "El Douje".

Just prior to the band's first tour, bass player Tim Smolens left the group for family reasons, and was replaced by Glenn Allen. The percussionist, Adam Stacey, did not go on the tour. In 2006, Tim Smolens rejoined the band as bassist.

Fishtank's first full-length CD on Mimicry Records, entitled "Super Raoul", was released in November, 2005. To promote the CD, the group launched a tour of the West Coast, traveling from Bellingham, WA to San Diego, CA.

Related Bands and Side Projects

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