Description

Get ready for a hilarious holiday special! The Queen’s Cartoonists bring iconic cartoons to life through the power of live music.

Keenly aware of all things holiday-oriented and completely ridiculous, musical ensemble The Queen’s Cartoonists have set out to find the best of the best (and best of the worst) holiday related cartoons, films, and jazz. The show includes traditional holiday vocal numbers (“White Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, you know… the regular stuff), paired with jazz arrangements and festive animated films. There’s also a good amount of novelty and comedy (Spike Jones is due for a revival anytime now, we just know it!). Don’t forget ridiculous props, Foley sound effects, and even a holiday-themed game show! Finally, wonder and laugh at the band’s take on the bizarre “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”! Yule love it!

Pulling from over 100 years of animation, TQC’s performances are perfectly synchronized to the films projected on stage. The band matches the energy of the cartoons, leading the audience through a world of virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy.

Projections of animated films dazzle the audience, while the band re-creates original soundtracks note-for-note, or writes their own fresh compositions to modern pieces, all the while breathing new light into two uniquely American forms of art: jazz and animation. Tying everything together is the TQC brand of comedy - anecdotes about the cartoons and the composers, stream-of-consciousness humor, and elements of a musical circus.

Read more about this performance here.

Since their inception in 2015, the six musicians, hailing from four continents, all reside in Queens, New York, and are a uniquely creative part of the New York jazz scene. The band has presented their innovative concert experience to performing arts centers, clubs, and festivals all across North America and Europe. The Queen’s Cartoonists have opened for the New York Philharmonic and are the only artist in the 40-plus year history of the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City to sell out multiple all-ages shows. The have been featured in over 50 publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, NPR, and Mashable.

Recent highlights include collaborations with the National Film Board of Canada and Aardman Studios, bringing the beloved films of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep to audiences at the Edinburgh Film Festival. 

Not sure what to expect? Here's a great video to check out! 

Tickets      $25 - $35 Reg | $15 Youth (12 & under) | $20 - $30 Experience Circle Members
Venue        Tempe Center for the Arts
Time           7 pm
Duration    75 minutes

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