PK & What Army?

- Seattle, WA Jazz / Freestyle / Big Band

About

Members: PK & Everybody

Manager: PK

Bio: PK & What Army? was originally conceived in early 2001 as a sextet for PK to showcase his compositions and collaborations with some of the area's finest improvisors. Since then he has broadened his concept to include an extended family of 25-30 members. Rehearsals are rare, so much of the music i... See Full Bio

More Info

Status

is all about the process, not the product.

Press

"One of Seattle's more creative musicians, bassist Paul "PK" Kemmish has mounted a zany, large-ensemble project of his own this week. A founding member of the quirky jam band, Rockin' Teenage Combo, Kemmish has put together a new configuration, PK & What Army?, featuring horn arrangements of his tunes. the players are Amy Denio(sax, accordion, vocal), Brian Kent(sax, flute), Sue Orfield(sax), Dave Carter(trumpet) and Will Dowd(drums).

— Paul DeBarros, Seattle Times

"PK and What Army? boasted as many as 13 (during one of my counts) out of the 17 people I was able to catch onstage. It was a psych-jazz free-for-all as the band wailed and conductor/composer/all-around nice guy PK led the band like a true-to-life Bugs Bunny. The music was mind-melting and I began to contemplate leaving the festival right then and there, for who was able to usurp PK from day one's top perch?"

— justin spicer, tinymixtapes.com

"PK & What Army?'s blistering sax-jazz is at times reminiscent of John Coltrane, and at times it's simply solid, funky, and 100% avant-garde. With their rollicking improvs and tight-as-a-rubber-band group dynamic, you're bound to get just as carried away as the musicians onstage."

— Bumbershoot Festival Guide 2006

"Bass master and crack jazz conductor Paul Kemmish of Dasrut has a 15-20 piece throng called PK & What Army? They bang through jazz compositions with big band combustion and gusto. Yes, gusto-"vitality marked by an abundance of vigor." PK's Army screams and howls to the floating ghosts of Miles Davis, Mingus and Coltrane. This is juiced-up jazz that stomps and swerves around the ballroom hall."

— Christopher DeLaurenti, The Stranger

"Bassist Paul Kemmish is a regular at The Scarlet Tree and Lo_fI, where he takes the acid-groove thing to new levels, but his What Army? unit may be his most innovative. With the odd and inimatable Amy Denio on accordion, clarinet and vocals, this quartet explores a range of strange song forms and solos.

— Seattle Weekly Music Awards Showcase Guide

"I like the sound of PK's new group-smart, strange and danceable at the same time, with the always-odd Amy Denio on accordion, woodwinds, vocals, etc., Sue Orfield on sax, and PK, as ever, holding down the bass floor. They're opening for the flamenco-fusion-groove purveyor Omar Torrez."

— Mark D Fefer, Seattle Weekly

All Press

Recent Blogs

The Music
Dec 15, 2010
The gift of Music has always been a mysterious one to me. I have spent countless... [more]

All Blogs

Songs

Play All | Queue All | Share All

Lafter

Share Download
Phuket

Share Download
Swinga

Share Download
(re)Awakening

Share Download

All Songs

Shows

Full-Screen View »

2012
Jun 25

The Royal Room
Seattle, WA, US | 7:00pm
The Royal Room
Seattle, WA, US
Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

playing w/Michael Owcharuk's original group PLY
2012
Jun 14

Mars Bar
Seattle, WA, US | 8:00pm
Mars Bar
Seattle, WA, US
Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

This show is actually 21 and over.....not sure why RV Nation doesn't have that option. Or, my dumb phone can't get to it.
2012
Jun 4

Highline Comm College
Des Moines, WA, US | 12:00pm
Highline Comm College
Des Moines, WA, US
Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
2012
Jun 2

Alhambra
Seattle, WA, US | 1:00pm
Alhambra
Seattle, WA, US
Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

Playing again w/my old pal Brian Kent at our favorite women's clothing store in Seattle. Basically a background gig, we still play good music. Standards, of course....lots of Monk, Mingus etc., and a whole boatload of original material that Brian and I have written together over our nearly 20 year friendship. This is always a fun hit.
2012
Jun 1

Columbia City Artwalk
Seattle, WA, US | 7:00pm
Columbia City Artwalk
Seattle, WA, US
Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

MUO is the intergalactic exploratory duo of PK on doublebass and Jim Knodle on trumpet influenced heavily by the music of Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry.