Legend has it that in the late ‘90s, The Bing Turkby Ensemble consisted of a university student, a wig, and a tape deck.

Locals say that when the young musician would perform, his tape deck would send sound waves pushing through the PA system, filling the air with music and attracting many from across the paddocks of Palmy.

The Bing Turkby Ensemble of 2017 consists of Bing Turkby (guitar, vocals, trombone, accordion, saxophone, tenor banjo, tape deck), Tyrone T. Blowhard (saxophone), Slapskins McBOOOm (drums) and MacDeth adding bass and BVs).

The band has graced us with a multi-genre album that is theatrically titled, ‘Atlantean Night Tourists’. The nine-track, 33-minute album was recorded at Palmy’s The Stomach (engineered and mastered by Nigel Mauchline) and elsewhere in Palmerston North.

Built more as a playlist, then an album, it displays the wealth of creative talent that lingers within TBTE. The playlist brings together a cocktail of flavours, dishing out some rock (Sunken City, The Right Channels), a little bit country (Lurlene (Cinnamon Buns)), and inevitably some boyo humour (I Talked About Guitars, Vanquish The Necromancer).

Album highlights would be Boogaloo and 9 To 42, both tracks played with a styled swagger that gives them strong appeal.

The production is unfussy, the songs versatile and spontaneous, putting the focus on the musicians’ strengths and ultimately giving character to The Bing Turkby Ensemble as a whole. Long(er) may it last!