EMI and Zopf are a good way along in a new comprehensive remastering project in which the first four studio albums along with When In Rome are to be re-released with 1-bit remastered audio and artwork returning to a more faithful rendition of the original vinyl artwork.

To coincide with this project, a new 'Brief History' is being lined up. A one-disk collection emphasising the development of the PCO from the very beginning, this compilation has us all very excited and is sounding excellent.

Although the December concerts were awesome and everyone loved them, there are no more concerts or tours planned at the moment. If, as and when anything happens we'll let everyone know that has signed up to be kept informed. If you would like to be put on the mailing list just drop us a line with your details - thetable@penguincafe.com.

Thank you all who came and made it so good. We got great reviews (5 stars in the Guardian) and the team behind it are all extremely happy with how it went... someone from the venue was saying it was 'the best gig (they)'d ever been to'...

We have no plans for further concerts in that incarnation so we're really pleased that the last gigs of the PCO were so magical.

Tickets are very nearly sold out for the up-coming concerts in December at the Union Chapel, London.

The Penguins have been working very hard and its starting to sound great. The music being out in the air again is a great feeling for everyone involved.

Upcoming PCO Concert
Penguin Café Orchestra

Celebrate 10th Anniversary with 3 concerts
11th, 12th and 13th December 2007
Union Chapel, Islington, London
Doors 7pm, concert 8pm
Tickets £20 unreserved + booking fee
Booking info: 08700 600100 / ticketweb.co.uk &
0870 264 3333 / seetickets.com


On December 11th and 12th musicians of the fabled and fabulous Penguin Café Orchestra will re-convene to play two concerts at the Union Chapel in Islington, North London.

The shows are timed to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the PCO’s founder, sole composer and spiritual proprietor, Simon Jeffes, who died of a brain tumour in December 1997.

The Penguins started out as an imaginary ‘concept’ ensemble following a dream Jeffes had during a severe bout of food poisoning in 1972. In its earliest incarnation the PCO existed only as a recording project. Over the next 25 years this gradually fleshed out into a unique, 10 person hybrid of pop, avant garde and chamber music which fetched up performing all over the world.

By the end the PCO’s tunes had mysteriously infiltrated most areas of the culture, as they continue to do, encompassing Brian Eno’s Obscure Records label, the Royal Ballet’s “Still Life At The Penguin Café”, a long list of film soundtracks and an even longer list of TV adverts. One has recently popped up as the theme to Radio 4’s brainiac knowledge contest, Round Britain Quiz.

The 2007 version of the orchestra will largely comprise the musicians who played in the final line up of the 1990’s. These include founder members Helen Liebmann (cello) Neil Rennie (ukelele) and Geoffrey Richardson (viola/clarinet). They will be joined by Peter McGowan (violin) Steve Fletcher (piano) Barbara Bolte (oboe) Annie Whitehead (trombone) and Jennifer Maidman (bass/percussion). Brief guest appearances are expected from the PCO’s original producer, Steve Nye, and Simon Jeffes’ son, Arthur Jeffes. The set they plan to perform will be closely modelled on the music contained on the double live CD from 1994, Concert Program.

The decision to regroup without their leader and prime mover was not an easy one for the orchestra to make. It was only after a small private reunion last year at trombonist Annie Whitehead’s birthday party that the idea of more public performances felt feasible. Cellist Helen Liebmann, who was Jeffes’ partner at the time of his death, insists that these London shows are all that the PCO will be undertaking for the foreseeable future: “This anniversary seems like a really good moment for us to get together to re-find and celebrate Simon's music"

Tuesday 11th Wednesday 12th & Thursday 13th December 2007
Union Chapel, Islington, London
Doors 7pm, concert 8pm
Tickets £20 unreserved + booking fee
Booking info: 08700 600100 / ticketweb.co.uk & 0870 264 3333 / seetickets.com

A third night has been announced for the concerts at the Union Chapel on December 11th, 12th, and now 13th. www.seetickets.com and www.ticketweb.co.uk

Penguin Café Orchestra


Celebrate 10th Anniversary with 2 concerts
11th & 12th December 2007
Union Chapel, Islington, London
Doors 7pm, concert 8pm
Tickets £20 unreserved + booking fee
Booking info: 08700 600100 / ticketweb.co.uk &
0870 264 3333 / seetickets.com


On December 11th and 12th musicians of the fabled and fabulous Penguin Café Orchestra will re-convene to play two concerts at the Union Chapel in Islington, North London.

The shows are timed to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the PCO’s founder, sole composer and spiritual proprietor, Simon Jeffes, who died of a brain tumour in December 1997.

The Penguins started out as an imaginary ‘concept’ ensemble following a dream Jeffes had during a severe bout of food poisoning in 1972. In its earliest incarnation the PCO existed only as a recording project. Over the next 25 years this gradually fleshed out into a unique, 10 person hybrid of pop, avant garde and chamber music which fetched up performing all over the world.

By the end the PCO’s tunes had mysteriously infiltrated most areas of the culture, as they continue to do, encompassing Brian Eno’s Obscure Records label, the Royal Ballet’s “Still Life At The Penguin Café”, a long list of film soundtracks and an even longer list of TV adverts. One has recently popped up as the theme to Radio 4’s brainiac knowledge contest, Round Britain Quiz.

The 2007 version of the orchestra will largely comprise the musicians who played in the final line up of the 1990’s. These include founder members Helen Liebmann (cello) Neil Rennie (ukelele) and Geoffrey Richardson (viola/clarinet). They will be joined by Peter McGowan (violin) Steve Fletcher (piano) Barbara Bolte (oboe) Annie Whitehead (trombone) and Jennifer Maidman (bass/percussion). Brief guest appearances are expected from the PCO’s original producer, Steve Nye, and Simon Jeffes’ son, Arthur Jeffes. The set they plan to perform will be closely modelled on the music contained on the double live CD from 1994, Concert Program.

The decision to regroup without their leader and prime mover was not an easy one for the orchestra to make. It was only after a small private reunion last year at trombonist Annie Whitehead’s birthday party that the idea of more public performances felt feasible. Cellist Helen Liebmann, who was Jeffes’ partner at the time of his death, insists that these London shows are all that the PCO will be undertaking for the foreseeable future: “This anniversary seems like a really good moment for us to get together to re-find and celebrate Simon's music"

Tuesday 11th & Wednesday 12th December 2007
Union Chapel, Islington, London
Doors 7pm, concert 8pm
Tickets £20 unreserved + booking fee
Booking info: 08700 600100 / ticketweb.co.uk & 0870 264 3333 / seetickets.com