For the past 12 years Berlin’s very own ‘orchester spezial’, the 17 HIPPIES, have been playing their whirling, crashing, diving, bobbing and weaving mixture of music from around the world, all over Europe … and beyond. Imagine a mix of Eastern melodies, Balkan rhythms, French chanson, Anglo song writing, Cajun tunes, all perfectly blended together, creating their own unique "Berlin Style“ of ... yes ... pop music. Oh, and they sing in German, English and French.

This energetic 17 HIPPIES music is the distillation of many genres. The musicians' musical backgrounds reveal influences from rock-pop to classical and jazz, and is reflected in the instruments they play: accordion, trombone, trumpet, violin, cello, woodwinds, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, Irish bouzouki, guitar, double bass, Indian harmonium and more ...

Starting in the spring of 1995 as a trio playing mainly instrumental music, the band mutated into an ensemble -- now numbering 13 musicians -- which displays a vast range of musical creativity, ranging from their French radio hit “Marlène”, to the soundtrack for the award-winning movie HALBE TREPPE by Andreas Dresen (Silver Bear, Berlin Film Festival); from a project called SEXY AMBIENT HIPPIES involving DJs, to a project called 17 HIPPIES PLAY GUITAR featuring New York guitarist Marc Ribot. Not to forget a joint venture CD called HARDCORE TROBADORS with the notorious LES HURLEMENTS d’LÉO from Bordeaux, theatre music for Japan's famed ISSEY OGATA in Tokyo, and the DEUTSCHES THEATER back home in Berlin.

All in all, 17 HIPPIES have played more than 1.200 live concerts, all over Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Russia and Japan, with additional single concerts in London and the SXSW festival in Austin, TX.

With their new CD “HEIMLICH” (something between “top secret” and “secretively”), the 17 HIPPIES are setting a twelfth year milestone. Starting off by “making music just for leisure & pleasure”, passing through the stage of “a hobby out of control” and now reaching the point of a globally-touring band with their own record label, management and publishing company, the 13 musicians from Berlin undoubtedly deserve the tag “unique”.

“HEIMLICH“ is the 17 HIPPIES' most recent release. It´s the second studio production of their eight albums. Their last live CD & (DVD) was LIVE IN BERLIN, a stunning concert recording. In this new intoxicating album three quarters of the tunes are vocal – sung in German, French and English – interpreted by different members of the group.

HEIMLICH“ starts off with "Schattenmann“ (“man in the shadows”), a wild dance inspired by a Romanian melody, that develops into a rhythmical parcour-chase, with piccolo and harmonica leading the way, chased by a Las Vegas horn section. “Son Mystère” starts off as an emotional ballad, and turns into a mystic-epic wall of sound, with French lyrics accompanied by bass, santur, reed organ, accordion and clarinet. “Just Like You” blends melancholy Tex-Mex with Vaudeville strings, “Madam” combines Anglo-American songwriting with French chanson and German lyrics. And finally, in “The Moving Song”, Zydeco goes Bollywood – with a jew’s harp taking the lead.

Soul-searching stories from the heart, ranging from “being in love” to being left; from the oddities of life to the exclusions of death. The magic of the 17 HIPPIES: Their ability to celebrate a party with the melancholy depth and sadness that together creates the extraordinary ...just like that ... just like life.

Look forward to see them perform live!

“... the 17 HIPPIES are one of the most exiting band that exist in Germany today. And if you miss them, it's your own fault.”
Rolling Stone Germany

“An ice breaker! Wherever they perform, in France, Spain, Italy, Russia, or Japan. The 17 HIPPIES mesmerise the audience with their happy music.”
TIP Berlin

“The 17 Hippies are ridiculously underrated. They should be in the front rank of European world music artists …”
Charlie Gillet, BBC London

Italian-American musician ROB CURTO brings passion, energy and musicality to the accordion, shedding new light on the instrument's many timbral and rhythmic possibilities. The Los Angeles Times writes that, "Curto's originals..combine traditional authenticity with persuasive dashes of jazz." An early devotee of North American swing music, bebop piano, funk, rock and blues, Curto combines these influences with his mastery of their South American counterparts forró, chorinho, samba, maracatu, frevo and the many other styles that belong to the Brazilian accordion tradition. The result is completely original, authentic and stimulating to fans of all kinds, and has earned the accordion many a convert, who profess to having discovered a love for the instrument at one of his shows.

Curto is a product of New York City's diverse musical culture and has toured with artists such as Lila Downs, David Krakauer, Frank London and Cyro Batista. He has spent years living and playing in Brazil, completely absorbing and interpreting that country's musical traditions. He has studied and performed with some of Brazil's great accordionists such as Dominguinhos, Arlindo dos Oito Baixos, Camarão and Silveirinha as well as Brazilian artists such as the great samba singer Elza Soares. He has also played with artists such as star Brazilian mandolinist Hamilton de Holanda, Alencar 7 Cordas, Yamandú and Márcio Bahia. He was a member of the original scene of musicians who established a strong presence in New York City for forró, the dance music of northeastern Brazil, which has became the city's most recent dance craze.

His group has performed at major festivals and performing arts centers such as the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Minneapolis, the Skirball Center in Los Angeles, the Chicago World Music Festival, Lotus Fest in Indianapolis, the Lowell Folk Festival in Lowell, Mass., the Festival International in Lafayette, La., the Chico World Music Festival in Chico, Ca., Festival International Nuits d'Afrique in Montreal, the Cotati Accordion Festival and the International Accordion Festival in San Antonio, Tx., among others.

Curto was also recently highlighted as a teacher at the prestigious California Brazil Camp in Cazadero, Ca. He was the first person to teach this style of music at the camp and he led an ensemble class including accordionists, percussionists, bass, guitar, violin and winds. His performances during the week were also an important part of the program. Curto is part of a larger movement of musicians in the United States who are introducing more diverse Brazilian styles to a public accustomed to hearing only the bossa nova of Jobim and samba from Rio de Janeiro. Now Frevo, Maracatu, Baião, Xote, Arrasta-Pé, Coco, and the myriad musical styles from the culturally rich northeastern part of Brazil are becoming more familiar to American audiences.

Curto recently recorded his latest release "Piano de Fole" under the musical direction of Brazilian mandolinst Dudu Maia. Recorded in Brasília, Brazil, with musicians from Brasília and Rio (such as Fabio Luna and George Lacerda), this CD contains original compositions, improvisation and traditional Brazilian repertoire by composers such as Jacob do Bandolim, Jobim and Gonzaguinha. A new recording is planned for 2008 which will explore in greater depth the variety of music from northeastern Brazil with a distinctly North American influence. Rob's discography also includes Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars' acclaimed CD, Carnival Conspiracy, Beat The Donkey Beat, the latest release by master Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, Lila Downs' La Cantina, recently released on Narada records and the latest CD by the group Nation Beat, soon to be released.