Mozart's Jazz Requiem

A jazz tribute to one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, The Queen’s Cartoonists have respectfully (well, most of the time) re-imagined the Requiem for their own brand of virtuosity, humor, and of course… cartoons! Accompanying the music are classic “spooky” animated films, adapted specifically for the concert. Mr. Mozart himself even makes a few appearances. Using Mozart’s renowned sense of humor as their guide, the band presents a wildly original take on Vienna’s greatest export. The Requiem takes 60 minutes to perform; a full-length concert includes a 15-minute intermission followed by a second, shorter set of classic and contemporary animated films.

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 unique 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. 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 Fringe Festival.