QUICK LISTEN | WHAT IS THIS? | THE ALBUM | BIO | PRESSKIT
Do cellos dream of electric pigs? This one certainly does.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s the Rupert Gillett Trio with their jazzy, proggy brew of cello-driven madness! On Friday 23rd October 2026, the Rupert Gillett Trio, led by internationally renowned British jazz cellist Rupert Gillett, will be releasing their debut studio album „DO CELLOS DREAM OF ELECTRIC PIGS?“ on Cabin Creations Records. This unique jazz/rock/prog hybrid band boasts a world-first lineup of electric & acoustic cello, double bass, drums & vocals, presenting its own genre-defying mix of catchy songs, swinging tunes, strange and witty lyrics, virtuoso jazz playing, stunning harmony vocals and some giant robot pigs thrown in for good measure.
RUPERT GILLETT: Electric & Acoustic Cello & Vocals
VALERIE RATHMANN: Double Bass & Vocals
TIM SCHMIEDNER: Drums & Percussion
Have a quick listen:
TOMBOLA CONNECTION
YOU PLAYED ME, MISTY
CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE 2ND KIND
„Gillett is a great jazz improviser“ – London Jazz News
What is this music?
Sophisticated, funny, catchy, weird as hell, nice lyrics. Takes you to worlds as dirty as Miles Davis ever imagined, as cheesy as Paul McCartney’s softest wet dream. Flying electric pigs. Strange shapes and textures, harmonies shifting in and out of phase, echoes of things comforting and familiar, promises of another world in between.
The tools on display? Electric & acoustic cello, double bass, drums and vocals.
Well, what else? Isn’t this the perfect antithesis? In a relentless world of replication, replication, replication, replication, replication and homogeny, isn’t this the PILL that you need? Is it jazz? Jean Luc Ponty-esque screams, splurts of Wayne Shorter… Echoes of Steely Dan? Hmm… too many rough edges and uncomfortable corners. Is it punk rock? NO. Too well dressed, too tricksy, far too pretentious. Is it POP? Well, the hooks are definitely there, hum-able tunes, but with distressing signs of maltreatment.
But is it art? Let’s be serious here. Is it ART?
Quite frankly, who cares. This is much more fun! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!
The making of the album
The Rupert Gillett Trio has been very active now for about 2 years and has played many concerts across Europe. In 2025, they released their first „live“ album entitled köln240824 on Cabin Creation Records, showcasing the unique line-up and the spontaneous interplay and fun involved in their live performances.
The studio album „Do Cellos Dream of Electric Pigs“ is designed to be a true representation of the ensemble in a „controlled“ setting. While the core of the band was recorded „live“ in the studio, a measured splattering of vocal, percussion and analogue filter effects were used to enhance the „hi-fi experience“, while not robbing the band of its raw, strange and wild sound. Within the production process, care has been given to maintain the bare-boned feel of the band, with careful consideration given to the space between notes and sounds.
As a side note, Rupert & Valerie are fueled by Prosecco. Tim is fueled by PG Tips teabags, imported from the UK. Donations are gladly welcomed…
The Band Members
Rupert Gillett is a british cellist, bassist, composer and producer. He is an internationally recognized jazz cellist and specialist in many alternative cello techniques and cello improvisation. Rupert has collaborated with artists such as jazz legend Jacqui Dankworth MBE, Alison Moyet (Yazoo), Shara Nelson (Massive Attack), Katy Carr, Delain and Modern Nature, and has appeared on BBC radio and television with various ensembles. He has also performed for audiences including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jude Law, Orlando Bloom and HRH Prince Philip. He is a lecturer at the Cello Akademie Rutesheim and has also taught at New Directions Cello Festival (MA, USA), Academy of Music Junior Dept. (London) and various other festivals and courses. Rupert has released several albums on Cabin Creations Records, including Jazz Cello and has recorded with other artists on albums for Ace Records, Bella Union, Roadrunner Records and many more.
Valerie Rathmann is a double bassist, cellist, and singer who studied at the Conservatoire for Music and Dance in Cologne, Germany. As a sought-after sidewoman, she has performed with artists such as Rea Garvey, Sarah Brightman, and Mel C. She performs as a cellist with the string quartet Kwartett Latäng and as a singer/cellist in the folk-pop duo Heart Strings Duet, along with her husband Rupert Gillett.
Tim Schmiedner is a drummer, pianist, and composer who works in jazz, classical music, and film music. He writes contemporary music for a wide range of ensembles, from string quartets and jazz combos to full symphony orchestras. He is an active member of the improvisational theatre scene, including as a stage musician for Impro Köln. He studied Music Production at the Robert Schumann University of Music Düsseldorf and Jazz Piano and Composition at the University of Music and Dance Cologne.