"Upbeat and a little crazy." "The true spirit of improv." "Carnival-like appeal." "Impressively, singers freestyle lyrics."

How does Canoofle's 100% improvised music work?

YOU call out an original song title. WE compose that song for you on the spot. Everyone claps afterwards. Pretty good fun depending on who you are.

Sounds like?:
It's hard to say. Wonky Pop? New-Wave Vaudeville? Surreal Punk? We use our years of varied music experience to write rock, pop, new wave, punk, funk, jazz, avant-garde and traditional songs FOR YOU!

Who does this?:
Canoofle features a rotating cast of multi-instrumentalists. Most shows have a slightly different lineup, instrumentation and flavor.

What instruments?:
Canoofle makes its music primarily using a drum set, electric bass, electric piano/organ, guitar, sax, flute, percussion and voice


Canoofle Climaxes

Over 145 gigs since August 1999 including 5 tours

Over 5,000 unique pieces of music created to date

Performances on KBOO "Night of the Living Tongue", KEXP "Sonarchy", TVCTV "Portland Community Improv"

Canoofle has shared stages with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Rollerball, Eric McFadden, The Cosmos Group, Craig Burke, Nutty Squirrel, Here Comes Everybody, Brian Kenney-Fresno, Cap'n Bogg & Salty, Freight Train Casanova, Kinski, Brody Theater, Jennifer Robin, Mykle Hansen, dancers, actors, poets, parties, paintings and films.


Why Canoofle?

Canoofle exists as an experiment in entertainment. We love the thrill of getting on stage without a clue of what will happen. This is truly facing the abyss. Sometimes we fly. Sometimes we fall. Either way, after experiencing a Canoofle concert, people know that they've just experienced something completely unique, creative, and musical.

Unless specified, ALL the songs Canoofle creates are 100-percent improvised. We do not use stock musical patterns, other people's lyrics, or sneaky hand signals, mostly...

Photos by Patrick Riordan and Michelle D. Williams