A conversation with Tikiyaki Orchestra’s Jim Bacchi

Jim Bacchi is the founder and leader of exotica ensemble the Tikiyaki Orchestra. As with my Randy Wong conversation, I interviewed Bacchi in connection with a feature I wrote for SPIN Magazine. And yet again, our exchange was so enjoyable that separate from that, I’m posting the following lightly edited transcript of our entire conversation. – bk.

What inspired you to launch the Tikiyaki Orchestra?

I really got into tiki in 1995 when I moved to Los Angeles from New York. I discovered a fanzine called Tiki News, which was published by Otto Von Stroheim, founder of Tiki Oasis, a four-day tiki event in San Diego that has been going on for 25 years.

Eventually in 2004, I joined a message board called Tiki Central, and discovered that this subculture had grown, and that everyone who was into tiki was on this one message board (this was pre-social media). I’d always had an interest in doing a solo instrumental album of this kind of music, and with the then-recent advancement of home digital recording, I realized it had suddenly become possible to do it all on my own.

I released StereoExotique in 2007, which was me performing all instruments with the exception of Steel guitar, and have been at it ever since. So I guess the short answer is: Because I love this subculture: tiki, Hawaiiana, mid-century modern, lounge, surf, spy, exotica music.

I didn’t really think it would all get as popular as it has, though!

What do you believe accounts for the enduring popularity of tiki and exotica, more than a half century after its original heyday?

Escapism! Tiki offers the ultimate form of escapism, which is what it was always about. Your own personal Shangri-la… a literal cocktail of art, music, cocktails, design, home decor, vintage collecting, socializing. It really can lead you into an entire lifestyle change. What starts out as that little corner you’re going to make a “tiki corner” of your house, eventually grows into an obsession of collecting, decorating, learning mixology, clothing, music and art collecting, and a theme for your parties and lifestyle. People need escape, now more than ever, and Tiki offers that in spades.

Besides… people love their booze!

What sets the Tikiyaki Orchestra apart from other acts working in the style?

To me, what sets us apart is, one, the songs. I always try to write catchy songs, even though the original exotica wasn’t necessarily song driven; it was more soundscape, and mood creation.

Two, when I started doing this music, I didn’t really think about the idea that I was “doing it wrong.” The original exotica artists – Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, etc. – often didn’t have electric instruments like guitar and organ, or drums kits. I just took the vibe, and instrument palette (piano, bass, vibes, percussion) and did what made sense to me. I’m a guitarist, so guitar would have to be there, but also, organ, steel guitar (which was not used in the original exotica music; it was a “Hawaiian music” thing.)

Also, I bring other genres of the era into the mix: classic surf, spy, bachelor pad lounge, Hawaiian, crime jazz, spaghetti western. It’s a cocktail of many styles from the era. Doing that allows me to flow freely through styles, or add little flavors of it throughout a song. To me, It’s a mixology, and that’s what makes Tikiyaki sound the way it does. While we are faithful to the original exotica music, we use it as a jumping-off point, rather than something to simply be replicated. It’s the blend of all those things that makes Tikiyaki unique. Again, it wasn’t by design or on purpose. It’s just what felt right to me. By not adhering closely to the original format, I accidentally came up with something that’s unique to Tikiyaki.

You may also enjoy my interview with Waitiki 7’s Randy Wong.