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Being Creative

Arthur Jeffes and the lesson of an old rusting tractor

Losing yourself in art… because that’s what stands the test of time

Cavan Scott

• 3 min read
Arthur Jeffes and the lesson of an old rusting tractor
Arthur Jeffes at the Bristol Beacon Lantern Theatre, Friday 7th March 2025

Last Friday, we had the absolute pleasure of seeing Arthur Jeffes perform at the Bristol Beacon Lantern Theatre. It was my first experience of Jeffes, who founded Penguin Cafe in 2009, an ensemble to play the music of his late father Simon Jeffes of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Yes, that explains the penguin head in the slightly blurry photo above, which Arthur quickly removed after the first piece.

The concert consisted of two stunning sets, the first made up of solo piano arrangements of his father’s music while the second focused on Arthur’s own compositions. It was absolutely spellbinding. Just a man, a piano and an absolute love of music. It was impossibly not to smile every time Arthur smiled while playing — and he smiled a lot! His passion for the music was contagious!

Before each piece, Arthur charmingly explained the inspiration for the music with humour and humility. One story particularly chimed with me — the background of the song Lamborghini 754 from the album Rain Before Seven.

The Lamborghini in question was an old tractor that sat slowly decaying outside the Italian studio where Penguin Cade were working. Arthur’s collaborator, Oli Langford became increasingly enamoured with this beautiful machine, imagining how cutting edge it would have been when first purchased to tame the olive groves. Now, while still beautiful, the poor thing was outmoded and unwanted, gently rusting in the sun, while the olive grove remained exactly how it had always been.  

The story really spoke to me. Times change and trends come and go. The next big thing bursts onto the scene only to fade away, the cycle never ending, while the art form itself always remains.

As a creator, it’s a sobering thing to remember. Your time in the spotlight is fleeting, if it reaches you at all. And it’s all too easy to get lost in your own importance while you should be losing yourself in the art, because that is what endures. That’s what stands the test of time.

So forget about yourself and get lost in the art itself. Oh, and don’t forget to smile, penguin mask or not!

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