An Orangutan At Adelaide Zoo Is Releasing A 'Jazz' Single

There is no disputing that the world is a pretty ugly place sometimes, so it makes sense to reach out and latch onto any flicker of beauty that may pass your way — and, today, at least some of that respite can be found in the news that an orangutan at Adelaide Zoo is releasing a jazz single. Kind of. Certainly jazz-spirited, at the very least.

No, we're not messing with you — as ABC reports, resident primate Kluet the orangutan has created a debut single, Give Me A Klue, using a music-making app, and Adelaide Zoo have decided to release it to celebrate International Orangutan Day today, 19 August, taking action to put a spotlight on the issue of population decline among the world's orangutans as a direct result of human industry. 

Kluet's keeper (and producer), Pij Olijnyk, explained of the serious underside to the quirky release: "It's an opportunity to just celebrate orangutans but also to raise a bit of awareness about the plight of wild orangs because they're in a lot of trouble."

Olijnyk joked to the ABC that he could definitely hear "nods to a couple of classic jazz songs" among the 20-year-old primate's random piano plinks and plonks (and occasional drum hits). "I can hear a bit of Pink Panther theme and I think there's a bit of The Way You Look Tonight as well," Olijnyk told the national broadcaster. While we're not too sure about that, to be fair, it's certainly no worse than some human compositions we've heard.

Have a listen to a snippet of Kluet's talents below. It's an avant-garde, modern-jazz masterpiece — and it's available on Adelaide Zoo's website now.

If you buy the single before Friday 26 August, you'll go into the draw to win one of five limited-edition CDs signed by Kluet, with one winner and a friend being given the chance for a behind-the-scenes look at Adelaide Zoo and face-to-face time with the opus-making orangutan himself.

Find out more about International Orangutan Day at its website.