Raymond Scott, in my humble opinion, was one of the most interesting bandleaders to emerge in the Swing Era. He was a pianist for the CBS Radio Orchestra, and later became its director. He also headed up a small group – the Raymond Scott Quintet – and subsequently formed a full-sized band. Some of his recordings, particularly those made by the quintet, are considered to be “novelty” tunes, but I believe the novelty is not so much in the music as it is in the titles (e.g., “Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals”). In the 1950s and 60s, he pioneered the development of electronic music, and even patented several audio devices.
Today's selection, “Business Men's Bounce”, highlights Scott's fondness for relatively complex melodies and tight arrangements. Nothing of the novelty here, though: it's a straight swing instrumental, with some nice solos and fine ensemble playing.
Bonus tune! Perhaps Raymond Scott's greatest legacy was his composition of a piece called “Powerhouse”, recorded by his quintette. The tune has two distinct parts, each of which, sometimes together, more frequently independently, were used in scores of Warner Brothers cartoons in the 1940s and 50s. The first part was often used as backdrop music to scenes involving space travel , while the second part, with its pile-driver rhythm and slightly menacing melody, was typically employed for scenes showing factories, assembly lines, Rube-Goldberg-type contraptions – and sometimes to herald the arrival of Spike the bulldog, as he stomped down a sidewalk, all hunched shoulders and scowling face.
And here's a brief selection of scenes from cartoons with this music in the soundtrack.
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4 comments:
Wow, so THAT's where that music came from. That's so familiar now. Always admired that piece, or both parts of it at different times.
HAW! I always liked that music on the cartoons!
I believe my love of music was first formed by the cartoons at the "pitcher show" when I was very small, especially the classical music a la Disney. That and listening to my parents' radio (TV didn't make it to Texas until I was seven). Too bad today's kids don't get that kind of education, and it was an education.
A lot of children were first introduced to classical music through cartoons (who can forget Bugs Bunny in "The Rabbit of Seville"?)
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