75th Anniversary of Raymond Scott's Music: 1937—2012

2012 marks the 75th Anniversary of Raymond Scott's music, which is forever associated with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck — though bandleader-composer Scott had no interest in cartoons. Ever!

Composer, electronic music pioneer, inventor, and bandstand drill sergeant Raymond Scott was born Harry Warnow, in Brooklyn, in 1908. After graduating from Juilliard, he wrote the 1934 hit song “Christmas Night In Harlem,” recorded by Louis Armstrong. In December 1936, Scott debuted his six-man “Quintette,” which featured jazz giant Bunny Berigan on trumpet and drummer Johnny Williams, father of famous movie score composer John Williams. By early 1937, Scott's Quintette were stars on radio, on records, and — after landing a contract with 20th Century Fox — in Hollywood films. The RSQ reeled off a string of quirky hit records, including “Powerhouse” (recorded February 20, 1937 in New York at their first studio session). Thanks to its being quoted by Carl Stalling in dozens of LOONEY TUNES, the "Powerhouse" melodies have become genetically encoded in the DNA of every earthling.

The Raymond Scott Archives celebrates the 75th with a series of live events and special projects (listed below). If you plan to coordinate an event, record Scott's tunes, or write about Scott, contact: info@RaymondScott.com. We can provide sheet music, photos, and historical resources. We are available for interviews and to host local programs.

• On December 1st, 2011, the New York-based Raymond Scott Orchestrette reunited to perform at Lincoln Center, as part of the Target® Free Thursday series — watch the new video slideshow with music: here

• Basta Audio-Visuals, the European label is planning several releases, including two vinyl LP replicas (which are available now — details here): Scott's 1957 orchestral THIS TIME WITH STRINGS, and a rare stereo mix of 1959’s THE UNEXPECTED, performed by Scott’s all-star jazz ensemble The Secret Seven. And a new 2-track single has also been released on the iTunes store — info: here.

• The award-winning Raymond Scott documentary, DECONSTRUCTING DAD will be screened at movie theaters and international film festivals: ScottDoc.com

Live performances of Scott's animated compositions (jazz, pop, and electronica) will take place around the globe, including:

• UK: Stu Brown Sextet and Mr. McFall's Chamber present ongoing concerts of Scott repertoire

• USA: The West Point Band’s Quintette 7 perform RSQ repertoire

• Norway: The MeaNensemble presents “White (Brain) Wash in concert: A Tribute To Raymond Scott & the Perfect World of Commercials”

• New York: Brian Carpenter’s Ghost Train Orchestra performs “Powerhouse Stomp: A Tribute To Classic Cartoons” 

• Spain: Racalmuto recreate the RSQ's six-man lineup and repertoire

• San Francisco: Jeff Stanford’s Cartoon Jazz Orchestra and Septet perform Scott classics accompanying cartoons

• Colorado: The Expedition Quartet present “An Acoustic Dinner with a Pack of Hungry Cannibals”

• Los Angeles: A multimedia show at the Redcat theater in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, curated by composer Ego Plum, and movie score orchestrator/composer Steve Bartek of Oingo Boingo on Friday, November 9th, 2012

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CONTACT:

Jeff E. Winner • The Raymond Scott Archives

RaymondScott.com • info@RaymondScott.com

Phone: 267-970-4396
View or Download Press Release: here

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P.S. Check-out this new collection of 75 YouTube clips of the Raymond Scott classic, "Powerhouse," celebrating the 75th anniversary of the RS Quintette's debut studio recording, on February 20, 1937, in New York: HERE <<<

Portrait of RSQ © by Drew Friedman

Network Awesome: "The Sound of Surreal"

According to THE NEW YORK TIMES, "Network Awesome is like TV Land for the online set." Today, Network Awesome Magazine posted, "The Sound of Surreal," a new feature with their Raymond Scott video collection, augmented by a new interview with Jeff Winner (me), conducted by staff writer, Kristen Bialik. Watch and read: here. And before you surf away, check-out their hundreds of hours of new and vintage shows:

“Programming includes a documentary about Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, an old episode of Groucho Marx’s You Bet Your Life, an episode of Speed Racer, a flashback of ABC’s 20/20 from 1981, a film adaptation of Jules Verne fiction and an episode of The Twilight Zone. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to which programs are picked or how they’re stitched together, but that’s part of what makes Network Awesome work.” 

—THE NEW YORK TIMES

Watch The Closing Doors:A History of New York’s Musical Melting Pot

Watch The Closing Doors: A History of New York’s Musical Melting Pot is a new double CD and LP series, released today, and compiled by renowned journalist and author Kris Needs:

Needs’ frighteningly-ambitious project aims to capture the fast-vanishing magic of New York City, documenting major musical landmarks and developments. The first volume focuses on the 1940s and 50s, and is accompanied by a book containing the relevant musical and social history, artist biographies, illustrations and Needs own stories and recollections of the city that once never slept. It includes jazz giants such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, and Thelonius Monk, while John Cage and Raymond Scott represent the avant garde. Among the other artists are Billie Holiday, Allen Ginsberg, Nina Simone, and Cab Calloway.

MOJO magazine: “An intoxicating aurel evocation of a lost world” 4-STARS

RECORD COLLECTOR: “One of the most fascinating compilations series we’ve ever encountered” 5-STARS

THE WIRE: “Essential”

VILLAGE VOICE: “A dream soundtrack of every book you ever read, or wanted to read, about postwar New York City” 

"Europe's most important film festival"

The new Raymond Scott documentary film, DECONSTRUCTING DAD, will be screened 3 times during the 46th annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, on July 3rd, 4th, and 8th, at 4pm. Director Stan Warnow, who will attend, adds: "It has a reputation as a Woodstock-like film festival — but it also has the glitz and glamor of a major festival with A-list actors and films on display — this year Judi Dench and John Turturro are getting awards, and John Malkovich will also be in attendance."

The Karlovy Vary IFF is one of the oldest film festivals of all time (the first year took place in 1946). It is the most important international film festival in Central and Eastern Europe and the only festival in the Czech Republic. The festival is open to the public and is visited by thousands of young people.

You are Invited to An Acoustic Dinner with a Pack of Hungry Cannibals

This is your invitation to An Acoustic Dinner with a Pack of Hungry Cannibals. Well, three Acoustic Dinners with a Pack of Hungry Cannibals, in fact: "A collaboration between some of the Front Range's finest musicians on some of the wildest, funkiest music of one of most progressive composers of the 1930's. An evening of the music of the great American composer Raymond Scott, whose music is familiar to millions because of its adaptation by Carl Stalling in over 120 classic Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and other Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated shorts. Scott also created numerous spoken word pieces and soundscapes, which will be presented, alongside original music from Schepps, Aller, McCormick, Pelta-Tiller, and Hutchison." Details: here

• Thursday, June 9 at 8pm: Avogadro's Number, 605 South Mason Street, Fort Collins, CO

• Saturday, June 11 at 8:30pm: The Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO

• Sunday, June 12 at 7pm: The Dazzle Showroom, 930 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO

White (Brain)Wash Concerts in Norway

MeaNensemble presents:

"Don't Beat your wife (every night)"

White (Brain) Wash in concert
A Tribute To Raymond Scott &
the Perfect World of Commercials

Bubbly and crazy cartoon music in the best Bugs Bunny-style, mixed with absurd advertising fantasies from 60 Years in the United States ... This is the MeaNensemble, a 9-man's All Star Band in this concert version of the critically acclaimed show "White (Brain) Wash" as was played on stages all over Norway and was set-up in three weeks at the Kaleidoscope Theatre in Copenhagen: "A sparkling witty, visually and musically superb virtuoso performance at the European level!"

Friday June 10th and Saturday 11th will be the exclusive prepremiere for Liland and Narvik before tour starting this fall. Then there will be visits to both festivals and live recording in Studio Store in Bodø. More info: here

There is no open ticket sales, but to reserve a place to experience the spectacular ensemble mean, you can contact by phone 95 92 77 91 or email: vibeke.forshaug.min@nfk.no

Friday at 8:00pm — Liland brygge

Saturday at 7:00pm — Mørkholla, Narvik kulturhus