New birthday tribute album:"Tokyorkshire Research Inc" by kidkanevil

Happy 103rd birthday to Raymond Scott, born on September 10th, 1908. Just released today, in honor of this milestone — "Tokyorkshire Research Inc," a new Raymond Scott by tribute album by Kidkanevil, who writes:

"Thank you - Stan Warnow, Irwin Chusid, Jeff Winner. Source material used with kind permission of the Raymond Scott estate. Mastered by Matt Colton at AIR STUDIOS, London. NOTE - This beat tape is intended to be listened to on shuffle/make your own track listing." • UPDATE — Watch the new video: here

Red Bull Music Academy Daily News adds: "Samurai-style London Academy grad Kidkanevil just released a tribute beat-tape comprised in it's entirety from the music of Raymond Scott. An audacious feat no less, but the results are incredible: the thing goes hard. And in case you're worried, the tape is 100% cleared by the Scott estate so you can rest easily knowing no bad karmic repercussions are in store. Btw, we're on our third listen right now, and it keeps getting better."

Powerhouse by Charles Nunzio (1941)

We offered free sheet music for a vintage accordion arrangement of Scott's "Powerhouse" by Charles Nunzio in January 2009, and in October we noted the death of the famed accordionist at the age of 97. Following the latter post, accordionist Zevy Zions of oliveblossoms.com contacted us about an unreleased recording of Mr. Nunzio (who taught Zions) performing "Powerhouse" in concert in 1941. With the permission of Mr. Zions, we've posted an mp3 for free download. It's quite an astonishing virtuoso rendition. Wilder than a polka! We asked about the derivation of the recording. Tape was not widely known or available in 1941, yet the recording does not reflect the surface noise and crackle characteristic of 78s. Zions explained:

It was captured on some sort of disc recorder. Yes, the quality is relatively good. The performance is off-the-cuff; he's not following the written music. He didn’t remember it when I played it for him a few years ago.

Mr. Nunzio was conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Accordionists Association in November 2004.

Jean Shepherd:"You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid!"

Although best-known as writer and narrator of the classic 1983 holiday movie, A CHRISTMAS STORY, Jean Shepherd began a long radio career in 1948. He was not a traditional DJ who kept silent while playing records; he was a monologist who carefully chose music beds to underscore his unique narrative style. At least twice he pontificated over Raymond Scott:

 • In 1965 Shep, fascinated by Scott's SOOTHING SOUNDS FOR BABY electronic lullaby series, built an entire program theme around it, according SSFB perhaps its only airplay until the CD reissues more than 3 decades later.

 • The following year, Shep delivered one of his trademark rants about amusement parks as he spun "In An 18th Century Drawing Room," which Scott composed in 1937: listen here.

Dubby Sounds for Baby

Boston-based musician/producer DJ Flack (aka Antony Flackett), who is the father of young twins, has released DUBBY SOUNDS FOR BABY. The mix mashes tracks from Trigga, Mouse On Mars, & music from Raymond Scott's original SOOTHING SOUNDS FOR BABY records.

>> Listen: here

BBC Radio Interview

The BBC World Service radio arts program, The Strand, recently aired an interview with Raymond Scott's son, Stan Warnow, about his forthcoming documentary film, DECONSTRUCTING DAD. Listen to the feature, which also utilizes generous portions of Stu Brown's new CD: here<<

photo of Stan Warnow

by: Gert-Jan Blom

Powerhouse for Concert Organ

Our friend and fellow Scottologist Les Deutsch has been transcribing classic 1937-39 Raymond Scott Quintette recordings into first-time-on-paper sextette charts. (Scott did not use charts with his band; he taught parts by ear via keyboard example.) Les has also been creating new arrangements for vintage Scott works, and recently configured "Powerhouse" for concert organ. The chart can be downloaded as a free pdf here, and you can grab an mp3 of Deutsch's performance of the arrangement here.

About the fabricated cover image above, Les explains:

"The pipes are from the organ prop used in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as Captain Nemo’s salon organ aboard the Nautilus. I remember seeing this set on display at Disneyland in the mid-1960s. The organ console later made its way into Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride, where it sits today – but minus this whimsical set of pipes. I searched the Web and found a photo someone had taken of the old Disneyland exhibit."

Mini Mountain Queen

The Bran Flakes are a couple of sample-happy plunderphonic pirates who throw forgotten '50s kiddie vinyl, Bachelor Pad bridges, mariachi LPs, and homemade electrobeats into the audio blender and hit "puree." Their slice'n'dice sonics come out sounding like a Saturday morning TV soundtrack for today's juvenile genius-nerds destined to shape the technology of 2029.

TBF's new CD, I Have Hands (Illegal Art), is laced with RIAA-baiting sonic re-appropriation. However, it contains at least two works they were granted permission to re-invent: Raymond Scott's electronic "In the Hall of the Mountain Queen" and "Melon Ball Bounce" (from Manhattan Research Inc.), out of which the Flakes fashioned a track entitled "Mini Mountain Queen." Give a listen.