Kodachrome: Compositions for Orchestra By Raymond Scott

KODACHROME: Compositions for Orchestra by Raymond Scott

     

Performed by The Metropole Orchestra Conducted by Jan Stulen Produced by Gert-Jan Blom KODACHROME is a collection of Raymond Scott's idiosyncratic (and in several cases "serious") orchestral music, performed by Holland's 60-piece Metropole Orchestra. KODACHROME presents yet another overlooked side of Scott's legacy. Commonly known as the leader of a late 1930s jazz-novelty sextet (which he called a "Quintette") whose music was adapted in hundreds of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons, Scott has also been hailed as a pioneer of electronica. Such Basta CDs as SOOTHING SOUNDS FOR BABY and MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. showcased Scott's little-known 1950s-1960s work in electronic music. With KODACHROME, the Scott legacy grows yet again. After Scott disbanded his legendary Quintette in 1939, he formed the first of his many orchestras. These bands were arguably more popular at the time than his Quintette. However, his orchestra's recordings which got the most attention were often cover versions of popular hits of the day. But Scott continued to compose, this time for a larger canvas, and some of his more historically fascinating work often went commercially unrecorded, performed only on radio (and preserved on transcription discs made by Scott, who was also a sound engineer). In 1999, The Metropole Orchestra recorded THE CHESTERFIELD ARRANGEMENTS (also released on Basta), which consisted of large-scale arrangements of Scott's Quintette compositions, including such favorites as "Powerhouse" and "The Toy Trumpet." That album was produced by Beau Hunks Orchestra leader Gert-Jan Blom, who also produced KODACHROME. The earliest composition on KODACHROME, "Confusion Among a Fleet of Taxicabs Upon Meeting With a Fare," was composed in 1935; the latest, "City of New York" and "Naked City," date from 1953. All of these compositions (except "Taxicabs") are given their CD debut on this release. KODACHROME features original cover artwork by Kellie Strøm, and liner notes by noted author and jazz historian Will Friedwald, and a special introduction by ELVIS COSTELLO.