The Raymond Scott Big Band - Hemi Demi Semi Quaver: Buried Treasures of The Raymond Scott Big Band (2020)

01 Jan, 21:59
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Artist: The Raymond Scott Big Band
Title: Hemi Demi Semi Quaver: Buried Treasures of The Raymond Scott Big Band
Year Of Release: 2020
Label: Real Gone Music [RGM-1135]
Genre: Jazz, Swing
Quality: FLAC (tracks + .cue,log)
Total Time: 70:16
Total Size: 248 MB(+3%)
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist

01. Carrier Pigeon (2:10)
02. Four Beat Shuffle (3:23)
03. The Beard (3:08)
04. Hemi Demi Semi (3:36)
05. In a Magic Garden (2:47)
06. Mr Basie Goes to Washington (2:39)
07. Limehouse Blues (3:14)
08. Toonerville Trolley (3:47)
09. Section A (2:25)
10. Enchanted Forest (2:56)
11. Eight Letters in My Mailbox (2:44)
12. Cozy Cole Drum Solo (2:08)
13. Roxy Special (3:56)
14. Naked City (2:46)
15. Peanut Vendor (2:27)
16. Casbah Blues (4:00)
17. Section C (2:34)
18. Tiajuana (2:18)
19. 37th Secret (2:30)
20. Jeep Jump (2:29)
21. Get Happy (2:25)
22. Break Theme (0:19)
23. Carrier Pigeon (alternate take) (2:06)
24. Minuet in Jazz (2:48)
25. Cozy Cole Drum Solo (alternate take) (2:03)
26. American in Russia (2:38)

Raymond Scott expanded his famous Quintette into a big band in 1939, and began working as the music director for CBS radio three years later. The group that he assembled was the first racially mixed studio orchestra in broadcast history, with future legends such as saxophonist Ben Webster, trumpeter Charlie Shavers, and drummer Cozy Cole among its ranks. Hemidemisemiquaver: Buried Treasures of the Raymond Scott Big Band presents over two dozen recordings of the little-heard group, the majority of which had never been released. For the most part, these tunes are upbeat and lively, but less eccentric than Scott's well-known Quintette compositions from the 1930s. Pieces like "Carrier Pigeon" and "Eight Letters in My Mailbox" are rollicking, somewhat squirrelly, and easily recognizable as Scott tunes, with the big band format adding an extra brass kick. However, the variable sound quality of these antediluvian recordings dulls the impact a bit -- "Hemi Demi Semi" is crisper and more treble-heavy, but others like "Section A" and "Jeep Jump" seem semi-buried. Regardless, there's plenty of fun material here. "Mr. Basie Goes to Washington" is a sharp, classy strut, "37th Secret" sounds like a close cousin of "The Toy Trumpet," and "Peanut Vendor" has a prickly, staccato horn sound that strangely sounds like an accordion. The enchanting "Naked City" serves as a mystical interlude, with a haunting, reverb-heavy violin melody sweeping over the crawling tempo, appearing like a mirage during an endless desert trek. On the whole, much of this material seems to tone down Scott's idiosyncrasies a bit in comparison to his more well-known earlier work, but it's still highly enjoyable and well worth checking out. Jazz historians and Raymond Scott fanatics need to hear it, while newcomers are advised to head directly to the still-definitive Reckless Nights & Turkish Twilights before making their way here.~ Paul Simpson

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