Music » Cartoon Music

Prewar gems from a long-neglected master. Scott's career as composer, bandleader, and electronic-music pioneer is just beginning to be rediscovered. Here he mixes swing jazz with classical forms, exotica (long before there even was such a thing), and his own hyperactive melodies to create a timeless sound. Many of the bouncy tunes are recognizable from their constant use in cartoon soundtracks over the years: the classic "Powerhouse," a jittery mix of an edgy scherzo and a relentless march (as well as a favorite of Looney Toons composer Carl Stalling); the jaunty "The Toy Trumpet"; and the dizzying "Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals." Scott's original recordings with his Quintette (which, strangely enough, consisted of six musicians) are a delight, and the invention and energy never let up. --Heidi MacDonald

Release Date: 2005-11-08, Audio CD, Koch Records

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Who said musical comedy was dead? Was it you? Fools! There are more shining moments in each of these 39 zippy little numbers than in the complete score of any bloated Broadway dud today. Peppered with original dialogue, and seven renditions of "The Simpsons Main Title Theme" (including Australian, Big Band, and Afro-Cuban), this disc includes beloved originals like "Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?" Even better are the scathing parodies: "Oh, Streetcar!" (Tennessee Williams ? la community musical theater); "Dr. Zaius" (Falco-meets-Planet of the Apes); and "See My Vest" (Monty Burns's jaunty dissection of Disney's "Be Our Guest"). With celebrity cameos from Tony Bennett, Robert Goulet, and Beverly D'Angelo, Songs is a sparkling tonic to sustain you through the seven dreary days between Sunday evenings. --Kurt B. Reighley

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Release Date: 2007-01-16, Audio CD, Geneon [Pioneer]

Release Date: 2006-12-05, Audio CD, Geneon [Pioneer]

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