The Metropole Orchestra

[George H. Smith]

Some of the most interesting and innovative jazz these days is coming out of Holland, especially by the Metropole Orchestra. Here are three excellent examples. These were posted by Steve Cerra, a member of JazzWestCoast, who has added some excellent graphics. The fantasy/science fiction pictures in the first tune are especially good.

As far as the music itself is concerned, the second tune, "The Hippest Cat in Hollywood," is my favorite.

Ghs

Anywhere

Jeff Beal [trumpet], Harvey Wainapel [soprano saxophone] performing pianist Kenny Barron's "Anywhere" with the Metropole Orchestra conducted by Jim McNeely. The arrangement is by Jeff Beal.

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The Hippest Cat in Hollywood

Gary Smulyan, baritone saxophone, playing the Mike Abene arrangement of "The Hippest Cat in Hollywood," by Horace Silver with The Metropole Orchestra, Jim McNeely conducting.

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Wildlife

Pianist Rob van Kreeveld performing Kenny Barron's composition "Wildlife" with The Metropole Orchestra, Lex Jasper conducting. The arrangement is by J. Reinders.

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[CNA]

Some of the most interesting and innovative jazz these days is coming out of Holland, especially by the Metropole Orchestra. Here are three excellent examples. These were posted by Steve Cerra, a member of JazzWestCoast, who has added some excellent graphics. The fantasy/science fiction pictures in the first tune are especially good.

As far as the music itself is concerned, the second tune, "The Hippest Cat in Hollywood," is my favorite.

Ghs

Anywhere

Jeff Beal [trumpet], Harvey Wainapel [soprano saxophone] performing pianist Kenny Barron's "Anywhere" with the Metropole Orchestra conducted by Jim McNeely. The arrangement is by Jeff Beal.

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The Hippest Cat in Hollywood

Gary Smulyan, baritone saxophone, playing the Mike Abene arrangement of "The Hippest Cat in Hollywood," by Horace Silver with The Metropole Orchestra, Jim McNeely conducting.

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Wildlife

Pianist Rob van Kreeveld performing Kenny Barron's composition "Wildlife" with The Metropole Orchestra, Lex Jasper conducting. The arrangement is by J. Reinders.

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OMG, the third struck a very special place in my heart!!! I love the piece but even more so the photography!!!! Wildlife photography is a huge passion of mine and adore it so. Watching the video, I greatly now miss Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, etc., WOW!!!!! I greatly look forward to heading up north on another road trip with cam and equipment in hand, my own little private adventures and going it alone and true bliss but nothing crazy!!!!! Thank you, George, very much for posting this. I will certainly be back on this thread watching it over again!!!

[George H. Smith]

Here is another excellent number by the Metropole Orchestra. This is an orchestral version of "Secret Agent," by the eccentric American composer Raymond Scott (1908-1994). The pictures in this video are also highly interesting.

Jazz in Comic Books, Cartoons & Caricatures

Raymond Scott's "Secret Agent" as performed by The Metropole Orchestra, Jan Stulen conducting.

Posted by Steve Cerra.

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Even if you have never heard of Raymond Scott, you have probably heard his music. A number of his tunes, such as "Powerhouse," became popular cartoon music, even though Scott did not write them for that purpose. Here is a link to a 1955 television performance of "Powerhouse" by the Raymond Scott Quintet. (The embed function on this YouTube video has been disabled.)

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

It is ironic that the revival of early 20th century American music (especially film scores) owes a good deal the The Beau Hunks, a Dutch saxophone ensemble that took its name from a 1931 Laurel and Hardy movie. (The Beau Hunks play in at least two of the Metropole Orchestra videos that I posted earlier.) Here is an excerpt from the Wiki article:

The Beau Hunks are a Dutch revivalist music ensemble who have performed and recorded the vintage works of composers Leroy Shield, Raymond Scott, Edward McDowell, Ferde Grofé, and others. They have been referred to as a "documentary orchestra," because they perform note-perfect renditions of music which is obscure and often commercially unavailable. For some projects for which no sheet music was known to exist, they had to reconstruct charts from original recordings extracted from films.

For various projects they have been reconfigured as The Beau Hunks Sextette, The Beau Hunks Saxophone Soctette, The Beau Hunks Saxophone Quartet, and The Beau Hunks Orchestra.

The following video is from the DVD "The Beau Hunks Live at the Concertgebouw" (Amsterdam, 2000). This is part of the music that was composed as live accompaniment for the silent Laurel and Hardy film "Their Purple Moment" (1928). The clip that accompanies this tune gives you an idea of what it would have been like to attend an original screening of this film. Fascinating stuff for early movie buffs.

Ghs

"Smile When the Raindrops Fall," by Alice K. Howlett and W.A. Quincke.

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[CNA]

It is ironic that the revival of early 20th century American music (especially film scores) owes a good deal the The Beau Hunks, a Dutch saxophone ensemble that took its name from a 1931 Laurel and Hardy movie. (The Beau Hunks play in at least two of the Metropole Orchestra videos that I posted earlier.) Here is an excerpt from the Wiki article:

The Beau Hunks are a Dutch revivalist music ensemble who have performed and recorded the vintage works of composers Leroy Shield, Raymond Scott, Edward McDowell, Ferde Grofé, and others. They have been referred to as a "documentary orchestra," because they perform note-perfect renditions of music which is obscure and often commercially unavailable. For some projects for which no sheet music was known to exist, they had to reconstruct charts from original recordings extracted from films.

For various projects they have been reconfigured as The Beau Hunks Sextette, The Beau Hunks Saxophone Soctette, The Beau Hunks Saxophone Quartet, and The Beau Hunks Orchestra.

The following video is from the DVD "The Beau Hunks Live at the Concertgebouw" (Amsterdam, 2000). This is part of the music that was composed as live accompaniment for the silent Laurel and Hardy film "Their Purple Moment" (1928). The clip that accompanies this tune gives you an idea of what it would have been like to attend an original screening of this film. Fascinating stuff for early movie buffs.

Ghs

"Smile When the Raindrops Fall," by Alice K. Howlett and W.A. Quincke.

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Yay!!!! Woohoo!!! I finally got it to work. Ran into some techie problems. LMAO I've enjoyed everything you have posted but sad to say I don't have anything to offer you other than my appreciation and saying thank you!!!!! But do have to admit I like this one as well. I enjoy the education and little tidbits!!!! I have to admit that I used to be a huge movie buff a long long time ago but the last 10 or 15 years not so much. Being a single mom, working, etc., hasn't left much opportunity to be able to sit and watch a movie all the way through without something else going on. If I do watch a movie nowadays, it's usually broken up into many sessions. Working and looking up at the TV and I may watch 15 minutes of it and then right back to working and then Chris and then cooking dinner, etc., life is always so busy for me. By watching a movie this way, it may literally take me a week to finish it all the way through but can say "I did watch it." May have taken me a week or two but I got through it. LOL

I used to watch Laurel and Hardy so long ago but so interesting to see now what goes on behind the scenes so to speak. Always so much to see in life and all the wonders, pleasures, loves!!!!! Also enjoyed when I was a kid the Three Stooges, Little Rascals, etc. LOL Such a contrast between what you enjoy and what I enjoy listening to, although I know we are both open to all of it and appreciative of so much of it. This is what I'm listening to now and a far cry from what you have posted, not so much the lyrics but do like the artist and upbeat mellowness of it, fits my mood right now. ;)