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Moondog learned rhythm from American Indians and counterpoint from J.S. Bach. Many of his recordings feature instruments he built himself: trimba, yukh, tuji, oo. Sometimes you can hear in the background the streets of New York, where Moondog often slept rough (even though blind, since an accident when he was 15).
Sometime in the 1950s, fed up with being mistaken on the street for Christ — his regular busking spot was uptown on Sixth — Moondog put on a Viking costume, with spear and horned helmet; and he dressed like this till the late 1970s (by which time he was working with orchestras in Germany).
Igor Stravinsky lobbied a judge on Moondog’s behalf. Charlie Parker wanted to play with him (Julie Andrews did play with him), and he was feted by Bob Dylan, Marlon Brando, Steve Reich. Andy Warhol’s mum designed one of his covers, and Weegee took photographs of him (included in the booklet). Janis Joplin covered him, Mr Scruff owes him badly, and Antony And The Johnsons does him live.
This is the first retrospective of Moondog’s music — thirty-six tracks from 1949 to 1995, most of them exceptionally rare and reissued now for the first time, all of them miraculous.
‘This selection of 36 of his pieces for percussion, brass and the odd howling canine, and occasional, madrigal-like songs, is both ethereal and earthy, sounding old as the hills and utterly out of time. Sometimes it’s almost jazz, mostly it’s that rare thing in music: unique. Moondog was a creature of an entirely lost New York’ (The Guardian).
‘... utterly contemporary — invoking trance, fidgety electronica, spooky folk and oriental drones… Highly recommended’ (Time Out).
‘One thing’s for certain: you can buy this album secure in the knowledge that nothing else in your collection sounds remotely like it. Go on, surprise yourself’ (Observer Music Monthly).
Tracklist: A1. Theme And Variations A2. Down Is Up A3. Bumbo A4. Big Cat A5. Oo Debut A6. Lament 1 'Bird's Lament' A7. Moondog's Symphony 1 (Timberwolf) A8. Moondog's Symphony 2 (Sagebrush) A9. Rabbit Hop A10. Rimshot A11. Snaketime Rhythm B1. Instrumental Round B2. Double Bass Duo B3. Why Spend The Dark Night With You B4. All Is Loneliness B5. Snaketime Rhythm B6. Dragon's Teeth B7. Oboe Round B8. Be A Hobo B9. Dog Trot B10. Oasis C1. Avenue Of The Americas C2. 2 W 46th Street C3. Lullaby (2 W 46th Street) C4. Fog On The Hudson (425 W 57th Street) C5. Utsu C6. On And Off The Beat C7. Chant C8. From One To Nine C9. Improvisation In 4/4 C10. Enough About Human Rights! C11. Viking 1 C12. Rimshot D1. Chaconne In G Major D2. Oasis D3.Invocation
Format: 2 x 12-inch Vinyl LP Label: Honest Jons Records Catalog: HJRLP018 Released: 2005 Genre: Alternative / Jazz / Classical
