Hemidemisemiquaver: Buried Treasures of the Raymond Scott Big Band

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 Scotts 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, theres 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 Scotts idiosyncrasies a bit in comparison to his more well-known earlier work, but its 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