ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (04/05/84)
Apparently, Van Dyke Parks has a new record out called "Jump!" There are at least three others, called The Clang of the Yankee Reaper Discover America Song Cycle Anyone know of any others?
ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (04/10/84)
Van Dyke Parks, an obscure musician with a sort of cult following in the 60's and early 70's, has resurfaced with an excellent new album. Called "Jump!," it is a collection of songs based on the "Tales of Uncle Remus": Bre'r Rabbit and colleagues. It's a winner! The style is reminiscent of musical theatre: mostly up-beat, short, catchy numbers, but the music is more complicated than one often finds in musical theatre and those who remember Parks' earlier work will find many familiar devices in use. He played a concert in New York recently. He played the piano and sang, and there was also a female singer. There were seven supporting musicians: drums, bass, harmonica, harp, guitar, banjo/mandolin, and cimbalom (a kind of hammered dulcimer that I think comes from eastern Europe).
Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@BRL-VLD.ARPA> (12/24/84)
I recall that VanDyke Parks was (is?) on the Reprise label, having seen advertising on inner wrappers of LPs on that label. (By the way, he collaborated with Brian Wilson on some of the ill-fated "Smile" project, released in abridged form on "Smiley Smile" LP by the Beach Boys; this includes the single "Heroes & Villains", the next Beach Boys release after "Good Vibrations". Does such collaboration also include the song "Surf's Up"?)