Kathleen Loves Music

Happy Birthday > The Beau Hunks & The Metropole Orchestra

When I searched my library and Flickr for “birthday” this track and this photo were the most interesting things that came up.

(On the musical tip, these are the Beau Hunks, easily my favorite musical discovery of the last 20 years. And if you want to talk about “world music” they get my highest vote, though, of course, not in any way that any other human being would recognize.

They describe themselves as a “documentary orchestra” a term that I fully enjoy and embrace. After unearthing lost music from early in the 20th century the arrangements are usually transcribed from substandard recordings that exist only after painstaking archaeological digs. Then they find period instruments, sometimes period recording technology, and make contemporary performances.

These next two are from CDs of the compositions of one Leroy Shields, best known for the Hal Roach film soundtracks of the Little Rascals and Laurel & Hardy. God, I love these sounds. I’m never not happy when I put on this stuff.)

Have a happy day. (I know I’m a day early, but the way the days have been, I knew I would forget it if I didn’t post now.)

‘Tis Love > The Beau Hunks
Little Dancing Girl > The Beau Hunks