Classic Jazz
Moondog: The Viking of Sixth Avenue-His Life and Music
The Viking of Sixth Avenue
Moondog was one of the most original and unconventional figures of 20th century popular music. He was a modern classical/experimental/avant-garde jazz composer who produced percussion-driven classical and jazz music. Moondog often worked and recorded on the streets of New York City, where he was a familiar and the unmistakable sight with his flowing beard, robes, and Viking headdress.
Moondog was born Louis Thomas Hardin in Maryville, Kansas, 1916. As a child, he developed an interest in percussion, which was intensified upon visiting Indian reservations and hearing Native-American rhythms and drums. The percussion-heavy music that Moondog would ultimately make would reflect this early experience. In 1932, Hardin became blind following an accident.
While studying in Memphis during the Forties, Hardin won a music scholarship from the Memphis Conservatory of Music and moved to New York City in 1943. He was soon befriended by New York Philharmonic conductor Artur Rodzinski who promised that he would conduct scores written by Hardin, but this proved problematic as Hardin’s scores were written in Braille, and no such undertaking was accomplished. Needing money, Hardin took to the New York City streets to busk as a reciter of poetry and street musician.
In 1947, Hardin dubbed himself, “Moondog,” after a former pet. Future manager of the rock band Chicago, James William Guercio, was the first to record Moondog’s music in the early Fifties. These recordings would be released as 78s and later issued on Moondog’s albums from later in the decade.
Moondog Albums
Moondog made his own field recordings on the streets of the city and included them on his early albums of experimental music of which “Moondog” (1956) is considered the best. The albums, “Moondog,” “More Moondog” (1956), and “The Story of Moondog” (1957) are also releases of interest.
“Moondog” (1969) is probably Moondog’s masterpiece from his latter jazz period, and it was recorded with a large orchestra that included jazz veterans Ron Carter and Don Butterfield. Moondog recorded several other classic albums in the Seventies including, “Moondog 2” (1971), “In Europe” (1977) and “H’art Songs” (1978).
While the titles of the above albums are likely unfamiliar to readers, several tracks found within them have featured prominently in notable movie soundtracks such as Pineapple Express and The Big Lebowski.
Moondog died in Münster, Germany, in 1999, at the age of 83.
https://medium.com/illumination/the-beatles-and-beatlemania-history-and-album-guide-5fc5ec250240
