a perennially popular topic – musical animals/animals in music – fun for the whole family!

From spiders to flies, from whining mice to piano-playing cats, we always laugh when animals are part of the music.

In tonight’s episode of American Highways, pianist Guy Livingston brings us Henry Mancini, Henry Cowell, William Bolcom, Florian Weber & Angelika Niescier, and more from the jazz and contemporary worlds. Enjoy!

AMERICAN HIGHWAYS #95 MUSICAL ANIMALS

Theme Music :

Jan Jeroen (J.J.) Spijkervet & Immersive Sound

“American Highways” Jingle

Sounds About Right

composed for Concertzender

Henry Mancini

The Pink Panther Theme

Henry Mancini Orchestra

RCA ND89905

Henry Cowell

“Mice Lament”

Robert Osborne, Jeanne Golan

Albany Troy 240

William Bolcom

I Will Breathe A Mountain – “The Fish”

William Bolcom, Carole Farley

NAXOS 8.559249

Fats Waller

Viper’s Drag

Dick Hyman

Reference Recordings ‎– RR-33DCD

Charles Hunter

Possum and Taters

Roger Shields, Piano

VoxBox CD3X 3027

Chris McKhool

Spider-Man

Chris McKhool

Putumayo 229-2

Traditional

The Spider And The Fly

The Malcolm Mitchell Trio

Wing Records ‎– WL1191

Henry Mancini

Baby Elephant Walk

Henry Mancini Orchestra

RCA ND89905

Florian Weber & Angelika Niescier

1.The Barn Thing

4.The Giant Sleeps

Angelika Niescier Saxophone, Ralph Alessi Trumpet Florian Weber Piano, Christopher Tordini Bass, Tyshawn Sorey Drums

Distr. Naxos: INTAKT 263

George Antheil

The Golden Bird

Guy Livingston, piano

Wergo 6762-2

E. Kalman

A Little Slow Fox With Mary

Alexandre Tharaud, Frank Braley

Erato 50999-602552-2

Alan Hovhaness

And God Created Great Whales (1970) (whales are definitely musical animals – see also the works of George Crumb…)

David Amos conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra

Crystal Records CD810

Mack Rice arr. Zachary Reaves

Mustang Sally

Altius String Quartet

Parma Recordings 359

Reverend Guy Smith

Great Speckled Bird

Roy Acuff

Disc 1 NOT Records 2CD0203