Raymond Scott fan Christine Lorraine writes:
I wanted to take a moment to express something — in the mid-1990s you gave me a Raymond Scott CD (Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights) when my son and daughter were babies. Now they are grown up. Nicole plays sax, and Nicholas plays French horn, drums, cello, and anything else he touches. Nicholas (who also plays drums with my band) recently hopped in the car when I picked him up from work, opened the console, and immediately inserted the Raymond Scott CD into the player. He listened to his favorites since childhood: "Manhattan Minuet," "Tobacco Auctioneer," and "At an Arabian House Party." He can point out where the clarinet squeaks in "Powerhouse" and how the trombones are intentionally dissonant in "House Party." My daughter Nicole does the same thing with the same CD, and she said it has struck her since early childhood that music could ever sound like that.
This is a roundabout way of saying thanks for playing such an indirect yet profound influence on their musical development. Raymond Scott's music is such a treasured part of our lives.
Nicholas (above) had been listening to Raymond Scott since age 3 and wanted to play drums. Being a musician mom, well, it was no holds barred.
Ages 8 and 10 (above) they performed together playing "Jingle Bells" in the school talent show. She doesn't play sax so much now, but fronts an all-original punk group and writes their lyrics. I wish there were a way to expose more young children to intricate music like Raymond Scott's. I did so experimentally, but what an amazing outcome.