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Powerhouse: The Cartoon "Assembly Line" Music

There were six members of the Raymond Scott Quintette.  Scott didn’t call it his “Sextette” because he thought the word “Quintette” had a “crisp” sound. “Powerhouse” by the Raymond Scott Quintette is one of those songs that most people know, but don’t know the title of.  First recorded on February 20, 1937, this odd composition was not written for cartoons but it had a frantic, cartoonish feel that was hard not to notice. The song stood out even among other jazz compositions of its day.  What was strange about it was the way it was really two compositions sewn together in a kind of crazy quilt.  Sometimes the two parts of the piece are referred to as “Powerhouse A” and “Powerhouse B”.  “Powerhouse” is sometimes referred to as the “assembly line music” often played in cartoons.   Live performance of “Powerhouse” by the Raymond Scott Quintette, April 16, 1955 “Powerhouse A” is the opening part of the song.  It’s played at a fast tempo, with a clarinet fi