Raymond Scott

Scott, prolific composer, inventor, and performer, is most famous for something he didn't do - his songs were used by Carl W. Stalling as the basis for many of his soundtracks for classic Warner Brother cartoons. Scott's "Powerhouse" can be heard during shots of conveyor belts, machines, and other moving parts in dozens of these classic cartoons. Scott was the founder of the Raymond Scott Quintette, a six-piece band that performed Scott's unique version of swing/jazz fusion (Scott chose the word "quintette" because he thought it sounded crisp). In addition to traditional instruments, the Quintette also pioneered using sound effects and other avant-garde techniques. After leaving the band in 1942, Scott joined CBS as a musical director, where he worked on such shows as "Your Hit Parade." Scott was also instrumental in hiring the first integrated band at CBS. In later years, Scott was a pioneer inventor in the field of music synthesizers, and worked briefly with fellow pioneer Robert Moog. Scott is credited with inventing the Electronium, the Claviox, and the Videola (a device that allows a composer to watch a film while composing or playing the soundtrack). Scott was still composing music on computer in his 70s, but a series of heart attacks and strokes in the early 90s left him unable to work, speak or communicate. He died on February 4th, 1994, at the age of 85.