Music of the Carousel
May 6th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
I like unusual records. This album would serve well as the unofficial soundtrack to Ray Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ – it’s really live recorded simply carnival music from the calliope. Even though the music is upbeat there’s something sparse and almost horrifying about it.
These are live recordings of the calliope, a mechanical almost clockwork instrument consisting of a series of steam whistles and played with a keyboard, in similar fashion to an organ. The music brings me into a weird zone, like just being on the edge of a fever dream that’s about to go wrong. This was recorded by Smithsonian Folkways live in 1961 at various carnivals around the US. The full album is available from their website.
“Proud men‥Call me the ‘Calliope’.‥ I am the Gutter Dream, Tune-maker, born of steam.‥ I am the Kallyope.” – V. Lindsay
Downtown Strutters Ball – Music of the Calliope
