Moondog is one of America's great originals. Alan Rich, The New York TimesHere is one of the most improbable lives of the twentieth century: a blind and homeless man who became the most famous eccentric in New York and who, with enormous diligence, rose to prominence as an internationally respected music presence.Born Louis Thomas Hardin in 1916, Moondog first made an impression in the late 1940s when his music was played by the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. His unique, melodic compositions were released on the Prestige jazz label. In the late 1960s the Viking-garbed Moondog was a pop music sensation on Columbia Records. Moondog is the noted inspiration for the contemporary freak folk movement led by Devandra Barnhart.Moondog's compositional style was, many say, adopted by his former roommate, Philip Glass. Moondog's work transcends labels and redefines the distinction between popular and high culture.
A CD compilation with a variety of Moondog's compositions is bound into the book, and a Moondog tribute is planned for the 2007, 2008 season of UCLA Live by Hal Willner.The CD tracklisting is as follows: 1: Caribea (1: 32) Performer/Composer: Moondog 2: To a Sea Horse (1: 43) Performer/Composer: Moondog 3: Trees Against the Sky (.51) Performer/Composer: Moondog 4: Oo Debut (1: 09) Performer/Composer: Moondog 5: Autumn(2: 07) Performer/Composer: Moondog 6: Moondog Monologue (8: 24) Performer/Composer: Moondog 7: Moondog's Theme (1: 53) Performer/Composer: Moondog 8: Trimbas in Quarters (1: 47) Performer/Composer: Moondog 9: I Came Into This World Alone (1: 19) Performers: Moondog, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Gibson Composer: Moondog 10: Be a Hobo (1: 22) Performers: Moondog, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Jon Gibson Composer: Moondog 11: Why Spend the Dark Night With You (1: 40) Performers: Moondog, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Jon Gibson Composer: Moondog 12: All is Loneliness (1: 38) Performers: Moondog, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Jon Gibson Composer: Moondog 13: Organ Rounds (2: 04) Performer/Composer: Moondog 14: Canon in F Major, Book I (.43) Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 15: Canon in B Flat Major, Book III (1: 36) Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 16: Canon in B Fla Major, Book I (.43) Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 17: Canon in B Flat Major, Book II (.28)Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 18: Canon in G Sharp Minor, Book I (.44) Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 19: Canon in C Sharp Minor, Book II (1: 32) Performer: Paul Jordan Composer: Moondog 20: 5/4 Snakebite Rattle (3: 41) Performer: Stefan Lakatos Composer: Moondog 21: Trimbas and Woodblock in 5/2 (1: 26) Performer: Stefan Lakatos Composer: Moondog 22: When I Am Deep in Sleep (2: 17) Performer: Stefan Lakatos Composer: Moondog 23: Rabbit Hop (2: 25) Performer/Composer: Moondog 24: Dog Trot (2: 25) Performer/Compos Moondog 25: Bird's Lament (2: 00) Performer/Composer: Moondog 26: Viking 1 (2: 55) Performer/Composer: Moondog 27: Heimdall Fanfare (3: 06) Performer/Composer: Moondog 28: Intro and Overtone Continuum (2: 22) Performer/Composer: Moondog.