A MONTH OF MORT!
Part One.
Mort Garson was a pioneering electronic musician who was primarily active in the '60s and '70s. He first garnered success writing for and accompanying pop stars and crooners of the early '60s, such as Doris Day, Mel Torme, and Glen Campbell. He was in-demand because he was capable of writing, arranging, conducting, and performing with equal ability. However, he came into his stride with the advent of the Moog synthesizer in the late '60s. He was one of the first musicians to use the Moog as the primary musical instrument on albums, along with Wendy/Walter Carlos, and Beaver & Crause. He was also the talent behind various cult electronic albums, all with different pseudonyms.
The Zodiac was Garson's breakthrough Moog project in 1967. The album had 12 tracks, each focusing on a different sign of the zodiac. Garson wrote all the music, Paul Beaver played the Moog, with narration by musician Cyrus Faryar. It is quirky novelty music, with a feel of the '60s to it. The interesting point is the dominance of the Moog as a composing instrument. This album was so succesful that Garson was soon contacted to do 12 FULL albums, each named after the various zodiac signs. These were released in 1969. By then, Garson had moved on to other projects.
Mort Garson was a pioneering electronic musician who was primarily active in the '60s and '70s. He first garnered success writing for and accompanying pop stars and crooners of the early '60s, such as Doris Day, Mel Torme, and Glen Campbell. He was in-demand because he was capable of writing, arranging, conducting, and performing with equal ability. However, he came into his stride with the advent of the Moog synthesizer in the late '60s. He was one of the first musicians to use the Moog as the primary musical instrument on albums, along with Wendy/Walter Carlos, and Beaver & Crause. He was also the talent behind various cult electronic albums, all with different pseudonyms.
The Zodiac was Garson's breakthrough Moog project in 1967. The album had 12 tracks, each focusing on a different sign of the zodiac. Garson wrote all the music, Paul Beaver played the Moog, with narration by musician Cyrus Faryar. It is quirky novelty music, with a feel of the '60s to it. The interesting point is the dominance of the Moog as a composing instrument. This album was so succesful that Garson was soon contacted to do 12 FULL albums, each named after the various zodiac signs. These were released in 1969. By then, Garson had moved on to other projects.
Song : "ARIES - THE FIREFIGHTER" by The ZodiacFrom the album "COSMIC SOUNDS" (Elektra) Nov. 1967
LINEUP :
Mort Garson : composer
Jacque Wilson : lyricist
Paul Beaver : Moog synthesizer
Cyrus Faryar : narration
Emil Richards : exotic percussion
Hal Blaine : drums
Carol Kaye : bass
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