Just like most Disney fans, I have lots of CDs of Disney music from the movies and theme parks. There are so many great albums available by so many different artists that you’re likely to miss some really entertaining stuff! Here are three semi-obscure CDs that I think you should try:
Dave Digs Disney – Even if you’re not a jazz fan, you’ve definitely heard the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s recording of Take Five (if I could hum it for you, you would recognize it right away). This popular jazz combo recorded an album of all Disney tunes in 1957 (supposedly after a sudden inspiration while enjoying Disneyland), and the results are spectacular. Brubeck did a great job of picking classic favorites (such as When You Wish Upon a Star) as well as lesser-known tunes (such as Very Good Advice from Alice in Wonderland). Each track is a complete gem!
Dive Into Disney – Ready for the complete opposite of the spectrum? How about your favorite Disney tunes cranked out by Japanese punk bands! You’ll have to order this CD from an overseas source, but it’s worth it if you’re into novelty music. There are songs in both Japanese and English, ranging from hard-hitting ska to groovy pop (such as Someone’s Waiting for You from The Rescuers, which is one of my least favorite Disney songs, but this rendition is fantastic!). There’s even two versions of Hakuna Matata – wait until you hear these rockers scream "Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!"
The Firehouse Five Plus Two / At Disneyland – Most Disney fans have heard of the Firehouse Five Plus Two, a wonderful Dixieland/hot jazz combo made up of Disney employees, including Ward Kimball and Frank Thomas of the Nine Old Men. They made several recordings which are all fun, but my favorite is this live performance, recorded at the Golden Horseshoe! It’s fun to hear these guys having a blast, listening to Ward’s jokes, and hearing Frank’s amazing hands that made so much artwork banging out piano solos. Close your eyes, and suddenly you’re in Disneyland’s glorious past – maybe after the show you can hop on the Skyway!
One of my absolute favorite relatively obscure Disney CDs is Chris Calabrese’s Ragtime at the Magic Kingdom. It’s a fantastic collection of his work that puts you at one of those wireframe tables eating a hotdog and drinking a soda from the shop right there.
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