PFT Media

This episode is a nod to the crate diggers. Phil Ranelin may be considered underground, but he’s an artist of large stature in the world of rare grooves. Sought after by collectors, and for use of samples and remixes, Ranelin’s music is now widely accepted which nearly eluded him since he began back in the ’60s. His Collected Works 2003- 2019 from Wide Hive Records prove what a treasure he is. You don’t even have to take our word for it, Motown, Stevie Wonder, Freddie Hubbard, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and John McEntire of Tortoise have been hip to the notion all along. Ranelin’s music is all his own, leaning towards an Afro-centric soul vibe with a dissonant cry of freedom, future, and self-expression. Along for the ride is fellow jazz titan Pharoah Sanders, and young lion Kamasi Washington. We got Mr. Ranelin on the line to share his thoughts and feelings about this proper retrospective.

Crate digging is generally a pastime involving vinyl records, but it could be applied to books and rare artifacts–something Josh Frank does all at once. First an author (notably of the post-modern biography In Heaven Everything Is Fine and co-author with Frank Black of the Pixies in The Good Inn), and now a pop culture explorer, Frank unearthed, “directed,” and scored the long lost film project between surrealist artist Salvador Dali and the Marx Brothers. Need a minute to ponder that? Wait ’til you hear the title: Giraffes On Horseback Salad. Frank has done the impossible by adapting this once long-lost curio as a fully formed, eye-popping graphic novel. In keeping with Dali’s wishes, he also produced a soundtrack in the vein of Cole Porter with the help of Pepe Deluxe and Quin Arbeitman. It’s a score that’s all things old Hollywood, absurd, delightful and as zany as anything the Marx Brothers did during their time on earth, and now in the hereafter. Or is it? Josh Frank helps makes heads or tail of it all.

ABOUT THE MAJOR SCALE:

Your attention please to a new program that celebrates and takes a fresh and bold look at the great American art form- JAZZ!!!

The Major Scale is the title, the motto and the mission are, Jazz- past, present, future, and everything in between. A lot of focus will be on new and fresh sounds, deep cuts, closer looks at underrated artists, taking a different look at some of the titans of the genre, and getting the two cents worth from a number of surprise guests and sources.

The Major Scale can boast amongst it’s guests- legends like Herbie Hancock, Tom Scott, and Ahmad Jamal. The up and coming and the underrated-Kamasi Washington, Mia Doi Todd, Michael Blake. Fresh perspectives and commentary from the likes of Rock legend Al Kooper, who weighed in on the gospel. From The New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich expounds on her article about the movement to rename the Williamsburg Bridge in honor of Sonny Rollins. We explore the Soul-Jazz experiments of the Rascals. Grace Kelly from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert talks about her pop-up/flash mob concerts. Plus Thundercat, Henry Mancini, Ghostface Killah, Jaimie Branch, Nels Cline, Badbadnotgood, Cecil Taylor, and more get pick up on the Major Scale radar.

Produced in Central Florida, this program seeks to become one of the defining voices of this Native American art form, and everything else that finds itself under it’s umbrella. Think about programming and content found on the likes of World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA. Tiny Desk from Washington D.C., and KEXP Live from Seattle, WA. and that’s what the Major Scale strives to do.

For the curious, and lovers of music who like the details in between.

ABOUT KYLE EAGLE (Host):

Kyle Eagle has been a contributing writer and producer for the NPR-WBGO, WUCF, WPRK, Wax Poetics, The Orlando Weekly, Artbourne, and The Fiscal Times, as well as several music and film releases- Light in the Attic’s documentary “This Is Gary McFarland”, and an upcoming film on composer Jack Nietzsche. Recordings- Call Me-Jack Wilson, Live at the Penthouse, Grachan Moncur III, Chico Hamilton, and Andy Bey.

ABOUT CHRIS BARANYI (Producer):

Chris Baranyi is a sound engineer and music producer. He splits his time between designing AV systems for theme parks and recording music. Chris has worked with many Orlando area musicians with backgrounds in jazz, fusion, hip-hop, funk, new age, and classical. Some of which have been featured on NPR’s Echoes. His passion includes jazz, vintage microphones, and hot sauce.