• DECONSTRUCTING DAD •

As promised, here I am writing shortly after my last post, with great news! Yesterday, I was notified that the film has been awarded a substantial grant from The Foundation for Jewish Culture’s Lynn and Jules Kroll Fund for Jewish Documentary Film.   Receiving this call and learning the news was a thrilling moment for me,  and I’m deeply grateful to the foundation.  This grant is awarded to filmmakers with projects that the grantors feel will expand the understanding of Jewish experiences, and of course that’s an important aspect of the Raymond Scott story.   The documentary film program at the foundation was originally started with a lead grant from Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation.   I am tremendously excited to have received this grant; it’s a great motivation to keep on keepin’ on.  For more info on foundation go to  http://www.jewishculture.org, that’s their home page, and then there’s a link specifically to the documentary film section with a list of this years awards.   And by the way, if you’ve been thinking about donating, don’t think the film now doesn’t need your money! This grant is a big help, but there’s still lots of expenses ahead, so now is a good time to jump on board….

As always, I’m playing catch up–never enough time in my day/week/month to do all I should be, so it’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted.  Editing is proceeding and I now have quite a lot put together, but still aways to go, and some addtional shooting to do as well.  One exciting recent development was the trailer being chosen as a Staff Favorite at Vimeo.com, and lots more people have seen it and linked to it as a result.  I’ve also gotten some really nice contributions since that event–thanks to all who have helped out, it means so much to me. 

And Raymond Scott performance events continue internationally.  If you’re in Europe check out Stu Brown’s Raymond Scott Project–these guys just perfromed at the Edinburgh Jazz festival and are doing great versions of Quintette Tunes at other gigs in Great Britain this sumer.  Their show also features some excerpts from my film: http://www.myspace.com/raymondscottproject.

And Saturday afternoon July 5, Adam O’Callaghan, who staged the fabulous Raymond Scott tribute in Montreal last March, is performing with his “quintet” at the Montreal Jazz Fest .  Here’s a link to the overall festival: http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm2008/splash.aspx, and to the page for their performance: http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm2008/programmation/fiche_en.aspxshowId=503.   

Then Don Byron, who has championed Raymond Scott music for many years ago and recorded several Quintette tunes on his Bug Music album, has been performing Raymond Scott music again live lately.  Here’s a link to his site: http://www.donbyron.com/index.html. 

I’ve made a resolution to post more frequently in the future, so stay tuned!