This isn’t exactly a concert, but it does contain live performances by the Firehouse Five.
Who are the Firehouse Five? It is a dixieland band (comprised chiefly of Disney animators) that was most popular in the 1950’s. They released 13 records, are a lot of fun, and are thus is deserving of another look.
The leader is Ward Kimball, trombone player and animator of characters such as Jimminy Cricket and the Mad Hatter. Harper Goff is on banjo. He did concept drawings for Disney World, and art direction for the original film version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Frank Thomas, on piano, is animator of such characters as Bambi and Thumper on the ice, the dancing penguins in Mary Poppins, and King Louie in Jungle Book.
The guys used to play along with records at lunch breaks, the story goes, and when the phonograph broke down one day, they kept playing. The played out a bit, then cut some records. Soon they were a popular Hollywood band, playing for Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, and of course, Walt Disney. Disneyland was one of their venues.
This is a compilation of film and music clips showing them in action.
