The Dynatones – The Fife Piper

HB & Yogi
Hanna and Barbera make records with more than just Cartoons.

The Fife Piper 45

The Dynatones – The Fife Piper from the Hannah Barbera Records 45

If there is one thing that always amazes me, it’s that every time I think I get a handle on some record knowledge, well, along comes a thousand other records that I had no idea that existed, and I have to add to my ever growing wants list. Maybe it’s a Midwest record, or maybe it’s some New Orleans thing, or maybe, just maybe it’s a record put out by a company that primarily made children’s cartoons. Really good cartoons that even as an adult I can still dig. Maybe it’s because they make me feel nostalgic. Maybe because the music was cutting edge (although today the Cartoon Network has taken music to the next level by using everyone from Calexico to Danger Doom in their shows), and it was something that was new to me when I was younger. Whatever the case may be, this is where we are today. Here’s a record recommended to me by Funky 16 Corners as we were elbows deep in some dusty box of records. I’m pretty psyched he did. Not only do I dig the old cartoons, if you haven’t realized, but I am a sucker for some jazzy grooves and a nice beat. Let’s jump into “The Fife Piper” by the Dynatones on Hanna Barbera Records from 1966.

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera founded H & B in 1958, and would go on to release many great cartoons, such as the Flintstones and the Jetsons, but it was cartoons like Johnny Quest, the Herculoids, Atom Ant, Quickdraw McGraw, Magilla Gorilla, The Funky Phantom, and the Wacky Races among others, that always had me glued to the TV set on a Saturday morning. It wasn’t until 1965 that HB would try their hand at actually releasing proper records (some which would go on to chart). They had released children’s records of their cartoon characters in the past via Colpix Record Company, but this was their foray into the music business. With the inception of Hanna Barbera Records, they put out R & B, Garage, Pop, Soul, Folk, and Psych. While there weren’t too many hits getting turned out of this camp, some were classics in their own right, sought after by collectors. From the West Coast Jazz scene, to rural West Virginia to Vegas, HB had music from all over the country. Although it was short lived (1965-67), it opened up doors for other HB productions, such as The Banana Splits, who were television and record stars in their own right. I still crack up whenever there is some Danger Island on, Jan Michel Vincent was a trip.

The only thing I know about this band is that they were from Clarksburgh, West Virginia. This instrumental quartet led by flutist Ray Figlar, was based out of Salem College. This isn’t a first pressing, as the original record label was St. Clair from the Iron City of Pittsburgh, PA. While researching this piece, I did find that Ray Figlar is still playing music in a band called Jazz’R’Us out of New Martinsville, West Virginia.

It’s exactly what you would expect from a cartoon company that started a record label. The electric piano and mid tempo drum beat get the groove going, and the flute of Ray Figlar just take over. It’s definitely a head nodder, that picks up about halfway through (with a slight psych tinge) until the fife piper starts to do his thing again. Herbie Mann would have been proud. I’m sure this quartet was the funkiest, jazziest band to ever come out of Salem College. The beat goes on and if this thing wasn’t released for radio play, it would have no problem finding a slot in one of the many cartoons of the day that Hanna Barbera were putting out. So here you have it family, some Jazzy grooves courtesy of one of the best cartoon companies ever (with Tex Avery running a close second). I’ll see you midweek with some more goodness. Keep Diggin’!

Bonus: Wacky Races: The Great Cold Rush Race

19 responses to “The Dynatones – The Fife Piper”

hi there… nice one… never heard this one before… you (we) have to thank mr funky 16 corners for the tip… thanks for that wacky races clip, brings back some nice memories… if you look at the crappy cartoons nowadays… keep up the good work… mike

Oh yeah, love the piano in this one. What a cool record and story. It’s ones like this that make, not only Flea Market Funk, but the world of music blogs THE destination for appreciating and discovering lost gems. I find it hard to dig as extensively and as often as I’d like, but I have to say, I would have probably passed over this record had I seen it thinking it was some novelty. As always, you cats remind me to PAY ATTENTION!! Thanks so much!!!

Peace and SOUL,
Dave…

thanks fellas. i would have kinda flipped by, but larry recommended it. if i could only find records like this every week digging i’d be a happy man. i’m definitely keeping my eyes out for this label in the future.

Rudy Clark (bio on Wikipedia) wrote some nice songs for Harlem Globetrotters cartoon in early ’70s.
You should check them out. They were pop-sanitized for sure but some soul on a heavy level snuck in from the same man who wrote Everbody Plays The Fool (Main Ingredient), The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss, Betty Everett), and Everybody’s Got To Make A Fool Outta Somebody (Barbara Mason). He is a very interesting with a lot of personal knowledge.

-Mr Melting Pot

Thanks for the info! I’ve heard a few off of the Globetrotters record, but I’m gonna be looking out for them in the field for sure. I always believed the cartoon music was way ahead of it’s time. Check out “The Three Little Bops” Warner Brothers cartoon. It’s straight ahead be bop Jazz, I believe done by Shorty Rogers. Really cool stuff.

Excellent work as usual, brotha. You dig where no man has dug before…

i wish that were true, but i’m just a little guy who loves records. thanks though, i do dig this record. props to funky16 for turning me on to it!

Agree with this being a really good record. HBR is one of those labels that fascinates me for many of the reasons that you describe. I’ll almost always pick up a record on HBR, provided the price is right and I’m rarely disappointed.

Thanks for the shout-out Pres.
There’s a cover of this tune by the Four Sharps on Cameo (not as good IMHO)….
There’s a grip of cool stuff on HBR, including cool soul (TV & the Tribesmen) and a bunch of garage stuff (like the Guilloteens).
L

I have a little correction to make. In 1944, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera were at MGM making the Tom and Jerry cartoons, for which they won seven Oscars. They started making them in 1939. They didn’t open their own studio until 1958 after the MGM cartoon department closed. Just wanted to make sure you knew.

done and done, thanks brian!

ive just bought this single for 10 pence on a car boot sale in ashton-under -lyne lancashire not a bad find

That’s Jack Wolfe on drums. Still in Clarkburg, WV. Excellent soul singer as well.

I bought the fife piper in 1966 when i was a young kid. i’m 55 years old now and that old 45 is now dust somewhere. where can i get a copy of the fife piper by the dynatones?

Jack Wolfe (formerly of the Dynatones) is a member of our church choir and a retired music teacher here in WV. He is also currently performing with a local band called Souled Out. Awesome talent! He has also worked with the kids of our church (including my son) in music ministry. Two of his children are professional musicians in New York and greatly talented as well.

The main A&R guy at HBR during the Rock & Roll period was Danny Hutton (later the lead singer of Three Dog Night). His collectible HBR single is “Monster Shindig” [Hanna-Barbera HBR 453] (There are several blogs that offer downloads of it). And Spectropop.com may still have their HBR Discography with label scans of the regular releases and promos.
I thought you might want to know, but please don’t blame me if this makes you add to your Want List (I know how easily that can happen).

The Fife Piper, massive in-demand instrumental track, popular on the uk’s “northern soul scene” issued on PYE records (uk) 1966

Mr. Figlar was my high school history teacher. He never spoke of this band then. I found out about it several years ago and bought the album. Last week I bought the 45 off of ebay and just got it in the mail yesterday. The album is a great listen. And I’m in the process of getting it signed.