Music experiment blends bells and beasts

Sussex Space Farms Zoo hosts otherworldly concert Sussex - Space Farms Zoo and Museum has long been the origin of different sounds emanating from the zoo animals. Recently Space Farm’s Bell Tower was included in the musical cornucopia. Renowned jazz musician and composer Scott Robinson, percussionist Kevin Norton, and recording engineer John Rosenberg braved hairy beasts to create, over five years, a special recording at the bell tower, surrounded by a herd of huge Scottish Highland Cattle. The 24-foot bell tower was built in 1982 of blue stone quarried from Catskill Mountain. Antique grist mill stones decorate the tall tower. The bell shaped tower contains forty different school, church, train and fire department bells, ranging in weight from 100 to 800 pounds. Each bell has its own tone, created by its unique shape, flare and alloy, which affects how far away the bell can be heard. “Every bell is cast in a foundry. The minister and the foundry’s craftsman would travel by horse and wagon throughout the parish. The foundry’s craftsman would design the Church’s bell to ring over ‘hill and dale’,” said Fred Space. While camping in the area, Scott Robinson and his wife saw the signs for Space Farms, “and wheels started to turn,” said Robinson, whose jazz venues have been worldwide. “I knew I wanted to record the bell tones.” After making arrangements with Space Farms, Robinson arrived in his antique VW bus, loaded with unusual instruments including a giant contrabass saxophone. “The recordings we‘ve made here at Space Farms include the antique bells, zoo animals, insects, children‘s laughter, wind and rain, trucks, and country tractors that have passed by... and Bull even bellowed right on cue at the end of one set!” Scott Robinson will be at Space Farms for signings of his new “Live at Space Farms,” double CD set on Saturday, May 22nd from 1p.m. to 2p.m.