Posted by Aubrey on 10/30/2022
There’s a great Magic Music forum post from olden times (2002, AKA 20 years ago) that compiled a bunch of Disneyland music loops that were later copied over to Kristen’s Disney Music Loops site. On the second page of the thread, Progressland/Jason mentions that there were “Older (Mid-1990s) New Orleans Square BGM loops (day and night!)”
Source: Disneyland Music Loops
As it happens, there is a loop in the Disneyland Collection torrent labeled Area Music – (08-16-93). This appears to be a jazz loop with a bright clarinet, bass, banjo, and light percussion. It was the first time I had heard of a NOS loop that wasn’t the well-known Riverfront loop that still plays along the Rivers of America.
Yes indeed, these are the lost recordings of New Orleans’ Square’s Royal Street Bachelors: Jack McVea (clarinet), Herb Gordy (double bassist), and Harold Grant. Given that the band dissolved in ’92, it seems likely that the date on the aforementioned track is connected to when the area music was introduced, rather than when it was recorded in the studio. Also...
Interesting to note is the appearance of Zip-a-dee-doo-dah at the ~28 minute mark, and an EXTENDED CUT of the “Swanee River” track that graced the Disneyland Official Albums for so many releases since its original release in 1988. Boy, do I love that rendition. The extended cut also features banjo and bass solos, whereas the album version only features a clarinet solo. Look out for that one at the 54:10 mark.
I have very little information about this loop, but this is what I’ve found.
Mike Cozart/DL FLIGHT 295 of the TOMORROWLOUNGE provided some great insight into the origin of the Royal Street Bachelors recordings (lightly edited):
*Jack often used albums he produced in background music. He had been working on a record album project in the 70's that showcased most of the outdoor entertainment bands -- neither of the parks really ran with the project. WDW did release the Adventureland Steel Drum Band and the WDW Band as full albums. The others, although recorded, were never sold as albums. He did use some selections in a compilation album in 1973 called "A Musical Souvenir of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.” The Liberty Tavern Singers, the Liberty Square Fife & Drum, the Dapper Dans, The Pearly Band, and the Polynesian Lua Cove show were all planed and prepared record Album projects that never got finished.
The 1988 Official Album of DL/WDW also re-used some edited versions of these. The Royal Street Bachelors selection was pulled from the New Orleans Square BGM music tracks -- also originally done as a record project of Jack’s.*
Source: Questions concerning Fantasyland Area Music in 1970s and 1980s
My only other piece of insight is from MouseBits member TheWorm. They wrote in 2008:
Swanee River may or may not be from an old loop I think. There's an hour long loop dated to 1993 available that is filled with songs with the same sound of the Swanee River track but I don't hear it specifically included. That track is credited to the Royal Street Bachelors who I think had their own album released at some point including the song.
Source: New Orleans Square
Unfortunately, they never did release an album. But this track is a fantastic record of this fabled NOS favorite.
With regards to whether this loop was truly played at Disneyland, I have no evidence that it did besides the little information offered in these anecdotes. Even still, these individuals might all just be referring to tracks that have circulated from collectors rather than loops actually played in the parks. If anyone has further information, please do speak up! I would love to learn more about whether this loop did play, and whether there were actually AM/PM loops.
Update 11/02/22
Current loop can be heard in these videos from 1998 and 1999
https://youtu.be/4fpvVQaZZj0?t=765
You have to turn up the volume a bit, but a motif from Royal Garden Blues can be heard pretty clearly from outside the Disney Gallery (competing with the interior audio for the Tomorrowland exhibit)