Moondog

The Profile

Louis Thomas Hardin (1916–1999), known as Moondog, was an American composer and multi‑instrumentalist. Blind since 16, he became a New York street icon as the “Viking of Sixth Avenue,” blending classical forms, jazz currents, and minimalist techniques. He moved to Germany in 1974, continued composing and recording, and invented instruments such as the trimba.

Born in Kansas in 1916; blind since age sixteen; lived and performed on New York streets in Viking attire; moved to Germany in 1974; died in 1999 in Germany. Known for minimalist, classical, and jazz‑inflected works; invented instruments including the trimba (and, per reviews, the Hus). “Bird’s Lament” is dedicated to Charlie Parker; dedications also reference Benny Goodman; late period documented on The German Years 1977–1999 and a final concert in Arles.

Two reviews paint Moondog as a singular, beloved 20th‑century composer: blind, self-taught, and the Viking of Sixth Avenue. They praise the 1969 Columbia album Moondog for its minimalist, classical, and ethnic colors, and spotlight his instrument inventions. The German Years 1977–1999 comp gathers late works, including “Bird’s Lament” for Charlie Parker, and documents his final concert in Arles. Themes span chamber-classical blends, jazz currents, madrigals, and urban soundscapes.