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Saturday, July 23, 2011

These Bones Are Made For Walkin' - Trombones Unlimited

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
These Bones Are Made For Walkin'
Trombones Unlimited
Arranged and conducted by Eddie Karam
Liberty Records LSP-3449
1966

Once again, my favorite label delivers... maybe not the most dynamic brass album... but still not a bad small group effort that produced a decent 60s groove.

The album was produced by Dave Pell.

Caravan - Eddie Layton At The Hammond Organ

Swamp Fire
Caravan
Eddie Layton At The Hammond Organ
Mercury Wing MGW 12273

Here we have feature an organ set that revivals the Korla Pandit's inventive LPs. You can hear a touch of Pandit's "percussion" style in a few of the samples. The vibe is slightly more "space-age".

Read about Layton on his wiki page. Layton played the organ at old Yankee Stadium for 31 seasons, earning him membership in the New York Sports Hall Of Fame.

Caribbean Cruise - The Rio Carnival Orchestra

Voodoo
Caribbean Cruise
The Rio Carnival Orchestra
Somerset P-5900
1958

Budget record featuring uninspired cover design. The LP kicks off with several easy listening tunes that reflect the energy level of the cover art. I had to force myself to stick around for the cover of Voodoo that appears on side two. Voodoo is about as exciting as it gets on this Caribbean Cruise...


Los Violines Del Amor - Leroy Holmes And His Orchestra

Los Violines Del Amor
Leroy Holmes And His Orchestra
United Artists UAL 3568

It appears that UA released this album with several different cover designs. I think what happened is that when Holmes made "Los Violines Del Amor Volume 2" UA rereleased this album with a new cover created to to help market the two LPs as more of a "set".

The title, track list and cover image sell the record as some sort of "folk" project, which it isn't. This is good old American easy listening with some nice flute work that makes the album a better than average listen.

Found online as purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample.

Children's Western Songbook

Cow Poke
Children's Western Songbook
Twinkle Record
Premier Albums TW-42

From the back cover: Although the days of the "Wild West" may be over... the sheriff rides in a station wagon and the Indians are all college graduates... the magic of the old days lives on in movies, television shows, books, songs and the minds of children.

I love vintage music. A record for the kids with a mention of a "cigarette tree" in Big Rock Candy Mountain and The Lord in Cow Poke.

And the record was created without synth instruments, Smurf voices and, did I mention, that all the Indians are "college graduates"!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Exodus And Themes From The Movies

Exodus And Themes From The Movies
Buckingham/Palace Records 654

Sometimes I just feel like posting an album because I can't believe how budget the project is.

Look at this cover. I mean... I googled the movie Exodus to make sure that I wasn't missing some form, some shape, some Rorschach splatter that I could connect to this red thing to. I mean... what is this shape?

Could there be a treasure on the vinyl as odd as the red shape displayed on the cover? Not really.

Bossa Nova - New Sounds In Jazz From South America - The Brasileros

Promenade San Paulo
Full Album
Bossa Nova
New Sounds In Jazz From South America
Featuring Desafinado & One Note Samba
The Brasileros
Diplomat D2285
1962

Small combo jazz approach to bossa nova album from an obscure group.

Nice album from budget label, Diplomat.

Thanks for the additional information. I located the LP and have uploaded a copy. Sorry that the condition of this copy is a bit rough.

Desafinado
One Note Samba
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Sugar Loaf
Bossa Nova Blues
Sazella De Rio
Promenade San Paulo
In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree
Desarama
Witch Hazel

The James Bond Thrillers - The Roland Shaw Orchestra

Twisting With James from Dr. No.
The James Bond Thrillers
The Roland Shaw Orchestra
London LL 3412
1965

One of a number of top shelf spy/secret agent albums Shaw contributed to space age music.

Also see:

More Themes From The James Bond Thrillers (London 1966)
Themes For Secret Agents (London 1966)
The Return Of James Bond In "Diamonds Are Forever" (London 1971)

The James Bond Theme
Goldfinger
Dawn Raid On Fort Knox
Dr. No's Fantasy
Twisting With James From "Dr. No"
From Russia With Love
The Golden Horn
Girl Trouble
Leila Dances
007 Theme

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Golden Motion Picture Themes And Original Sound Tracks

The Pink Panther
Golden Motion Picture Themes And Original Sound Tracks
United Artists Records
UAL 3376
1964

Compilation albums can be a lot of fun even if the covers design is as dull as dishwater.

There are a number of original sound track themes on this set such as Johnny Cool, From Russia With Love and It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. All of these tunes are available from online vendors with the exception of Mancini's Pink Panther. Apparently UA couldn't get the rights to use the original so they pressed a cover by an obscure studio orchestra.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Music For An Arabian Night - Ron Goodwin And His Orchestra

Music For An Arabian Night
Ron Goodwin And His Concert Orchestra
Parlophone/EMI Records (England) PMC 1109
1959

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover variations and Billboard review.

Ron Goodwin was a prolific soundtrack composer who wrote the scores for films such as Village Of The Damned, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines and Force 10 From Navarone.

From Billboard - October 10, 1960: Here are some sophisticated arrangements of Eastern melodies. Music for you Turkish coffee and water pipe. Quite an engaging package with a touch of novelty. Don't get the idea it is too far out for Western ears. It is cut for the Western audience, but with its inspiration in the land of the houris and flying carpets.

Music For An Arabian Night
Ron Goodwin And His Orchrestra
Capitol International Series ST 10251
1960

Windows Of The East
Bazarr
Old Beirut
Wedding Dance
Return To Paradise
Arab Feast
Dancing Eyes
Come Back To Me
Barefoot Girl
The Moon And I
Desert Hero
The Cedars Of Lebanon

Golden Instrumentals

Hot Pastrami
Golden Instrumentals
Golden Hits
The Original Hits
Dot Records DLP-25820
1967

Here's a vintage compilation album titled oh-so lamely: Golden Instrumentals.

The title may be a yawner, but check out the track list! Awesome picks from the album producer, Snuff Garrett.

Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny
Wipe Out - The Surfaris
Pipeline - The Chantays
Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez
Tequila - The Champs
Memphis - Lonnie Mack
Topsy - Part II - Cozy Cole
Hot Pastrami - The Dartells
Bongo Rock - Preston Epps
Torquay - The Fireballs
Red River Rock - Johnny And The Hurricanes

Hot Pastrami, I think, is the only tune on this LP that isn't available by purchase/download.

The Versatile Martin Denny

Night In Tunisia (Mono LBY 1166)

The Versatile Martin Denny
Cover Design: Studio Five
Liberty Records LST-7307
1963

The Versatile Martin Denny
Liberty Records LBY 1166
E.M.I. Records Limited
Hayes - Middlesex - England
1963

Theme From "Mondo Cane" (More)
Exotique (Bossa Nova)
Scarlet Mist
The End Of The World
Sukiyaki
Quiet Village Bossa Nova
Losing You
Strawberry Tree
Little Bird
Night In Tunisia

Hot And Cole - Buddy Cole At The Organ

Hot And Cole
Buddy Cole At The Organ
Warner Bros. Records 1252
1958

Available on CD/purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample.

Although primarily known as a pianist, he had an abiding love for the organ, both Hammond and theatre pipe. In his capacity as a studio musician, he worked extensively with Henry Mancini, who used his distinctive Hammond organ sound for the sound track to the TV series "Mr. Lucky." He also recorded several albums for Warner Brothers records on piano, Hammond organ and theatre pipe organ.

Read more on Cole's wiki page.

Nice basic jazz/easy listening album featuring a terrific jacket design.

An Accordion In Paris - Dick Contino

Beyond The Sea
An Accordion In Paris
Dick Contino
Orchestra Conducted by David Carroll
Mercury MG 20142
Mercury Wing MGW 12147

From the back cover: Ever since Dick Contino first appeared on Horace Heidt's famed radio talent hunt several years ago, his constant striving has been towards higher and higher levels of showmanship and musicianship. "The kids like the bellow shake right from the first Heidt show," Dick recalls. "Then I got with the boys in the band and developed new things. We tried a few of these each week, kept the ones the audience liked and ditched those that didn't go."

Fourteen weeks later Dick found himself the owner of an accordion style with public acceptance and the winner of Horace Heidt's quarter finals. He kept seeking new musical potentials of his accordion and Heidt sent him out on the road with a unit of his own.

Suddenly this accordion virtuoso found himself stunned buy success. Over 400 Contino fan clubs across the country drove disc jockey's out of their minds with requests for Dick's recordings. Mailmen grew round-shouldered under his fan mail. Veteran guards at the stage doors of America's leading theaters testified that they had never seen such adulation from fans as that for Dick Contino. To the tune of Lady Of Spain, admiring young females sang "Dickie Contino, we love you," outside the stage doors across America.


Two Loves Have I
Mam'selle
The Petite Waltz
Comme Ci Comme Ca
My Man
The Song From Moulin Rouge
Beyond The Sea
Under The Bridges Of Paris
Blues From An American In Paris
Symphony
Domino
Parlez Moi D'Amour

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Let The Sunshine In - Al Caiola

Stiletto
Let The Sunshine In
Al Caiola
United Artist UAS 6712
1969

This album a good example of never judge a book by the cover. The set plays out more like a vintage "spy/secret agent LP than an mood/easy listening. Even the covers of Let The Sunshine In and The Windmills Of Your Mind are cool!

Continental Affair - The Three Suns

Continental Affair
The Three Suns
RCA Camden CAL 573
1959

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the original cover art.

From Billboard - June 6, 1960: Pleasant renditions of a group of Continental tunes by the Three Suns. They handle them all with spirit and brightness. Tunes include "Under Jamaican Skies," "Granada," "La Rosita" and "Lady Of Spain."

Avenue L'Opera
La Rosita
The Beautiful Girls Of Vienna
Under Jamaican Skies
The French Can-Can Polka
Paris Canaille
Granada
The Beautiful Birds Of Catalonia
Lady Of Spain
Avalon

Monday, July 18, 2011

George Cates' Polynesian Percussion

Hawaiian Wedding Song
Lawrence Welk Presents
George Cates' Polynesian Percussion
Dot Records SLP 25355
1961

Here's a cool exotica record with Lawrence Welk's name on the cover!

George Cates severed as Welk's musical director in 1951 and conducted the orchestra in rehearsals and did arranging chores for many years. Cates composed Champagne Time, Welk's theme song. In 1973 Welk asked him to conduct the orchestra on camera which he did until the show ended in 1982.

This is an inventive blend of island, ping-pong and exotica highlighted by Alvino Ray and Buddy Cole's console guitar and Novachord work. Additional exotic instruments employed include Guiro, Boo-bams, Rhythm Logs, Celeste, Marimba, Xylophone, Bells, Pu Ili (or Pui sticks), Kalaau, Uli Uli, Tympani, Timbales, Conga Drum, Bongos, Maracas, Finger Cymbals (or Ching-Chings), Electric Bass, String Bass and Triangle.

This isn't the first Welk employee to go off the reservation and make a cool pop record. I've found several obscure albums by Dick Kesner that you might like to check out that feature inventive exotica/space age music. Amor Latino and Hawaii.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Exotic Guitars

Heartaches
The Exotic Guitars
Ranwood RLP-8002
1968

One in the series of fine light space age easy listening guitar albums by Al Casey featuring arrangements by Bill Justis.

New Themes From Motion Pictures

La Dolce Vita
New Themes From Motion Pictures
Time Records 52065
1962

Here's an album that's difficult to figure out who is who. From the cover it appears to be an artist compilation album. However, listed on the back cover the artists are credited as the "Personnel And Instrumentation" who appear on the album. But there is no credit given to a single arranger or conductor. I don't don't know why Time would print this list of apparent orchestra members unless the album wasn't done up as some type of "covers" project.

There is a credit given to Bill Putnam - Original and Re-recording Engineer.

Anyway, there are a whacky space age tunes on the album to enjoy!

Dick Hyman And His Trio

Jitterbug Waltz
Dick Hyman And His Trio
Command Records RS 832 SD
1961

This album was a bit of a surprise. It's the first small combo straight forward jazz album I've found on Command.  This album was produced in the middle of a mess of great sugar-coated light-pop and ping-pong percussion albums Light released during the early 60s.

Hyman went on to create several terrific moog albums on Command/ABC later in the decade. It's interesting to note the wide variety of approaches Hyman produced during his career.

Top Hits - Johnny Sullivan and His Orchestra

Fever
Top Hits
Johnny Sullivan and His Orchestra
Palace Records SP 102

Obscure album featuring an awkward pose on the cover and a cover of Fever!

Command Performances Vol. 2 - Enoch Light And The Light Brigade

Downtown
Command Performances Vol. 2
Enoch Light And The Light Brigade
Command Records RS 915 SD
1967

This record starts off a little slow, with the cover graphic. I'm not sure if Command was attempting to introduce a new "brand" or "logo" with this second "Performances" title. Anyway, the cover graphic seems out-of-place when you compare it to other period Command covers and it doesn't help sell the record.

The first track, side one, is also conservative but the "sound" loosens up with track two and plays out more like a Light goofy 60s ping-pong recording should. There are one or two tracks that seem out of place, but for the most part this is another fun LP from the fabulous Command label including the great cover of Downtown.