Bali Hai
Monty Kelly
Somerset P-7300
Miller International Co.
1958
This is an excellent early exotica flavored LP. I also ran across this set sporting the same jacket design on a site featuring Essex label releases. The catalog number is ESLP-203. A 1955 release.
A 1953 Billboard article explains that Kelly signed a two year non-exclusive contract with Essex to make 32 non-exclusive instrumental sides. The tune Tropicana, from this album, was done to full fill part of this contract.
At some point Kelly went to work for Somerset as a staff arranger. He worked on 101 Strings albums composing at least 50 tunes according to a 1967 Billboard article (Monty Kelly And The Soul Series).
The article goes on to point out that Kelly showed devotion to all types of music and was prolific.
I don't see Kelly listed on spaceagepop.com. This surprises me after listening to this LP and reading the Billboard article. Kelly seems like a good fit.
About half this album can be found on a CD collection (Bali Hai excluded) titled "The Golden Age Of Light Music: Great American Light Orchestras".
A 1953 Billboard article explains that Kelly signed a two year non-exclusive contract with Essex to make 32 non-exclusive instrumental sides. The tune Tropicana, from this album, was done to full fill part of this contract.
At some point Kelly went to work for Somerset as a staff arranger. He worked on 101 Strings albums composing at least 50 tunes according to a 1967 Billboard article (Monty Kelly And The Soul Series).
I don't see Kelly listed on spaceagepop.com. This surprises me after listening to this LP and reading the Billboard article. Kelly seems like a good fit.
About half this album can be found on a CD collection (Bali Hai excluded) titled "The Golden Age Of Light Music: Great American Light Orchestras".
This is quite beautiful! I don't think I've come across any of his stuff but I'll be looking in the future!
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to all those harp players. This sounds like movie soundtrack music.
ReplyDelete@ GameArs. Good point. Soundtrack is a common comment. Songs on exotica LPs, as a whole, tend to blend together better and create a more consistent mood or singular vision. But certainly the two forms barrow heavily from one another.
ReplyDeleteJust found a nice copy of Tropicana at a local used record shop. Really good stuff.
ReplyDelete