Howdy Folks! Check out my Atomic Age Vinyl Finds! If there are copyright issues or a problem with any post, just contact me and I will make corrections. I'm here to have fun and hope you will share in my process of discovery!
I didn't have much hope for a 1982 record featuring Catholic religious songs aimed at children. But this record sounds like it was recorded earlier, maybe as early as the early 60s. Some vocals sound like The Andrew Sisters are involved in the project (kidding).
What I find most amusing are that the concepts dished up are pretty heavy.You'll hear tongue twisting words and complicated subject matter that the vocalists find hard to spit out dressed up in light and peppy sing song arrangements.
Let's Dance Dance Dance
David Carroll and his Orchestra
Mercury MG 20649
1961
Featured on the jacket is Cynthia Maddox who graced the cover of Playboy five times in the early 60s. She dated Hefner for a time and apparently left him because he wasn't into marriage. But what I find interesting is that she worked her way from a receptionist position at Playboy to assistant cartoon editor!
This album is split between some very nice space age pop and more standard sounding easy listening numbers.
The Minute Samba & So It Goes
Enric Madriguera and his Orchestra
Violin Solo By Madeiguera – Dana Choir
Vocals By Patricia Gilmore and Dana Choir
Vogue R-760
Produced by Andy Wiswell
Capitol RecordsSt 1279
1959
On The Cover - Poised over her boiling cauldron, with implements of witchcraft close at hand, is Dolores Greer. A ballet dancer, and Michigan's entrant in a recent Miss America beauty contest – (don't let the witch costume fool you!) – she is one of Hollywood's top professional models. Talented as she is, Miss Greer assures us that in real life she practices neither black magic nor the zither.
The Best Of Cugat Cover Photos by George Pickow - Three Lions Cover Photos posed by Abby Lane Mercury Records PPS 2015 (gatefold) & SR 60870 (single sleeve jacket variation) 1961
From the inside cover: THE MAESTRO – What Paul Whiteman was to symphonic jazz, Guy Lombardo to 'sweet corn' and Benny Goodman to swing, Xavier Cugat has been to the Latin beat in American dance music. For almost three decades, beginning with the appearance of the rumba craze in the very early thirties, Cugi, as he is affectionately known inside the business, has maintained his standing as the foremost interpreter of Latin rhythms. It is a position which has brought him popularity, not only throughout the Americas, but on the Continent as well.
Cugat's long and fabulous musical journey had its beginnings in a cafe in Barcelona, Spain. There, in the twenties, he was found playing the violin by the great Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso. So impressed was the world-famous opera star by what he heard that he retained the young fiddler and took him on a tour to America.
In the course of their joint travels, Caruso discovered that young Cugat's talents reached into areas other than music. The youngster handled a drawing pen as skillfully as the violin bow. Since Caruso was himself an amateur artist, the two amused themselves on their journeys by drawing caricatures. Cugat's caricatures have since appeared in many of the country's large circulation magazines, among them Life.
By the time that Caruso died at the peak of his fabulous career, Cugat decided that his own future as a violinist lacked the horizons of greatness he had hoped for. A job as a cartoonist on The Los Angeles Times seemed to open new, exciting vistas. But the magnetism of music was not so easily neutralized. Before long, Cugat was leading a small six-piece combo. It specialized in rumba rhythms and secured bookings in hotel rooms as a 'relief band' to the name bands of the day.
In 1934 an NBC program "Let's Dance," now regarded as a radio landmark, helped launch the brassy era of swing. It presented the first big, blasting band of Benny Goodman, who became the King of Swing. But the "Let's Dance" show also focussed the spotlight of a coast-to-coast program on the music of two other bands. One was Xavier Cugat, who soon was crowned The Rumba King. It was a well-earned title. The rumba as it was danced in Cuba, its native habitat, was actually too difficult for American dancers, particularly the middle generation that frequented expensive night clubs and hotel rooms. Watching dancers trip over themselves, Cugat worked out a simplified version of the Cuban rumba. He placed the bass conga-drum accent on the fourth beat, giving the Afro-Cuban polyrhythms the simplicity almost of a march step. Now, Americans really took to the rumba. It became the first of a series of Latin dances to sweep the country.
Late in the thirties, the conga became an overnight craze. Associated with Desi Arnaz, the conga was caricatured on the stage and screen in the well-known play My Sister Eileen. In the middle forties, the Brazilian Bombshell Carmen Miranda burst on the American entertainment scene, bringing with her a set of crazy, colorful hats-also the Brazilian dance known as the samba. By the middle fifties, American dancers were unable to resist the mambo, introduced by Machito and popularized by Perez Prado. The mambo (grunt) fad was soon overtaken by interest in the cha-cha-cha, whose vogue has continued through the rock 'n' roll era in the form of the rock-cha-cha. Neither the conga nor the samba-the same is true of the merengue imported from the Dominican Republic-ever commanded the following of the rumba, mambo and cha-cha, although all of them are still to be heart on dance floors.
Cugat's contribution to Latin-American music goes far beyond the popularization of Cuban dance steps. Always on the look-out for new musical talent, he has brought into this country many of Cuba's outstanding instrumentalists. Some of these, like Desi Arnaz, Luis del Campo and Miguelito Valdes, went on to make their own mark as interpreters of Afro-Cuban music.
Dazzling as these stars have been in the Latin-American firmament, they have burned themselves out quickly. Only Cugat has remained 'hot'-a pivotal and permanent sun around which Latin music revolves. His musical appeal has, in fact, been as persistent and universal as the appeal of Afro-Cuban rhythms themselves. Today, after three decades of unceasing activity on radio, TV, stage and screen, he still is in unabating demand wherever dancers congregate-whether it is a South American bistro, a Continental cafe, or the glittering Empire Room of New York's Waldorf-Astoria.
Not the least appealing phase of the Cugat magic in recent years has been the vocalizing and dancing of Abbe Lane, in private life, Mrs. Cugat. Widely known to motion picture audiences here and abroad, Abbe Lane has added a large dimension of visual appeal to the aural magnetism of Cugat's music. (For proof, you need only turn to the front cover of this album and view the six photographs of this remarkable woman.)
Mama Inez Tea For Two Tequila Taboo Sway Amor Amapola El Cumbanchero Ba-Tu-Ca-Da Misirlou It Happened In Monterey Always In My Heart
Enoch Light And His Orchestra
Far Away Places
Volume 2
Originated and Produced by Enoch Light
Arrangements by Lew Davies
Recording Chief: Robert Fine
Mastering: George Piros
Art Direction: Charles E. Murphy
Command RS 850 SD
Grand Award Record Co., Inc.
1963
From the inside (gatefold) jacket: When Enoch Light's original FAR AWAY PLACES album was first released, it spurred an instant wave of reaction from listeners. Here were musical performances evoking distant and exotic settings that actually had individuality and validity. These were not just superficial mood pieces but beautifully crafted orchestrations that drew on a myriad different musical origins and musical manners and brought them all together in a cohesive framework.
The response to this unusual album was expressed in two ways. Listeners demanded more. And record-makers, whose eyes are always sharply trained on the trend-setting activities of Enoch Light, immediately produced a steady flow of albums built around songs from foreign lands.
Most of the record-makers missed the point of Enoch Light's FAR AWAY PLACES. They failed to realize that there was more to it than just playing a group of exotically named tunes. But the listeners did not miss the point. They could hear the difference between the Enoch Light album and those that followed and they made Light's FAR AWAY PLACES a unique best seller. So, with this encouragement, Enoch Light has looked over the far-flung world of music once more to create this second volume of FAR AWAY PLACES.
But, as is usual with Enoch Light, this second collection is not just a duplication of something that he has done before. This new set has its own individuality, its own special adventures, its own magnificent colors.
The most immediately distinctive features of this set are the use of a harpsichord (and occasionally a celeste) and the presence of a vocal group that is actually part of the orchestra.
The harpsichord and celeste are played by Dick Hyman in some instances and by Billy Rowland, who is Perry Como's pianist, in others. Both instruments bring an unusual quality of delicacy to these performances. The sound of the harpsichord, in particular, has a transparency that lights up all the selections in which it is heard. And at the same time it is a delightful rhythm instrument with a bright, crackling percussiveness that propels a tune with a sound that no other instrument can produce.
Another factor in the use of the harpsichord in this album is the remarkable finesse with which it has been woven into the overall coloration of the ensembles. You will hear it blending with Dom Cortese's accordion, with Tony Mottola's guitar and with Bob Haggart's bass in a way that is a magnificent trib- ute not only to the brilliance of these musicians but to the enormous talent of Lew Davies, who wrote these arrangements.
Blending is also a vital factor in the way in which the voices of the Jerry Packer vocal group and the soprano voice of Lois Winter have been threaded through the arrangements. At times they are treated as though they were an instrumental section. At other times they are part of the full ensemble, backing up other instruments both harmonically and rhythmically. Some of the relationships between the voices and the instruments are fascinating, especially when the voices are coming off a phrase which is then picked up by an instrument or vice versa.
There is, of course, more to this group than voices, harpsichord, accordion, guitar and bass. There is an amazingly versatile four- man woodwind section made up of Al Klink, Walt Levinsky, Phil Bodner and Stanley Webb. There is the glowing trumpet of Doc Severinsen. There is the rhythm guitar of Bucky Pizzarelli to supplement Tony Mottola's guitar. And there is a potent and extremely busy percussion section made up of Bob Rosengarden and Don Lamond.
There is also an incredible bagpipe performance by Jimmy Maxwell, one of the great contemporary trumpeters, an outstanding member of the band that Benny Goodman took to Russia, who has been harboring this hidden talent for years.
There is a fresh and exciting choice of tunes, all of them given a new and stimulating treatment and accented with such authentic touches as castanets, finger cymbals, temple blocks and an almost overpowering gong.
And to give all this the most vivid, realistic, full-bodied reproduction that recording engineers have yet achieved, these selections have been recorded on amazing 35 mm magnetic film so that even the most delicate nuances of the harpsichord are heard cleanly and clearly and the enormous expanding sound of a gigantic gong can billow and billow and billow to its full breadth of potency.
So step aboard and join this exciting, emotion-lifting musical view of far away places.
From Billboard - May 4, 1963: Light does it again with a topnotch instrumental album with bright use of voices. This is the second volume in the "let's take a trip" theme with fine tracks like "Istanbul," "Colonel Bogey," "Cielito Lindo" and "Under Paris Skies," just a few of the standouts. Use of stereo technique again is done with the utmost taste and showmanship. This is another Light winner.
Istanbul
Isle Of Capri
Cielito Lindo
The Moon Of Manakoora
Wee Bit Of Heather Medley
Flying Down To Rio
By The River Sainte Marie
Ching Ching Ching Chow
Tales From The Vienna Woods
Coloney Bogey
The White Cliffs Of Dover
Under The Paris Skies
Good Feelin's
The Happy Day Choir
Arranged by Wright & Carmichael, Inc.
Produced by Lee Young for Arthur James Productions
Dunhill - ABC Records
DS 50061
1969
Here's an album with a marketing problem. The cover features what looks like the backup singers for The Dean Martin Comedy Hour. If you look at the back cover you might think that this set might be some sort of "kids" record and or even a religious record. However, when you note song titles like: "California Dreamin'," "Hey Jude," "Let The Sun Shine In" and "Mrs. Robinson." and when you read the copy a little more closely you will understand that the creators made an effort to blend pop tunes with a black gospel sound. This approach seems like a disaster brewing but, God help me... it works. The pop songs feature strong vocal leads blended with killer gospel chorus.
Some tracks work better then others, but I've never heard a pop song cover set done up this way. Even during the cover of Hey Jude, I thought the song was going "off-course" and then the arrangers somehow manage to make it work.
California Dreamin'
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Hey Jude
Little Green Apples
For What It's Worth
Son Of A Preacher Man
Green, Green Grass Of Home
Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In
Mrs. Robinson
Words
O Happy Day
Organ Melodies
From Hobby-Lesson Course For Wurlitzer Organs
Total Tone Series
Rite Records Cincinnati, Ohio
Promotional item from The Wurlitzer Company, Dekalb, Illinois. A two record set sol in a book-fold jacket that featured no printing on the inside. There is reams of copy on the back cover marketing the Wurlitzer Organ, but no real hint of how this set is supposed to help you learn to play, as a "hobby lesson course". There is no instructional material hear on the record(s).
Perhaps this set was meant to entice people to sign up for a "course" or there was additional printed material to be found package with this set that is gone now.
The Mystic Moods Orchestra
Love The One You Are With
Warner Brothers BS 2577
1972
This is Brad Miller's first record with Warner Brothers and apparently his 12th album. Miller's approach on this project like many of his works is one of mixing "found" natural sounds he recorded in the field with easy listening. This technique works to blend tracks together to form a "landscape" of sound that allows you to drift off into a Mystic Mood.
It works and there are some cool easy listening tracks on this album. Some of the best 60s/70s easy listening in my opinion. The set is simply well done and holds up musically.
Soul Groove!
Programmed by Dave Dexter, Jr.
Creative Products/Capitol SL-6678
Nancy Wilson Uptight - Everything's All Right
Cannonball Adderley - 74 Miles Away
Lou Rawls - I Love You, Yes I Do
King Curtis - Soul Serenade
Bettye Swann - Willie & Laura Mae Jones
Nancy Wilson - West Coast Blues
Cannonball Adderley - I Remember Bird
Lou Rawls - Wee Baby Blues
King Curtis - Watermelon Man
Bettye Swann - Don't Touch Me
Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra
Philips PHS 600-248
1968
This was a very popular set and therefore a common album to find in the bins around here. The tune, Love Is Blue, charted at #1 for 5 weeks. Sales where brisk and many where pressed.
Love Is Blue is the best tune on the LP. But there are a number of other 60s pop ear candy tracks to keep easy listeners awake!
Hawaiian Paradise
Leo Addeo His Orchestra and Chorus
RCA Camden CAS-853
1965
Leo Addeo was a key RCA house arranger for most of the 50s and 60. This is his 6th RCA album.
The record is a pleasant 60s blend of AM radio easy listening and Hawaiian flavored music.
RCA tries to sell this LP as "authentic" because Addeo uses all of the Hawaiian percussion instruments from steel guitars and tom-toms to native feathered gourds (Although the feathers probably don't actually contribute to the "sound." If you use your imagination you can picture the movements of the colorful instruments and there's a certain authentic flavor Addeo that adds to your listening enjoyment.). Really… that was copy found on the back cover.
Addeo features an organ on this set which is cool and adds a bit of interest to the music.
Claudine
The Look Of Love
Arranged by Nick De Caro
Album Design: Perter Whorf Graphics
Engineer: Bruce Botnik
Producer: Tommy LiPuma
A&M SP 4129
1967
The Look Of Love
Man In A Raincoat
Think Of Rain
How Insensitive (Insensatez)
Manha De Carnaval
Love How You Love Me
Creators Of Rain
When I'm Sixty-Four
Good Day Sunshine
The End Of The World
Tahiti Dances
Authentic Tahitian Chants, Drum Rhythms and Songs
Featuring Eddie Lund and His Native Tahitians
Actually Recorded in Papeete, Tahiti
Back photos: Matson Line
HI-FI Tahiti Records TR-201
1961
From the back cover: Eddie Lund, in this album, has given the world its first discs of authentic Tahitian music as recorded in the islands themselves. He has studied the music ever since his arrival in Papeete in 1936 and is one of the leading authorities in this field. To insure absolute authenticity in these recordings, Lund traveled to some of the most remote of the Society Islands to assemble talent. Many performers never before had seen a microphone.
Eddie Lund is an interesting character. He formed a band, which is featured on this LP called Eddie Lund and his Native Tahitians. It would seem that he played with the local musicians, although it is not at all apparent what the role of his "band" had in the project. This is his fourth record of Tahitian music. He stayed in Tahiti permanently and became know as the Irving Berlin of Island music and the father of modern Tahitian folk Music. He died in 1973.
