Oriental Fantasy

Oriental Fantasy

Gianni Monese and his Orchestra
Vox ST-VX 25 780
1958

This was a great find today. Needless to say that cover image is a great collectible.

The musical content not at all like I expected. Side one and two are singular pieces of music that blend into one another with no track separation. Like any good exotica or soundtrack recording this LP is an auditory adventure that holds your attention from start to finish.

There are several, probably mono covers posted on the web, but this is the only stereo cover. Both the same with the exception of the stereo logo. But I thought that is would be nice to know the release also came in stereo.

I can't find any hard bio info on Monese. There is a mention of him in the August 11, 1956 Billboard in an article about VOX releasing a Monese album titled Cook's Tour Of Venice.

I usually only post a track by way of sample, but will post side one for you enjoyment.

Side 1: In A Persian Market (Ketelbey), Theme From Polovetsian Dances (Borodin), Alla Turca (Mozart), Nel Sahara (Langosz), Arabian Dance From Nutcracker Suite (Tchaikovsky), Serenata Araba (Frontini)

Side 2: Marcia Turca (Turkish March - Beethoven), Orientale (Cui), Aranian Dance (Grieg), Theme From Strings Quartet (Borodin), Theme From Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov), Serendade Orientale (Gangloff)