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Friday, September 1, 2017

Cuerdas Maravillosas - David Moreno

Aires Moriscos 
Cuerdas Maravillosas
David Moreno
Musart D200

Los Sitios De Zaragoza
Cuatro Sevillanas
Aires Moriscos
La Cumparsita
Ojos Verdes - Antonio Vargas Heredia - La Bien Paga
Malaguena
Jotas Aragonesas
Tanguillo
Alegrias
Asturias Y Galicia




Thursday, August 31, 2017

Foreign Film Festival - Frank Chacksfield

The Dark Of The Sun
Foreign Film Festival
Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra
Produced by Tony D'Amato - Allan Steckler
Engineer: Arthur Lilley
Design: Harry Farmlett
Phase 4 Stereo
London Records SP 44112
1967

Theme from "The Good, Bad And The Ugly"
Theme from "Elvira Madigan"
Lara's Theme from "Doctor Zivago"
Theme from "The Dark Of The Sun"
This Is My Song from "A Countess From Hong Kong"
Zorba's Dance from "Zorba The Greek"
Alfie
I Will Wait For You from "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg"
Irina from "Shalako
The James Bond Theme
Rose Of Saigon from "Tell Me No Lies"
A Man And A Woman

Autumn Nocturne - The Ray Charles Singers

Autumn In New York
Autumn Nocturne
The Ray Charles Singers
With Orchestra Accompaniment
MGM Records E3145
1955

Superbly crafted group vocal set.

From the back cover:

Here are 13 songs performed by a group of 23 vocalists in variously selected combinations of male voices, female voices and the two together. Here are songs in moods and colors as variegated as autumn itself. Here are singers whose voices are blended to give the warmth of autumn. Here is a vocal group singing as one – a group with a single personality.

Each selection offers the listener a new experience in vocal music. Listen, for example, to the voice of Katie Carnes as it sets the mood for "Autumn Nocturne" and to Artie Malvin's solo in the same song. Listen to choral director Ray Charles himself handle the vocal on "Faded Sumer Love" and "Tis Autumn." Listen, too, to both Ray Charles and Mike Stewart on "September Song," performed here by 12 male voices. Listen to the same male chorus as it delivers "Indian Summer" with the superb alto flute support of Bernie Kaufman.

For added variety, take the naivete of a song like "When the Leaves Bid the Trees Goodbye," done here by a choir of 10 female voices. For spice, listen to the poignant Katie Carnes voice and the ivory-tinkling piano of Bernie Leighton on "Autumn In New York." And for a change in the geographical scene as well as in the vocal vista, there's "Autumn In Rome."

In "The Things We Did Last Summer," lend an ear to the vocal by Artie Malvin and the caroling of Fran Carroll, whose voice has been described as having the feeling of "the sky after it has been washed by a late summer rain." On "Autumn Leaves" the female voices are used to describe the scenery, while George Barnes' guitar sparkles in "Shine On Harvest Moon." And so, through the entire group of 13 songs, there is something to listen for as well as so much to listen to.

For the statistical-minded listener it might be noted that on seven selections the Ray Charles choir consisted of four female and eight male voices. On two selections a dozen men sang the praises of love and autumn: On three other songs only 10 female voices were used. And on a single tune, Ray Charles combined the voices of six women and four men. And always supplying the tasteful instrumental accompaniment were such as the Leighton piano, the Barnes guitar, the Kaufman reeds and the accordion of Nick Perito.

It also needs to be pointed out that Ray Charles, the leader of the group, is also a singer – and this, believe it or not, is unusual in the professional music world. Choosing the singers for his group was a true labor of love for Ray Charles. In addition to those already named, the vocalists used herein include Miriam Workman, Lois Winter, Lillian Clark, Rae Whitney, Elise Bretton, Marilyn Palmer, Peggy Powers, Barbara Nelson, Jerry Duane, Steve Stick, Alan Sokoloff, Ed Lindstrom, Murray Kane, Gene Lowell, Clyde Seckler, Gene Stick, Bob Spiro and Rudy Williams.


From Billboard - March 12, 1955: Cleric Frowns On Cheesecake The clergy here take a rather dim view of recent rash of cheesecake cover art in the album field,. At any rate, Brother Andrew Corsini frowns on the trend.

In a letter to M-G-M Records this month, Brother Corsini congratulates the label on its "truly beautiful cover" for the Ray Charles Singers' album "The Autumn Nocturne." "I sincerely hope there are many more like it in the future," he wrote. "You can well understand my dislike for the seemingly unlimited number of half-dressed females that seem to be 'standard equipment' on record covers these days."


Autumn Nocturne
Early Autumn
A Faded Summer Love
Autumn In Rome
Indian Summer
When The Leaves Bid The Trees Goodbye
The Things We Did Last Summer
'Tis Autumn
Autumn Leaves
Shine On Harvest Moon
September Song
September In The Rain
Autumn In New York

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium

Rockhouse
If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Music Composed and Conducted by Walter Scarf
Title Song Written by Donovan
Sung by J.P. Rags
United Artists UAS 5197
1969

It It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
Introduction And Samantha's Theme
Rockhouse - Vocal by Hopscotch
Bus Thur Holland
Rhine Waltz
Bus Thru Belgium
Rooftops Of Rome
Sunny Italy
Samantha's Theme
Cycling In Switzerland
G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S Fountains
Driving In Rome
Adieu
On To Rome
Remembering
Gone But Not Forgotten
It It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (Reprise)

Music For A Lonely Night - Jay Gordon

Something I Dreamed About Last Night

Music For A Lonely Night
The Jay Gordon String Orchestra
Tops L1524
1957

Begin The Beguine
The Night Is Young
You're Lonely And I'm Lonely
I'll Never Smile Again
I Can Dream, Can't I
Body And Soul
Over The Rainbow
In The Still Of The Night
How Can I Ever Be Alone
April Played The Fiddle
Nocturne (My Song)
Something I Dreamed Last Night

Folk Soul

Slow Blues
Folk Soul
Wyncote SW-9198

Riddle Song
He's Gone Away
I Know Where I'm Going
Every Night
Slow Blues
Worried Man
Barbara Allen
Johnny I Hardly Knew You
Careless Love
Fast Blues

Sally Starr's Adventure To The Moon

Sally Walks On The Moon
Sally Starr's Adventure To The Moon
WFIL -TV Channel 6
AA Productions - Fred Di Sipio
Design: Chic Loganella
Liberty Bell L-1776
1959

Professionally produced children's set featuring content with the permission of Golden Records.

From broadcastpioneers.com: Many of the top entertainers of the day visited Sally on her daily TV show, which was broadcast LIVE from Channel 6. They included Chief Halftown, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Chuck Connors (The Rifleman), Dick Clark, Jerry Lewis, Tim Conway, Jimmy Durante, Nick Adams, Gene Autry and of course, her long time friends, The Three Stooges. Many distinguished advertisers were eager to sponsor Sally's program. It was Sally who opened the first Dunkin' Donuts franchise in the Philadelphia area. She also introduced her viewers to Kentucky Fried Chicken and reintroduced them to Hires Root Beer to name a few. Even Colonel Sanders himself was a frequent TV guest of Sally's, and made numerous appearances particularly during the Christmas season.

For about a year, Sally Starr's program was actually carried live on both WFIL-TV, Channel 6 in Philadelphia and WLYH-TV, Channel 15, licensed to Lebanon-Lancaster. Both stations were owned by Triangle Publications. The simulcast was when WLYH first came on the air and they needed local programming to fill the schedule. Other Channel 6 programs were also telecasted over the Lebanon-Lancaster station.


Rocket Into Space
Meet Space Pilot James
City In Space
Is It Raining In Paris
Story Of The Planets
The Big TV Show In The Sky
Round Trips
Put A Penny In The Shade
Window In Space
Sally Walks On The Moon

Monday, August 28, 2017

The Hits Of The Drifters - Doc Bagby

On Broadway
The Hits Of The Drifters
Doc Bagby And The Ripple Blast Singers
Power S 9008

From the back cover: I've known Doc Bagby since the late thirties when he was a young struggling, and good piano player just out of Central High School and studying at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. Within two years he had organized 18 musicians, becoming the most popular band in Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas. When Uncle Sam inducted Doc they had a versatile musical talent on their hands, He played tenor sax and clarinet in the concert orchestra and marching band, piano in the dance orchestra; and he also arranged music for these units.

In 1945 he jobbed around with cocktail units. In 1947 he joined Gotham Records as Musical Director. He had a hit on his first session with a tune which was Bill Haley's first hit "Rock The Joint"; and Doc was co-writer of this tune. From then on Doc arranged, directed, recorded and composed all kinds of music including Spirituals. Doc's interest in the Gospel field included the writing of such spirituals as "Glory, Glory, Glory to The New Born King" recorded by the Angelic Gospel Singers and "He Is My All and All" recorded by the Davis Sisters. He also recorded with the aforementioned groups, to which can be added the names of the Dixie Hummingbirds, Richmond Harmonizing Four, Silveraires. He also A & R'd the session of Clara Ward, Alex Bradford, and Rev. Brewster.

It was Wild Bill Davis, the renowned father of jazz hammond organists, who inspired Doc to play the organ. This was in 1949 and Doc hasn't let up since. He opened in New York at Smalls Paradise, following Bill Davis, for one successful year as a single. He formed a successful Jazz Organ Trio, Doc at the organ, his brother Billy Bagby on drums, and featuring Billy Butler's guitar. He also recorded with Eddie (Lock Jaw) Davis, Sonny Stitts, and many other artists in various fields.

In 1956 he organized a quartette, "Joy Ride" and "Dumplins" were two successive hits recorded on the Epic Label. He toured the country with 90% of the name Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll artists in the country, including Paul Anna. Appeared on T.V. shows such as Dick Clark's Bandstand and Mitch Thomas's show. Played the best theaters across the country, "The Apollo" in New York, "Howard" in Washington, "The Royal" in Baltimore, and "The Uptown Theater" in Philadelphia. Doc Bagby's "Joy Ride" is still the theme for Georgie Woods' daily radio and Uptown Theater shows. Another hit recording of Doc's is "Mazel-Tov" on ABC's Hunt Label. Doc is also considered as one of our nation's top arrangers and organists. He has set up scores for Jimmy Rushing, Arthur Prysock, Jerry Butler, The Impressions, Chuck Jackson, The Shirelles, Don Gardner, The Fiestas, The Quintones, Earl Hines, Louis Jordon, and The Drifters... with recording on famous labels – Atlantic, ABC, Paramount, United Artists, OK, Decca.

One of Doc's favorite groups is The Drifters. This album is one of Doc's "dreams come true". The Drifters' hit tunes played on the Hammond Organ. It was my pleasure to be the A&R man on this DREAM SESSION. – Alfred Cobbs.


Vaya Con Dios
Under The Boardwalk
There Goes My Baby
Oh My Love
This Magic Moment
Up On The Roof
Saturday Night At The Movies
Please Stay
Some Kind Of Wonderful
Save The Last Dance For Me
Down At The Club
On Broadway

Between Broadway And Hollywood - Lalo Schifrin

Hud
Between Broadway And Hollywood
Halo Schifrin
Produced by Creed Taylor
Director of Engineering: Val Valentin
MGM E4156
1963

Lalo Schifrin: Piano
George Duvivier: Bass
Ed Shaughnessy: Drums

Excellent small combo jazz arrangements.

From the back cover: Lalo Schifrin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he began his piano studies. He continued learning the keyboard at the Paris Conservatory, and received a grounding in American popular music while working as an arranger for the Xavier Cugat Orchestra. Schifrin organized all his talents – composing, arranging, and playing – when he joined the Dizzy Gillespie jazz group.

And although he gained a great reputation in the jazz area, it wasn't until he left the Dizzy Gillespie group to concentrate on composing that his musical fame began to spread outside of jazz.

He has written and arranged for many of today's top artists, and has had a best-selling album of his own, Piano, Strings, and Bossa Nova (MGM E/SE 4110). His work in this album, From Broadway To Hollywood, shoes clearly that his powers as a composer and arranger are broadening greatly.

In Hud, for example, he has used Elmer Bernstein's theme to get into the complex character portrayed by Paul Newman in the film.

Days Of Wine And Roses
Theme From "Lawrence Of Arabia"
Hallucinations (Schifrin)
Who Will Buy
Hud
She Loves Me
Jive Orbit (Schifrin)
Impressions Of Broadway (Schifrin)