Skins! Bongo Party With Les Baxter

Brazilian Bash

Skins!
Bongo Party With Les Baxter
Capitol T 774
1957

From the back cover: For a large portion of the world's population, the drum is the most frequently used instrument for communicating and stimulating emotions. This has been true for untold centuries.

Les Baxter first became aware of the power of percussion in the 1940s while touring the Caribbean. In Cuba, in particular, he was thrilled with the many types of drums he saw played, and the infinite variations in rhythm and timbre possible. Baxter's rich experiences as a traveler led to his frequent employment of unusual and unhackneyed rhythmic effects in his many orchestral and chorus records that followed. April In Portugal, What Happens In Buenos Aries, Romantic Rio, Melodia Loca, Blue Tango, Blue Mirage and Song Of The Bayou are only a few of the Baxter disc which emphatically reflect his obsession with unique percussion figures.

Skins! was a long time coming. Les First conceived the idea for a sparkling, hi-fi presentation of authentic drum sounds in 1951, but it wasn't until late 1956 that he was able to conclude the project.

Now, on a long-play record, Baxter pridefully presents what is certain to stand as the most complete – and exiting – collection of drums ever offered on a single disc. Virtually every type of drum is represented. And each instrument is played by a foreign-born musician. On one of the sessions, the group of Baxter percussionists comprised a Puerto Rican, a Brazilian, a Belgian whose background included drumming in the Belgian Congo, a Cuban and a Venezuelan.

Afro-Deesia
Brazilian Bash
Bustin' The Bongos
Conversation
Poppin' Panderos
Talkin' Drums
Reverberasia
Shoutin' Drums
Gringo
Mood Tattooed