Percussion Spectacular - Arthur Lyman

Bamboo Tamboo

Percussion Spectacular!
Arthur Lyman
Produced by Richard Vaughn
A&R Direction: Gary Brown
Cover Design: George Lieberman
HiFirecords, Inc. Life Series L-1004
1961

From the back cover: The name Arthur Lyman symbolized the exotic percussion era. There have been other albums by the same title but none as apropos of the real spirit of exoticism.

Arthur and his group have started more startling sounds than can be remembered. This can be readily believed from the array of instruments played by each of his group.

The exotic percussive sounds of Arthur Lyman recorded in Henry J. Kaiser's Aluminum Dome, outside the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Honolulu contrast the native and the modern. The group, their instruments of sound, and their music, are native, pulsating primitive, often eerie. The Aluminum Dome is unmistakably modern, the product of 20th Century construction genius.

Arthur Lyman plays vibes, marimba, and percussions of all kinds, having learned from his Hawaiian father since age 6. John Kramer plays bass, ukulele, guitar, flute, clarinet and percussions. Alan Soares is pianist, plays celeste, guitar and percussions. Harold Chang is a percussion virtuosos, and plays xylophone. The bird sounds heard are from actual birds, with some imitative bird calls by Lyman and Kramer. Arthur Lyman's group entertains enthusiastic listeners in the Shell Bar at the Hawaiian Village Hotel where they appear nightly.

Included in the astounding array of percussions heard are congas, bongos, timbale, cocktail drums, boobams, cowbell, ass's jaw, conch shell and guido, as well as the more ordinary percussions, such as tambourine, snare drums, wood block, cymbals, Chinese gong and sleigh bells.

Kaiser's Aluminum Dome is a half sphere, seating about 1500 persons, is used for live entertainment and movie showings. Its ingenious simplicity of structural design and ideal sound form suggest its wider use for low cost auditoriums of pleasing space age appearance. We chose this place for our recording because the half sphere has no "peaks" and allows a pleasing "easy" sound reproduction with natural room acoustical reverberation. As you listen you will hear the unique effects produced by moving percussions, giving a certain sound perspective which intrigues.

From Billboard - March 27, 1961: Here's a bright, lightly swinging percussion record that should interest sound and hi-fi fans. It should move across dealers' counters rapidly, since it features the strong-selling Arthur Lyman group playing a collection of standards smartly and tastefully. Songs include "Yellow Bird," "Havah Nagilah," and Ravel's "Bolero."

Havah Nagilah
Yellow Bird
Ravel's Bolero
Autumn Leaves
Arrive Derce Roma
Sweet And Lovely
Bamboo Tamboo
Andalusia
Adventures In Paradise
Granada
September Song
John Henry