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Saturday, September 14, 2019

Exciting Voodoo - Jean de Vres

Maraboo
Exciting Voodoo
Jean de Vres & Hia Afro Drums
Palace PST 636

From the back cover: In this album Jean de Vres and His Afro Drums give a performance of tremendous verve and vitality on instruments which have been in use since time immemorial. Among the many interesting native drums which are used are three which are known as the Rada Drums: the first of these is called the "Mama" and does the talking, it is never touched with sticks, only beaten with the hands; the next is known, appropriately enough, as the "Second" and does the accompanying and the third drums, known as the "Boula," keeps a fast rhythm.

Ao-Mao
Voo-Voo
Maraboo
Dilcini
Ooh-Mieh
Rajanee
Fire Dance
Drum Festival
Voodoo Spirit Song
Rhythm Of The Forest

Let There Be Drums - Sandy Nelson

The Birth Of The Beat
Let There Be Drums
Sandy Nelson
IR Imperial LP 12080
1961

Slippin' And Slidin'
Tequila
My Girl Josephine
Big Noise From Winnetka
Let There Be Drums
Bouncy
The Birth Of The Beat
Quite A Beat
Get With It

Gloria Neal And The Ladies Of Song

Sinner Man / He's Mine, All Mine
Gloria Neal
And The Ladies Of Song
Produced by John Daniels
Executive Producer: Fred Mendelsohn
Savoy Records, Inc. 14434
1977

Special Thanks To:
Rev. Rosie Wallace Brown
Ms. Yvonne Roberts
Rev. Walter Stewart
Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Burke
Organ: Betty Spivey
Piano: Reginald Carter & Carol Antrom
Bass - Henry Laws
Drums & Tambourine: Barry Story

God Is Still Moving - Soloist: Gloria Neal
Walk In The Spirit - Soloist: Gloria Neal
Battle Hymn Of The Republic Soloist: Gloria Neal
Come By Here - Soloist - Gloria Neal
If You Wait - Soloist: Tammy Story
When I Get Where I'm Going - Soloist: Ann Franklin
That's Why I Love Him Soloist: Tammy Story
Thank God For Jesus - Soloist: Janice Samuels
Sinner Man / He's Mine, All Mine - Soloist Gloria Neal
Oh God Our Help In Ages Pass

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Jimmie Rodgers

Water Boy
Jimmy Rodgers
Produced by Hugo and Luigi
Cover Photo: Chuck Stewart
Roulette R-25020
1957

From the back cover: Jimmie Rodgers, like most of us, had a dream. It was a fantasy that stayed with him all the time. He couldn't get it out of his head. The dream and/or fantasy was simple enough. It consisted of his coming to New York, walking into an office of a record company, getting an audition, a contract and then coming up with a hit record the first time out.

It wasn't such an unusual dream sequence. For, let's be honest now, how many of us have not had the same dream come true. As recording directors for Roulette Records we have to be on the constant lookout for new artists. The recording business is a demanding operation. It demands a steady flow of performers and it demands that they be talented. A lot of people can sing but only the best can get into the groove.

The first act of Jimmie's dream began when he walked into our office. He was a likable enough young man, we thought, as he shyly presented himself and told us what he was here for. His appealing manner was a point in his favor but he still had a long way to go to convince us. Appearance is okay, but what can the boy do, was the question still uppermost in our minds.

A man with a dream should have determination and assurance, and that day Jimmie had them both. He took out his beat-up guitar, which he had carried with him all the way from the West Coast, and began to play and sing for us.

It didn't take us long to realize that we were getting a preview of the birth of an important new singer. As he worked over his repertoire of songs that he had learned in his short but varied career, both of us reacted as one man. We heard a sound that was tailor-made for recordings and the musical mood of the day. There was a sincerity and a warmth of delivery that separates the professional from the amateurs and that assures stardom without any doubts.

We didn't bother with the usual "Don't call us, we'll call you" routine. We knew we had a good boy when we saw him and a terrific boy when we heard him and we aren't going to let him get away. Before he had his guitar packed back in its case, our secretary had drawn up the contract and Jimmie Rodgers became the newest Roulette Records artist.

Our work, though, was just beginning. There's more to getting a hit record than signing an artist with a great potential. The right material is needed to do the trick. We knew that too many performers, in the past, had missed the boat because of bad choice of material. We wanted to be sure that we came up with the right song for Jimmie before introducing him on records. We sifted through hundreds of songs before we came up with the one that we felt was absolutely right.

The stars must have been guiding us. The song was Honeycomb and the disc jockeys and the record buyers agreed with our choice for Jimmie. His recording of Honeycomb became a 1,000,000 record seller and the stepping stone to stardom for Jimmie Rodgers.

Working with Jimmie, we found out that this dream began at the age of five when he sang in a Christmas show in his hometown in Camus, Washington. He's been singing ever since. He taught himself to play guitar as well as piano, getting some help from his mother who had played in various bands. He joined the Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War and it was during his four-year service that he learned many of the songs that make up his repertoire. After the war he roamed the Pacific northwest, working in logging camps and on farms picking up songs and developing a style that won us over completely the day he walked into our office.

In this, his first album, we believe Jimmie's place as one of the important singers of the day is assured. – Hugo and Luigi


From Billboard - November 4, 1957: Rockabilly Rodgers' first album is a strong entry in the package field, with powerful appeal for young rock and roll fans, and surprisingly attraction for more mature disk buyers, via some tender readings of folk songs – "Scarlet Ribbons," etc. Also "Honeycomb," and his new singles waxing, "Better Loved You'll Never Be."

Women From Liberia
Better Loved You'll Never Be
The Girl In The Wood
Water Boy
Scarlet Ribbons
The Ballad Of Black Gold
Hey Little Baby
The Mating Call
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
The Preacher
I'm Just A Country Boy
Honeycomb

Blue Angels - Joe Bushkin

Blue Prelude

Blue Angels
Joe Bushkin
Arranged and Conducted by Kenyon Hopkins
Cover photo by Harry Burns / Grumman Aircraft Corp.
Notes by Gilbert Millstien / New York Times
Capitol Records ST 1094
1958

From the back cover: This album, Blue Angels, is named for and dedicated to the United States Navy's Flight Demonstration Team, a unit consisting of four formation fliers and two solo pilots flying the new Grumman F11F-1 Tiger. For a dozen years, and before an estimated 35,000,000 people, the Angels have, with a perfection that looks effortless to spectators, executed the most demanding low-level formation flying ever seen. "From the ground," an article in the magazine Aviation Week noted, "the four airplanes seem to swing through their maneuvers so smoothly that it appears that they are tied together... "At times, the wings of one plane are no more than three feet distant from those of another.

Joe Bushkin, the pianist, composer, and arranger, who is, as well, an aviation enthusiast, first saw the Angels put on their twenty-two-minute show in Washington D. C. He was deeply impressed by the grace, beauty, and precision of such stunts as their "Diamond Roll," "Left Echelon Roll" (a maneuver so difficult it is forbidden in normal military flying), "Fleur de Lis," "Knife Edge," and "Back to Back." His appreciation of their professional virtuosity was supplemented by a private admiration of the Angels themselves with whom he later became friendly and he determined to offer them a token of his feelings.


From Billboard - November 17, 1958: "Blue Room," "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and a Bushkin original, "Blue Angel Blues," are highlights in this "blue" ballad dozen. The pianist is in fine form, with strong support, in a swinging album.

Blue, Turning Grey Over You
Serenade In Blue
Blue Moon
Under A Blanket Of Blue
I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
Beyond The Blue Horizon
Where The Blue Of The Night Meets The Gold Of The Day
The Blue Room
Blue Prelude
My Blue Heaven
Blue And Sentimental
Blue Angel Blues

Magda Franco

Hoy, Mañana Y Después
Magda Franco Canta
con los Mariachis de Roman Palomor y America de Alfredo Serna
Actuación Especial: Cuarteto Armonico
Made In Mexico
Eco 25344

Ayudame Dios Mio (Mario de Jesus)
Tengo El Sentimiento Herido (Mario de Jesus)
Pidele A Dios (Federico Baena)
Infamia (Celson Vega)
Hoy, Mañana Y Después (Sally Newman)
Vidita Mia (Pedro Escobedo)
Ojitos Traidores (Rodolfo Quintero)
Solo Penas Y Dolor (Roberto Zafra)
Aqui Me Tienes Señor (Roberto Zafra)
Yo Quiero Hablar Con Dios (Robert Cantoral)

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Beso Balconero - Hnas Aguila

Beso Balconero
Beso Balconero
Hermanas Aguila
con la Orquesta de Antonio Escobar
Orfeon Records, Inc. LP-12-649
Orfeon Videovox, S.A.
Manufactured by Alco - Research & Engineering - Los Angeles, Calif.

Beso Balconero - Bolero - Miguel Angel Gomez
Cuando Sali De Cuba - Guagira - Luis Aguile
La Cadena - Bolero Ranchero - Sergio Gutierrez
Otra - Bolero - Roberto Cantoral
Asi Sera - Bolero Moruno - Antonio Escobar
Regresare -Bolero - Alicia Colmenares
Dame Un Poco De Ti - Bolero - Jose A. Jimenez
Parece Que Fue Ayer - Bolero - Armando Manzanero
Ciao Amore - P. de la Noe - L. Tenco
Dejame Llorar - Capricho Espanol - A. Esparza Oteo
Que Impaciencia - Bolero - Mario Rincon
Esperare - Bolero - Armando Manzanero

Gypsy Love - Bela Babai

Gypsy Caravan
Gypsy Love
Bela Babai
King Of The Gypsy Violin and His Orchestra
Columbia Records CL 636

From the back cover: Bela Babai was born in Hungary, one of the traditional lands of the gypsy, and early in his life absorbed the full, unique flavor of their music, not only from the vagrant bands themselves but from the wild strain of gypsy music that echoes through Hungarian national songs. When he was only four, his father took him to a concert to hear Joseph Szigeti, and so enthralled was the youngster that he bedeviled his family for a violin. Knowing that the lad was too small for the instrument, the father bought a miniature violin, on which the boy worked out simple tunes. Throughout his youth and early manhood, Bela Babai haunted the concert and recital halls, listening to great musicians and studying their techniques; this was his only training, for he never entered formal music studies. At seven, however, he was writing his own compositions, and at twelve, he was touring Europe as a prodigy. Soon he began playing in the light-hearted cafes of eastern Europe, where many of the same violinists whose work he had studied came to listen to him..

Gypsy Caravan
Bagatelle
Balkan Melody
Cool Breeze
Beersheba Trail
Avant de mourir
Maro Maro
Green Meadow
Caprice Tzigany
Russian Gypsy Airs

The Passion Of Paris - Hal Mooney

Beyond The Sea
The Passion Of Paris
Hal Mooney and His Orchestra
Arranged and Conducted by Hal Mooney
Artist and Repertoire: Bob Shad
Original Recording Engineer: Ray Hall
Mastering: Hal Diepold
Liner Notes: Nat Hentoff
Production Coordinator: Harry Ringler
Album Coordinator: Elena Festa
Cover Art and Design: Jack Lonshein
Typography: The Composing Room, Inc.
Printing and Fabrication: Globe Albums, Inc.
Series 2000
Time Records Inc. S/2177


Personnel and Instrumentation

Violins
Mac Ceppos
Sylvan Shulman
Jack Zayde
Tosha Samaroff
Max Hollander
Harry Katzman
Arcadie Birkenholz
David Nadien
Maurice Wilk
Louis Fraeier
Sam Rand
Paul Wolfe
Avram Weiss
Max Polikoff
Harry Melinkoff

Harp
Betty Giamann

Violas
Howard Kay
Walter Trampler
Richard Dickler
Leon Frengut
Isidor Zir

French Horns
John Barrows
Jimmy Buffington
Ray Alonge
Earl Chapin

Trombones
Charles Small
Chauncy Welsch
Tommy Mitchell
Mervin Gold

Accordion
Dominic Cortese

Trumpets
James Maxwell
Melvin Davis
Carl Severinsen
Bernie Glow

Piano
Ivring Joseph

Guitar
Al Caiola

Bass
Doc Goldberg
Milt Hinton

Drums
Osie Johnson

Percussion
Bob Rosengarden
Eddie Costa

From the back cover: "We were concerned," says Mooney, "with making these arrangements as musical as possible while also scoring them for the most realistic reproduction. I avoided gimmicks, stressed the contagiously spring-like melodies, and tried throughout to maintain the enthusiastic French approach to many ways of love."

From Billboard - July 18, 1960 (review for S 2005): This double-fold package has strong appeal for stereo fans in its excellent sound values; while Mooney's melodic instrumental treatments of familiar European themes should please fans of lushly arranged continental music. Tunes include "Domino," "Pigalle, "Autumn Leaves," and "Beyond The Sea."

Domino
Can Can
Beyond The Sea
Autumn Leaves
Under Paris Skies
Pigalle
The Song From Moulin Rouge
Poor People Of Paris
My Man

Guitarras Españolas - Jesus Galvan

Sol Tropical
Guitarras Españolas
Jesus Galvan And His Orchestra
Artist and Repertoire: Peter Spargo
Original Recording Engineer: John Cue
Mastering: Hal Diepold
Liner Notes: Peter Spargo
Production Coordinator: Elena Festa
Cover Art and Design: Jack Lonshein
Typography: The Composing Room, Inc.
Printing and Fabrication: Globe Albums, Inc.
Time Records, Inc. S/2158
Series 2000

Mi Rival
Mi Caballo Bayo
Maria Elena
Ti-Pi-Tin
El Chocolo
La Bamba
La Ultima Noche
Silverio
Sol Tropical
Ay! Jalisco, No Te Rajes
La Cumparsita
La Cucaracha


The Sound Of The Wonderful Tymes

One Little Kiss
The Sound Of The Wonderful Tymes
Arranged and Conducted by Billy Jackson and Roy Straigis
Cameo - Parkway Records P-7038
1962

From Billboard - December 7, 1963: The Tymes turn in some smooth and solid singing on this disk – a style that has become their trademark. Package includes their hit "Wonder, Wonderful," plus some standards like "Chances Are," "Hello Young Lovers" and "Moonlight Cocktails." Should have strong sales appeal.

Wonderful Wonderful
Blue Velvet
One Little Kiss
Hello Young Lovers
Come With Me To The Sea
The Way You Look Tonight
Words Written On Water
And That Reminds Me
Chances Are
I Thank You
Address Unknown
Moonlight Cocktails

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Melodie d'Italy - The DiMara Sisters

24 Mila Baci
Melodie d'Italy
The Di Mara Sisters
Arrange and Conducted by Lew Douglas
Roulette Records SR 25151

24 Mila Baci
If I Give My Heart To You
L'Edera
Whisper Softly To Me
Stardust
Malaguena
Papa Piccolino
Santa Lucia
Smile
Latessa
Nothing But Love
Ma! He's Making Eyes At Me

The Best Of Ronnie Dove - Vol. 2

I Want To Love You For What You Are
The Best Of Ronnie Dove
Vol. 2
*Produced by Phil Kahl & Arrangned by Bill Justis
** Produced by Neil Diamond & Arranged by Hutch Davis
Cover Painting: Jerry Bernsohn
Cover Design: Ted Pettus
Diamond Records, Inc.
D-5008
1967

From the back cover: With the recording of fifteen consecutive hit records, Ronnie Dove has flashed over the horizon and found a place in the hearts and rhythm of the world... singing his heart out to young and old alike, the middle-aged – and even to the "little old ladies". If you were born before 1945, he brings back many memories with such Hit Paraders as "Cry", "That's My Desire" and "You Made Me Love"; and to the younger teen set, he has brought a new sound which makes him one of today's most popular singers, as evidenced by the many of his present day hits that are included in this album.

Add Love*
Happy Summer Days*
That's My Desire*
I Want To Love You For What You Are*
Cry*
My Babe**
I Really Don't Want To Know*
One More Mountain To Climb*
Back From Baltimore**
You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To Do It)*
The Wedding Song*

Mucho Gusto! - Percy Faith

Besame Mucho
Mucho Gusto!
More Music Of Mexico
Percy Faith And His Orchestra
Columbia CL 1639
1961

From Billboard - August 7, 1961: Percy Faith's arranging talent with Mexican music is once again in evidence here. A few years back, his collection titled "Viva!" was a strong seller. This encore album likewise should fare well. Apart from a vivid, colorful Faith original that opens the program, the other selections all are familiar to varying degrees, including Faith's stylings of "Besame Mucho," "Maria Elena," "Perfidia" and "Cielito Lindo." Strong merchandise.

Mucho Gusto
Besame Mucho
La Negra
Maria Elena
Huapango
Las Mananitas
Perfidia
Cielito Lindo
Adios Mariquita Linda
Cocula
La Chaparrita