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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Space 1999 Exciting New Hit Series

Breakaway
Space: 1999
Independent Television Corporation 1975
Power Records A Division Of Peter Pan Records, Newark NJ
No. 8162

Splashy cover art and stories created for the purpose of capitalizing on the success of the TV series.

The first track on the A side is a tale that uses "magnetic energy" as a foil. Apparently there was a problem with cell phones and refrigerator magnets on the dark side of the moon. This is serious. "Emergency Code Alpha 1"!

Actually, this is the story about The Moon breaking away from The Earth. The crew on The Moon wants to go back to The Earth. But The Earth is pretty much screwed and a second later a new planet on which it is possible to create new waste dumps filled with cell phones and refrigerator magnets is discovered!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Space 1999 The Future Is Fantastic

Return To The Beginning

Hear Four Exciting Space Adventures From
Space: 1999
The Future Is Fantastic!
Independent Television Corporation
Power Records A Division Of Peter Pan Records, Newark NJ
1976

Return To Beginning
End Of Eternity
Dragon's Domain
It Played So Softly On The Ear

Thursday, March 25, 2010

From Another World - Sid Bass

Stormy Weather
From Another World
Arranged And Conducted By Sid Bass
Produced by Herman Diaz, Jr.
Recording Engineer: Fred Elsasser
Sound Effects Engineer: Donald Hoefler
Cover by Wendy Hilty
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York City, June 14, 20 and 27
Vik Records LX-1053 
A Product of Radio Corporation Of America
1956

From the back cover: Credit for the arranging and conducting goes to Sid Bass, who is also a rarity in another field – he was born in New York City. He majored in music at NYU, spent three years in the Army Air Corps where he led several musical combos from the piano, playing hospital wards, radio shows, Officer's Club dances and so on. As a composer, his work includes The Old Soft Shoe, Greatest Feeling In The World, Pine Tree Pine Over Me, and many others. He has arranged for several orchestras, and he has coached and arranged for hundreds of radio and night club acts – all giving him the background necessary to arrange and conduct these numbers so they are not only novel but also musical. – C. G. McProud, Editor and Publisher, Audio Magazine

From Another World
Old Devil Moon
You Came Along
Stormy Weather
Ill Wind
How High The Moon
My Blue Heaven
East Of The Sun
Star Dust
The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
Cabin In The Sky
Beyond The Blue Horizon

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Star Dancing

Star Dancing
Ray Anthony
Plays For Star Dancing
Vocals  by The Belvederes
Capitol Records T831
1957

From Billboard - March 13, 1957: Cheek-to-cheek dance music for the romantic high school and college prom crowd as well as jocks with young audiences. Anthony plays 12 dreamy, smoothly terp-able selections, "Moon Over Miami," "Thanks For The Memory," "Sleepy Lagoon," etc. The Belvederes contributed a few girlish vocals on some bands. Nostalgic lineup of tunes also give package appeal to young middle-aged set.

When Your Lover Has Gone
Moon Over Miami
Autumn In New York
My Own True Love (Tara's Theme)
C'est Si Bon
I'll Be Seeing You
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Thanks For The Memory
Moonlight Dreams
Sleepy Lagoon
Far Away Places
Star Dancing

Other Worlds Other Sounds - Esquivel And His Orchestra

Nature Boy


Other Worlds Other Sounds
Esquivel And His Orchestra
Produced by Johnnie Camacho
RCA Victor LPM-1753
1958

From the back cover: "Esquivel is one arranger why really writes for stereophonic sound!" This was said by Johnnie Camacho, RCA Victor's musical director for international releases who was responsible for bringing the Mexican maestro to the United States not long ago for his first truly hi-fi recording dates in California. The claim is fully borne out by the contents of this album.

Fronting a 26-piece orchestra of outstanding musicians, Esquivel, who is also heard on piano, did all the arrangements for Randy Van Horne vocal group as well as for the sidemen. Throughout, he has demonstrated his uncanny knack for utilizing the latest, most super-stereophonic equipment–not for sound alone, but to bring out all the nuances and flavor of his arranging skill. Thus the listener can truly appreciate the musicianship of this extraordinary triple-threat man. All the numbers are standards except for Barclay Allen's new Playfull, and are performed in a somewhat subdued beguine tempo maintained by a rhythm section that includes, in part, two guitars, timpani, bongos, conga drum and an organ!

Juan Garcia Esquivel is a self-taught pianist and arranger who has been featured on many of the top Mexican radio and TV programs. One of his trademarks has long been his imaginative use of vocal groups. His unerring taste in this type of arranging demonstrates still another facet of his remarkable gifts. Esquivel, who plays one of the meanest pianos north or south of the border, gives the listener the impression that there are two pianists playing. There were no dual tracking or gimmicks during he performance: it's all just sheer pianistic magic. – Stanley Green


From Billboard - November 10, 1958: The original monaural version of the Mexican maestro's sound specialty album was a hi-fi standout. The colorful contrasts of the instrumentation in these Latin-tinged, big-band readings lend themselves to the stereo medium and the engineers made the most of the opportunity. Good listening set provides a good workout for the system.

Granada
Begin The Beguine
Night And Day
Poinciana
Playfully
Adios
That Old Black Magic
Nature Boy
Magic Is The Moonlight (Te Quiero Dijiste)
Speak Low
Ballerina
It Had To Be You

Monday, March 22, 2010

Ferrante & Teicher - Blast Off!

The Rain

Blast Off!
Ferrante and Teicher
Produced by Joe Marlin in collaboration with Don Costa
A Don Costa Production
ABC-Paramount
ABC-285
1959

From the back cover: Not long ago, a lady walked past a tall building in New York City, looked up and, forgetting her ladylike composure, did a quick double-take. What she saw was a huge grand piano scampering up the side of the building, quickly followed by another. Any self-respecting hi-fi or stereo fan could have told her that Ferrante and Teicher were in town.

As a violinist carries his instrument, so do Arthur Ferrante and Louis Teicher carry theirs – almost as easily. Packing their two Steinways neatly away in a specially designed truck, and surmounting all barriers, such as inadequate elevators – necessitating a hoist job through the window – this unique piano team has excited the ear and imagination of audiences from coast to coast.

Ferrante and Teicher are piano players, yes; but what piano players and what piano!

The concert grand pianos belonging to these keyboard stylists could easily take a musical place in the space age alongside their scientific counterparts, the nuclear reactor and the moon rocket, even though they are the ordinary instruments available in any piano store. Because of the duo-pianists' innovations, sounds emanating from their twin 88's are far from identifiable with the music made by your living room piano.

Equipping the basic piano with devices such as rubber wedges, wads of paper, bits of wood and metal bars, picks, mallets, and numerous other gadgets, the unusual pianists produce extraordinary sounds. Many listeners refuse to believe that such effects can originate from the ordinary Steinway concert grand piano. By electronic methods of recording, the pianos' ranges have been extended to full four octaves – two above and two below the normal range of the ordinary instrument.

Because repeated difficulties have arisen in securing two concert grand pianos in towns where they are booked of a performance, Ferrante and Teicher have resorted to transporting their own instruments. Installation of the sound-producing gadgets is made on the spot, which creates its own problems. A recent experience taught the piano players to keep a close watch on their pianos after they have been equipped with props. A TV stagehand, unfamiliar with the act to follow and noticing the ridge pianos, yelled, "Who put all this junk in here?" and studiously proceeded to remove it. Camera-time found the two musicians frantically replacing their sound effects.

A Ferrante and Teicher concert is an extremely active experience. In order to pluck the piano's strings, strike the underside of the case, or manually produce sounds other than on the keyboard, the two most stand up, lean over, and move to various positions around their pianos. This activity combined with the unexpected results make an evening with Ferrante and Teicher one to remember.

In addition to performing, both members of the piano duo are gifted composers and arrangers, responsible for several of the selections herein. They have tailored their talents to the high fidelity and stereophonic sound era to a high degree of perfection. This album will demonstrate the highs and lows on your sound equipment as perhaps no other music can. The scoring necessary for these numbers often has fellow musicians wondering if they're looking at hieroglyphs or another form of ancient script.

You may have seen Ferrante and Teicher on your television screen, appearing on programs hosted by Perry Como, Steve Allen, Ernie Kovacs, Dave Garroway, Patti Page, etc. They have also appeared in England and Canada. Their two previous albums for ABC-Paramount (ABC-221, "Heavenly Sounds in Hi-Fi" and ABC-248, "Ferrante and Teicher with Percussion") also available in stereo – have been enthusiastically received. although the team has performed with other instruments, this album was recorded with only two pianos.

The duo-pianists are equally as skilled with the classics as with their original interpretations. Their classical performances have been acclaimed as fine musicianship and ensemble playing for hair-trigger precision. Every performance contains a musical balance of the two types of selections. In this, the team's third album for ABC-Paramount, are presented the unusual fascinating futuristic sounds of the keyboard – Ferrante and Teicher style. – Rick Ward

I Got Rhythm 
Merry Widow Waltz
Chopstick Cha Cha
The Last Time I Saw Paris
In The Rain
Bye Bye Blues
Love
Hurry Gurdy
The Continental 
Ain't Misbehavin'
S' Wonderful
Busman's Holiday

Hi Hopes Play & Sing

Hi Hope Play & Sing
Hi Hopes
Play & Sing
1975

Track List:

A Side
1. Freedom is the Song of My Country
2. Cantamos
3. Jam in G
4. Sharing Our Song With You
5. Celebrate Today

B Side
1. Sunrise Rock
2. It's A Beautiful World
3. Sunshine
4. You Can Do
5. You Were There

Hold on to your pile of oddball records! I have the Holy Grail Of Strange Records to share today.

This record is the gem of my collection and I deem it the Holy Grail.

The Hi Hopes were a group of students (15 to 21 years of age) attending The Hope School, Anaheim, CA. The students assembled together as a band and played during the 70s (maybe longer). The idea was to help increase self-confidence and therefore "increase efforts in other areas".

At some point, and somehow, The Hi Hopes caught on and did a lot of gigs, including The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. You can click on the third image above and read all about the many venues the Hi Hopes played.

According to one online source The High Hope made three commercial albums: Ability, Hi Hopes and Journey. I thought that this LP may be a pre-release copy of one of the existing commercial albums. But this LP is not one of those albums.

There is mention of this LP online, but only briefly and with no real information. I've seen a Hi Hopes DVD and a 45 for sale. It is hard to say what's out there.

In addition, as you've noted in the images above, the record came with lot of information including some instructional material (how to play the songs) and song sheets.

To top it off the hand-made album cover is autographed! Apparently, from a notation found in the upper right corner, this album was a gift to someone. "Thanks For A Lovely Evening – The Hi Hopes (signed by the music teacher Doris E. Walker). And from what I can tell, five members of the group.

All the songs are wonderful and I decided to share the whole LP.

Anyone who like to make fun (when I say oddball or strange music I mean this in a good way)... consider that these kids have done more, seen more and meant more to the world than most of us ever will no matter how hard we try to make a dent!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Cotton Fields - Arthur Lyman

Brazil


Cotton Fields
Arthur Lyman
Cover Photo: Werner Stoy - Camera Hawaii
Cover Design: Jac Brahm
Recorded by Richard Vaughn
HiFi Records, Inc.
Life Series STEREO L1010
Everest Records Production
1963

From the back cover: In the 4-member Arthur Lyman Group (which always sounds like 8), you'll hear versatile Leader Lyman playing vibes, marimba, congas, bongos and guitar. Allan Soares, pianist extraordinaire, plays also glockenspiel, chimes, clavietta and special percussive instruments. Bassist John Kramer puts out with a mellow flute and classical guitar. Harold Chang is seemingly everywhere, doubling on xylophone, ukulele, drums (14 of them) and special effects.

From Billboard - April 27, 1963: Lyman has always been a consistent performer in the album derby and a solid push should be generated for this by the single, "Cotton Fields," which is included and spotlighted on the LP jacket. The mood is very much in the usual Lyman style with "Greensleeves," "Hawaiian War Chant" and "Scarlet Ribbons" just a few of the other top-flight tracks beside the title tune

Jungle Drums
Greensleeves
Walk On The Wild Side
Limbo Rock (Bossa Nova)
And This Is My Beloved
Hawaiian War Chant (Ta Hu Wa Hu Wai) (Bossa Nova)
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)
Singing Bamboo
Brazil (Bossa Nova)
Little Girl Blue
Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
I Ain't Down Yet