Howdy Folks! Check out my Atomic Age Vinyl Finds! If there are copyright issues or a problem with any post, just contact me and I will make corrections. I'm here to have fun and hope you will share in my process of discovery!
Interesting release in that side two features Mike Di Napoli. The only way you know this is the look at the back cover.
Melis served as musical director of The Tonight Show when Jack Paar was host. He wrote Paar's theme song (Jack Paar Theme). Read more about Melis on Wikipedia.
From the back cover: Mike Di Napoli was with the Frank Petty Trio for 13 years. Mike has written many tunes which have been recorded by such famous personalities as the Mills Brothers, Tennessee Ford, Hank Snow etc. etc.
Celebrity Records A Division Of Premier Albums UTS 123X
1960
This is one cool recording. I love to play Hit The Road To Dreamland or Haiti Blues for you as samples but all of the tracks, I believe, can be found on CD or by the download.
Perspectives In Percussion - Volume 2
Special Release: Sonic Workshop Series Project No. 2
Conducted by Skip Martin
Scored by Joe Kunh and Bob Lowden
Recorded at United Recording Studio in Hollywood under the direction of D. L. Miller
Audio Mix by Bill Puthham
Cover Art by Will Dressler
Liner Photo by Bud Seltzer
Somerset Records SF 13300 (stereo foil jacket) P 13300 (mono 4-color jacket)
1961
Personnel
Saxophones - Paul Horn, Philip Sobel, Ralph Gari, Pete Terry and Dale Isenhuth Utility Woodwinds: Paul Horn Solo Piccolo: Jules Kinsler Trumpets: Conrad Gazzo, Don Fagerquist, Pete Candoli, Jim Salko and Mickey Mangano Trombones: Joe Howard, Dick Noel and Frank Rosolino Bass Trombone: Ken Shroyer and George Roberts Accordion: Pete Jolly Electric Guitar: Al Henderson, Robert Bain, Tony Rizzi and Rene Hall Bass: Ralph Pina Piano: Jim Rowles Drums: Irv Cottler 3 Percussionists: Dale Anderson, Milt Holland and Larry Bunker Hammond Organ: Gaylord B. Carter
Perdido
How High The Moon
Tiger Hunt
Mambo #5
La Cucaracha
I Got Rhythm
Chinatown
Baubles, Bongos and Brass
Cumana
Git Git Git Guitar
I Get A Kick Out Of You
C'est Si Bon
Perspectives In Percussion Volume 1 Scored by Joe Kuhn and Bob Lowden Conductor: Skip Martin Recorded at United Recording Studios in Hollywood under the direction of D.L. Miller Audio Mix: Bill Putnam Cover Art: Will Dressler Liner Photo: Bud Seltzer Somerset Records SF 13200 (reflective foil and traditional non-foil jacket examples) Stereo-Fidelity Records are manufactured by Miller International Co. 1960
Personnel:
Saxophones: Paul Horn Philip Sobel Ralph Gari Pete Terry Dale Isenhuth
Utility Woodwinds: Paul Horn
Solo Piccolo: Jules Kinsler
Trumpets: Conrad Gazzo Don Fagerquist Pete Candoli Jim Salko Micky Mangano
Trombones: Joe Howard Dick Noel Frank Rosolino
Bass Trombone: Ken Shroyer George Roberts
Accordion: Pete Jolly
Electric Guitar: Al Hendrickson Robert Bain Rony Rizzi Rene Hall
Bass: Ralph Pina
Piano: Jim Rowles
Drums: Ira Cottler
Percussionists: Dale Anderson Milt Holland Larry Bunker
Hammond Organ: Gaylord B. Carter
From Billboard: October 24, 1960: Here are two (Perspectives In Percussion, Volumes I & II) top "sound" buys at the regular price LP rate of $1.98. The pair are the initial releases of a new "Sonic Workshop Series" – similar in concept to the growing number of special sound-emphasis packages being put out by numerous firms. Both of these can boast a stellar line-up of instrumentalists, who comprise a sort of super big band. Skip Martin is the baton man for the 29-man outfit, which in addition to expected band complement, also features three performers who work out on a myriad of offbeat instruments. Tunes selected include, for the most part, many familiar melodies, given a fine up-to-date dress. Sound is tops thruout. Excellent merchandise, especially at the price.
I'll See You In My Dreams And Then There's Bells Red River Cha Cha Night Train To New Orleans C'est Magnifique Tampico The Carioca Cuckoo Cha Cha Cielito Lindo Perfidia Hawaiian War Chant Bei Mir Bist du Schon
Oscar records appears to have been a budget label releasing almost nothing but "hits" albums. Strings Unlimited was a staple feature for Oscar who released 13 of their albums. If you do a search today, you'll find almost nothing online about Stings Unlimited.
Have I finally scraped the bottom of the budget barrel? Golly! I hope not!
Album probably sold as a souvenir item at The Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, in the 1980s(?). The album features folk music from Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Rarotonga, The Maoris, Fiji, Kapingamorangi and Tokelay Islands.
I was pleased to acquire this group of Korla Pandit images from a seller who had purchased Pandit items directly from the estate.
The top image is an 8 x 10 matt finish original press photo stamped on the back: Photos By Robert H. Churchill. This photo intrigues me as because of the setting. Pandit is surrounded by items that he may have owed. Note the gas lighting fixtures. If I were to guess, I would say that this photo was probably taken inside of Pandit's living space.
The second photo is an autographed Polaroid photograph.
The third image is also a Polaroid of Pandit caught in a more private moment. I believe, when comparing other Pandit hand writing samples I have on hand, that Pandit has written on the back of the photo: "Mar. 26 - 2: AM Santa Rosa, (Initials?).
The fourth image is an 2 x 3 original photo also stamped on the back: Photos By Robert H. Churchill.
Marguerite Piazza
Memorable Moments Of Music
Coral Records CRL 757271
1959
Terrific cover on a terrific album. Piazza's style is to blend opera with pop forms. This approach may account for the Variety quote that she was "an opera star who knows how to please both longhairs and the crew cuts."
Early 80s TV mail order record! For $4.99 you got a record in a very flimsy jacket with a horrible illustration printed on one side.
Amazingly, the songs are probably some of the better kid tunes I've heard, especially from most children's records produced in the 70s and 80s. The lyrics are quirky and the arrangements are interesting.
Dancing On The Continent
Lester Lanin
Epic LN 3578
1960
Lanin is known for blending songs together to create tunes that help keep the dancers twirling. This LP is like that. The technique helps keep the tracks lively and makes for a fun bachelor pad music.
All I Do Is Dream Of You
Reg Owen And His Orchestra
RCA Victor LPM-1580
1958
This is a fine mood album that features a terrific space age cover.
The Reg Owen Orchestra was regraded, at the time, as one of England's leading orchestras. He arranged for Ted Heath and Cyril Stapleton. Owen got into writing film scores in the late 50s and, after writing scores for a few "B" movies he progressed to write for feature films, including Very Important Person (1961).
Shangri-La
Robert Maxwell
His Harp and Orchestra
Decca DL 74421
1963
From the back cover: Robert Maxwell, known as "America's Foremost Harpist" is credited with introducing the instrumental to the world of popular music. Previously the harp was relegated to the symphonic rule of playing alongside the triangle or cymbal player.
Maxwell composed Shangri-La which was "the Jackie Gleason theme song of many years".
The LP is inventive, cool and covers a number of tunes that are exotica standards.
The Official Bump Ball Record
The Bumpers
Pickwick/33 SPC 3112
1968
The Bump Ball was a toy developed and sold by Milton Bradly. Apparently, this album was created to help further market the ball and to help create a "crazy new dancing fad". The fellow in the photos is "Killer" Joe Piro, who according to Wikipedia, was a "dance instructor to high society and popularized steps of the discotheque era of the 1960s and 1970s."
From the back cover: They (a whole new breed of kids) deserted in droves from the flower children to join this new transcedental (misspelled) experience. It was the answer to America's searching youth. It was Anti-Establishment – and a gas at the same time. It keeps you and your partner close. Groovy into this magic land there stepped a sorcerer with dancing feet.
That's pretty heavy and obscure ad copy.
It is interesting to me that aging dancers would be used to market this new "fad" device to the youth market. I'm not sure that parents in the late 60s would buy this album for their kids. And would the 18 and over crowd really be into it?
Also from the back cover: It's time the boys got closer to the girls, and this newest dance craze makes it more fun than any historical fox-trot.
Great cover on this budget label, discount bin album from Strand. Strand was originally distributed as a full-priced label by Decca, but quickly became budget, cutting corners anyway they could. In this case they mislead the buying public with this cheesecake cover. The music is very easy listening and may only put your Grand Mother in the mood.
There is a bit of a mystery in that I've seen another cover with the same catalog number (the stereo version) with the model pushed up more into the into the frame and the word "STEREPHONIC" removed at the top to be replaced with "HI FIDELITY" overprinted just below the "cellophane" dress topper.
