Cookie Carr Play Cool Organ With A Solid Beat

Lover

Cookie Carr
Play Cool Organ With A Solid Beat
Grand Award Records
G.A. 239 S.D.

I can't find any info on Cookie Carr. Al Caiola plays the guitar and steals the spotlight. Enoch Light originated and produced the album. You can hear a bit of that Enoch Light "ping-pong" sound happening.

Grand Award was a modestly successful Light label that preceded and then apparently continued along with his Command label operation. Grand Award (Light) marketed "Phase X" technology which let listeners hear a "phantom" third channel in between the standard left and right channels. This was a common recording technique, but Light was the first person to market it (perfection... in spectacular stereophonic sound).

Grand Award LPs were phased out by 1961, but the label name was kept for reissues at least until 1966. I can't date this album although it sounds, for sure like a 1960 or 61 recording.

As usual the engineering is excellent.

Cocktails With Cavallaro

Return To Me

Cocktails With Cavallaro
Piano with Rhythm Accompaniment
Decca Records DL 8805

1960

According to a story in the April 4, 1960 issue of Billboard, Decca designated the month of April as Carmen Cavallaro Month, in honor of the pianist's 20th year with the company, and in honor of his new album (this one).  The article goes on to mention that special "kits" have been made up for salesmen to promote Cavallaro sets (of "pre-packed") records.

A Very Precious Love
Arrivederci Roma (Goodbye To Rome)
Till
Witchcraft
All The Way
Twilight Time
Another Time, Another Place
Just In Time
Say Darling
I Remember It Well
Lida Rose
Return To Me

Miss America Presents - A Collector's Album

Miss America Presents

A Collector's Album
Columbia Record Productions
A Custom Service Of Columbia Records

The front and back covers are the same, featuring Nancy Anne Fleming - Miss America 1961

The record was custom pressed for Philco as part of Philco's sponsorship deal. I have no idea how the record was distributed.

Atlantis In Hi-Fi - Carl Wolfgang

Rapture Of The Deep

Atlantis In Hi-Fi
The Bavarian State Symphony Orchestra
Directed by Carl Wolfgang
Composed and scored by Alexander Laszlo
Carlton Record Corporation LP 12/106
1958

From the back cover: While atomic submarines plumb the depths beneath the Polar Cap; while frogmen descend deeper into the sea trenches that was deemed possible; while marine mysteries daily yield to scientific fingers pointed at distillation of the salt waters and nutritional conversion of the marshy grasses; while these exploits become more daring and wonderful the legendary Atlantis becomes a fresh topic of consideration. 

Atlantis... the fabled Lost Continent! Figment of mythology or smoky illusion that many revert to some actual volcanic explosion of many thousands years ago... quien sabe? But the picture of an undersea world in existence now teases the fancy as never before! The sound of the sea; the power and enchantment of the brooding bottom waters... these inspire new symphonies of the submariners universe.

Thus, we come to the motif of Atlantis In Hi-Fi, scored and composed by Alexander Laszlo as the result of an unusual motion picture assignment. The film, Columbia Pictures' "Forbidden Island", produced by C. B. Griffith, almost wholly deals with underwater sequences. For his soundtrack setting, Laszlo has painted a modern audio picture in symphonic hi-fi of the now still, now stormy subterranean world where perhaps today (what fantasies of science fiction have not already become realities) the fabled Atlantis dies exist and breathe... e'en with gills.

Mr. Laszlo's scoring is executed brilliantly and reverently by the 63-piece Bavarian State Symphony orchestra conducted by Carl Wolfgang. The Bavarian State Symphony orchestra of course, is world-renowned with prominent recordings of major works in the libraries of most recordphiles. Mr. Laszlo's credits include: Solo recitals on concert piano with Eugene Ormandy, the Berlin Bluethner orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl orchestra. In addition he has composed over thirty sound track scores for all major studios as well as over fifty major symphonic publications – Jay Arcy

From Billboard - December 15, 1958: This set contains the score from the sound track of the flick "Forbidden Island." It is interesting and listenable background music, played lushly by the large Bavarian State Symphony orchestra under the direction of Carl Wolfgang. Those who see the flick will be prime customers for the album and it makes a good display piece for dealers when the pic plays their town.

The Coral Empire

Temple Of Poseidon

Traffic Of A Sunken City

Sunset On The Ocean Floor

Night Below The Reef

Conference Of The Sea Gods

Rapture Of The Deep

War At Ninety Fathoms

Exiles Of Atlantis

Touch Typing Made Simple

Touch Typing Made Simple
A Sound Teaching Method
Brother International Enterprises

I continue my search for the most exciting album ever pressed...

Hawaii The Fabulous Fiftieth State

Kaimana Hila - Kalena Kai

Hawaii The Fabulous Fiftieth State
Sam Makia And The Makapuu Beach Boys With Orchestra Directed By Frank Hunter
KAPP KL-1144
1959

Frank Hunter released a classic exotica album on KAPP titled White Goddess (KS-3019 - 1959).

This is an a trip to the mood music side of Hawaii.

The Little Red Wagon

Chocolate Train

The Little Red Wagon
Rocking Horse Orchestra & Chorus
Tinkerbell & Rocking Horse Records 3326

Switch-On Rock - The Moog Machine

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Switched-On Rock
The Moog Machine
Columbia CS 9921
1969

Each and every track is Moogalicious!

Christmas Electric - The Moog Machine

Carol Of The Bells

Christmas Electric
The Moog Machine
Columbia CS 9959
1969

The moog "broke"on the music scene after it was demonstrated at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Apparently the fad lasted from about that time through the mid 70s.

Tribulation

Tribulation

Jack W. Hester
Triumphant Records 413
1974

I stood before the record bin today at the thrift for a moment trying to decipher the cover graphic. I took a moment to figure out that I had a hell fire evangelical sermon on my hands.

Well, no, that's not exactly what this is. This recording is based on The Tribulation (events referred to in Matthew 24:21). The story telling style is after the War Of The Worlds radio broadcast. It actually reminds me more of a Peter Pan comic book album. The recording, however, is marketed towards adults.

This recording, according to the back cover, is a sequel to The Rapture an earlier dramatic production (album).

I've posted the last part of the B side, which features for some reason, the only song on the album.

Tony Mottola - Warm, Wild & Wonderful

With A Little Help

Enoch Light Presents Project 3 Total Sound
The Greatest Songs of the New Era of Songwriters...
Jim Webb, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Michel LeGrand
Warm, Wild & Wonderful
Tony Mottola With The Groovies plus The Now Sound
Originated and Produced by Enoch Light
Associate Producer: Julie Klages
PR 5025 SD
1968

From the inside cover: That "immediate, right now, today feeling" is the NOW Sound that Tony Mottola shows in this album. It's a mixture of a lot of different things. The most unusual aspect is the way he used the Groovies, a four-voice vocal group, who are woven into some of the arrangements in a way that is neither typically vocal nor typically instrumental. Their voices are melded with the arrangements to create musical accents that are part of the unique characteristics of today's music.

"The contemporary music scene does so much with voices," said Tony, "that I knew there were more ways of using them that were still to be explored. That's why I went to Chris Dedrick. He sings with the Free Design and is one of their principal writers. I played on the Free Design's first record for Project 3, which was the first time I ran into Chris, and I was so impressed with what he was doing that I wanted to talk to him about ideas for using voices in the context of one of my albums.

"As the result of these talks," Tony went on, "Chris did several of the arrangements, using voices in a way that I never heard them used before, and backing them up with an interesting little brass band that involves two trumpets, bass trombone and French Horn."

From Billboard - September 28, 1968: Tony Mottola leads the way on bright and sassy instrumental arrangements of tune like his big single of "This Guy's In Love With You," "With A Little Help," and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose." The guitar work of Mottola makes these songs sound entirely new and refreshing.

This Guy's In Love With You
Do You Know The Way To San Jose
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
With A Little Help
Scarborough Fair
Watch What Happens
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Kites Are Fun
Cry Me A River
Goin' Out Of My Head
Love In Every Room
I Found Love

Blue Hawaii - Billy Mure

Sweet Leilani

Blue Hawaii
Billy Mure And His Orchestra
Harry Kaapuni & His Royal Hawaiians
Spinorama Records M-147

Blue Hawaii
Billy Mure And His Orchestra
Harry Kaapuni & His Royal Hawaiians
Premier PS-9014

Split LP featuring Mure on the A side and Kaapumi on the B side. I believe all of Mure's tracks are lifted from his album "Pink Hawaii"

The B side features more traditional Hawaiian music.

Billy Mure

Blue Hawaii
Sweet Leilani
Song Of The Islands
Pink Hawaii
I Found My Wahine

Harry Kaapuni

Aloha Ce
Lauau Lei
Kula Ha
Hawaiian Love Song
To You Sweethear Aloda

Guitar U.S.A - Tony Mottola

Guitar U.S.A.

Guitar U.S.A.
Tony Mottola

Arrangements by Tony Mottola and Dick Hyman

Originated and Produced by Loren Becker and Robert Byrne

Recording Engineer: Fred Christie

Stereo and Monaural Mastering: George Piros
Command Records RS 908 SD
1967

From the inside cover: In delineating the broad variety of roles that the guitar plays in American music. Tony has surrounded himself with a stellar group of guitarists, banjoists and mandolinists – Don Arnone, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tommy Kay, Al Casement, Gene Bertoncini and Bill Suyker – using them in groups of three or four. For contrasting color, he uses the versatile woodwind masters, Phil Bonder and Stanley Webb, in his rhythm section, either Bob Taggart or George Duvivier serve as bassist. Eddie Shaughnessy, Bobby Rosengarden, Phil Kraus and Artie Marotti supply the percussion and Dick Hyman is heard on piano, organ and clavietta.

You don't know about the clavietta? You may have played one without realizing what it was. It is a harmonica about a foot long and three inches wide with a keyboard down the front. Blow in the top, press the keys and out comes the notes with a sound that is somewhere between that of a harmonica and an accordion.

From Billboard - February 11, 1967: The Mottola guitar is showcased in a program of tunes native to the U.S., from the folk-oriented "Lemon Tree" to Broadway hit "Mame" and Hollywood's "Shadow Of Your Smile." His exceptional performances warrant much attention, and the album will be much in demand by stereo fans.

Please

Mama

Yesterday

San Antonio Rose

Lost In The Stars

Spanish Flea

The Shadow Of Your Smile

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

You Cheatin' Heart

Lemon Tree

Scarlet Ribbons

Guitar U.S.A.

The Seventh Veil - Artie Barsamian

The Seventh Veil
Artie Barsamian And His Orchestra
Jay Records J-1147
1957

This album was released twice on KAPP in 1957 & 1959 featuring the same cover photo (sized differently) and finished with different title/type faces.

The downloads that are available on Amazon feature this particular cover. I'm assuming this is the original release.

Information on Barsamian is sketchy at best. As far as I can tell he made as many as five albums.

The Seventh Veil

Artie Barsamian

4 Corners Of The World/KAPP FCS-4552

Les Baxter - The Soul Of The Drums

Les Baxter And His Orchestra
The Soul Of The Drums
Reprise R9 6100
1963

I was lucky to find this Les Baxter album today that features one of my favorite Baxter covers. This record isn't a heavy tribal drum project as the cover may suggest. This is a great mood set that features a balance between "authentic" folk drumming and the Baxter mood/light pop touch.The stereo engineering is excellent.

Korla Pandit - Estrellita & Jalousie

Korla Pandit
Estrellita & Jalousie
Vita Records 204

Here is a 10 inch 78 RPM that isn't listed on Pandit's Discography. Songs are available for download on Amazon.

New & Exciting Latin Sounds - Manuel And His Strings

The Breeze And I

New & Exciting Latin Sounds
Manuel And His Strings
MGM SE4029
1962

The 1962 October issue of Boys Life reviewed this album in a feature titled "Platter Chatter". They love the set mentioning that the recording featured the "...cleanest definition of instruments and the widest range of realism".

This album would be MGM's attempt to play catch up with trends that Enoch Light/Command label instigated in the early 60s. The jacket is a Command "styled" book-fold featuring in-depth copy covering the "21 Channel Sound" process and the song choices.

The set goes light Latin pop augmented by "ping pong" stereo effects (another trend Command started). The stereo fireworks, on this album as on many similar efforts of the day, are a tad annoying for a 1962 release when effects had, for the most part, been well explored.

Ping-Pong aside, the engineering is excellent (as good as any Command record I've heard). The sound is "clean" and well defined. Interesting how MGM marketed the album as "21 Channel" when they were using two 12-channel mixers. They did, however, use 21 microphones.

From Billboard - April 28, 1962: Three fine sound sets (including MGM SE4029) in the new MGM 21 series line. They combine crisp reproduction with a fine danceable beat. Manuel does percussive things with his strings. Each set has fine sweet programming fare.

Cachita
Yours
The Bandit
Primera
Jealousy
Amor Amor
Anema E Core
The Breeze And I
Carnavalito (Festival Of Flowers)
Adios