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!
Soul Of The East
Buddy Sarkisan and His Mecca Four with Fred Elias
Wyncote SW 9020
1964
Wow! This is a budget label surprise! A totally smoking "belly dancing" LP!
From the back cover: The Mecca Four have appeared on television and have shared night club and concert billing with top recording artists, including a phenomenally successful appearance at the Yale Bowl. Leader Buddy Sarkisan has been called the king of Near Eastern Drummers, while Fred Elias, a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, is generally acknowledged as the finest violinist in his field.
There is no Sarkisan information to be found online. The notes suggest that this is the second album for Sarkisan on Wyncote. But I can't find the album online.
Lure Of Paradise
Andre Kostelanetz
Columbia CL 1335
1959
From Billboard September 7, 1959: Andre Kostelanetz. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Mr. Kotlelanetz arrived in the U.S. when he was 21 and found employment in this country as an accompanist and coach for singers of the Metropolitan Opera. Since 1940, the well-known conductor-composer, has recorded exclusively for Columbia Records. Two of his albums, Strauss Waltzes and Lure Of Paradise are part of Columbia's Fall Festival of new releases.
Aloha Oe Song Of The Islands Kalua Bali-Ha'i Sweet Leilani On The Beach At Waikiki Hawaiian War Chant My Honolulu Tomboy Gates Of Heaven (Traditional Japanese Court Ceremonial) The Moon Of Manakoora Kashmiri Song Lotus Land We Kiss In A Shadow Now Is The Hour
Come To Hawaii
The Hawaiian Beachcombers
Unart S 21024
1967
This album was a bit of a surprise. There is a Denny/Lyman sound going on behind the steel guitar. The record features decent arrangements and a consistent smooth sound throughout.
This album is available for purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample.
Julie London is one of my favorite torch singers. I thought of London when I put this LP on the turntable.
Apparently this is Ray's only solo 12 inch release. Obscure as the record is, you can find it on import CD and by digital download. Ray seems not to have a wiki page and I wasn't able to find out what happened to her elsewhere online.
As 101s go, this one isn't bad. A few of the arrangements are 60s bold enough to hold your interest. The Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet features bongos of all instruments.
The Very Best Of Martin Denny
United Artists
UA-LA383-E
1975
The engineering on this compilation is excellent.
This is an autographed copy.
To Bob and Madaline
We had a lot of laughs
To Two swell people
Aloha
Matin Denny
3/13/83
Quite Village
Bali Hai
Hawaiian Wedding Song
Pearly Shells
Ebb Tide
Beyond The Reef
The Enchanted Sea
Martinique
More (Theme From "Mondo Cane")
Tiny Bubbles
A Taste Of Honey
Beyond The Sea
Lester Lanin
Dancing At The Discotheque
Philips PHS 600-145
1964
What a curious record! 60s flavored fox trots, a stray merengue and cha cha and a few lindys as you might expect from Lanin mixed in with wild numbers like West Indies Ska, Tennage Craze, Got My Mojo Workin' and Bye Bye Baby that are over the top! The contrast between tracks is a bit of a shock to the senses.
Hawaiian Magic
The Waikiki Islanders
Tiffany Records 2006
1960
This is a obscure album featuring fine island music. This album may or may not be connected somehow to the history found on this page. There are no artist names printed on the jacket to help me make connections and this album doesn't appear as reference on the site. At some point, someone out there will correct me or help me fill in the blanks.
A Latin Happening
Tony Hatch
Warner Bros. Records - WS 1671
1967
This is a nice and groovy light pop Latin flavored LP with moments of uniqueness. It looks like the title track, which is the last tune on side 2, is available for purchase/download. But the rest of the album can only be had on vinyl.
The Great TV Themes
Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra
Phase 4 Stereo London SP 44077
1966
I have to admit that most Chacksfield albums I've stumbled across fail to impress me. It seems like he tried to ride the trendy waves of pop music after early success with Ebb Tide but couldn't grasp the nuances that made space age music cool.
However, this album is the exception to my experience. There are some great space age tunes on the LP. The overall vibe is bright and fun.
This album is highly entertaining. It starts off a tad slow but gets whacked quickly. The concept is to create sonic stories with orchestra and sound effects. Like a movie soundtrack without dialog. I'm not sure if the experiment was entirely successful... but the approach does present us with some "music" that reflects the playful nature of the Davis illustration.
Honeymoon In Manhattan
The New World Theatre Orchestra
SF-3000
1958
Somerset is known for budget records. But the company did release interesting recordings. This album could be considered a "concept" album. There are four extended tracks on each side, each titled in such a way to give your the impression that you are going on a tour of NY. The music, while leaning towards orchestrated easy listening, is complex and holds the interest.
And you can tell that D.L. Miller, label owner, was excited by the project because of the large bold faced credits found on the back of the jacket: All arrangements, except Slaughter On 10th Ave. and Street Scene, in this album were scored by Joe Kuhn, cover photo by Frank Zimmerman – Cover art, Joe Krush. This album was produced under the direction of D.L. Miller.
The one thing I find curious... is the "embossed" Somerset logo oddly printed in the middle of the cover. As a designer myself, it makes no sense to place it there. And why the metallic ink overprint?
My Funny Valentine
Desmond Blue
Then I'll Be Tired Of You
I've Got You Under My Skin
Late Lament
I Should Care
Like Someone In Love
Ill Wind
Body And Soul
There is some incredibly long copy on the back cover going on and on about Goldie's (a popular East Side club). It's difficult to get to who's actually playing on the album. Louis Golson Hawkins and Wayne Sander's (the proprietor) seem to be the piano duo featured on the album which features mostly easy listening medleys. The music really doesn't do it for me. But I love the cheesecake cover!
Sizzling Strings - Castanets - Percussion
Don Luis Quintero and the Madrid Festival Orchestra
Plus the Mario Valero Dancers and guitarist Jose Alvarez
Directional Sound DS-5007
Premier Album
1961
Apparently Premier (a budget label) decided to compete with the success of Command Records in this early 60s "percussion" release. The jacket was also styled after Commands' book-fold design.
There is no "percussion" or "ping-pong" on this album. The track titles include great tunes like Granada, Espana and Ravel's Bolero... but they do not deliver the goods as advertised.
And apparently there were not enough "Luis" tracks to fill out the disc so DS threw in a Flamenco dance number and one guitar track they had on the shelf. Those tracks are dramatically different in tone from the rest of the music. However, in my opinion, the Alvarez track is the high point so I'll post that gem as the sample.
From Billboard: March 20, 1961: A "pops" styled approach to music in the Spanish idiom, such as truncated versions of Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Capriccio Espagnol," " Bolero," as well as Chabrier's "Espana Rhapsody" and the Jotas from Larreglas' "Viva Navarra!" Mixed in are a couple of tracks of gypsy-style dancing supported by guitar, clapping, stamping, and castanets. Can serve as an introduction to this type of music.
The Hollyridge Strings
Play The Hits Of Simon And Garfunkel
Capitol ST8-2998
1968
The Hollyridge Strings specialized in orchestral versions of contemporary pop artists. I expected some 60s cheese, but experienced a well produced easy listening album. This Hollyridge entry was arranged and conducted by Mort Garson.
Harmonica Magic Of Leo Diamond
RCA Victor LPM-1042
1955 & 1958 (1958 issue cover photo by Wendy Hilt)
From Billboard - March 26, 1955: Not too long ago Leo Diamond's "Offshore" scored a solid hit. The composer and harmonics virtuoso has put together a dozen tunes on this disk, including the aforementioned and others from his pen, as "Dock Dance" and "Casino," plus standards as "Red Sails In The Sunset." It's a lush-sounding album, with fine harmonica work and beautiful backing by Harry Geller. Diamond has done much to raise the status of the harmonica as an instrument. For the dealer, this merchandise still falls in the novelty category; but in many shops it is likely to prove good stock.
This album was a bit of a surprise. From the cover I was expecting a "folk" guitar LP. But what I got was a smooth blend of light pop, latin, and space age easy listening vocals with Bonfa supporting the mix.
