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Friday, July 13, 2012

Top Of The Ladder - Byron Lee And The Dragonaires

A & T Party
Storybook Children
Top Of The Ladder
Byron Lee And The Dragonaires
Soul BLP-011

Had to buy this one for the fun cover. Byron Lee made a ton of records. This one isn't necessarily obscure, but this I don't see it listed in his wiki discography. The best I can tell (from a few dates found in the cover notes) is that the record was released in 1967 or 68.

Miss Tourist
Pipe Organ
Windows Of The World
Mr. Walker
Sock It To Me
Honeymoon Couple
A & T Party
Cielito Lindo
Storybook Children
Wood In The Fire
Old Beirut
You Sweeten Me

Discotheque Dance Party

From Russia With Love

 Panic
Discotheque
Dipolmat Records DS 2397

This is one of the better budget "Discotheque" records I've run across. By nature (of the Discotheque trend), the track selections are wide ranging. The same holds true on this album, but for some reason the vibe is more cohesive and the tunes are, with some consistency, cool. No credit is given to any one artist or group as most selections are probably stock.

Beatles Move
Discotheque Dance Party
Diplomat Records DS-2334

This is the same record, different cover.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Soft Touch - Ellis Larkins

Golden Earrings
The Soft Touch
Ellis Larkins
Mood Jazz In Hi-Fi
Decca DL 9205

Awwww... who can resist kittens? I couldn't and bought the album based on the image. The "soft touch" theme is expressed on vinyl by pianist Ellis Larkin. Here's a link to his wiki page. The tracks are minimalist lounge led by Larkin's deft touch on the keyboard. Sweet stuff... just like kittens!

I Don't Stand A Chance
When I Fall In Love
Where Can I Go
Golden Earrings
A Love Like This
Sweet Sue, Just You
Blue Star
Love Me
My Foolish Heart
Love Letters
Stella By Starlight
Can't We Talk It Over

Ecstasy - Otto Cesana

Ecstasy

Ecstasy
Otto Cesana And His Orchestra
Photography by Dirone
Columbia CL 631
1955

From the back cover: Otto Cesana is one of those unusual people – a classical musician with a deep respect and appreciation for popular music. His early musical studies included piano, organ, music theory and composition. Later he added a working knowledge of all the orchestral instruments. His teachers were many and from each he garnered valuable data. During his long and varied career Cesana has worked as an arranger and composer for the various Hollywood motion picture studios and on many radio programs. In 1941 he gave a jazz concert in New York's Town Hall with his own band playing a program of original music. Among Cessna's repertory of original works are six symphonies, four overtures, numerous suites, concertos for various instrument including piano, clarinet, trumpet and trombone, as well as many short pieces, sonatas, trios and many songs.

To Cesana's technological interest in music may be ascribed his four books on "Modern Harmony," "Dancing Arranging," "Modern Counterpoint" and "Voicing the Modern Dance Orchestra," His penthouse studio is always the scene of impetuous creative activity during the morning hours, while in the afternoon there is a continuous procession of young arrangers and composition students planning their contribution to the growth of American Music.

Cesana describes his music thus: "From jazz, and by that I mean jazz as it is played by small groups, I derive sincere sentiment: in fact it is this naive but deep and honest feeling that is the life-blood of all real jazz. To the great harmonists such as Debussy and Wagner I owe a great deal of my harmonic dexterity; from Beethoven comes my knowledge of thematic development and some sound principles of musical form and to Rimsky-Korsakov, that meticulous master of orchestration, I owe most of my knowledge of orchestration. Of course for over-all sincerity and emotional intensity, I offer a very low how to that monument of integrity – Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky.

From Billboard - June 30, 1955: Cesana, who has campaigned long and well for the principle of originality in composition, has recorded 15 of his selections on this disk. They are quite beguiling and reflect the composer's wide range of musical knowledge – from jazz to the classics. There are Latin touches, bits of whimsy, nostalgia, mood pieces, and novel rhythmic patterns. They are interesting to the students and a pleasure to the casual listener.

Ecstasy
Let's Beguine
Enchantment
Yester-Thoughts
Starlight
Autumn Song
Symphony In Jazz (First Movement)
Mine At Last
Hey, Professor!
Devotion
Night Train
My Beloved
Marionette
Reflection
Whirlwind


Holiday For Lovers

Haunting Melody
Holiday For Lovers
FDR Waldorf Music Records MH 33

This is a nice 6 track 10 inch 33 featuring, what I call, at "bad habits" cover (smoking and drinking). The that track on the B side is the stand-out lounge tune from session musicians Rod Gregory - piano, Frank Carrol - bass and Bob Rosten, drums.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A Bright New World - The New Hope

Medley: The Path Of Love and Love Can Make You Happy
A Bright New World
The New Hope
Light Records LS-5523-LP
1968

I wasn't sure which blog to post this treasure in. Appearing In The Motel Lounge, The Good, Bad & Ugly Gospel Record Barn or up here in The Atomic Attic.

The release is on Light, which, I believe is better know as a Christian/gospel label. There are a few popular "lounge" tunes on the record and the remaining tunes are more-or-less "sunshine pop". I've seen the producer's name, Ralph Carmichael attached to more than one "sunshine pop" project.

From the back cover: Note that the music on this album has a positive feeling about it. That's our NEW HOPE... not ignoring the problems we face in our world today, but know as youth, we can conquer them.

Frankly... the album is out-of-control... just the way we like it up here in The Attic. It's hard to beat the sample tune above for featuring something a little fast... a little slow... a little something fantastic!

However, you might like to listen to More Today Than Yesterday, today... Appearing In The Motel Lounge.

Classical Current - Laurindo Almeida

The Breeze And I
Classical Current
Laurindo Almeida
Produced by Sonny Burke
Warner Bros. - Seven Arts
1969

I pulled this one out of the "electronic music" bin at a record store I frequent. The notes mention Almeida's "electronic classical guitar" and hints around that he's studied the work of John Cage.

This "electronically-influenced" album is a pleasant and interesting (and sometimes curious) blend of classical and period light jazz/pop/Latin along with, what seems to me... a very subdued "electronic" vibe as mentioned in the notes.

The Breeze And I
My Reverie
Till The End Of Time
The Lamp Is Low
Baubles, Bangles And Beads
Full Moon And Empty Arms
Moon Love
My Prayer
My Moonlight Madonna
Our Love
When I Write My Song
Theme From The Warsaw Concerto

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

36 Today The Now Sound Of Young Music

Yellow Submarine
Have You Seen Your Mother
Baby, Standing In The Shadows
Psychotic Reaction
36 Today
The Now Sound Of Young Music
Columbia Record Club
P2S 5104

Cover albums are generally found on budget labels. Although, like this two record set, I have found a few produced by Columbia. To be fair... Columbia does their best to make reasonably good "sound-alikes. But still... there is no way to be successful in all instances.

Sorry if the audio is a bit rough. This copy I found was well played.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Truck Stop

Truck Stop
Compatible NLP 2052

Featuring George Morgan, The Willis Brothers, Johnny Bond, Red Sovine, Joe Maphis, Benny Martin and Lonnie Irving

This is an above average "trucker" album featuring a terrific cover image. It would seem that all of the tunes are available for purchase download if you look hard enough.

Side one:

Sleeper Cab Blues
Truck Driving Buddy
Big Rig Gutiar
Big Footed Dan
Pinball Machine

Side two:

Wheels A Turning
Gears
Hitch Hiking Girl
Long Hall Weekend
Man Behind The Wheel

Bells On High-Fi

Malaguena
Bells On High-Fi
Memorable Music played on the World's Largest Carillon
Heard From The Space Needle At The 1962 World's Fair
The 538 Bell Schulmerich "Carillon Americana"
Bells Instrument by John Klein
American Records AR-8000

Malaguena
Musetta's Waltz-Song
The Swan
La Cinquantanie
Serenade
Solveig's Lied
Pavane Pour Line Infante Defunte
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Tune In D
My Heart At The Sweet Voice
Intermezzo
Kamennoi-Ostrow

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Progressive Percussion - Percussion All Stars

Song Of India
Progressive Percussion
Percussion All Stars
Modern Records MST 817
1961

Adios Muchachos
Prelude For Lovers
Hawaiian War Chant
Song Of India
Glow Worm
Tympani Percussion
La Cumparsita
Annie Laurie
El Choclo
Aloha Oe



Georgy Girl And Other Music To Watch Girls By - Living Marimbas

Music To Watch Girls By
Georgy Girl And Other Music To Watch Girls By
Living Marimbas
Arranged by Leo Addeo
RCA Camden CAS-2149
1967

I'm assuming the cover image has some sort of tie-in to the film, Georgy Girl. But the theme of the record is more "music to watch girls by". Regardless, this is a curious downer cover if you ask me.

The music, however, is perky 60s light pop.

Music To Watch Girls By
Anna
Patricia
Sweet Maria
Never On A Sunday
Georgy Girl
Take It Easy
A Gay Ranchero
Juanita
Girls! Girls! Girls!