Great Science Fiction Film Music - Bernard Herrmann

Great Science Fiction Film Music

Composed And Conducted By Bernard Herrmann

Phase 4 Stereo London CSL 1001

Produced for the Science Fiction Book Club by London Records Special Products

Jim Danforth jacket illustration

1974

This is an interesting album compilation album that consists of four tracks, made up of select segments from four movies.

Each track is broken down (in the jacket notes) as originally titled. However, in each of these tracks, the segments flow together so seamlessly that the track(s) play like a single piece of music.

The engineering between tracks is consistent and so good that each of the four tracks flow into one another.  You can just close your eyes and enjoy the entire album as a single, dramatic presentation.

The approach is completely orchestral and presented artfully without the standard sic-fi electronic fireworks.  I love the theremin... but Herrmann didn't need a lot of tricks to get his point across.

This is a surprisingly good record.

Side one

The Day The Earth Stood Still

Psycho

Side 2

Journey To The Center Of The Earth

Fahrenheit 451

And The Beatles Go On And On - Hits Of The Beatles

Something (A side featuring music with voice overs)

Got To Get You Into My Life (B side featuring music only)

And The Beatles Go On And On
Hits Of The Beatles
Created By Ambrose Brazelton
Kimbo Educational Records
LP 8080 Elementary
1971

From the back cover: The structured exercises of this record are not sacred. It is the intent of the creator that teachers and pupils innovate "their own thing" utilizing the melody-only side after experience with the designated routines

Salute To Stan Kenton - Maxwell Davis

Artistry In Rhythm

Salute To Stan Kenton
Members Of The Stan Kenton Orchestra
Arranged & Conducted by Maxwell Davis
Crown Records CLP 5093
1959

Bud Shank, Mahlon Clark - Alto

Bill Holman, Bob Cooper, Vido Musso - Tenor

Chuck Gentry - Baritone

Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Al Porcino, Conrad Gozzo, Ollie Mitchell - Trumpet

Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino - Trombone

Milt Raskin - Piano

Laurindo Almeida - Guitar

Don Bagley - Bass

Mel Lewis - Drums

Chico Guerrero - Bongos

From the back cover: From the almost unknown town of Balboa, Calif., there came in 1943 the sounds of a new and exciting concept in big-band sounds. People listened and regardless of their likes or dislikes they couldn't help but be impressed by this band.

Stanley Newcomb Kenton... Stan Kenton... was on his way. The band featured great and strong "block chords" from this mighty brass section of six trumpets and five trombones. As with Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton's piano work is of much less importance than the sound of the band and the musical effects they were working for.

Stan started his band at the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa in 1941 and recorded for Decca that same year. But it wasn't until his theme "Artistry In Rhythm" was released on Capitol in 1943 that the band reached national prominence.

In addition to the block-chords mentioned above the early band featured a staccato-type sound in the reed section, liberally sprinkled with Stan's driving piano chords. The little recognized piano was best noted in "Painted Rhythm" that also featured Vido Musso's tenor.

The path of the Kenton bands has never run quite smoothly. The band has always been rich in the center of a constant controversy. Stan has bout tougher and broken up many bands. The success of these bands has largely been the result of the arrangers. Such men as "Shorty" Rodgers, Jerry Mulligan, Bill Holman, Pete Rugolo and several others have all written for the band and had a hand in its success.

In this "Salute To Stan Kenton", Crown Records has assembled the finest group of musicians available and almost all of them alumni of various Kenton bands. These are the men that rose to fame in their own rights with Stan Kenton and each of them a fabulous musician in his own right. Just read the personnel above.

And this is the band. The very finest. And each playing a tribute of his own to the band that started most of them... a "Salute To Stan Kenton". – Pat Evans

From March 23, Billboard: Several former members of Stan Kenton's various crews are featured in this set on tunes that are given similar treatments to those as when first introduced by Kenton. Low-price tag is a lure and the set could move on the racks and in the chains.

Artistry In Rhythm
Peanut Vendor
Intermission Riff
Come Back To Sorrento
Dark Eyes
Estrellita
Elegy
Martha

See With Your Ears

Let The Sunshine In

See With Your Ears
Columbia Special Products
1970

Promotion piece for NuTone, Cincinnati, Ohio to help market Musicom, the world's first built-in Stereo Entertainment Center with a separate optional Intercom System.

Michelle - Bud Shank

Sounds Of Silence

Michelle
Bud Shank & Chet Baker
Arranged & Conducted by Bob Florence
World Pacific/Liberty Records
WP-1840

From Billboard July 2, 1966: During this first year under the direction and influence of the pop music independent, one of Bock's two labels, World Pacific has gained a stronger identity. The advantages as Bock sees them now of Liberty ownership are that Bub Shank was re-established as a leading saxophonist resulting from his peppery playing on several pop tunes; trumpeter Chet Baker gained national awareness for his playing with Shank on Michelle and for his Mariachi Brass albums.

Viva Tijuana! - The Fiesta Brass

Michelle

Viva Tijuana!
The Fiesta Brass
Arranged and Conducted by Chuck Anderson
Harmony/Columbia HS 11183

Nice cover featuring curiously cropped cheesecake. Enjoy the unusual cover of Michelle.

Flamenco - Laurindo Almeida - Jose Barroso

Malaguena

Flamenco
Music Composed By Laurindo Almeida
Played By Jose Barroso
Crown Records StereOdiscs
CST 141

Fun Crown packaging featuring translucent red vinyl. Music is a more laid back variety of Flamenco.

Check out this later Almeida light pop example: Classical Current

From the back cover: Jose Barroso studied cello and has played with the Mexican City Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony. He started on the guitar when he was 39 years old! Coming to Los Angeles for studio work, Jose's haunting guitar performance was featured in the throbbing score "For Whom The Bells Tolls."

Farruca
El Vito
Soleares
Serenata Espanola
Nostalgia
Tanquillo
Malaguena
Cuadros En Aagon
Pagina Romantica
Soleares Opus 10
Fandanguillos
Tango Espanol

The De Castros Sing

At Last

The De Castros Sing
Music Arranged And Conducted By Billy May

Produced by Dave Cavanaugh and Curley Walter
Capitol Records T1402
1960

What a great album cover!

From the back cover: Babette, Cherie and Olga have come a long way since they were born in Havana, Cuba, New York City, and Chihuahua, Mexico, respectively. The De Castros did most of their growing up in Havana, where Papa De Castro owned a sugar plantation. When they broke into show business, but good, at New York's Copacabana, the Sahara in Las Vegas, the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, and other leading nighteries across the U.S., they wisely remembered to hang on to their Latin-American heritage.

From Billboard July 11, 1960: The De Castro Sister's first Capitol LP is a strong deejay programming package. The girls are in exuberant vocal form and Billy May supplies exciting swinging backing. The Sisters sing both in English and Spanish on a group of standards; while May interprets them with dynamic effect, aided by bongos, maracas and marimbas.

The Trolly Song
Love Letters
Mañana
Flores Negras
Careless
Yes, We Have No Bananas
Tiger Rag
At Last
Always
You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
What A Difference A Day Makes
Music! Music! Music!

Margie Singleton

Mr. Walker, It's All Over

Margie Singleton
Hilltop
Pickwick
JS 6077

This seems to be a somewhat obscure country/pop album for Margie Singleton. A little heavy on the country for The Atomic Attic, but I couldn't pass up the fantastic cover and the groovy 60s organ sound, wait for it... on the sample above.

You Gave Me A Mountain
Y'All Come
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
Dust Till Dawn
Bright Lights Downtown
Mr. Walker It's ll Over Now
Dark Moon
Burning Old Love Letters
I Knew I Would See Him Again
Shake My Hand, And Kiss Me On The Cheek

Poznanski Zespol Perkusyjny

Poznanski Zespol Perkusyjny Poznan Percussion Ensemble
Directed by Jerzy Perkusyjny
Musa Polskie Nagrania SXL 0809

Polish avant grade percussion album made in the mid-70s. Jacket notes are also printed in English.

From the back cover: Originally they played American compositions. In time, however, the Group managed to get interested a number of Polish composers, which widened the Polish repertory of percussion pieces. The Pozan percussionists, apart from appearances in this country (platform concerts, Festivals of Contemporary Music, RTV, recordings for theaters and the Wroclow Pantomine) have also scored notable successes aboard. They gave concerts in Demark (1965), Czechoslovakia (1967), Rumania (1970). Everywhere they were warmly applauded and won favourable notices of the critics. Their participation in the Festival Of Contemporary Music (Berlin 1973) brought them a reward of the music critics.

Moments To Remember - Vincent Lopez - Enoch Light

Malaguena (Ralph-Marie Siegel)

Moments To Remember
Vincent Lopez And His Orchestra
Enoch Light And His Orchestra
Waldorf Music Hall, Inc.
MHK 33-1214

Not many moments to remember on the budget set, however, the album is collectible for the memorable cover photo of Jayne Mansfield.

The set, sold as a Lopez/Light collection, is more of a compilation padded with tracks from other sources.

April In Paris
Soft Summer Breeze
When The White Lilacs Bloom Again
Song For A Summer Night
Canadian Sunset
Port Au Prince
Theme From Three Penny Opera
Lisbon Antiqua
The High And The Mighty
Malaguena
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White
Song From Moulin Rouge

Come With Me To Far Away Places! - Richard Hayman

Madagascar (Stereo)

Come With Me To Far Away Places!
Richard Hayman And His Orchestra
Mercury Wing MGW 12186
1960

Come With Me To Far Away Places!
Richard Hayman And His Orchestra
Mercury Wing SRW 16186 (Stereo)
1963

Nice light pop approach to some of your exotica favorites including Hayman's harmonica cover of Brazil. Check out Hayman's album titled Voodoo!, possibly his best space age effort.

Under Paris Skies
Blue Hawaii
In A Little Spanish Town
Madagascar
In A Chinese Temple Garden
Brazil
In A Persian Market
Santa Lucia
White Cliffs Of Dover
I'm In Love With Vienna

Exotic Strings - Percy Faith

Flamingo

Exotic Strings
The Spellbinding String Magic Of Percy Faith And His Orchestra
Columbia
CL 1902
1962

Faith's stab at cashing in on late 50s, early 60s exotica music trends.

From December 22, 1962 Billboard: The pure silken arrangements of Percy Faith really shimmer on this lush mood package. Romantic would be the word for such delightful background mood offerings as Dancing In The Dark.

Baubles, Bangles and Beads
Poinciana
Dancing In The Dark
Nightingale
The Night Was Made For Love
Chico Bolero
Adios
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Flamingo
Orchids In The Moonlight
My Shawl
All Through The Night

Excitos de Arsenio Rodriguez

Se Formo El Bochinche

Excitos de Arsenio Rodriguez

y su conjunto
Tropical Alta Fidelidad
TRLP 5005
Un Producto De Seeco Records, New York, N.Y.

Here's a somewhat obscure import featuring Arsenio Rodriquez, the Cuban band leader (Marvelous Blind Guy) who developed the son montuno, the basic template of modern-day salsa. Arsenio Rodriguez's wiki page.

Si Me Voy
No Quiero
Besarte Quisiera
Se Formo El Bochinche
Solo Fue Un Sueno
El Dolorsito De Mi China
Hipocresia
Cambia El Paso
Vive En El Recuerdo
Juegame Limpio

Amor, Amor! - Norrie Paramor

The Breeze And I

Amor, Amor!
Great Latin Standards by Norrie Paramor's Orchestra

Produced by Dave Dexter, Jr.

Cover Photo by Chester Maydole
Capitol Records ST10238
1962

This is one of a series of mood recordings Paramor released that features vocal accents by Patricia Clark.

From the back cover: The unique Norrie Paramor sound is here – a large, supple string section, with the haunting soprano voice of Patricia Clark interweaving in a velvety texture of melody.

Come Closer To Me
Amor Amor
Para-Cha-Cha
Baia
Green Eyes
Luna Rossa
Amapola
Always In My Heart
The Breeze And I
Cavaquinho
Sweet And Gentle
You Belong To My Heart

High Wide & Wonderful - Doc Severinsen

Malaguena

High Wide & Wonderful
Doc Severinsen His Trumpet & Orchestra
Arrangements by Lew Davies and Doc Severinsen

Art Director: Charles E. Murphy
Command Records RS 883 SD
1965

It Ain't Necessarily So
Hey, Pretty Pussycat!
I Will Wait For You
Bluesette
Memories Of You
Malaguena
What's New
What's Up, Doc?
Theme From Black Orpheus
The Phantom Trumpet
For Mama
If I Had A Hammer
You Are My Sunshine

Scriabin The Poem Of Ecstasy/Fire

The Poem Of Fire

Scriabin
The Poem Of Ecstasy
Op. 54 (Le Poeme d' Extase) William Vacchiano, Solo Trumpet
The Poem Of Fire
Op. 60 (Prometheus) Leonid Hambro, Solo Piano
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York
Dimitri Mitropoulos, Conductor
Columbia Masterworks
ML 4731

From the back cover: Recorded April, 20 1953, at Columbia's Thirtieth Street Studio, New York City.

Dream Lovers - The Sleepwalk Guitars Of Dan & Dale

Petite Fleur (mono)

I Need You So (Stereo)

Dream Lovers
The Sleepwalk Guitars Of Dan & Dale
Play Hit Songs For A Romantic Mood
Diplomat 2362 & DS-2362

Here's another fine album from the mysterious Dan and Dale. Also check out The Sensational Guitars Of Dan And Dale, The Nearness Of You, Somewhere My Love and The Theme From Hawaii. All the Dan and Dale LPs I've collected feature at least several unique and groovy sounding tracks. This set is a fun listen all the way through.

Petite Fleur
Save The Last Dance For Me
Dream Lover
I Need You So
This Is Magic
Cradle Song
I Almost Lost My Mind
I Love You Truly
Dreamboat
Angel Face

The Sizzling Brass

Eso Es El Amore

The Sizzling Brass
Premier PS-9010

Repacked off-the-self tracks. The engineering is very good for repackaged material. Side one is an odd mixed bag of big band stuff, some of it pretty energetic, some Latin flavored and then... by-way-of-sample... the amazing crazy number you are listening to. Where have I heard this track before? Side two is not so amazing canned big band... totally non-sizzling.

Alan Dale Sings Great American Hits In Italian

Laura

Alan Dale Sings Great American Hits In Italian
Arranged and Produced by Don Costa
United Artists UAL 3091
1960

Here's an album (white label promotion copy) I purchased for the fun "snapshot" cover art. Basically, this is what I call the artist photographed in a "natural" setting, rather than a studio set. I didn't think I would warm up to the music, expecting a more "traditional" approach. However, much to my surprise, Costa's light pop arrangements and Dale's super silky smooth vocals work together to create an unique and inviting period lounge sound.

From the back cover: This album means a great deal to me. Singing in Italian brings back fond memories of the days when I sang with my father in what is known in the East as the "Italian Theatre". My dad, Aristide Sigismondo, was one of the foremost Italian comedians. From the age of nine, until I was fourteen, I sang and acted, in Italian, in many of his shows – on stage and radio. Consequently, I learned to speak, read and write Italian fluently. For many years now, I have wanted to record an album such as this... the great American standards sung with beautiful Italian lyrics and a modern American background – strictly for listening. May I thank Don Costa for having faith in the idea and for his fine arrangements and supervision of the entire date. My parents and I are delighted with the album.

It appears that Dale may have cut his career short by refusing an offer from The Mob which resulted in him being attacked in a night club. He also wrote a "tell-all" book, The Spider And The Marionettes - 1965 in which he ranted on a bit too much for some important folks.

Alan Dale's wiki page

Laura
Paradise
I Surrender Dear
At Last
Over The Rainbow
Don't Blame Me
Stardust
I'm In The Mood For Love
I'm Thru With Love
If I Give My Heart To You
Blue Moon
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White

Flaming Guitar - Jose Motos

Rondena

Flaming Guitar
Jose Motos Plays Flamenco Suite No. 1
Jabo International
Rank Records
JAN 5005
1959

Obscure promotional copy.

From the notes: Jose Motos possesses a mature and distinct technique, through command of the guitar and a virtuoso ability to distinguish between the rhythmic subtleties of the various types of cant flamenco. Twenty-eight year old Motos is known chiefly outside of Spain because of his touring with the Carmen Amaya Company.

The engineering is superb.

Soleares
Morabita
Zapateado
Danza
Rondena
Bulerias
Seguidillas
Huelva
Taranta
Rapsodia

Let's Dance The Bossa Nova - Enoch Light

Big Ben Bossa

Let's Dance The Bossa Nova
Enoch Light And His Orchestra
Arrangements By Lew Davies
Command Records RS 851 SD
1963

Light's more traditional big band approach to the Bossa Nova. Musicians playing on the sample above include Walt Levinsky - alto saxophone, Phil Bodner - piccolo and Stanley Webb - baritone saxophone.

The LP features typical, excellent Command engineering/sound.

Meditation
Tonight
Nola
Days Of Wine And Roses
Big Ben Bossa
I Could Have Dance All Night
Fly Me To The Moon
What Kind Of Fool Am I
O Barquinho
Mi Adorado
Moon River
Blame It On The Bossa Nova

Like_ Bongos

Baia

Like_ Bongos
Conceived And Arranged By Bob Rosengarden and Phil Kraus
Series 2000
Time S/2025
1960

From the inside cover: The group is led jointly by Bob Rosengarden and Phil Kraus, both of whom are among the top free-lance percussionists in New York. During a nine-year stretch on the National Broadcasting Company staff, Rosengarden was seen regularly on the Steve Allen and Ernie Kovacs shows among many others. He does most of the solo bongo work in this set. Kraus, who also served a long apprenticeship in radio and television before going out on his own, plays all the instruments involving mallets – vibes, marimba and xylophone as well as bongos. Handling other percussive sounds are Johnny Pacheco, who specializes in both bongo and conga and Steve Berrios, an expert in all types of Latin American drumming who concentrates on timbales in these numbers. Another essential member with remarkable rapidity from oboe to flute to piccolo to alto and baritone sax.

Other musicians featured on this album include, Al Caiola - guitar, Nick Tagg - keyboards - Frank Carroll - bass.

Taboo
Glow Worm
Mack The Knife
Caravan
Baia
Bongo Frailich
Hawaiian War Chant
Babalu
Monterrey
Bongolina
Yankee Doodle Bongo
Tony's Wife

Love Is Blue - Manny Kellem

And I Love Her

Here, There And Everywhere

Love Is Blue
Manny Kellem His Orchestra
Produced by Manny Kellem
Arranged and Conducted by Al Gorgoni
Epic 26367
1968

From the back cover: The blend is perky, tempting. Stimulating. The sound is sensitive, adroit. Instant personality. It creates a period atmosphere – the distinct period atmosphere of Now, Today.

Adroit! The word that was on the tip of listener's tongues in 1968.

Enjoy the super easy Beatles covers!

The teens are tuned to it. The over-thirtyers are tingling with it.

The Dance Of The Hours

The Dance Of The Hours
And Hungarian Dances
Halo 5075

Budget classical from super budget label, Halo = yawn... great budget cover = impulse to purchase!

Solo - Kai WInding

Playboy's Theme

Solo
Kai Winding
Verve V6-8525
1963

Cover illustration by the up and coming Leroy Neiman. Produced by the inventive Creed Taylor.

From the back cover: Solo serves to re-introduce Kai Winding in an old role – that of an improvising jazzman. It is a departure in that this is the first time Winding has recorded without other front-line horns. He is out there alone, though his excursions are not as extended as those taken at New York's Playboy Club, where he is musical director and "wails" with his group from early in the evening until early in the dawning six evenings a week.

How Are Things In Glocca Morra
Recardo
Playboy's Theme
The Things We Did Last Summer
The Sweetest Sounds
Hey There
I'm Your Bunny Bossa Nova
Days Of Wine And Roses
You've Changed
I Believe In You
Capricious

Penny Lane & Time - Kai Winding

Penny Lane

Penny Lane & Time
Arranged and Conducted by Kai Winding

Produced by Creed Taylor

Cover Design: Acy R. Lehman

Cover Photo: Gartner-Hammerstein

Lighting: Stimulite & Sound, Inc.

Director of Engineering: Val Valentine

Recorded February 2, 9, 13 and March 2, 1967 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Verve V8691
1967

Time and Elanor Rigby: Flute, Alto & Bass Flutes - Daniel Bank; Jerry Dodgion; Hubert Laws; Romeo Penque / Guitar - Joe Beck / Bass - Ron Carter / Drums - Grady Tate

A Man And A Woman and Battle Hymn Of The Republic: Flute, Alto & Bass Flute and Piccolo - Daniel Bank; Hubert Laws; Romeo Penque; Jerome Richardson / Bass - Ron Carter / Drums - Grady Tate / Guitar - Bucky Pizzarelli / Trombones - Kai Winding; Thomas Mitchell; Bill Watrous

Mini-Skirt, Amor Em Paz, A Time For Love: Flute - Alto & Bass Flute - Daniel Bank; Jerry Dodgion, Romeo Penque, Jerome Richardson / Bass - Ron Carter / Drums - Grady Tate / Guitar - Bucky Pizzarelli

Penny Lane, Here There And Everywhere, Amy's Theme, Lugar Bonito: Flute, Alto & Bass Flute and Piccolo - Daniel Bank, Jerry Dodgion, Romeo Penque, Jerome Richardson / Drums - Grady Tate / Guitar - Bucky Pizzarelli / Vibes, Tympani, Triangle, - Warren Smith / Tombones - Kia Winding, Thomas Mitchell, Bill Watrous / Bass - Ron Carter

From the inside cover (gatefold): The same thing is being said by Pinter and Ionesco and Tennessee Williams and Leroi Jones, and Edward Albee, and William Burroughs: a terrifying concert attesting to the lack of communication. Well world, I for one disagree. Is that an act of arrogance? Certainly seems a sin, somehow to disagree. World, I don't think they are listening. And, if they are, then they aren't hearing. I mean, is it possible that they haven't heard the "new" music? Music critic Ralph Gleason recently wrote of this current generation taking the creation of today's music and lyrics out of the hands of the hacks and giving it over to the poets. To Lennon and McCartney (who unfortunately, at times feel compelled to sing what they write). To John B. Sebastian. To Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs. To Antonio Carlos Jobim. To Kai Winding. Penny Lane and Time is a culmination of ideas. New ideas. Its vitality reaches out.

Penny Lane
A Man And A Woman
Here, There & Everywhere
Amor Em Paz
Eleanor Rigby
Lugar Bonito
A Time For Love
Amy's Theme
Mini-Skirt
Battle Hymn Of The Republic

Harp, Skip & Jump - Gene Bianco

Love For Sale

Harp, Skip & Jump
Gene Bianco And His Group
Featuring Mundell Lowe
RCA Camden CAL 452
1958

From Billboard - November 10, 1958: The introduction of a smoothly plucked harp as a jazz instrument comes off rather well in this interesting package. The blend of harp and studio man, Mundell Lowe's guitar, while still maintaining a jaz pattern, imparts an uncommon lightness and refinement to the medium. The combo of familiar items such as "Gigi" and "Stairway to the Stars."

From the back cover: Because he (Bianco) wanted more color and depth in these arrangements than the harp-guitar combination alone could provide, Bianco sought out Joe Venuto whose work on vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, celeste, drums, turned water glasses, Chinese gong and a battery of instrumental oddities added so much color to the unusual arrangements played by the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra.  Check out Venuto in Sauter-Finegan's Under Analysis.

Other session musicians included Don Lamond (Woody Herman's First Herd) - drums and Wendell Marshall (Duke Ellington) - bass.

This is a fine smooth jazz/light pop album. Unfortunately for us (even though there was more money to be made), RCA would soon pressure Bianco into making a number of pure easy listening records.

Harp Skip & Jump
Gigi
In The Still Of The Night
12th Street Rag
September Song
From This Moment On
Love For Sale
Cairo After Dark
Stella By Starlight
Stairway To The Stars
Oh Lady Be Good
I'll See You In My Dreams