Heart & Soul Guitar - Tony Mottola

Lullabye Of The Leaves

Heart & Soul Guitar
Tony Mottola
Originated And Produced By Enoch Light
Cover Art Charles E. Murphy
Project 3 Total Sound PR 5003 SD
1966

Here we have another fabulous Mottola/Light Total Sound album. The engineering, the depth of sound, coming from the grooves is amazing.

Heart And Soul
If He Walked Into My Life
Lullabye Of The Leaves
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Tony's Tune
Little Girl Blue
Georgia
Love Is Here To Stay
Jimmy's Blues
The Gang That Sing Heart Of My Heart
The Impossible Dream

Latin Rhythms - Jan August

Mambo Is In The Air

Latin Rhythms
Jan August
Mercury MG 20274
1957

From Billboard - December 2, 1957: August's piano work on these Latin-styled melodies is listenable fare. However, the package is quite similar to several others. It may have a slight advantage because of the fine reproductions, but it's non-distinquishable otherwise.

Mambo Is In The Air
Where Or When
Jan's Cucaracha
Besame Mucho
Jamboree
Esplanada
Chiqui Chaqui
Perfidia
Without You
El Cumbanchero
Delicado
My Shawl

My Fair Lady - Al Goodman

Wouldn't It Be Lovely (S-82)

My Fair Lady
Al Goodman's Orchestra
With Richard Torigi and Lola Fisher
Spinorama M-82 & S-82
A Product Of Premier Albums, Inc.

My Fair Lady

Played by Al Goodman's Orchestra

With Richard Torigi and Lola Fisher

From The Original Broadway Cast

Diplomat Records (Promenade Records) 2214

From the back cover: Lola Fisher from the original Broadway Cast and understudy to Julie Andrews sings the lead in this recording and is accompanied by Richard Torigi from the cast of The Most Happy Fellow.

Al Goodman, who conducts the orchestra for this recording brings into vision through his orchestral arrangements, a fine conception of My Fair Lady, ever produced. It should be in your collections of albums.

Overture
With A Little Bit Of Luck
Wouldn't It Be Lovely
On The Street Where You Live
I Could Have Danced All Night
The Rain In Spain
I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
Get Me To The Church On Time
I'm An Ordinary Man
Finale

Twisting With The Twist - Jerry Kale And The Spinners

The Hip Twist

Twist Around The Clock

Twisting With The Twist
Jerry Kale And The Spinners
Galaxy Series
Hudson Record
4893

This is an obscure and fun budget twist record. The tracks sound like they come from at least three sources and likely credited to a "factitious" group.

Twisting
Go, Jimmy, Go
The Twist
You Got What It Takes
Red River Twist
The Twist Hop
The Hip Twist
Loving You
Beatin' The Twist
Poison Ivy
Twist Around The Clock
Take A Chance

Paul Dixion

My Kind Of Music
Paul Dixon
25 Of The Greatest Popular Songs Of All Time
Custom Recording By Pickwick International Inc., For Crosley Enterprises Inc.

Host of The Paul Dixon Show - "Lively in color" on WLW (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis).

This is some type of marketing tool for Dixon. He's not actually singing on this record, rather, this is a collection of tracks from well known artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Louis Prima, Mel Trome, etc.

From the back cover: At home, Paul is extremely proud of his large record library, which he used to select the songs for this album.

Dyn-O-Mite Guitar - Billy Strange

Dyn-O-Mite Guitar
Billy Strange
GNP Crescendo GNPS - 2094
1975

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover.

Jaws
Love Will Keep Us Together
The Rockford Files
Star Trek
I Believe I'm Gonna Love You
Dynomite
The Hustle
Samantha
Good, Bad & Ugly
Durango
James Bond Theme

Styles The Great Pop Piano Classics - Jan August

Humoresque

Styles The Great Pop Piano Classics
Jan August
Orchestration by Hal Mooney
Mercury Records MG 20659
1962

The cover screams "budget mood"... but the tracks shout upscale space age pop. For another August sample check out Music For The Quiet Hour.

Computer Generations

Crossings

Computer Generations
Godfrey Winham - N P (Two Pieces For Computer-Synthesized Sound)
Barry Vercoe - Synapse For Viola And Computer
Richard Hoffmann - In Memoriam Patris (1976)
Joel Gressel - Crossings (1976) and P Vibes: Three Canons (1972)
CRI Composers Recordings CRI SD 393
1978

Enjoy a sample from this obscure CRI album.

From the back cover: This recording contains three "generations" of computer composers whose music users three generations of computer music languages. The late Godfrey Winham is recognized as a prime force in the development of computer music – he was responsible of the FORTRAN version of Music IV, the original program developed in 1960 by Max Matthews of Bell Telephone Laboratories. Barry Vercoe was Winham's student at Princeton and there invented a more streamlined language, Music 360, now in wide use. The newer Music - 11 system was developed by Vercoe at M.I.T. Richard Hoffman and Joel Gressel did there work at M.I.T. and Princeton respectively, Hoffman using Vercoe's Music - 11 and Gressel using Music 360.

Let's Dance The Merengue - Pete Balboa

Artistry In Rhythm

Let's Dance The Merengue
Pete Balboa And The Nassau Palms Orchestra
Capitol Records ST1349
1960

From Billboard, May 16, 1960: The orchestra involved provide clear, rhythmic renditions, well and crisply performed. Virtually every selection falls into the category of "familiar favorite." some being of recent origin, while other are derived from the classics. As dance recordings, these (Capitol "dance series") rank among the best whether for learners or experts.

This is a very good album featuring upfront percussion that drives the sound throughout the disc.

Everybody Loves A Loser
Le Secret
Artistry In Rhythm
Arrivederci Roma
Brazilian Hobo
That's Amore
Get Me To The Church On Time
Melody In F
Near You
La Paloma
Marie
Lisbon Antigua

String Quartet - Kirchner & Weinberg

For String & Electronic Tape

Kirchner
String Quartet No. 3
For Strings & Electronic Tape
Beaux - Art Quartet

Wienbreg
String Quartet No. 2
The Composers Quartet

Engineering: Fred Plaut, John Guerriere and Raymond Moore

Cover Design: Lloyd Ziff / Sphere by Robert Bart, from the Sculpture Garden of the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Conn.

Cover Photo: Robin Forbes

Columbia MS 7284
Masterworks
1969

From the back cover: Leon Kirchner's Quartet No. 3 and Henry Weinberg's Quartet No. 2 occupy distinctly dissimilar positions in the contemporary musical spectrum. Kirchner's music is essentially concerned with gesture – the broad sweep of melodic line, the dramatic use of dissonance and silence. Weinberg's emphasis is on method, and it may accurately he said that the method is the material in his work. Kirchner's Quartet employs electronic sounds and contains aural and formal complexities, yet its statements are quickly perceived and grasped by the sophisticated ear.

And The Beat Goes On

Sing Me

Going Out Of My Head

And The Beat Goes On For Physical Education
Kimbo Educational Records & Education Activities
Arranger And Conductor Edward Shahaphy
L. P. Album 5020
1978

Here's another Kimbo four record set which features tunes with voiceover exercise instructions on one side and instrumentals on the flip side. Unlike the later Kimbo release, And The Beatles Go On And On, the voiceover work on this recording is scripted pretty straight forward and the comes across as somewhat annoying. But we are left with a number of lounge-like 70s tunes to enjoy on the instrumental sides.

There is no way for me to verify this, but it sounds like Vincent Bell may have played guitar as a part of this session.

Country Folk - The Holmes Family

I'm Sorry For You

Country Folk
The Holmes Family
MVM Mount Vernon Music 159

From the back cover: Bob Holmes is a former farm boy who in earlier years of his music career used his father's front porch as a stage to entertain neighbors and friends with his guitar playing and singing. He has filled numerous engagements in the Southeastern States where he will be remembered by thousands. His current record release, "Fallen Angel" and "Stolen Love" is currently making the rounds. Bob depends a lot on his wife Lola for assistance in arranging songs and raising their 11 children who are named "Lucky 13" in this album.

You've Got Company
Hurry Up
Man On The Prowl
I'm Sorry For You
Love
I Need A Boy
Tired Of Loving Me
A Kiss Is A Wondrous Thing
Speak To Me Again
Lucky 13
I'm Gonna Have My Few

Lost Love - The Coronet Orchestra

Lost Love
The Coronet Orchestra
MGM Records (Lowe's Inc.)
E3167
1954

Apparently, although hard to find... some or all of these tracks can be found for purchase/download... so I won't be posting a sample. Sorry!

From the back cover: The honor of leading this fine group (The Coronet Orchestra) by the way, by written note and by baton, has fallen to two imaginative young men, two of England's top arranger-conductors: Bruce Campbell and Malcolm Lockyer, who, apart from being tops in their selected fields, are also talented writers of the modern school of "mood music".

I bought this one for the cover art. I expected to hear canned easy listening. But this is a fine stuff that actually does manage to capture a touch of the more flamboyant period "mood music" trends.

Latin Dance Rhythms - Perez Prado And Armand Torres

Dolores

Latin Dance Rhythms
Perez Prado And Armand Torres
Promenade Records 2243

This is a nice record released on a budget label. The record features decent cover art and a good period (late 50s) big band Latin set.

La Clave
El Relicario Cha
Dolores
Mambo El Rainbow
Mambo Frasqita
Samba El Zarabanda
Azuquita Con Leche
Chiquita Mia
Serenata El Amor
Asi Asi
Mamba Fandanco

Calypso Carnival In Hi-Fi - Ernesto San Miguel

Rook-Ombey

Calypso Carnival In Hi-Fi
Ernesto San Miguel
Ernesto San Miguel With Lord Burgess Calypso Carnivaleers
Tops L 1565
1958

Here's another Ernesto San Miguel sample, Day-O, from Caribbean Holiday.

Quad Guitars - Tony Mottola

Classical Gas

Enoch Light Presents
Tony Mottola And The Quad Guitars
Arrangements By Tony Mottola
The Total Sound/Project 3 PR5078 QD
1973

Guitarists include, in addition to Mottola, four heavyweight New York session men, Vinnie Bell, Al Caiola, Don Arone and Al Casamenti. Additional session men include well known space age figures, Dick Hyman, Jule Ruggiero, Ronnie Zito, Derek Smith and Phil Kraus.

Double Enoch Light's typical excellent stereo engineering, make it "quad" and you've got a super treat for your ear.

The blue sticker on the front cover assures buyers that the record will play on "your regular stereo set". Indeed it will, and like most Quad records I find... they play better. This record sounds amazing.

The music still holds onto that 60s Command light pop vibe, but comes across with a touch more of a light jazz feel.

Classical Gas
Sugar Blues
Over The Rainbow
Stage Fright
Moonlight In Vermont
Chicken-A-La Swing
Charade
Galloping Guitars
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Guitar Boogie
All The Things You Are
Paganini's 24th Caper

New Trends - Bazelon, Iansky, Pleskow, Zuckerman & Cross

Three Etudes For Magnetic Tape

American Contemporary
New Trends
Irwin Bazelon - Duo
Paul Iansky - Model Fantasy
Raoul Pleskow - Motete And Madrigal
Mark Zuckerman - Paraphrases
Lowell Cross - Three Etudes For Magnetic Tape
Composer Supervised Recording
Composers Recordings, Inc. CRI SD 342
1975

Featured is the one electronic piece found on the album.

Songs Of The South Seas - Ray Kinney & Ray Rafols

Moon Over Manakoora

Songs Of The South Seas
Ray Kinney And His Hawaiian Orchestra With The Five Aloha Maids
Ray Rafols And His Islanders Plus Other Featured Artists
FDR/Waldorf Music Hall MHK 33-1201

My Little Grass Shack

Song Of The Islands

Song Of Old Hawaii 

Moon Of Manakoora

My Isle Of Golden Dreams

Lovely Hula Hands

Hawaiian War Chant

Hawaiian Paradise

Old Plantation

Beauty Hula

Ua Like No A Like

Kuu Lei