The Great Singalong Album

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

The Great Singalong Album
Platinum IV #778A Vol. 1

Is this early karaoke? I have no idea... I only know that listening to the entire two record set may induce insanity. To avoid possible legal issues (don't blame me if you go nuts), I will be posting only a single example.

Direct From England - The Temperance Seven

Falling In Love Again

Direct From England
The Temperance Seven
Those Popular Gentlemen
Kapp Records KS-3287
1962 (Recording first published in 1961)

Featured today is a somewhat obscure LP. I listen to a lot of records and even though I enjoy them all for one reason or another... only occasionally will an album will jump out grab me as this one did.

The album features bright and sophisticated 20s styled arrangements presented with humor. Everything works. The engineering is excellent.

From the back cover: The musical arrangements for this recording were made by Josef Kronk, one of whose more corporeal manifestations can be detected at the keyboard in Falling In Love Again and Autumn Leaves. Recording details were in the hands of George Martin who, acceding to the band's requests, installed a single microphone recording system to enable them to achieve the correct period sound they desired.

The group stayed together from about 1955 through the mid-60s.

Read more about The Temperance Seven on their wiki page.

The Certain Party
Hard-Hearted Hannah
Dinah
Sugar
Black Bottom
Chili Bom Bom
Everybody Loves My Baby
Home In Pasadena
Vo-Do-Do-De-O Blues
Falling In Love Again
The Charleston
Tiger Rag

Convoy 20 Of Today's Hits

Rock And Roll All Night

Love Roller Coaster

Mahogany

Convoy
20 Of Today's Hits
Homestead Records 1005
1975

Homestead released a number of budget studio albums that featured covers of popular tunes.

Adventures In Paradise - Volume 1

Paoa - Teroratua And His Tahitians

Adventures In Paradise
Inspired by The ABC TV Network Program
"Adventures In Paradise" Produced By 20th Century Fox
ABC Paramount ABC-329
1960

First of three ABC "Adventures In Paradise" releases featuring these artists (ABC-329, ABC-359, ABC-414)

From Billboard - May 23, 1960: This can have special appeal at the moment as a sort of memorial to the late Alfred Apaka. Apaka's well-known Island vocal style and therein included are "Harbor Lights" and "Blue Hawaii." Also in the package are good Hawaiian-Polynesian instrumental material by the Islanders, Roy Smeck's group and Terorotua and his Tahitians. Pleasant, dreamy set.

Adventures In Paradise
Ka-Lu-A
The Moon Of Manakoora
Vahine Taumotu
Isle Of Samoa
Harbor Lights
Tahitian Nights
Blue Hawaii
Paradise
Paoa
Pagan Love Song
My Isle Of Golden Dreams

Artistry In Bossa Nova - Stan Kenton

Artistry In Bossa Nova

Artistry In Bossa Nova 

From The Creative World Of Stan Kenton

Produced by Lee Gillette

Photo: Elliott Erwitt
Capitol Records T1931
1963

Personnel:

Leader-Arranger: 

Stan Kenton

Saxophones:

Gabe Baltazar - Alto (lead)

Steve Marcus - Tenor

Ray Florian - Tenor

Jack Nimitz - Baritone

Joel Kaye - Bass

Trumpets:

Dalton Smith (lead)

Bud Brisbois

Conte Candoli

Bob Behrendt

Bob Rolfe

Trombones:

Bob Fitzpatrick (lead)

Kent Larsen

Gilbert Falco

Bass Tombones:

Dave Wheeler

Jim Amiotte

Mellophoniums:

Dwight Carver (lead)

Joe Burnett

Bob Crull

Tony Scodwell

Latin Percussion:

Frank Guerrero

Milt Holland

Bass:

Don Bagley

Drums:

Dee Barton

Notes: Larry Bunker in for Holland on Interlude, Concerto To End, All Concertos, Brasilia, Kentonova

From the back cover: The rhythmic fascination of Latin-American music, complemented by the expressive force of the Kenton orchestra, is a familiar combination to jazz aficionados. Yet these twelve Kenton instrumentalists – some old, some new, all scored by Stan in bossa nova rhythms – are as refreshing as a cool rum drink on a hot afternoon. The reason: the sum of Kenton and bossa nova adds up to even more than its parts.

Even before 1949, the year Stan Kenton vacation in South America, a composition by Stan and Pete Rugolo entitled Machito gave an indication of the exciting influence Latin music was to have on Kenton eras to come. But the listening and studying that Stan did during that six months visit sealed the issue, and ever since the Latin sound has been prevalent among Kenton arrangements.

It is not surprising then that when Stan's 40-piece string-oriented orchestra made its debut at the Los Angeles Philharmonic on January 30th, 1950, its repertoire included three original compositions but the famed Brazilian concert guitarist, Laurindo Almeida, who had joined the Kenton band in 1948. Even then, Stan was feeling the importance of including in the band's library segments of the form we now, thirteen years later, have come to call bossa nova.

Here now is the way the band plays it in 1963... subtle rhythms and a powerhouse orchestra... twelve of Stan's finest arrangements yet... Stan Kenton's "Artistry In Bossa Nova."

From Billboard, June 15, 1963: For you folks that are over 25, Stan Kenton has brought his "Artistry" trade-name up to date with this bossa set. The album kicks off with the theme, "Artistry In Rhythm," done in the new Brazilian style and a good many of the old Kenton favorites: "Opus In Pastel," "Painted Rhythm," "Jump For Joe," "Artistry In Bokro," "Eager Beaver," as well as a fistful of new ones. The big Kenton sound and bossa fit just fine.

Artistry In Rhythm

Opus In Chartreuse

Interlude

Kentonova

Eager Beaver

Concerto To End All Concertos

Brasilia 

Painted Rhythm

Opus In Pastels

Jump For Joe

Loco-Nova

Artistry In Bossa Nova

World's Greatest Accordion Hits - Dominic Caruso

Claire De Lune

The World's Greatest Accordion Hits
By The Continent's Greatest Accordion Virtuoso Dominic Caruso
Somerset SF-31600

Recorded in Milan under the direction of D. L. Miller

Budget, but above average and better than the cover art implies.

Tango Elena
Tango Continental
Musetta's Waltz
Prago Tarantella
Funiculi, Funicula
Clarire De Lune
O Sole Mio
Santa Lucia
Facination
La Golodrina
Dark Eyes
La Paloma

Ferrante And Teicher With Percussion

Aflame

Ferrante And Teicher With Percussion

Produced by Joe Malin in Collaboration with Don Costa

Engineers: Al Weintraub, Art Leigh, Phil Macy, Sol Kessler

Design: F. Scott / F. Schutz

Photo: R. DeCarava
ABC - Paramount ABCS-248
1958

Percussion: Philip Kraus, Milton Schlesinger, Ted Sommer - Bass: Pat Merola

From the back cover: About Ferrante - One of four children, Arthur Ferante was born in New York City in a family richly endowed with musical talent. Besides his brother and two sisters, Arthur's father was a well-known professional musician until recently and, as Arthur states it, "there have been musicians on both sides of the family all the way back."

With this sort of background and lineage, it isn't too surprising to learn that young Ferrante began picking out melodies on the piano at the age of 2! When he was but 5 years old, he began his formal music study with a private teacher, who insisted that the child concentrate on sol feggio for three months before allowing him to touch a note on the keyboard. A scant eight months later, the tot played in public for the first time in a student recital, when he performed the First Movement of the D Major Concerto by Haydn and Fur Elise by Beethoven. 

A year later, Mama Ferrante insisted that the boy being his study of complete music theory, and Art was given a test for the Juilliard Preparatory Center. The result of the test so amazed the examining board, that he was awarded a full scholarship to Juilliard – which continued until he was 21! During his years at Juilliard, Ferrante won every award he famed school had to offer, including the Loeb Memorial Fund Prize, the coveted Coolidge Chamber Music Award for Composition and many other distinctions for all phases of his studies.

Later, he was invited to join the faculty at Juilliard, and served on the staff unto 1948, when he teamed with Teicher for the real beginning of their joint career(s)...

About Teicher - Unlike his partner, Ferrante, Louis Teicher has no musical heritage to claim for his own great talent. His brother and sister showed signs of an interest by studying for a time, but neither displayed the usual gift which he possesses.

The Teicher precocity became evident when he (like Ferrante) started his piano performing at 2, picking out familiar melodies on the keyboard. Two years later – a 4 – he began his piano studying under private's tutelage in his home town of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and continued thus for a year. Brought to New York for the Juilliard Preparatory Center test, he was hailed as a prodigy and was granted a full scholarship, which remained in force until 1945. So impressed were the faculty heads with his talent, that they made arrangements for him to attend grammar school for a half-day only for the whole of his elementary schooling years, arranging for whatever private tutorship seemed necessary. His progress in the Juilliard school was so remarkable that he was graduated at the age of 15 – one of the youngest students to have finished the curriculum in the history of the institute. During his course of study, he received the Schirmer Gold Medal for Highest Musical Attainment, one of the most coveted honors bestowed at Juilliard.

In the fall of 1944, Teicher became a post-graduate as a conducting major and was appointed to the faculty to instruct in theory. He continued in this capacity until October, 1947, when he made his appearance with Ferrante as duo-piano soloists with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and the team was roundly acclaimed.

At the beginning of his post-graduate work in '44, Teicher accepted the offer to play in the pit orchestra of the Broadway hit musical, Song Of Norway, playing all of the solo piano passages. Nothing of value of popular music long before this, he also headed his own piano-violin-cello trio at the exclusive Ritz-Carlson Hotel, where he was able to experiment with his own ideas and theories in embellishing the pop form. In January of 1948, he teamed with Ferrante for the permanent association that has distinguished them as the most outstanding and unique duo-pianists of our time.

Also from the back cover: As is the rule with all their recording sessions, the studio was barred to all visitors and observers during these dates. Only the recording director and the engineers are ever allowed in the control room, and only the two artists are present in the studio proper. The engineer, incidentally, is carefully instructed and trained by Ferrante and Teicher to make certain he is never shocked by the resultant sounds issuing from his monitor speaker. His qualifications, according to the team, merely require that he be "a first-class idiot!" (Needless to say, this is a modest summation by the two pianists and the engineer on any F & T session usually revels in the goings-on with keen delight).

From Billboard, November 10, 1958: Here come Ferrante and Teicher, the unique duo-piano team, again! This time they're backed by quartet of ace percussionists who help the two keyboarders provide versions of "How High The Moon," Beyond The Blue Horizon," and "The Nearness Of You" you never heard before. A cute novelty, faintly like "Doodletown Fifers" is their own "Parade Of The Bobbies"

How High Is The Moon
The Nearness Of You
Che Si Dice
Temptation
Three O'Clock In The Morning
Va Va Voom
Beyond The Blue Horizon
Aflame
Get Out Of Town
Paraded Of The Bobbies
Yesterdays
Cielito Lindo

The Capitol Disc Jockey Album September 1969

The Last Thrill

Bucklehuggin

Where Do I Go

The Capitol Disc Jockey Album
September 1969

Promotional sampler.

There is some good 60s vibe stuff on this LP. Kenton's tracks and the two Fourth Way fusion jazz tracks are interesting and obscure. Even Mel Torme's tracks are groovy. However, The Last Thrill - Jan Rubini wins The Atomic Attic Groove Example. Also check out Stan Kenton's cover of Where Do I Go from his album Hair. I need to go find a copy of that album... that track features a weird blend of light pop and downer lyrics...

Didn't We - Glen Campbell
Where Do I Go - Stan Kenton
The Next Man I Marry - Ingrid and Jim Croce
Theme From Summer Place - Jan Rubini
A Time For Us - Mel Torme
Clouds - The Fourth Way
Gotta Travel On - Glen Campbell
Aquarius - Stan Kenton
Age - Ingrid and Jim Croce
The Last Thrill - Jan Rubini
Happy Together - Mel Torme
Bucklehuggin - The Fourth Way

Trumpet Pickin - Jim Collier

Whenever I'm Feeling Low

Trumpet Pickin
Featuring Jim Collier
Wyncote W9156
1966

Budget light pop brass that features a few groovy 60s flavored tracks.

Trumpet Pickin
Skillet Lickin
Anymore
Go Tell My Baby
Chills
Cotton Candy
Sugar Lips
A Farewell
Little Quickie
Whenever I'm Feeling Low

The Jet Set Ports Of Call - Milton Rogers

Azziza

The Jet Set Ports Of Call
Milton Rogers and His Orchestra
Time Records
Series 2000 S/2202
1966

This is a smart set of space age tracks. The title "Ports Of Call" create a theme that allows for unique arrangements to be built on the foundation of more traditional ethic music (French, Italian, etc.). So there is a lot of variation to enjoy, but yet the sound is firmly set in the space age and the music flows nicely from track to track almost, but not exactly like a concept album.

Palm Canyon Drive
Chunga, Au Go Go, Chunga
Freres Jacques
Alouette
Cielito Lindo
Ah Marie
Torna A Surriento
Azziza
La Paloma
Port Said
Dengoza Samba

Today's Golden 12 Top Hits

Cannon Ball

Call Me

Today's Golden 12 Top Hits
Design Records PH-11

Budget covers album.

Chipmunk Song
Beep - Beep
To Know Him Is To Love Him
Problems
One Night
That Old Black Magic
Bimbombey
A Lover's Question
Cannon Ball
Call Me
Love Is All We Need
The World Outside

Double Shot - The Mariachi Brass

Red Rubber Ball

Double Shot

The Mariachi Brass
Featuring Chet Baker
Arranger: George Tipton

Producer: Richard Bock

Engineer: Bruce Botnick

Art Direction: Woody Woodward

Cover Photography: Peter Whorf
World Pacific WPS-1852

A Product Of Liberty Records
1966

From Billboard - September 3, 1966: Combining the popular brass sounds of today with the jazz feel of Chet Baker performing recent pop hits, this package should meet with the sales success of the initial "Taste Of Tequila" album. Standouts include "Red Rubber Ball" and "Green Grass."

Dancing In The Street
Ring Of Fire
Yesterday's Gone
Danke Schoen
The Blue Dove
Red Rubber Ball
When You're Smiling
Enamorado
Agua Caliente
Wheels
But Not Today
Green Grass

A Tribute To John Lennon By 101 Strings

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

A Tribute To John Lennon By 101 Strings

Alshire S-5380
1980

I celebrate the addition of my 101st follower by posting a fab sample from this relatively obscure 101 Strings which was release after Lennon's death in 1980.

There are a fair number of 101s that are great fun to collect. This is one of them. Sure... for the most part, the arranger struggles to interpret classic Beatles tunes and... die hard Lennon fans must have recoiled to Alshire profiting off his death like this. The sound is somewhat dated by 1980s standards. However, we enjoy light pop and curious approaches to well known pop songs up here in The Attic no matter what the date or circumstances.

Jimmy & Marion McPartland Play TV Themes

Peter Gunn

Jimmy & Marion McPartland
Play TV Themes
Design Records DLP 144
1960

From the back cover: This is the second long playing record that Jimmy and Marian McPartland have made together.

Marion McPartland Interview.

The engineering is very good on this Design press.

Jimmy McPartland - Trumpet, Marian McPartland - Piano, Manhattan Red - Trombone (Manhattan Red is the pseudonym of one of the world's greatest trombonists. Due to contractual obligations, his real name could not be used on this album), Andy Fitzgerald - Clarinet, Ben Tucker - Bass, Mousy Alexander - Drums and Dick Cary - Mellophone. Arrangements - Aul Hedd

I-M-4-U
Sentimental Journey
Mystery March
Mr. Lucky
Peter Gunn
Londonderry Air
Thanks For Dropping In
Bat Masterson

For Once In My Life - O. C. Smith

Hey Jude

For Once In My Life
O. C. Smith
Columbia CS 9786
1969

This is Smith's follow-up to his "Little Green Apples" LP.

Isn't It Lonely Together
For Once In My Life
Hey Jude
Wichita Lineman
Promises
I Ain't The Worryin' Kind
Melodee
Stormy
Cycles
Keep On Keepin' On
Sound Of Goodbye