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!
From the back cover: Mbira: Contrary to popular opinion, a variety of musical instruments other than drums exists in Africa, The sansa (a thumb piano or finger xylophone) is native to Africa and is common throughout the continent. It is not known anywhere else except in parts of the Americas, where it was used years ago in place of the bass fiddle. The instrument is made in a variety of styles; the ones used in this selection have a number of metal rattan tongues attached to a sounding ball and box. An additional resonator is used to increase the volume. Each tongue is a simple idiophone which is struck to produce a soft sound like that of a xylophone, but with more of a plucked tone quality. On one of the sans as used, metal pieces are hung from the box handle to add rattling sounds of a different quality. Another instrument used in this selection is the African xylophone, which adds an exciting tonal quality to that of the sansa.
Ayinde
Wasalu
Ire Dodo Ye
Frekoba
Bethelehemu
Mbira
Omo Pupa
Alose
The Music Of Les Baxter
Don Tiare And His Orchestra Exotique
Mercury Records MG 20845
1963
From the back cover: Don Tiare is an international performer whose expressive combo is an familiar in Bangkok as in Bordeaux, as comfortable in Nikko as in Nice, and as suited to the dinner jacket of the London Savoy as to the pareu on the beaches of Tahiti. Long an admirer of the unique Les Baxter creations, he asked the composer to write some original pieces for this album; and those, along with such Baxter standards as Quite Village, Bangkok Cockfight and Crickets Of Karachi, make up a dazzling and somewhat intoxicating tour of the far away places.
If I could tell, from the cover notes, which tunes Baxter apparently wrote for this LP I would post one as a sample.
Quite Village kicks off the album and sounds good, but the vibe is very close to close to Baxter's version. Soon the album takes on a more personal sound that, I assume, reflects Tiare who must play piano on the album(?). I can't find any real info on the man. But the piano seems to be the featured instrument whose sound rings in a strong shimmering fashion over the other instruments. Some of the tunes are pretty jazzy.
The engineering is excellent featuring a rich low end. A terrific listen over all.
Quite Village
Bankok Cockfight
Sampan Landing
Crickets Of Karachi
Girl Behind The Bamboo Curtain
River Of Dreams
Cockatoo
Sunrise At Kowloon
Jacaranda
Jungle Trail
Corazon
Quai Bir Hackeim
From Russia With Love
The Pink Panther
Orchestra Conducted By Richard Lindsey
Diplomat
DS 2324
The two titles that appear on this great cheesecake cover are good space age fun. The rest of the album plays like tracks recorded for another easy listening project.
From Russia With Love
A Very Special Love
Theme From Apartment
Happy Anniversary
Pink Panther
Teacher, Teacher
It's Not For Me To Say
Tunes Of Glory
A Presentation (Concert) Of Progressive Jazz
Stan Kenton And His Orchestra
Capitol Records T172
1947 was the recording date for the original tracks (from the back cover). Also from the back cover: Come Rain Of Come Shine, Theme For Alto were recorded in Hollywood in 1951. So, I take it that this is an early 50s reissue with the two tracks, as mentioned above, plus the tracks titled Introduction To A Latin Rhythm and Thermopolae added to fill out this 12 inch pressing. The original tracks were apparently issued as a four record EP set and a Capitol 10 inch (L172). There is also a reference to Kenton's City Of Glass project.
Also from the back cover: Kenton's Progressive Jazz has its roots firmly and deeply planted in three widely separated areas of music, all almost equally important. The extreme atonal and polytonal ideas of Bela Bartok and Stravinsky from the harmonic face of Stan's music, augmented by the individualized approach of Pete Rugolo, who was influenced and trained by the great French modernist, Darius Milhaud. Afro-Cuban rhythms and sound from the second important facet in Kenton music; the third face is just as definitely etched, and is known as plain big band jazz, with a swing all its own.
June Chirsty did the vocals on the sample above and Lonely Woman and Come Rain or Come Shine.
Personel:
1947 Session:
Saxes - Bob Cooper, Bob Gioga, George Weidler, Warner Weider (on Monotony only), Art Pepper (on Monotony, Elegy and Fugue only), Frank Paparelli
Trumpets - Chico Alvarez, Buddy Childers, Ken Hanna, Al Porcino, Ray Wetzel
Trombones - Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, Milt Bernhart, Harry Forbes, Bart Varsalona
Guitar - Laurindo Almeida
Bass - Eddie Safranski
Bongos - (out on Fugue) Jack Costanzo
Latin Rhythm - (on Impressionism, Lament and Fugue only) Rene Touzet, Jose Luis Manual, Frank Grillo, Carlos Vidal (last three men on Cuban Carnival and last two on Latin Rhythm)
Drums - Shelly Manne
1951 Session:
Saxes - Bart Cladarell, Bob Cooper, Bob Gioga, Art Pepper, Bud Shank
Trumpets - Maynard Ferguson, John Howell (on Theme For Alto only) Chico Alvarez, Ray Wetzel, Shorty Rogers (on Rain Or Shine only), Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, John Coppola
Trombones - Harry Betts, Dick Kenney, Bob Fitzpatrick (on Theme For Alto only) Milt Bernhart, Bart Varsalona (on Rain Or Shine only), Bill Russo, George Roberts
Tuba - (on Rain Or Shine only) Stan Fletcher
Bass - Don Bagley
Guitar - Ralph Blaze
Drums - Shelly Manne
Stan Kenton plays piano and conducts on all selections.
Cuban Carnival
Monotony
Lonely Woman
Lament
Thermopolae
Theme For Alto
Impressionism
Elegy For Alto
This Is My Theme
Fugue For Rhythm Section
Introduction To A Latin Rhythm
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover art.
From the back cover: In "Perez" two sides of the fabulous "King of the Mambo" are presented. One features Prado interpreting Latin rhythms as only he and his musical aggregation can. The other side of Prado is not as familiarly known but is sure to be equally appreciated, for it reveals that Perez Prado is a jazz impresario of the first order.
Terrific cover art and tight sounding set. The "jazzy" B side does not sound stylistically much different from the A side.
Also released by RCA in 1958 on tape.
Maria Bonita Cu-Cu-Rru-Cu-Cu Paloma La Borrachita (I'll Never Love Again) Machaca Adio Mi Chaparraita (Goodbye My Little Angel) Marta Lullaby Of Birdland Flight Of The Bumblebee Leo's Social Come Back To Sorrento (Torna a Sorrento Fireworks
Exciting Sounds Of The South Seas
Leo Diamond
His Harmonica And Orchestra
Reprise R9-6002
1961
Available online for purchase/download, so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry.
I enjoyed the cover art on this album which seems advanced for 1961. Credits go to Paula Powers and Merle Share.
The song titles on the LP are some of my favorite "exotic" standards from the period, including Beyond The Reef, Pagan Love Song and Hawaiian Wedding Song. However pleasant and not to slight Diamond, the vibe here is too easy listening for me. Diamond made more progressive records that spoiled me including Skin Diver Suite - RCA LPM-1165, 1956.
South Sea Island Magic
Lovely Hula Hands
Beyond The Reef
Breein' Along With The Breeze
Polynesian
Pagan Love Song
My Isle Of Golden Dreams
Ukulele Lady
Under A Blanket Of Blue
How Is The Hour
Hawaiian Wedding Song
Far Away Places
One Of Those Songs
The Fluegel Knights
Produced by Bob Thompson
Music Director: Dick Behrke
Recording Engineer: Frank Laico
Cove Design by Forlenza Benosa Associates
Photography by Charles Keddie
Rerecording Engineer: Paul Goodman
MTA Records MTS 5014
MTA Productions, Ltd.
1968
One Of Those Songs
Cabaret
The Crusaders
Everybody Loves My Baby
Horn Duey
Castle Holiday
In The Still Of The Night
Camelot
Miniskirt Waltz
Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf
A Lover's Concerto
The Big Band Of Shorty Rogers
Featuring The Giants With Carlos Vidal And Modesto
RCA Victor LSP-1763 & LPM-1763
1958
From the back cover: This album is the result of collaboration by Carlos Vidal, Modesto Duran and myself. The three of us have always been fascinated by the richness, the moods, the color, the variety and the often wild excitement that Afro-Cuban music generates. An earlier experiment produced an album called Voodoo Suite (LPM-1101). In Wuayacanjanga Suite, once again we freely borrow from, and made use of, the thrilling music which, in its many forms, this country imported to its shores and eagerly adopted.
Contrasts
The Provocative Musical Genius Of Toots Thielemans And His Orchestra
Originated and Produced by Loren Becker and Robert Byrne
Command Records RS 906 SD
1966
From the back cover: He (Thielemans) is a virtuoso guitarist with a brilliant style that is all his own... a composer (he wrote the unforgettable Bluesette) who bubbles with delightfully irresistible melodies... a pioneering master of the harmonica, creator of a superb jazz style ...a whistler who has turned this common, everyday practice into a full-fledged part of his musical arrangements.
This jacket is a single cover (the more typical Command jacket from this period is a book-fold style).
The content supports the title and cover theme. The album features more of an overall jazz vibe which is slightly different than much of what was coming out of Command at the time.
Big Boy
Sweet Georgia Brown
Yesterday And Today
So Nice
Sweet And Lovely
Spanish Flea
Makin' Whoopee
Royal Garden Blues
Bluesette
Blue Lady
You Brought A New Kind Of Love To MeCherokee
Exotic Suite Of The Americas
Perez Prado
And Six Other Prado Sound Spectaculars
RCA LSP 2571
1962
Side one of this album features the Exotic Suite. Side two is billed on the back cover as: Prado offers six thrilling new sound spectaculars dressed in the same colorful and inimitable Prado treatment... still more of the exotic music of the Americas.
Well... no, side two features tracks that sounds like Prado doing 60s Command style discotheque. Aside from a few trademark Prado grunts... I had to look at the record label to make sure that the correct record came out of the jacket and the artist was Prado. The vibe is so far removed from the cover graphic and the content heard on side one... well... it's just strange.
The content heard on side one better reflects the outstanding cover graphic although I still had a hard time getting into the groove of the "suite". The sample above, thankfully is awesomely "exotic". Other passages on side one, to me, do not to support the suggested cover theme or work together all that well.
Still, how can you beat the excellent cover art and Uamanna Aftricano? The tracks on side two are cool light pop even although you may need to make some adjustments to your expectations to consume them.
Theme Of Two Worlds
Amoha
Criollo
Theme Of Two Worlds
Uamanna Africano
Blues in C Major
Theme Of Two Worlds
Midnight In Jamaica
Mama Yo Quiero
Son Of A Gun
Jacqueline & Caroline
El Relicario
I Could Have Danced All Night
Dynamic Adventures In Sound
Exploring Uncharted Patterns Of Sound
A Spectacular Musical Extravaganza
Architecturally Constructed To Induce The Maximum In Audio Sensation
Arranged And Conducted By Mel Henke
Warner Bros. BS 1447
1962
From the back cover: Recording companies are always on the lookout for new and exciting artists with exceptional creative talents. This is a perfect description of arranger-composer Mel Henke, who is being presented by Warner Bros. Records for the first time. Henke has been known to a select group of fans who have followed his work as a pianist in Chicago and Los Angeles for the past 25 years. This album will be a showcase for Henke's dynamic and humorous approach to orchestral arranging. He calls upon his background as a jazz and classical pianist who was featured in the past on many of our leading radio and television shows. The Henke style of piano was exhibited on the George Gobel TV shows, the Bing Crosby radio show, and in Europe with Garry Moore's "Take In Or Leave It" programs. In recent years, he has become the leading composer-arranger for exciting new concepts in musical TV commercials that have stormed the country.
I've got several albums in The Stereo Workshop Series. Jackets feature the same basic cover design that promises (based on period design trends) a sound more akin to progressive electronic or avant grade. However, Warner Bros. delivers straight forward light pop, more like a Command offering (which this book-fold seems to take after). The concept really, is to market Warner Bros. stereo engineering to buyers, rather than any type of real experimental sound. The engineering is good with a full rich bass low end.
Adventures With A TV Western – William Tell On The Hoof
Adventures On The Vadeville Stage – Me And My Shadow
Adventure At The Circus – Flying Trapeze
Adventure In The Alps – Little Sir Echo
Adventure On The Carnival Midway – Every Little Movement & Streets Of Cairo
Adventure On The Lake – Row, Go, Go, Your Boat
Adventure In The Back Forty – Old MacDonald Had A Girl
Adventure In The Steaming Tropics – Exotic Adventure
Adventure On The Mason-Dixion Line – South Meets North
Adventure On The Rails – Sentimental Journey
Adventure Of Two Swinging Kids – Jack And Jill Went Over The Hill
Adventure On The Highway – See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet
Fly Me To The Sun
Les Reed And His Orchestra
Deram DES 18007
1967
From the back cover: This album springs from a recent stay in South America. Listening to the fascinating rhythms to be heard in Brazil, combining this first-hand experience with his pervious enthusiasm for the best in pop songs, and using his gift for writing for string so that they sound fresh but emotional, Les Reed has created a series of arrangements in which atmosphere and good taste combine with good humor and sheer get-up-and-dance enchantment.
The Velvet Beat
David Rose And His Orchestra
MGM Records T-90754
From the back cover: Ask any alert schoolgirl to identify the numbers in this album and you'll begin to get the idea behind it. In simple fact, the music that David Rose has chosen to interpret is the music of our young generation.
It is no longer even generically accurate to term the music of the young "rock and roll," though most youngsters do. To them it is of no real importance what their music is called; it just better be played the way they like to hear it.
In acting on producer Jesse Kaye's conception of this album, David Rose in a way was taking the tiger by the tail. If he undertook to record rock 'n roll tunes, would he possibly alienate his adult audience of millions who have identified him with Holiday For Strings and its many successors over the years? On the other side, would he reach the millions of kids who identify their music with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher and the rest?
Satisfaction
King Of The Road
Mr. Tambourine Man
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
I Can't Stop Loving You
All I Really Want To Do
What's New Pussycat
Are You Sincere
Downtown
The Great Pretender
Mae
And I Love Her
Music To Read James Bond By
Cover: Frank Gauna
United Artists Records
UAL 3415 & UAS 6415
1965
From the back cover: The artists represented – each a major figure in the music world – offer their interpretations of the Bond scene, and such giants as Ferrante and Teicher, Perez Prado, John Barry, The La Playas, Sir Julian, Al Caiola, Monty Norman, Shirley Bassey, LeRoy Holmes and Dick Ruedebusch are singularly winning with repertoire composed especially for the Bond flicks, or music in the James Bond mood.
The James Bond Theme - From Film "Dr. No"
Monty Normany Ferrante & Teicher
007 - From Film "From Russia With Love"
John Barry
Underneath The Mango Tree - From Film "Goldfinger"
John Barry
Black On Pink
LeRoy Holmes/Sir Julian
Goldfinger - From Film "Goldfinger"
John Barry/Perez Prado
Living It Up
LeRoy Holmes/The Leasebreakers
From Russia With Love - From Film "From Russia With Love"
Lionel Bart/Al Caiola
Jamaica Jump Up - From Film "Dr. No"
Monty Norman
Goldfinger - From Film "Goldfinger"
Leslie Biscusse - Anthony Newley - John Barry - Shirley Bassey
Golden Girl
LeRoy Holmes
Girl Trouble - From Film "From Russia With Love"
