South American Holiday - Dick Contino - David Carroll

Brazil

Brazil (stereo)

South American Holiday
Dick Contino With The Davide Carroll Orchestra
Mercury Records
MG 20668 & SR 60668
1962

From Billboard - July 7, 1962: Dick Contino's work is one of the finest examples of accordion playing with orchestra on disk. As blended with the Davide Carroll ork on a group of Latin-American standards with authentic Latin flavor.

Sweet And Gentle
Brazil
Come Closer To Me
Delicado
Brazillian Polka
A Media Luz
Adios Mu Cha Cha
Tico Tico
Ay, Ay, Ay
Mamae Eu Quero
Caminito
Down Argentina Way

Hit Songs Sounds - George Cates

Ghost Guitar

Estrellita

Hit Songs - Hit Sound
George Cates / Arrangements by George Cates
Featuring Neil Le Vang on Guitar
Dot DLP 3564 (mono)
1964

This is another fine light pop album by George Cates who worked, many years, for Lawrence Welk.

While "Ghost Guitar" isn't representative of the set's "sonic vibe" it does represent the general vibrance and humor of the arrangements. I posted a second sample so that you can better hear the work of the featured guitarist.

Also see Polynesian Percussion & Exciting 

Clair De Lune
The Breeze And I
The Peanut Vendor
Green Eyes
Yearning
Sabre Dance
Ghost Guitar
Estrellita
Anna
Cuando Calienta El Sol
El Macheech
Amapola

Around The World - The Blue Ribbon Strings

Midnight In Moscow

Around The World
The Blue Ribbon Strings
BRS-7010

Nice budget lush stings LP that appears to be an actual studio set recorded for this project rather than a compilation of stock tracks.

Moon River
Sukiyaki
Mondo Cane
Afrikaan Beat
Midnight In Moscow
Hava Nagila
Petite Fleur
Lisbon Antigua
Barcarola
Granada

Sentimental Journey - The Royalaires

This Love Of Mine

Sentimental Journey
The Royalaires Of India Temple - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Benson Sound LPS-344

Sentimental Journey
Whispering
Birth Of The Blues
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
The Way You Look Tonight
Moonlight Serenade
Jumpin' At The Woodside
Woodchopper's Ball
This Love Of Mine
Sugar Blues
The Preacher

Moon Of The Southern Seas - Haunani

Tangi Tahiti

Moonlight And Shadows

Moon Of The Southern Seas
Romantic Songs Of The Islands By Haunani
Recorded in Hawaii by Webley Edwards
Capitol Records
T1381
1960

This LP is terrific and made that way, in no small part, by the arrangers who found ways to make the album more than just another "Hawaiian" set by showcasing or "blending" Haunani's big deep lush voice with creatively simple but effective period mood flavored arrangements.  The engineering is also excellent.

From the back cover: The accompaniment for Haunani was first arranged by three of the most experienced arrangers in the island – Clem Low, Ben Kalama and Webley Edwards – and the touch of all three is evident in most of the songs. Yet, in some instances, as Haunani and the singers and musicians suddenly improvised to different, sometimes simpler but even more expressive ways of singing. One example is the song Tangi Tahiti, where Haunani instinctively turns momentarily from English to pure Tahitian, the better to express herself.

From Billboard - June 13, 1960: The deep-voiced Hawaiian thrush sings with rich simplicity and heart on a group of varied themes, ranging from the Polynesian beat of "Tangi Tahiti" and "Liliu E" an enduring Hawaiian chant-song to "Bali Ha'i and – in French – "J'Attendrai."

Beyond The Rainbow
Tangi Tahiti
Liliu E
Moon Of The Southern Seas
J'Attendrai
Ukulele Lady
Moonlight And Shadows
Marcelle Wahine
Bali' Ha'i
Paoakalani
Hola E Pae
I'll Be Seeing You

Hollywood Hits For Dancing - Ernie Heckscher

St. Louis Blues

Hollywood Hits For Dancing
Ernie Heckscher
Verve Records
V-4047
1961

From the back cover: Ernie and his music have become as integral a part of the San Francisco scene as Nob Hill And The Golden Gate Bridge. His band had been a fixture at the fabulous Fairmont Hotel for 13 years and Ernie has supplied music for dancing as well for the stars who play the Venetian Room, including such greats as Edith Piaf, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat Cole, Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte, to name just a few.

From Billboard - May 29, 1961: Here's another collection of old film tunes with strong appeal for movie fans and ballroom terpers. Herkscher, a fixture at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, wraps up a flock of great old picture themes in bright, danceable arrangements. Tunes include "How About You," Larua," "Over The Rainbow" "Second Time Around," and "Cheek To Cheek." Effective cover give album good display value.

The color graphic on the back cover is an "Andy Johnston's Record Room At The Fairmont" sticker.

You Are My Lucky Star, How About You, Something's Gotta Give
Never On A Sunday
St. Louis Blues
Song Of The Sad Ranchero
Lullaby Of Broadway
Under Paris Skies
Non Dimenticar Cha Cha
Let's Face The Music And Dance, Cheek To Cheek
The Second Time Around, An Affair To Remember
Carioca
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, Lara, Over The Rainbow
The Third Man Theme
Should I, San Francisco

The Spectacular Les Reed

Daughter Of Darkness

Delilah

The Spectacular Les Reed
The Les Reed Orchestra & Chorus
Arrangers: Les Reed, Colin Frechter and Pete Smith
Chapter 1 / London
Stereo/BP 3900475
1972

Book-fold jacket with photo of Reed printed on the inside. Sonically solid early 70s light pop set.

From Billboard - May 27, 1972: The composer of such hits as "It's Not Unusual," "Delilah," "Les Bicyclettes de Belsize," "Daughter Of Darkness," and many more offers a strong two-record set of his material played by an enormous big band that truly does justice to the exceptional song matter. Tremendous programming material that should induce sales action.

It's Not Unusual
Daughter Of Darkness
Baby, I Won't Let You Down
If We Lived On Top Of A Mountain
There's a Kind Of Hush
Colour Me
I'm Coming Home
Highways And Byways
I Pretend
Everybody Knows
I've Got My Eyes On You
Love Is All
Les Bicyclettes De Belsize
Winter World Of Love
Delilah
Kiss My Goodbye
Here It Comes Again
When There's No You
The Last Waltz

Midnight Cowboy

Blue Snow

Midnight Cowboy/Ballad Of Easy Rider
Design Records
A Product of Pickwick International, Inc.
SDLP 309

No artist credits.

Midnight Cowboy
Ballad Of Easy Rider
Blue Snow
Dark City
Florida Dream
Theme from Down Hill Racer
Reverie
Painted Desert
Ingrid's Theme

Sweet Hawaiian Memories

Nuits De Manakoora

Sweet Hawaiian Memories
The Beautiful Hawaiian Guitars Of The Hawaiian Troubadors
Mercury Wing SRW 16365
Electronically Re-recorded to Simulate Stereo (original issue: MG 20217 - 1957)
1964

Solid Hawaiian set featuring a mild, but pleasant, space age tone.

Aloha Oe
La Serenade Hawaiiene
On The Beach At Waikiki
Sunlight
Kakaru
Omi Umi
Nuits De Manakoora
Pagan Love Song
Floraline
Aloha Land
Ile D' Amour
Hello, Aloha, Hello
Song Of The Islands
Amour D' Hawaii