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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Hit Movie Songs From The Exotic Islands - The Surfers

Sweet Leilani
Hit Movie Songs From The Exotic Islands
The Surfers
Warner Bros. Records
WS 1493
1963

From the back cover: The Surfers, probably the most popular Hawaiian group in the night club world, have chalked up an enviable record in appearances from Honolulu's famed Kahanamok's nitery to the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, with multiple stops in non-tropical Las Vegas in between. Thus, they come to this recording with a wealth of background in Polynesian and Hawaiian music, but still with the vigor of youth that characterized their first appearances together at a Glendale (California) Junior College prom.

Follow Me (Mutiny On The Bounty)
Canoe Song (Donovan's Reef)
Sweet Leilani (Waikiki Wedding)
Island Angel (From Here To Eternity)
Pagan Love Song (The Pagan)
E Tupiti ( Devil At Four O'clock)
Bali Ha'i (South Pacific)
Pearly Shells (Donovan's Reef)
Diamond Head Theme (Diamond Head)
The Fishing Chant (Mutiny On The Bounty)
Farewell (Mr. Roberts)

Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Whistler And His Dog - Jack Zimmermann

Solfeggio
The Whistler And His Dog
Jack Zimmermann
Golden Crest Records CR 3002
Recorded October 6, 1956

Interesting package featuring a fun photo of Zimmerman and, apparently, his dog on the jacket cover. The Whistler And His Dog is the title track, enough of a reason to justify using the image on the cover, but the notes go no further to elaborate on the story. Often "whistler" LPs can sound "one-dimensional" unless you are super into whistling, however, this set is saved by a collection of arrangements that are, for the most part, nicely flavored with a Space Age swing or pop treatments.

From the back cover: The Whistler is Jack Zimmermann who has been playing professionally in bands literally since the age of 12. Now 37, Jack has played Banjo, Guitar and Bass in bands from coast to coast. He interrupted his music to fight a war and returned to it to play in various combinations in Hollywood, Las Vegas, New York and other spots. He has been heard with Enric Madriguera, Charlie Spivak, Buddy Rogers, Art Mooney and others.

Jack first whistled on George Skinner's show on C.B.S. When Archie Bleyer sought a whistler, he also selected Jack and from there on Jack whistled with himself to create duets and even four part harmony.

Listen with very special care to the artist's performance of Solfeggio. This music, composed by the eminent Harpist Robert Maxwell, seems almost to have been written for whistling.

The Whistler And His Dog
Sweet Leilani
Pick Yourself Up
Silver Moon
By The Waters Of The Minnetonka
Mighty Lak A Rose
Solfeggio
Rio Rita
By Heck
Tumbling Tumbleweed
Blue Moon
Clarinet
Polka