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Wednesday, April 1, 2020

The Music Of Lecuona - Stanley Black

Siboney
The Music Of Lecuona
Stanley Black and His Orchestra
Featuring Stanley Black on Piano
London PS 153
1956

From the back cover: Stanley Black was born in London on June 14th, 1913. His musical education began at the Matthay School of Music, where he studied the pianoforte. After this opening skirmish he went on to work, as pianist and arranger, with various dance-bands and light orchestras, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge both of what kind of music pleased the public taste and of how the public liked it served: hot, strong, sweet, or subtle-flavored. In 1938 (as an example of his thoroughness) he paid a visit to South America to obtain first-hand knowledge of Latin-American music. A year later he enlisted in the R.A.F. In April, 1943, he stepped unobtrusively but firmly into the limelight by taking over the conductor's baton of the B.B.C. Dance Orchestra, and during the following years he averaged the astounding total of six programs a week, a physical and mental strain which many dance-band conductors would not care to endure. His orchestra, with his arrangements, (a tremendously important ingredient in the success of a variety show) supplied the music to such top-line programs as the "Much Binding" sagas, "Ray's A Laugh," and scores of others. In 1947 he married vocalist, Edna Kaye.

His "official" broadcasting work reaches a very large volume indeed when measured by the mere statistics of broadcasting-hours and audience-appeal, but is immeasurable in its value as a means of setting consistently high standards for light broadcast music and arrangements. In addition to all this, Stanley Black has also found time to fit in one or town other small achievements which might well have passed for a complete career for an artist less energetic – his work for London, for example, as house conductor and arranger, and composing and directing the musical scores for at least nine British films. All this hard work, far from deadening or stifling his personality, has developed it. The more he does, the better he gets, because he has the invaluable gift of enjoying his work, and what is more he communicates that enjoyment to the listening public. In other word, he entertains.


From Billboard - August 11, 1956: BBC band leader Black should pull extensive deejay coverage here with this lush, string-laden collection of Lecuona's pop-appeal compositions – "Siboney," "Malaguena," "Andalucia," etc. The exotic Latin instrumentals are highly melodic and handled with sufficient respect arrangement-wise so that the album can be moved in the semi-classical market as well as pop. Several of the sides have been released before as part of other Black packages.

Malaguena
Always In My Heart
Andalucia
La Comparsa
High In Sierra
Siboney
Danza Lucumi
Jungle Drums
Gitanarias
Maria, My Own

For You Alone

Rock-A-Bye In Beardland
For You Alone
Limited Edition
Columbia GB-2

The Night They Invented Champagne - Frank De Vol And His Orchestra
Till - Percy Faith And His Orchestra
Devotion - Otto Cesana & His Orch. & Chorus
Libson Antigua (In Old Libson) - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra & Chorus
The Three Bells (The Jimmy Brown Song) - Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye
Morgen (One More Sunrise) - Richard Maltby With Orchestra And Chorus
Arrivederci, Roma - The Norman Luboff Choir
My Heart In Portugal (Mon Coeur Au Portugal) - Frank De Vol And His Orchestra
Love Theme From "La Strada" - Paul Weston & His Orchestra with The Norman Luboff Choir
What A Differ'rence A Day Made - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Rock-A-Bye In Beardland - Mitch Miller And His Oboes
Theme From The Perry Mason Show - Ray Conniff And His Orchestra

Dance To The Songs Everybody Knows - Warren Covington

Green Eyes
Dance To The Songs Everybody Knows
Warren Covington and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Decca Stereo DL 74120
1961

From Billboard - August 24, 1961: Here's a nostalgic, danceable package of oldies, presented with commendable taste by the Covington-Dorsey ork. Selections – all tailored for terp fans and/or jockey segs – include "Cecilia," "Green Eyes," "Whispering," "Maybe" and other great oldies.

Cecilia
Button Up Your Overcoat
Josephine
Tennesse Waltz
Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)
Pennsylvania Polka
Maybe
For Me And My Gal
Beautiful Ohio
Whispering
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

An Hour Of Tchaikovsky

Introduction And Lilac Fairy
An Hour Of Tchaikovsky
The International Philharmonic Orchestra
Tops L1547

Caprice Italien – Part I
Caprice Italien – Part II
Sleeping Beauty Ballet Sequence
Introduction And Lilac Fairy
Silver Fairy
The Rose Adagio
Concerto #1 in B Flat Minor (Tonight We Love)
Part I
Part II

Sentimental Mood - Bill Doggett

Cherry
Sentimental Mood
Bill Doggett
Original A&R Credits: Henry Glover
Research, Production and Liner Notes: Jim Wilson
Audio Research: King Studios
Photography & Album Design: Dan Quest & Associates, Inc.
Cover Model: Doshia Wall (Miss Wall is a member of Union 76's internationally famous Truckstopper-Racestopper Corps and also Miss Country Music USA 1970-71)
King KS-1104
Distributed by Starway-King Records
1971

In A Sentimental Mood
This Love Of Mine
There's No You
Teardrops
For All We Know
Solitude
Eventide
My Foolish Heart
We Found Love
I'll Be Around
Trav'lin' Light
Cherry

The Musical Score Of Gigi - Ira Wright

Thank Heaven For Little Girls
The Musical Score Of Gigi
Ira Wright and His Orchestra
Rondo-lette
Stereophonic SA 48
A product of Rondo Record Corporation

Overture
Thank Heaven For Little Girls
The Parisians
Waltz At Maxim's
The Night They Invented Champagne
I Remember It Well
Say A Prayer For Me Tonight
I'm Glad I'm Not Young Any More
Gigi

Speak Low - Al Goodman

Speak Low
Speak Low
Al Goodman and His Orchestra
One Of A Serieo
Photo by Julius Galiano
RCA Camden CAL-317
A New Orthophonic High Fidelity Recording
1957

My Heart Stood Still
Some Enchanted Evening
Gypsy Love Song
Babes In The Woods
Anniversary Song
Love Nest
High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)
When Hearts Are Young
Long Ago And Far Away
Speak Low
Absinthe Frappe
Storm Weather

Like Young - Andre Previn & David Rose

Young Man's Lament
Like Young
Secret Songs For Young Lovers
The Piano Magic of Andre Previn
Combined with The Lush Strings of David Rose and His Orchestra
Cover Photo by Lester Krauss
MGM E3716
1959

From Billboard - May 25, 1959: Deejay's have rich spin-material in this package, featuring Andre Previn's artful piano solo work and David Rose's lush backing. In addition to the expressive title theme, the package spotlights three other "young" tunes... all solid jockey wax items – "Younger Than Springtime," "You Make Me Feel So Young" and "Blame It On My Youth."

Blame It On My Youth
Young Man's Lament
You Make Me Feel So Young
Young And Tender
While We're Young
Too Young To Be True
Last Night When We Were Young
Like Young
Younger Than Springtime
A Year Of Youth
Too Young To Go Steady
Love Is For The Very Young

Monday, March 30, 2020

Susan Reed Sings Old Airs

The Boreen's Of Derry
Susan Reed Sings Old Airs
Mis Reed accompanies herself with Irish Harp or Zither
Engineer and Production: Pac Holzman
Electra 126
1957

From the back cover: Susan Reed was born in Columbia, South Carolina, not so very long ago. She began hearing folk songs from her theatrical family, her nurse and from many artistic friends (Irish actors, poets Carl Sandburg and Vachel Lindsay and writers like Harry Bellamann) who visited her home. Susan learned the songs in their natural habitat but with the most artistic respect for the folk tradition.

She has performed in hundreds of concerts across the United States, setting a record of 106 solo concerts in a single season!

In the past few years Miss Reed has extended her career to include acting . She has appeared in Brigadoon, Finnian's Rainbow, Gigi, Our Town and many more. She has also been a regular guest on major television and radio shows and was starred in the Columbia picture, Glamour Girl.

Miss Reed lives in Greenwich Village with her actor-husband, James Karen. Together they run an antique shop devoted to gems of the Americana.


At The Foot Of Yonders Mountain
The Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow
The Leprechaun
The Golden Vanity
He Moved Through The Fair
Bendemeer's Stream
Wraggle Taggle Gypsies
Irish Famine Song
Come Follow
Seventeen Come Sunday
The Foggy Dew
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
I Know My Love
Must I Go Bound
Peter Gray
Wailie, Wailie
Jennie Jenkins
The Boreens Of Derry

The Pair Extraordinaire - Recorded Live

And I Love Her
The Pair Extraordinaire
Recorded Live
Producer: Jerry Capehart
Engineer: Wally Heider
Art Direction: Woody Woodward
Photography: Ivan Nagy
Liberty LST-7440

From the back cover: One evening I decided to visit a club with some friends had recommended, called "The Mecca." They all were enthusiastic about The Pair, who were currently the main attraction. As an active skipper, I don't spend a lot of time in nightclubs, but after hearing such high praises about The Pair, I decided it just might be a good idea.

Needless to say, The Pair was great. Their fresh approach to songs, both old and new, plus their wild humor took me and everyone else in the audience by storm.

The material in this album, recorded live that night at The Mecca, plus the excitement of the audience is self-explanatory. As you listen to the album, I'm sure you'll feel this same excitement which is that special element that only a live performance can give.

I came for one show and stayed for the evening. It was my pleasure and I am sure this album will be yours. "I hope you like us," said The Pair Extraordinaire, I am sure you will agree with me that this talented duo is an example of the finest in entertainment. – Captain Jim Clove – Black Dolphin, Los Angeles, California


I'm An Old Cowhand
Man In The Street
Hang On Sloppy (My Girl Sloopy)
And I Love Her
After The Lights Do Down Low
You Can Run, But You Can't Hide
Please Don't Call Me
Get Up Off It
All The Good Times Are Gone
Donna Lee
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World - Johnny

Whispering
Johnny Costa Plays For
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Piano with Rhythm Accompaniment
Coral Records CRL 57117
1957

From the back cover: Johnny's name, though not yet familiar to many listeners, is one that is increasingly daily in stature. His previous LP, Coral CRL 57020, brought him to the attention of thousands of music lovers outside his regular bailiwick in Pittsburgh, where for the past five years he has been a staff pianist and organist at Westinghouse KDKA-TV, the television arm of America's oldest radio station.

Born January 18, 1922 in Arnold, Pennsylvania, Johnny studied with Martin Miessler, who was Oscar Levant's teacher. During the war years, his studies were interrupted and his professional debut was delayed by a period with the 90th Infantry Division. Two months after taking part in the invasion, he was sent home with rheumatic fever and was unable to play piano for many months.

His formal training was completed by studies at Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, where he was very proud to have as his teacher Nicolai Lopatnicoff, a fine academician who knows Hindemith very well and was able to provide Johnny with all the necessary technical qualifications for his career.

Well-versed in both classical music and jazz, Johnny soon became a local favorite. Visiting celebrities were attracted to jam sessions at his home. The late Tommy Dorsey, in particular, became an ardent Costa rooter. "I remember one wonderful jam session at my house," Johnny recalls, "when Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and practically the entire Dorsey band stayed up jamming until six a.m., along with Jack Teagarden, Ray Bauduc, Buddy Rich and a whole flock of others. Tommy wanted me to come to New York, but I didn't feel I was ready at the time."

Another immortal musician who spent many hours at sessions with Johnny was the one and only Art Tatum. "While I was in school he came here once and I got to know him well. Later on I learned he was recommending me for jobs. Needless to say, Tatum was my idol and the greatest jazz pianist ever."

On these present recordings, Johnny Costa is in dependable and distinguished company. Gus Johnson, the drummer, born in 1913 in Tyler, Texas, is a graduate of the bands of Jay McShann and Earl Himes; he was featured with Count Basie from 1950 through 1954. William "Buddy" Jones, the bassist, born in 1924 in Hope, Arkansas, has lent his solid sound to the groups of Charlie Ventura, Joe Venuit, Lennie Tristano, Elliot Lawrence and many others. – Leonard Feather


From Billboard - May 6, 1957: Pleasant piano solo work in a gentle vein by Costa on a group of listenable standards – "Night and Day," "The Boy Next Door," etc. Good instrumental wax for jocks in search of soothing mood music wax. Should enjoy moderate sales if given any exposure.

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
The Boy Next Door
It's All Right With Me
From this Moment On / Who Cares
Cherokee
Coquette
Everything I've Got
Willow Weep For Me
Night And Day
This Can't Be Love
I'll Be Around
Whispering