It's A Bossa Nova World - Laurindo Almeida And The Bossa Nova All Stars

Sukiyaki

It's A Bossa Nova World
Laurindo Almeida And The Bossa Nova All Stars
Cover Photo: Capitol Photo Studio - Ken Veeder
Capitol Records ST 1946
1963

Personnel
Laurindo Almeida - gut and 12-string guitar
Howard Roberts - electric guitar
Shelly Manne, Vic Feldman and Chico Guerrero - percussion
Jimmie Rowles - electronic organ
Max Bennett - bass
Bob Copper - tenor sax
Don Fagerquist - trumpet
Justin Gordon - flute.

From Billboard - September 21, 1963: Two worthwhile points are made here. First, that a number of familiar and recent pop hits, adapt themselves very well to the bossa nova beat; secondly, when you put fine players like Laurindo Almeida, Vic Feldman, Shelly Manne, Bob Cooper, Don Fagerquist, among others, in this 10-man group, you get good music, Tunes include "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport," "Nava Nagila," "Sukiyaki," "Danke Schoen," etc. Spinnable and listenable.

Tell Me Kangaroo Down Sport
I Will Follow Him (Chariot)
Sukiyaki
Say Wonderful Things
Misirlou
Song Of The Island
Danke Schön
Till Them Lisbon Antigua
More
Rio Bonito (Beautiful Rio)
Hava Nagila

Footlight Percussion - Terry Snyder

The Gentlemen Is A Dope

Footlight Percussion
Terry Snyder

Hit Selections Of The Great White Way With A Bongo Beat

Produced by Don Costa

Cover Photograph by Maurice Seymour

Recorded at Fine Sound - New York City
United Artists Ultra Audio WWS 6508
1961

Terry Snyder - Leader and Drummer

Sol Gubin - Drummer

Ted Sommer - Drums

Frank Carroll - Bass

Edwin J. Costa - Percussion

Arthur Marotti - Percussion

William V. Rodriguez - Percussion

Anthony Mottola - Guitar

Harold E. Weed - Piano

Stanley G. Webb - Sax

Phil Bodner - Sax

James K. Maxwell - Trumpet

Urban C. Green - Trombone

Richard Hixson - Trombone

From the inside cover: This is the second album by Terry Snyder for Ultra Sound, and once again the quiet, shy young man has come forth with musical excitement almost revolutionary in its composition and performance. Snyder has devoted his entire adult life to music, having been a top-flight drummer with some of the biggest bands in the country and has appeared on many of the big television shows seen from coast to coast. His initial ventures into the Big Sound on records made history, both in the reproduction of percussive Sound, and in sales which broke all records in this particular area.

In this outing Terry takes on the Great White Way, and some of the finest music ever composed for the Broadway stage. You will find such legendary names as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Frank Loesser, George M. Cohan and Cole Porter represented, an you will be both amazed and entertained by this tremendous performances of their music. This is moving Sound, high fidelity, and the apex in recording as presented by a true master in the field.

Everything's Coming Up Roses

'Til There Was You

Make Someone Happy

The Gentleman Is A Dope

Anything Goes

Lullaby On Broadway

If I Were A Bell

Guys And Dolls

The Sound Of Music

I Could Have Danced All Night

Bali Hai

Give My Regards To Broadway

Go Places With Lassie

Song Of India

Go Places With Lassie
Music To Put You In A Traveling Mood
Capitol Records Custom Services A-100
A Walt Heebner Production
1957

Lassie is not a dog or the woman on the back of the little steam engine. Lassie was a manufacture of ladies coats. Go Places With Lassie was an advertising campaign that appeared in (from the back cover) Vogue, Glamour, Charm, Mademoiselle, Seventeen and other fashion magazines – as seen through the camera eye of America's foremost fashion photographer, Richard Avedon.

This album was a part of the promotion for Lassie. The records were sold to the public for $1.75.

Afro-Desia -The Exotic Sounds Of Martin Denny

Afro-Desia
The Exotic Sounds Of Martin Denny
Liberty LRP 3111
1959

Hot Damn! I finally stumbled across this mono copy of Denny's Afro-Desia today at the thrift. Of course this one is on CD and available by purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample. And the album has been reviewed to death... but I had to say... we up here in The Atomic Attic LOVE this album.

Put on your jungle boots and go dancing with the Tiki Goddess! Good times!

For The First Time - The Swingin' Six

Bad News

For The First Time
The Swingin' Six
Decca DL 4840
1967

Whoa... this record turned out to be a fun find. Why is blonde girl in the center of the photo look bored? I had to find out.

This is sort of a folk, light pop, bubble gum, easy listening, sort of a Jefferson Airplane thing...  sound.

The results are whacky and unbelievable and I love it! There are many treasures on the vinyl... it was hard to pick a sample.

The Swingin' Six also made a promotional film for the U.S. Postal System.

Martin Denny!

Under Paris Skies

Martin Denny!
Producer: Joe Saraceno
Arranger: Bob Florence
Engineer: "Lanky" Linstrot
Art Direction: Woody Woodward
Cover Photo: Ken Kim
Liberty LST-7438
1966

Lisbon Antiqua
Stranger In Paradise
Under Paris Skies (Sous Le Ciel De Paris)
Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart)
Moonglow
Ruby
The "In" Crowd
April In Portugal
Autumn Leaves
The Poor People Of Paris (Jean's Song)
A Taste Of Honey

Temptation - Roger Williams

Temptation

Temptation
Roger Williams
KAPP Records KL-1217
1960

I was tempted by the cover... so I bought the record.

A few tracks have a nice 60s light pop vibe to them.

Aloha Hawaii - The Blue Ribbon Orchestra

Dark Dawn

Aloha Hawaii
The Blue Ribbon Orchestra
Blue Ribbon (Premier) BRM-7019

This record promised to be total 60s easy listening strings.

The record turns out to be an interesting listen. There is no stellar exotic weirdness going on, but whoever did the arranging did a fine job. The music is subtle, a touch quirky and the strings aren't overwhelming. Lovely and mysterious chorus/vocal backing touches really help sell the tracks that they are featured on.

La Epoca De Oro De Tito Puente and His Orchestra

La Epoca De Oro De Tito Puente and His Orchestra
RCA FSP-217
1968

This is an obscure RCA "International" reissue of a recording made in Webster Hall, New York City, 1960. I failed to identify the original album (or if this is a compilation as Dance Mania is included).

The album was produced by Marty Gold. Many, if not all of the tracks are available on CD collections or by purchase/download. So I will not be posting a sample.

Great stuff!

Dick Kesner And His Magic Stradivarius

Schubert's Serenade

Dick Kesner And His Magic Stradivarius
Brunswick Records BL 54051
1960

The February 8, 1960 issues of Billboard recommended this album in the "Good Sales Potential" feature with the note that "Kenser's appearances on Lawrence Welk's TV show should help sales."

This is beautiful easy listening, but Kesner went on to make several surprisingly cool "exotica" albums including: The Music Of Hawaii and his fabulous Amore Latino.