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Friday, December 16, 2011

Cuban Mist Cha Cha Cha - Eddie Gomez

Cuban Mist Cha Cha Cha
Eddie Gomez And His American Orchestra
Cover Photography: Todd Walker - Beverly Hills
Art Direction & Production: Florette Bihari
Crown CLP 5032
1957

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover.

From the back cover: As you will hear the music in this album, it is recorded with real vigor and intense feeling by a native of Puerto Rican... Eddie Gomez. Gomez, who has sung with Noro Morales and Enrique Madriguera and has appeared in theaters and clubs all over the world, has achieved an international reputation for his interpretations of Latin music.

Frankie And Johnny
I See I See
Dark Eyes
Cerca Cerquita
Cuban Mist
Si Tu Quieres
Sweet And Gentle
Two Guitars
Rico Vacilon
Le Fleur
Un Carinito
Tus Caprichitos

Bongos Flutes Guitars - Los Admiradores

Laura

Bongos Flutes Guitars
Performances By Los Admiradores
Produced by Enoch Light
Associate Producer: Julie Kalges
Recording Chief: Robert Fine
Mastering: George Piros
Art Director: Charles E. Murphy
Cover Art by Brownjohn, Chermayoff & Gelsmar
Command Records RS 812 SD
1960

How Hight The Moon
Caravan
C'est Ci Bon
Friendly Persuasion
My Funny Valentine
Making Whoopie
Birth Of The Blues
Golden Earrings
East Of The Sun
By The Rive St. Marie
Laura
I Can Dream, Can't I

Sentimental - Enoch Light

The Breeze And I
Sentimental
Enoch Light Orchestra
The Fontanna Orchestra
Palace PST-703

I guess Palace managed to secure the rights to several Light songs and felt that they could legally market an album of older, mismatched off the shelf stuff with Light's name on the cover. Some of the filler isn't even credited to Fontanna. Palace went so far as to rip off the Command jacket graphic style in the hopes that buyers would think that they they were getting the good stuff. Even the Light tracks are no where near his best effort.

Place never lets me down as a budget label.

The Bay Big Band Plays Duke Ellington

Passion Flower
The Bay Big Band Plays Duke Ellington
Featuring Compositions of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Hodges and others
Francis Bay - Conductor
Recorded At The Brussels World's Fair
Produced by Dave Herbert
Product Design by Leon McFadden
Stereophonic Engineering and Artistic Direction by Peter Plum, Elite Musical Productions
Omega OSL 24
1960

The cover photo was taken by Ray Avery. The sculpture, by Dupagne, was located in the Belgian Congo Pavilion during the Brussels World's Fair.

From the back cover: The Bay Big Band salutes to the great American and English big bands at the Brussels World's Fair astounded and impressed all who heard their regular performances at the fair. Francis Bay, the leader and extremely versatile musician and arranger, organized the Bay Big Band in 1954 to become the first regular Radio Dance Band after the end of World War II. The Bay Big Band recently won the highly coveted "Golden Gondola" trophy in a battle of the bands at Venice, Italy. The persuasion section work and fluid jazz improvisation of the soloists are the product of years of rehearsal and development shared by the same group of musicians without the constant changes in sidemen that have plagued our American bands in recent years. The musical rapport between sections of the band and between soloists is amazing. Francis Bay plays trombone, clarinet, alto saxophone and flute with equal ability and his regular programs on the Brussels N.I.R. Radio can be heard weekly on the powerful station throughout England, France, Belgium, and surrounding countries. – Dave Hubert

Take The A Train
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Solitude
Mainstem
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Perdido
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
Sophisticated Lady
Jack The Bear
Passion Flower

The Power And The Glory - Roger Bacon Band

This Guy's In Love With You
The Power And The Glory
Guth Brothers Post 111 Roger Bacon Band
Recorded by Insight Communications, Inc
Artist Recording Company - Cincinnati, Ohio
6920 - 700651
1969

OK... this one is coming out of left field even for me... but I couldn't resist the great cover image. You are looking from the south shore of The Ohio River, probably from Newport, Kentucky across the river into downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

I live in the area... it's a local thing for me.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

My Cup Of Tea - Si Zentner And His Orchestra

Hard Day's Night
My Cup Of Tea
Si Zentner And His Orchestra
RCA LSP-2992
1965

Zentner's big band, and at times, light pop approaches to popular tunes of his time including many Beatle songs.

Wishin' And Hopin'
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
And I Love Her
A Hard Day's Night
Forget Him
All Cried Out
The House Of The Rising Sun
Ringo's Theme
Twist And Shout
How Do You Do it
I Want To Hold Your Hand
My Cup Of Tea

Shaft In Africa

Shaft In Africa
Original score composed, arranged and conducted by Johnny Pate
ABC Records BCX-793
1973

From the cover graphic, the best I could have hoped for was some 70s movie musical magic cheese. Yes, there is some of that 70s fun going on. But this album also features a great blend of funk, jazz and little exotica, if you will, along with great Four Tops vocals. Good stuff!

Available as mp3 down loads so I will not be posting a sample. It helps if you search for the mp3 files to add "pate" as a keyword.

You Can't Even Walk In The Park
Are You Man Enough
Aleme Finds Shaft
Shaft In Africa
Headman
El Jardia
Are You Man Enough
Jazar's Theme
Truck Stop
Aleme's Theme
El Jardia
Are You Man Enough (End Title)

The Screen Scene - Peter Nero

Help!
The Screen Scene
Peter Nero
RCA Victor LSP-3496
1966

Here we have another one of those album covers that assures that the album will be passed over at the thrift by most pickers. I always check the track titles to see if I should risk, in this case... my 50¢... Spy film titles are always good bet... But the winner on this album is a cover of The Beatles Help!

The album, aside from the sample posted above, isn't "over-the-top" space age fair, but nicely blends easy listening with light pop.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Super Hits - Rock 1976 - 77

I Wanna Rock And Roll All Night
Super Hits
Rock 1976 - 77
Power Pak SA-302

Many of the Power Pak records I've collected are "comic book" theme projects. This Power Pak is a "covers" record. Featured in super small type on the back cover is the name of the session group, Tommy Hill Music Festival.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Winchester Cathedral - The Palm Beach Band Boys

Gypsy Caravan
Winchester Cathedral
The Palm Beach Band Boys
RCA LSP-3734
1966

Oddball 60s record by a studio group who attempted to capitalize on the success of The New Vaudeville Band's hit single Winchester Cathedral. Some tracks blend novelty 1920s/30s nasal vocals, apparently sung by an RCA executive who croons while holding his nose and period light pop music.

The arrangements are by Billy (Supersonic Guitars) Mure.