Gee, Our 1st Album - The Rock-afire Explosion

Gee, Our 1st Album
The Rock-afire Explosion
Creative Records
1982

I had no idea what the deal was with this album when I found it in the discount bin today. I was living under a rock when the robots pictured on the jacket were singing songs at a pizza place.

If your are interested in the particulars of Rock-afire you can start with the rockafiremovie facebook page.

I love to post a sample, but these guys are not that obscure... so I'll refrain unless one of the actors in the play demands that I do so. Then... which track to pick? That's a tough choice, because so many of the tunes are, like, totally awesome.

If you read my blog you know that I'm a big song-poem fan. The best way that I can describe what is going round and round on this record is that the vibe is a blend of song-poem and private press lounge. None of the tracks come off as kids record boring or even so much as a parody of the covers.

Fun stuff.

Paul McCartney's tune, My Love would be at the top of my list.

Little Sister
The Music Goes Round And Round
Light My Fire
My Love
Satisfaction Medley
Baseball
Goin' Crazy You May Be Right
Sal's Birthday
Unchained Melody
Too Shy
Beatles Medley

Tuff Guitar Tijuana Style - Al Caiola

The Shadow Of Your Smile

Tuff Guitar Tijuana Style
Al Caiola
Produced by Leroy Holmes
Cover Photo: Frank Gauna
United Artists UAS 6473
1966

From Billboard - July 9, 1966 (copy from an advertisement which apparently ran before the actual track list was set): "Help!," "Yesterday" and "Just A Little Bit Better" are among the dozen tracks that improve in flavor with the tasty Caiola treatment. Al is at his ingenious best throughout, with exciting arrangements that produce solid programming material. Al Caiola on tour, on television or on records, plays an Epiphany Al Caiola model guitar, which he helped design. Epiphone – choice of those who can hear the difference.

El Flicko
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Never On A Sunday
Spanish Harlem
Cuando Calienta El Sol
Thunderball
South Of The Border
Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
Fascination
Baubles, Bangles And Bead
Morgen
Pablo

Satin Brass - The George Shearing Quintet With Brass Choir

Chelsea Bridge

Satin Brass
The George Shearing Quintet With Brass Choir
Produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Capitol Records ST1326
1960

From the back cover: George points out: "Having worked with just the Quintet for so long, I just felt the desire to have a big-band sound that boots you in the back! I believe that, in presenting this new sound of ours, we have found a fresh and appealing approach, and I'm very pleased with the blend we've managed to develop.

"Hal Rood scored "If I Had You," "Stairway To The Stars", and his own compositions, "Just Plain Bill" and "First Floor Please" (Hal, incidentally, plays trombone with the 'Satin Brass' group). Jimmy Jones arranged Duke Ellington's lovely "Chelsea Bridge," and I arranged the remaining seven numbers.

In the grim days just before World War II the first regular English jam sessions were held at the Orange Tree Pub in the sleepy North London suburb of Friern Barnet. George Shearing was always the star performer. It was there that Shearing was first discovered and acclaimed by the British critics.

Chris Hayes of "Melody Maker" declared at the time, "I predict that George will be the first British musician to give something new to American music." 

History proved Hayes to be right, of course. George not only brought something new to American; he stayed, fell in love with the country, and became a citizen. And now the new sound he presents in this album is further evidence of the creative musician outlook is always Shearing's. – Howard Lucraft

(Howard Lucraft is a long-time friend of George Shearing, having known him since the early Shearing days in England. He is well-known to Los Angeles FM listeners as host of the Jazz International Show on KPRK, and is also a regular contributor to Metronome Music USA, and Melody Maker (Great Britain).

Deep Night
In The Blue Of The Evening
I Could Write You A Book
Sleepy Manhattan
If I had You
Just Plain Bill
First Floor Please
Chelsea Bridge
A Ship Without A Sail
Stairway To The Stars
You Look Like Someone
Night Flight

From Britain WIth A Beat

Eight Days A Week

Come On On

Full Album

From Britain With A Beat
Modern Sound MS 544

Here we have another Modern Sound covers album featuring a fab photo of four wig wearing lads striking a silly pose.

At the risk of creating a firestorm of controversy... this studio group presents a tight set compared to material found on most covers albums.

January 17, 2015: I updated the cover image and added the full digital file (from another copy I found today).

New Kick! - The New Christy Minstrels

I Want To Hold Your Hand (from the mono press)

New Kick!
The New Christy Minstrels
Sing The Hits Of Today & Tomorrow
Arranged and Directed by Bob Alcivar

Gregar Productions
Columbia CS 9342 & CL 2542

From the back cover: The mobility of the Minstrels was never more evident than in this album, NEW KICK! It is a showpiece for a group that is trying always to stay well ahead of the pop-music pack in imagination and creativity.

Homeward Bound
I Want To Hold Your Hand
Highflyin' Bird
Blowing In The Wind
Raindrops
Southern Comfort
Flowers On The Wall
A Corner In The Sun
What The World Needs Now
Beautiful
These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

Harlequins In Music - Monty Kelly

Cuban Love Song

Harlequins In Music
Monty Kelly And His Orchestra
The Ray Charles Chorus
Somerset P-7400

This is a collection of Kelly tracks, that I think for the most part, may be from this Essex 10 inch disc, I Love. Essex was owned by Somerset's David Miller. Check out the track Crosswinds and the terrific cheesecake cover. Kelly went to work for Miller as a staff arranger.

Cuban Love Song
Crosswinds
Our Serenade
On A Little Street In Singapore
Sweet And Lovely
Snow Snow
The Night Is Young
To You My Love
Walk With The Wind
The Moon Was Yellow
Under The Linden Tree

Super Spy Themes - The Clee-Shays

Get Smart

Super Spy Themes
The Clee-Shays
Triumph Records TR101

Fun budget spy-surf. The sample, Get-Smart, winds up into a richly layered "psych" track. Other tracks feature a more toe-tapping untamed simplicity.

From the back cover: The Clee-Shays use Fender Guitars & Amplifiers exclusively.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
I Spy
Our Man Flint
Run Spy
Ed Spy
Get Smart
Secret Agent Man
Our Man In Hong Kong
The Man From T.H.R.U.S.H.
Thunderball
The Spy
High Wire

Disco Gold #7

Disco Gold #7

Disco Gold #7
Dimensional Sounds
GoldenDisco Industries 143

Dust In The Wind

Ebony Eyes

Wonderful World

Lay Down Sally

Name Of The Game

Night Fever

Runnin' On Empty

Before My Heart Finds Out

Can't Smile Without You

Theme From Close Encounters

The Kissin' Cousins Sing

It Was A Very Good Year

The Kissin' Cousins Sing
Lew Davies And His Orchestra
The New Group The New Beat
Like Now... Like Big!
Enoch Light Presents
Project 3 Total Sound PR5001SD
1966

Hold Me
You Were Never There
It Was A Very Good Year
You Brought A New Kind Of Love
Friendly Persuasion
The Glory Of Love
Compromise
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
A Tower Of Strength
It Isn't Fair
Too Young
Let Me Call you Sweetheart

Something Spanish - The Barry Sisters

Noches Quietas, Mi Cancion

Something Spanish
The Barry Sisters
Arranged And Conducted By Chico O'Farrill
Vocal Arrangements By Jerry Graff
ABC Records ABC-578

Hip vocal album with engaging space age arrangements.

From the back cover: The album is in Spanish, with a male vocal background; guitar solos by Puerto Rico's favorite, Yomo Toro; arrangements by Chico O'Farrill, a Cuban who absorbed even more of the Latin musical techniques while living in Mexico; vocal arrangements by Jerry Graff; starring vocal perfection of The Barry Sisters.

Que Sabes Tu
Perdoname Mi Vida
Mahha De Carnaval
Campanitas De Cristal
Convencido Estoy
Inka Dinka Doo
Noches Quietas, Mi Cancion
Juramos Amor
La Sombra De Tu Sonrisa
El Dia
Vaya Con Dios
Cuando Calienta Sol