White Heat - Henri Rene

White Heat

White Heat
Henri Rene´ and his Orchestra
IR Imperial LP 12021
1959

From the back cover: So there's your title (White Heat). It has many diversified meanings as definitions in the dictionary and probably will mean as many things to as many different people. If you get the message, slip your manicured finger or tattooed hand, whichever the case may be, along the protective, germ-free cellophane cover-all. It's as simple as opening a pack of filter tips… and less controversial. Try it. – Henri Rene´

From Billboard - June 15, 1959: Henry Rene has put together a very bright package of instrumentals here. Instrumentation and arrangements are most unusual, being modern, creative; and packed with style.

A bridge between the more "exotic" albums that were hitting the market at the time and big band mood. Like many of Jackie Gleason's excellent albums, this set looks and sounds like a concept project rather than just a collection of tunes.


Isn't It Romantic
Lullaby Of Birdland
Hot Gavotte
White Heat
Runnin' Wild
I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
I Know That You Know
Syncopated Clock
Lazy Bones
Limehouse Blues
Ja-Da
Woody Woodpecker

Draggin' And Surfin'

Tiger In My Tank

Draggin' And Surfin'
Modern Sound
MS 525

Drag City
Hey, Little Cobra
Fun, Fun, Fun
Dead Man's Curve
Surfer Girl
Wipe Out
Surf City
Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
(I've Got A) Tiger In My Tank
The Whole Summer Through

Tropicale - Tommy Morgan

Taboo

Tropicale
Tommy Morgan
With Orchestra Conducted By Warren Barker
Warner Bros. Records 1214
1958

From Billboard - October 20, 1958: An exciting harmonica virtuosos, Tommy Morgan, combines talents with maestro Warren Barker to capture the color and mood of the South Seas. Interesting instrumental wax.

From the back cover: All the harmonica arrangements were personally written by Tommy Morgan, with maestro Warren Barker contributing the exciting orchestral background, which at times blend and at other occasions seem to create a pattern of their own.

As the tile suggests, music with a tropical theme has been selected for this album, and yet there is a remarkable variety to the program. Selections range from hits of the Broadway stage to music from motion pictures, Latin rhythms and an unusual Japanese tune, "The Beach." The song from Nippon was picked up when Morgan was called upon for a Command Performance before the Empress and Royal Family in Tokyo. He sought a popular tune of that region to add to his repertory and to play for the Empress.

While serving a long engagement with Uncle Sam's Air Force Band, Morgan played several other Command Performances, including the King and Queen of Cambodia; the Shah and Empress of Iran, and for Syngman Rhee, President of the Republic of Korea. For his outstanding work as a musical ambassador in these countries, Mr. Morgan's Name has been entered in the Congressional Record.

Dance maestro Freddy Martin claims Tommy Morgan as his discovery back in 1950 and featured the harmonica virtuoso on his weekly television show from the famed Hollywood Palladium. This engagement led to assignments at motion pictures studios where his talent was employed on musical soundtracks. He has employed this experience and his excellent musical background to develop a sound unique in the conception of the harmonica and its presentation. At times he uses the harmonica in block harmony with the other instruments, such as in "Taboo," and at other times as a haunting obligate.

At present, Mr. Morgan has postponed his proposed European tour and has enrolled at his alma mater, University of California at Los Angeles, where he is studying for his Master's Degree in Music.

Baia
Bali Ha'i
Poinciana
Ebb Tide
Moon of Manakoora
Misirlou
Beyond The Reef
Ruby
The Beach
The High And The Mighty
Off Shore
Taboo

Rome With Love - Jo Basile

Rome With Love
The Italian Accordion Of Jo Basile and his orch.
Audio Fidelity AFLP 1822
1957

Luna Rossa
Tango Chitarra Romana
No Dimentica
Marechiari – Funiculi-Funicula
Anima E Core
Tarantella
La Piccinina
Torna A Sorrento
Reginella Campangnola
Santa Lucia – O Sole Mio
Fiore D' Italia
Arrivederci Roma

A Dirty Fighter

I Stepped Out & Opening Response

A Dirty Fighter
Rev. Amos Waller
With special music by Lady Wynester and The Waller Singers
Jewel Records - Shreveport, Louisiana
Jewel LPS 0097

Deep Velvet - George Shearing

Passing By

Deep Velvet
George Shearing with Quintet and Woodwind Choir
Arranged by George Shearing
Orchestrations by Bobby Hammack, Julian Lee and Milt Raskin
Produced by David Cavanaugh
Capitol Records
ST 2143
1964

From Billboard - October 24, 1964: Mr. Shearing has had great success with his other mood musical ventures into the "velvety, silky" and "satiny." This "Deep Velvet" excursion should prove to be just as big a success as its predecessors. This time out George's fine playing is set against a choir of 12 woodwinds. With the Quintet in support. "Sentimental Journey", "Willow Weep For Me," "My Heart Stood Still" and others are refreshing to the ear.

The unmistakable Shearing "Quintet" sound blends perfectly with the woodwind section. What makes the set special is Shearing's excellent arrangements. Each song becomes more than what  you might be expect to hear from his group and the set, as a collection of tunes, is more than just another "Shearing" lounge effort. This effort is more of a concept album.

One of Shearing's better sets.

Here's That Rainy Day
I Used To Be Color Blind
Sentimental Journey
Passing By
Would You Like To Take A Walk
Signing Off
One Love
Nightfall
Willow Weep For Me
Slowly
Spring Is Here
My Heart Stood Still

Sounds! - Jack Marshall & Shelly Manne

Yesterdays

Sounds!
Jack Marshall (Guitar) & Shelly Manne (Percussion)
Produced by David Cavanaugh
Cover Photo: George Jerman

Engineer: Hugh Davies

Capitol Records ST 2610
1966

From the back cover: When an expert dancer performs a routine, it's done with grace and beauty that belies its intricacy. So with Manne and Marshall in this album, for every second of recording was a test in precision and coordination.

From Billboard - December 10, 1966: A brilliant idea and a sparkling result is this combination of the sensitive guitar work of Jack Marshall and the creative percussion work of Shelly Manne. Together they bring a fresh approach and add a new dimension to such evergreens as "Sweet Sue, Just You" and "All The Things You Are." A medley that combines "Carnival" with "Sweet Happy Life" is exceptional.

Theme From "Lawrence Of Arabia"
Sweet Sue, Just You
All The Things You Are
Choros
Am I Blue?
The Rain In Spain
Spanish Dance No. 5
S'Posin'
Yesterdays
The Girls Of Sao Paulo
A Day In Brazil - Medley

Classical Gas - Hugo Winterhalter

Rosemary's Baby

Classical Gas
Hugo Winterhalter And His Orchestra
Eddie Heywood At The Piano
Musicor MS 3170
1968

From Billboard - October 19, 1968: The winning team of Eddie Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter ("Canadian Sunset") are reunited in a potent sales package. An exceptional mood is created with their treatments of "For Love Of Ivy," "Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet" and "Love Is Blue." Heywood's piano, with solid support of the lush Winterhalter arrangements never sounded better. "Land of Dreams" is a gem with hit singles potential.

I have to disagree with Billboard on this release. Winterhalter has trouble finding the space age mood groove on this set and Heywood's talent seems lost or less than "featured" as advertised on the jacket. There are moments in each song that might grab your late 60s mood sensibilities, but even the sample above seems to give up the drama after the intro.

Classical Gas
For Love Of Ivy
MacAthur Park
Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet
Theme From Elvira Madigan
Glad For You, Sad For Me
Land Of Dreams
Rosemary's Baby
Love Is Blue
Winds In Autumn
Harlem Blues
Theme For Margaret

Tops In Pops

Hard Headed Woman

Tops In Pops
Halo 50220 U (jacket catalog number)
An Hour Of Tops In Pops
Halo 1670 S (Disc label catalog number)

Runnin' Wild - Dick Schory

Portrait In Jazz

Runnin' Wild
Dick Schory's Percussion And Brass Ensemble
Stereo Action
The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow
RCA LSA-2306
1961

From the inside sleeve: The stage of Orchestra Hall, which comfortably accommodates the full Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is a jam-packed maze of two truckloads of brass and percussion instruments, 23 musicians, microphones and other recording gear. Conductor Dick Schory is perched high on his podium in full commands of the musical activities. Deep down under the stage, producer Marty Gold works wonders in coordinating musicians, sound men, engineers, stagehands and people running for coffee.

The "Stereo Action" series was RCA's attempt to show-off their stereo engineering. The results were sometimes mixed. Some LPs in the series go uncomfortably "wild" with stereo effects that detract from the music and other sets are presented with more subdued effects and are therefore more enjoyable for us to listen to today. In this case, it seems like Schory probably followed marching orders to assemble a set of tunes to help showcase "stereo sounds" in a variety of ways. The variety leaves us with a set that isn't thematically focused. Some tracks sound almost early 60s Command label "cartoony" and other tracks, like the sample featured above, sound more "serious"or "dramatic". All-in-all, however, a good listen.

The real success for RCA, aside from good (but, thankfully, not in your face) stereo separation, was the overall feat of engineering. The big sound was made bigger by acoustics of the theater in which the set was recorded. The engineers deserve credit for the spectacular job they did capturing the rich sound.

Brass Jockeys
Me And My Shadow
Portrait In Jazz
Mama's Gone, Goodbye
But Not For Me
Love For Sale
Runnin' Wild
Lazy Bones
Down Home Rag
Greensleeves
Bully
Thou Swell