Blue Prelude - Gordon Jenkins

Blue Prelude

Blue Prelude
Gordon Jenkins
Art Direction" Woody Woodward
Cover Photo: Three Lions
Sunset/Liberty Records
SUM 1149
1967

From the back cover: Gordon Jenkins, a product of Webster Groves, MO., gained some early professional experience as banjoist, pianist and later conductor and arranger with various orchestras in St. Louis. Broadway became award of him in 1937, when he scored the music and served as conductor for "The Show Is On." A year later, he was with NBC in California as musical director.

Since then, Jenkins has enjoyed a multiple career. His compositions have ranged from "Manhattan Tower" to "Tzena Tzean"; he has had many TV and film credits, and occasionally he has been teamed with virtuosi from the jazz world, his best-known partnership having having been with Louis Armstrong. Marshall Royal has been a sort of eminence grass of the Count Basie band, which he helped reorganize in 1951. Born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, he studied violin as well as the reed instruments and was only 13 when he made his professional debut. During the 1930s, he worked in California, chiefly with the Les Hits orchestra, which for a while served as Armstrong's backdrop. When Lionel Hampton left Benny Goodman to form a band in 1940, Marshall was a key man with Camp' unit for two years. During the 40s he played with Jack McVea, Eddie Haywood and many studio groups around Hollywood.

Because he has been best known for his section work with Basie and is rarely given a chance to exhibit his solo ability, Marshall Royal's work here will come as a surprise to less observant followers of the Basie phenomenon. Fortunately, like many musicians who had studied the band closely Gordon Jenkins has long been aware of Royal's gifts as a subtly melodic improvising musician. His style most closely evokes the work of another great alto man who rose to prominence in the 1930s. Benny Carter, and at times there are traces of Johnny Hodges. What emerges most strikingly from these sides, though, is not the impression of any influence but the sweeping impact of Royal's own fluency and inspiration and the remarkable degree to which Jenkins, by giving him this sumptuous showcase, has drawn out his full personality to an extent the Basie setting can never make possible.

Pagan Love Song
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Ain't Misbehavin'
Caravan
Birth Of The Blues
Blues For Beverly
Battle Royal
Goodbye
Blue Prelude
Take The "A" Train

Latin Si! - Warren Covington

The Moon And I

Latin Si!
Warren Covington And His Orchestra
Warren Covington's Instruments By Selmer
Cover Photo: Decca Records Photo Studio, Hal Buksbaum
Decca Records DL 4208
1962

From the back cover: Latin Is!, loosely translated means we like our latin music with a Latin Beat!

Wild Pachanga
Jim Cha Cha
Yellow Bird
My Guantanamera
Dream Tango
La Macarena
Never On Sunday Cha Cha
The Moon And I
La Pachanga
Wall Street Cha Cha
Tequila
La Empaliza

That's Life - Living Brass

Sunshine Superman

That's Life
Living Brass
Arranged and Conducted by Ray Martin
Produced by Ethel Gabriel
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, New York City
Recording Engineer: Bob Simpson
RCA Camden CAS-2143
1967

That's Life
Cry
Riders In The Sky
Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
Besame Mucho
Sunshine Superman
You Belong To My Heart (Solamente Una Vez)
My Little Tramp
Tangerine
Mariachi Blues

Hamp In Hi Fi - Lionel Hampton

Le Prisoner de Nantes

Hamp In Hi Fi
The Lionel Hampton Quartet
Harmony
A Product Of Columbia Records
HL 7115
1958

From the back cover: The whole thing started in 1956 when the news got around the Camp was planning to tour the Old World again. This time, however, it had to be completely different. It seemed a good idea, therefore, to try and persuade Camp to record a number of well-known European – folk songs and other similar melodies – accompanied by his rhythm section. Lionel Hampton was immediately taken by the idea of giving free rein to his imagination with some completely new material. However, there was one major handicap to be overcome. Like a number of other "greats" in the world of jazz music – Erroll Garner, for example – he can't read music, so it was impossible to give him the "new" music on paper to allow him to study it and make his choices. A week later – March 30 and 31 to be precise – our Mr. Streefkerf met Hampton during his stay in Brussels and they started to play, one the vibes and the other the piano. Hamp picked out some tunes he liked best, and some head arrangements were thought up at the same time. It all happened on May 1 and 2. Lionel was working in Paris at the time and it was there he recorded the numbers he'd worked on since the original rehearsals in Brussels. These numbers – all of which you've heard before, but never, never like this – have been grouped together under the title Camp in Hi Fi.

It's A Long, Long Way To Tipperary
La Vie en rose
Olee Dolee Doff
Tire l'aiguille
Sarie Marais
Vieni sui mar
Le Prisoner de Nantes
Die Lorelei
Londonderry Air
Zeg Kwezelken Widet Gij Dansen

Java - Jim Collier

Anymore

Java
Featuring Honey In The Horn
Jim Collier
Wyncote SW 9013
1964

Java
When Your Baby Is Gone
View From My Window
Miss Daisy De Lite
Happiness Is A Thing Called Fun
Honey In The Horn
Anymore
One Little Kiss
Chills
Get It Movin'

The In Crowd - The Wilson Lewes Trio

The Breeze And I

The In Crowd
The Wilson Lewes Trio
Diplomat Records DS 2369

The In Crowd
More
The Peanut Vendor
What A Difference A Day Made
Poinciana
Manhattan
The Breeze And I

Cuerdas Maravillosas - David Moreno

Aires Moriscos 

Cuerdas Maravillosas
David Moreno
Musart D200

Los Sitios De Zaragoza
Cuatro Sevillanas
Aires Moriscos
La Cumparsita
Ojos Verdes - Antonio Vargas Heredia - La Bien Paga
Malaguena
Jotas Aragonesas
Tanguillo
Alegrias
Asturias Y Galicia

Foreign Film Festival - Frank Chacksfield

The Dark Of The Sun

Foreign Film Festival
Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra
Produced by Tony D'Amato - Allan Steckler
Engineer: Arthur Lilley
Design: Harry Farmlett
Phase 4 Stereo
London Records SP 44112
1967

Theme from "The Good, Bad And The Ugly"
Theme from "Elvira Madigan"
Lara's Theme from "Doctor Zivago"
Theme from "The Dark Of The Sun"
This Is My Song from "A Countess From Hong Kong"
Zorba's Dance from "Zorba The Greek"
Alfie
I Will Wait For You from "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg"
Irina from "Shalako
The James Bond Theme
Rose Of Saigon from "Tell Me No Lies"
A Man And A Woman

Autumn Nocturne - The Ray Charles Singers

Autumn In New York

Autumn Nocturne
The Ray Charles Singers
With Orchestra Accompaniment
MGM Records E3145
1955

Superbly crafted group vocal set.

From the back cover:

Here are 13 songs performed by a group of 23 vocalists in variously selected combinations of male voices, female voices and the two together. Here are songs in moods and colors as variegated as autumn itself. Here are singers whose voices are blended to give the warmth of autumn. Here is a vocal group singing as one – a group with a single personality.

Each selection offers the listener a new experience in vocal music. Listen, for example, to the voice of Katie Carnes as it sets the mood for "Autumn Nocturne" and to Artie Malvin's solo in the same song. Listen to choral director Ray Charles himself handle the vocal on "Faded Sumer Love" and "Tis Autumn." Listen, too, to both Ray Charles and Mike Stewart on "September Song," performed here by 12 male voices. Listen to the same male chorus as it delivers "Indian Summer" with the superb alto flute support of Bernie Kaufman.

For added variety, take the naivete of a song like "When the Leaves Bid the Trees Goodbye," done here by a choir of 10 female voices. For spice, listen to the poignant Katie Carnes voice and the ivory-tinkling piano of Bernie Leighton on "Autumn In New York." And for a change in the geographical scene as well as in the vocal vista, there's "Autumn In Rome."

In "The Things We Did Last Summer," lend an ear to the vocal by Artie Malvin and the caroling of Fran Carroll, whose voice has been described as having the feeling of "the sky after it has been washed by a late summer rain." On "Autumn Leaves" the female voices are used to describe the scenery, while George Barnes' guitar sparkles in "Shine On Harvest Moon." And so, through the entire group of 13 songs, there is something to listen for as well as so much to listen to.

For the statistical-minded listener it might be noted that on seven selections the Ray Charles choir consisted of four female and eight male voices. On two selections a dozen men sang the praises of love and autumn: On three other songs only 10 female voices were used. And on a single tune, Ray Charles combined the voices of six women and four men. And always supplying the tasteful instrumental accompaniment were such as the Leighton piano, the Barnes guitar, the Kaufman reeds and the accordion of Nick Perito.

It also needs to be pointed out that Ray Charles, the leader of the group, is also a singer – and this, believe it or not, is unusual in the professional music world. Choosing the singers for his group was a true labor of love for Ray Charles. In addition to those already named, the vocalists used herein include Miriam Workman, Lois Winter, Lillian Clark, Rae Whitney, Elise Bretton, Marilyn Palmer, Peggy Powers, Barbara Nelson, Jerry Duane, Steve Stick, Alan Sokoloff, Ed Lindstrom, Murray Kane, Gene Lowell, Clyde Seckler, Gene Stick, Bob Spiro and Rudy Williams.

From Billboard - March 12, 1955: Cleric Frowns On Cheesecake The clergy here take a rather dim view of recent rash of cheesecake cover art in the album field,. At any rate, Brother Andrew Corsini frowns on the trend.

In a letter to M-G-M Records this month, Brother Corsini congratulates the label on its "truly beautiful cover" for the Ray Charles Singers' album "The Autumn Nocturne." "I sincerely hope there are many more like it in the future," he wrote. "You can well understand my dislike for the seemingly unlimited number of half-dressed females that seem to be 'standard equipment' on record covers these days."

Autumn Nocturne
Early Autumn
A Faded Summer Love
Autumn In Rome
Indian Summer
When The Leaves Bid The Trees Goodbye
The Things We Did Last Summer
'Tis Autumn
Autumn Leaves
Shine On Harvest Moon
September Song
September In The Rain
Autumn In New York

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium

Rockhouse

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Music Composed and Conducted by Walter Scarf
Title Song Written by Donovan
Sung by J.P. Rags
United Artists UAS 5197
1969

It It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
Introduction And Samantha's Theme
Rockhouse - Vocal by Hopscotch
Bus Thur Holland
Rhine Waltz
Bus Thru Belgium
Rooftops Of Rome
Sunny Italy
Samantha's Theme
Cycling In Switzerland
G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S Fountains
Driving In Rome
Adieu
On To Rome
Remembering
Gone But Not Forgotten
It It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (Reprise)