Stereo Action - It's Magic

I've Got The World On A String

Stereo Action
It's Magic
Marty Gold
RCA Victor LSA-2290
1961

Here we have another installment in the "Stereo Action" series. As with the other releases, this is a double thick cardboard jacket with a die-cut. The square shape in the middle of the cover reveals the colorful space age image found on the gloss record sleeve.

RCA's gimmick was to "wow" record buyers with stereo. The engineers "rolled" the audio from channel to channel. Through my headphones and to my ears, this technique is pointless and annoying. However, a February 1961 "Billboard (Magazine) Pick" review favored the album saying that the technique "...should make the disk a favorite if hi-fi and stereo bugs."  It is also curious that, according to the same Billboard review, that this record was available in "monaural". I don't know if that's a mistake. Who would buy a mono version of this record?

Stereo Action - Leo Addeo

I Found A Million Dollar Baby

Stereo Action
The Music Goes 'Round And 'Round
The Sound You Eyes Can Follow
Leo Addeo And His Orchestra
Produced by Marty Gold
RCA Victor LSA-2353
1961

The record comes in a heavy (double thick) jacket with a die-cut through the front cover (the oval shape revealing the spiral image found on the glossy record sleeve).

The recording was made in Webster Hall. This is a concert hall referred to on many albums I've collected from the period. However, this is the first time the jacket notes have referred to the environment as "...a somewhat garish dance hall...".

There are a number of "Stereo Action" albums to be collected. Additional releases also feature lavish die-cut covers.

Basically, RCA attempted to grab the attention of record buyers by playing up "stereo" as some sort of mystical technique that might actually "visualized". All RCA did, for the most part, was to roll audio from one channel to another. And, frankly, it's a bit annoying (at least listening through headphones). Maybe listening through speakers would be better. Enoch Light/Command and Mercury put stereo to better use during the same time period.

Band On Parade

Band On Parade
30 Years
1946 - 1976
Halker-Flege Post #69
American Legion Band
Reading, Ohio

And now for something completely different.

Lakota High School 1969

Up, Up And Away

Lakota High School Chorus Spring Concert
March 6, 1969

It is always fun to find a local private press. This copy is a jacket blank signed and dated by alumni from 1969 to 1972.

Hits From Latin America

Beguine For Lovers

Hits From Latin America
Jaun Del Oro And His Orchestra
Dyna-Disc CH-807

Here we have an obscure album from a Juan Del Oro. I found several more LPs by Del Oro on the Somerset label with 1964 release dates.

This album features a great vintage cover and nice fully orchestrated smooth and somewhat light Latin numbers.

Send Me Softly

Lullaby Of Leaves

Send Me Softy - Milt Buckner
Capitol Records T938
1957

This album was a bit of a surprise. First and needless to point out, any album featuring an image of a smoking hot model, or should I say, hot model... smoking is collectible.

This is my first Buckner album. Close your eyes and the music seems to be coming from the depths of a smoky basement lounge.

Excellent and inventive percussive organ played by Buckner.

Over The Rainbow - Jesse Crawford

Ebb Tide

Over The Rainbow
Jesse Crawford
At The Pipe Organ
Decca DL 78984
1960

The August 8, 1960 Billboard gave this Crawford LP a good review.

Music For Bang Baaroom And Harp

Typee

Music For Baaroom And Harp
Dick Schory's New Percussion Ensemble
RCA Victor LSP-1866
1958

The photo above was scanned off the back cover. Look at the engineering set up RCA did to record this album! They jumped heavy into exotica with this project. The form, "exotica" broke on the scene just about a year earlier with Martin Denny's release of "Exotica".

The problem with this album is that song selection ping pongs between really cool tracks, by way of example on side one, Baja and April In Paris and Nation Emblem March and Ding Dong Polka (which are annoyingly light for me). I couldn't get into the album as a whole due to these mood contrasts.

I read one online review in which the reviewer "liked" all of the songs with the exception of Typee, the one song on this LP that really grabbed me as exceptional.

Boston Tea Party

Arthur Fiedler
Boston Tea Party
Boston Pops Orchestra
RCA Victor LM-2213
1958

Great space age cover on this vintage Boston Pops Album.

The Oud

Fountain Scene

The Oud
Aram Arakelian Ensemble
Carlton Record Corporation STLP12/109
1958

Here's a somewhat obscure recording from the period that the "exotica" music form was being "created" in the U.S. Martin Denny's album, "Exotica" was released in 1957. Exotica sparked interest in all types of international folk music.

The December 15, 1958 issue of Billboard found this album "...something from the "Arabian Nights" and should serve as a dramatic demonstration piece to show off the two-channel effect with a pair of good amps and speakers."

There is one thing about the album cover that cracks me up. The word "STEREO" was somehow affixed to the cover of this issue (although I've seen this catalog number jacket without this word) in a "fuzzy" or faux "velvet" applique. It's just weird.

That aside, the music is as the back cover states: "Rhythmically, a slight nod in the direction of western music will be apparent."

The music was arranged by George Mgrdichian. It is interesting to note that Mgrdichian has a CD out there titled "Oud" with the exact same artwork that appears on this album, but with different song titles.