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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Dino, Desi And Billy

I'm A Fool
Dino (Martin), Desi (Arnaz) And Billy (Hinsche)
Arrangements: Billy Strange, Jack Nitzsche & Lee Hazlewood
Reprise R-6176
1965

Personnel: Al Casey, Billy Strange, James Burton, Jim Gordon, Jim Troxel, Dr. Jim Simmons, Jimmy Grey & Donald L. Owens

I'm A Fool charted #17 Billboard and Not The Lovin' Kind (also on this album), #25. They opened for The Beach Boys in 1965. None of the boys were barely 15 years of age at the time. They also opened for Paul Revere & The Raiders, Tommy Roe, Sam The Sham, The Lovin' Spoonful and The Mamas And The Papas.

Not The Lovin' Kind
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Mr. Tambourine Man
I'm A Fool
Like A Rolling Stone
The Rebel Kind
Chimes Of Freedom
It Ain't Me Babe
Boo-Hoo-Hoo (I Can Tell)
So Many Ways
Seventh Son

Astounding High Fidelity!

Chase And Kill From "Safari"
Astounding High Fidelity!
In Stereo
Moments In Great Music
Somerset SF-6100
1958

There are a few songs on this album by The Nord Deutches Symphony, a few by 101 Strings, one The London Philharmonic and the sample above that is uncredited. The Chase And Kill track is very much different from the rest of the "classical" fare on the album.

The Windmills Of Your Mind - Billy Vaughn

Time Of The Season
Billy Vaughn
The Windmills Of Your Mind
Produced by Billy Vaughn and Dick Peirce
Cover Photography: Gene Brownell
Art Direction: Christopher Wharf
Engineer: Hank Cicalo
Dot Records ST-91985 & STEREO DLP 25937
1969

The Windmills Of Your Mind - Arranged by George Tipton
Traci's Tracks - Arranged by Billy Vaughn
Help Yourself - Arranged by Milt Rogers
Time Of The Season - Arranged by Billy Vaughn
Traces - Arranged by Billy Vaughn
Wichita Linemen - Arranged by Milt Rogers
Promises, Promises - Arranged by Milt Rogers
Soulful Strut - Arranged by Milt Rogers
The Way That I  Live - Arranged by George Tipton
Glad She's A Woman - Arranged by Billy Vaughn
Heaven - Arranged by Milt Rogers
You Gave Me A Mountain

Monday, March 14, 2011

Melodies In Gold

Melodies In Gold
Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra
Dot DLP 25064
1959

Interesting cover. I can't say this cheesecake model does much for me... Certainly the dress does nothing for her.

Anyway, the tracks are available for download at the usual online outlets so I won't be posting a sample.

The music is punctuated with some "The Shinning-esque" clarinet that stabs through vail of easy listening. It just reminds me of that ballroom scene in the movie The Shinning.  Like music from a haunted dance hall.

1966 Magnificent Movie Themes

Theme From The Chase
Thunderball
1966 Magnificent Movie Themes
Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra
Command Records RS 894 SD

Originated and produced by Loren Becker, Robert Byrne and Julie Klages.

Another fun Command album. You can hardly go wrong with the Command label. Even though this album was released after ABC got their hands on the label and the quality declined rapidly according to Enoch Light's wiki page. The engineering was always top notch and much of the music Command put out during this period, is groovy, silly or depending on your tastes cool light pop.  This a great record with a fab 60s musical groove.

The cover was art directed by Charles E. Murphy, a designer who basically created the Command brand with his graphically bold cover images.

Byrne is mentioned in a 1968 Billboard article as the A&R Director for Command, so I think he was probably on the Command payroll. Loren Becker is mentioned as Command's VP.

Midnight Rhapsody - Joe Bushkin

Laura
Midnight Rhapsody
Joe Bushkin, His Piano and Orchestra
Orchestrations by Glenn Osser
Capitol Records T 711
1956

From Billboard - March 31, 1956: Joe Bushkin makes the switch from combo to big band for the first time and the results are a warm and luxuriant sound. Bushkin undoubtedly had some of his greater moments working with the small group and there are those who will deplore his going as "commercial" as he does in this slicing. Nevertheless, this stuff is in keeping with current tasters in romantic background music and the selection of number highlighting the guy's sensitive touch adds up to excellent potential. "Laura," "I Cover The Waterfront," "Manhattan," and "I Can't Get Started" are a few of the winning line-up.

Manhattan
Laura
Stormy Weather
September Song
Embraceable You
Come Rain Or Come Shine
I Cover The Waterfront
I Can't Get Started
The Song Is You
As Time Goes By
It's The Talk Of The Town
Above All, You

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Big Band Cha Cha Cha - Freddy Sateriale

So In Love Cha Cha
Freddy Sateriale's
Big Band Cha Cha Cha
Promenade 2133

Here's an obscure Cha Cha album. Not much to be found on Sateriale and no information to be found on the back cover of this album. From the cover it looks like the album was probably released around 1958-60. I've blogged one other album Sateriale blogged: (Broadway Latin American Party on Spinorama).

Fun cover and decent small band Cha Cha.

David Le Winter - Latin Melodies

Sueno Flamenco
David Le Winter
Latin Melodies
Mercury Records MG 20012
1954

When I first flipped by the album I thought it was a classical music LP. Then I saw the word "latin" and pulled it out to give a closer look. The jacket is very heavy cardboard. The cover is a faux leather or leatherette. And the record itself is probably the heaviest vinyl I've held in my hands. I didn't have much hope for it, but this turns out to be a terrific set from a lively small Latin combo. From the many recordings I've listened to from the period, this is inventive and sparkling stuff.

From the back cover it appears as though Le Winter was playing "Chicago's luxurious Pump Room" at the time he recorded this album. The photos on the rear cover were apparently "grip and grins" taken at The Pump Room. Also, it appears as though he was no early comer to nightlife, playing at the time the notes were written, 21 years in speakeasies to London's Music Halls. He also played with the Boston Pops Orchestra and the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

In A Dancing Mood - Jan Garber

In The Mood
In A Dancing Mood
Jan Garber And His Orchestra
Decca Records DL 8483
1957

Billboard thought this release might go over well with "mature buyers".

A few tunes swing, but seem misplaced on a disc featuring mainly dated presentations for the 40s let alone, the late 50s. Terrific cover of couple in a dancing mood on top of a long play platter.

Montenegro & Mayhem

The Peanut Vendor
Montenegro & Mayhem
Hugo Montenegro And His Orchestra
Time Records S/2176

This album is a reissue of Bongs And Brass (Time 2014) released in 1960. It's possible that this is the stereo release.

Montenegro is one of my favorite composers who is a genius at crafting tunes with enough surprises to keep you in the groove. He was also an innovator with the moog, influencing future generations of synth artists.

This album is a bend of jazz, bachelor pad and the ping-pong, a percussion fad that Enoch Light unleashed on the world. "Ping-pong" meaning bouncing sounds, very often and in this case bongos, from one channel to another. This is a great example of the many records created after this sound. Great engineering on this Time release. Cool space age stuff.

Musicians on the album include Doc Serverisen and Al Caiola.