Steel Drums

Spear Dance Cha Cha Cha

Steel Drums
HiFi Records R817
1959

Live recording, according to the sparse jacket notes: Most of the performances on the drums come off in the village center in the boiling hot sun of day time." What village, located where.. there is no mention.

Promising song titles include: Zulu Chant, La Paloma, Jungle Cha Cha Cha, Native Mambo, Spur Dance, Fire Down Below, Grass Skirt Cha Cha Cha, Mary Ann, Out Of My Dreams and Spear Dance Cha Cha Cha.

Cool song titles and great cover art can't mask the poor way the recording was done, the sameness of all the songs and lack of decent jacket notes.

Steel Drums (Reissue)

The Native Steel Drum Band
Tradition Everest 2064

Ping Pong Percussion Espanol

Cordoba

Ping Pong Percussion Espanol
Spinorama Records S-54

Fun cover art, but another LP in the long line of albums featuring pointless "ping-pong" effects tacked onto or into pre-record orchestrated numbers in an effort to cash in on a trend started by Enoch Light/Command Records.

International Pop Orchestra - 110 Musicians Play

My Blue Gown

Impossible Lovers

International Pop Orchestra
110 Musicians Play
Wyncote SW 9185

How do you top 101 Strings? With 9 more musicians. This would be Wyncote's attempt to cash in on 101 Strings success. Obviously this is an LP featuring an assemblage of music, that at times, sorta kinda of sounds like 101.

The A and B sides are pretty dull, as expected, until the last two tracks when Wyncote threw me a curve ball(s). A few interesting and somewhat unusual tunes.

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Shangri-La

I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Modern Sound MS 553

Nice cheap and cheesy cover of Shangri-La.

Curious copy from the back cover: San Francisco, like all cities, large and small has its poor, its underpriviledged (their typo), its share of shabbiness and its heartaches, but, these things have been with us down through history in cities of all sizes, both large and small. Still, its a city that has dreams for the future mingled with the pleasant memories of the past, and makes a great theme for an album.

Huh?

The Monterey Brass - Great Songs From Movies

Alla en el Rancho Grande

Living Marimbas
Latin Soul
RCA Camden CAS-2105
1966
Arranged and Conducted by Leo Addeo

50 Guitars In Love - The 50 Guitars Of Tommy Garrett

50 Guitars In Love
The 50 Guitars Of Tommy Garrett
Arrangements: Ernie Freeman
Produced by Snuff Grarrett
Guitar Solos by Tom Tedesco
Engineering: Dave Hasinger
Liberty Premier Series LSS-14037
1966

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample. Presented here to share the cover art.

The Liberty "Premier" series featured expensive to produce jackets like this die-cut book-fold (the area around the title is punched out). For a time Liberty also boasted about the vinyl weight (120 grams) on the covers.

The music is totally space age. The sonic impression is full and rich. The engineering is excellent. The sound that binds the tunes together sounds like mandolin strumming that is run through a bit of reverb. Cool 60s stuff!

From Billboard - September 17, 1966: The pop hits of today take on fresh meaning in this exceptional group of arrangements based upon the guitar work of Tommy Garrett. Package could prove his biggest seller to date. From the opener "Michelle" to the closer, Ernie Freeman's "Dream Theme," a magnificent romantic mood is created.

Michelle
Strangers In The Night
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Lara's Theme From "Dr. Zhivago"
Our Day Will Come
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Escape To Love
Sure Gonna Miss Her
Moon Guitar
What Now My Love
Dream Theme

In-citement - The Pair

Let It Be Me

In-citement
The Pair
Liberty LST-7461
1966

If you follow my blog you may have noted that I'm fond of Liberty releases. I've said that I have yet to stumble across a Liberty LP that I didn't enjoy and this is one Liberty pressing that I LOVE!

This seemingly obscure duo features Carl (Carlo) Craig (vocalist and left on the cover photo) and Marcus Hemphill playing the upright bass. The recording was made at The Mecca in Burena Park, California. The engineering is excellent. Like I said, I love this LP and I'm not that big into male vocalists. It is hard to believe that just a singer and bass player (an unusual combination) can be so captivating and cool.

Apparently this is the third release for the duo following The Pair Extraordinaire and The Pair Live at The Ice House (both on Liberty). Liberty did spend money promoting the group but I can't find much real bio information on them.

Bill Cosby wrote the jacket notes for this album and there is a note in Billboard, January 20, 1968 noting that "The Pair" were supporting Cosby on tour. And that they were booked at The New Frontier Hotel and in Las Vegas and then at Harrah's Club in Lake Tahoe.

I also found a note in Billboard, March 21, 1966 stating that the duo had just signed with The William Morris Agency.

The Young Lovers

Aquarius

The Young Lovers
Pickwick SPC 3163

The Young Lovers... apparently an obscure (and slightly groovy) choral group.

Springfield Rifle

Left Of Nowhere

Springfield Rifle
Burdette ST 5159
Manufactured by Capitol Records
1969

One of those "psych" obscurities that I rarely find at the thrift. "Psych" is a label that you can apply to only a few tracks. The music is a mixed bag of covers/approaches.

The Springfield Rifle worked out of Seattle, Washington. The members: Jeff Afdem, Harry Wilson, Terry Afdem, Bob Perry and Joe Cavender.

It Ain't Happened
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
100 Or So
Tunesmith
Left Of Nowhere
That's All I Really Need
He Will Break Your Heart
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
I Loved Her
My Girl

Music For Nervous People - John Clegg And His Orchestra

Speak Easy

Music For Nervous People

John Clegg And His Orchestra

RCA Victor

LPM-1732

1958

Interesting title and cover illustration. I gathered from the cover art that the music might sound sort of "frantic". However, the set is smooth and easy, intended to help CALM down "nervous people".

While I may have expect the "nervous", I love the soothing, dreamy music that plays through much like a Jackie Gleason concept LP.

Speak Easy
Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
Thinking Of You
Wildflower
Yours Sincerely
Through A Thousand Dreams
Sea Shells
It Can't Be Wrong
So Help Me (If I Don't Love You)
When Day Is Done
My Dream Is Yours
Sweet Dreams