Songs Of Love, Songs Of Life

Sunset In The Caribbean - Maria R. Sueiras

Your Love Letters - Sydney B. Wade

Songs Of Love, Songs Of Life
Royal Master Records RM 8030

And now for another fine song-poem feature.

This album is loaded with the good stuff that makes song-poems fun. Well... there are no songs about ninja disco aliens... but down-home stories of love and life are good enough for me.

A Guitar And You - Music For An After Hours Mood

Harlem Noctourne

A Guitar And You
Music For An After Hours Mood
Session Under The Direction Of D. L. Miller
Cover Photo: Frank Zimmerman
Cover Art: Joesph Krush
Somerset Records P-3500
Packaged by Trump Phono Record Sales, Inc.
1959

Finely crafted small combo jazz set featuring Joe Sgro playing electric guitar (no acoustic on this LP). Additional credits go to Vince Montana - vibes, Joseph Kuhn - bass and Jack Cassidy - drums. D. L. Miller (Somerset was Miller's label) gives himself credit for "session direction".

There isn't much to be found on Sgro online other than he was well thought of as an instructor. This may have been his only project? However, if you google him you will find a short YouTube interview (an outtake from documentary titled Philly Pop Music).

Alone Together
Embraceable You
Rachmaninoff And You
Claire De Lune
Tchaikovsky After Hours
Deep Purple
This Is Always
You Go To My Head
Ravel After Hours
Tchaikovsky Sits In
The Lady Likes Chopin
Harlem Nocturne

San Remo 69

Se Tu Ragazzo Mio - Ambra Borelli

II Gioco Dell'amore - Ambra Borelli

San Remo 69
Fiesta Records Company - New York, NY
FLPS 1573

And now for a few samples from an Italian import pop LP. Let the first Borelli sample play through as she goes crazy in a few places. Unless I missed it, I don't see her album reproduced on the cover. There are some fun tracks on the album, but her two songs stand out to my ear. I can't find many instances of her name online.

Junk Feelings Don't Have To Get You Down

Nobody Else Like Me

Junk Feelings Don't Have To Get You Down
Proclamation
Cursade LPS 1393

Melodies Of Japan - Johnny Gregory

Shikararete

Melodies Of Japan
Played In A Modern Manner By Johnny Gregory And His Orchestra
Fontana MGF 27522

1964

I looked for this record after I found an album by "Chaquito". Chaquito turned out to be a versatile English arranger and conductor, Johnny Gregory, who made a by number of good Latin-style albums. Check out Hot Cha Cha Cha

I was expecting more or something different from this set having read online that the vibe was lounge or exotica (Denny/Lyman). To my ears, the album is split between almost straight easy listening and about 4 or 5 nice space age lounge tracks. Pleasant overall and the last track on the B side most grabbed my attention with it's groovy intro and laid back jazzy approach.

Sounds Sensational - The Chorus And Percussion Of Keith Textor

It Might As Well Be Spring

Sounds Sensational
The Chorus And Percussion Of Keith Textor
Produced by Marty Gold
RCA LSA-2425
1962

I'd thought I'd find more instances of this album when I did a search online. It turns out to be somewhat obscure. I found another photo featuring a white version of the cover. This one is blue (although faded on the left side).

Link here for a sample of Textor's first Stereo Action album, Sounds Terrific. The formula is the same on this album, but the stereo mixing is somewhat better.

The Greatest Guitar - Al Caiola

Chiribiribin

The Greatest Guitar
Al Caiola
Guest Star Records NG-1408

This Guest Star LP features a snap shot quality photo of Caiola on the jacket.

The cover sells the set as a Caiola. As far as I can tell, Caiola isn't playing on side one.

As I listen to the B side, I'll be damned if I can tell if Caiola is playing on this LP at all. Wait a second, I need to check the label for his name. The label reads Italian Holiday so the wrong record is in the jacket!  No... the catalog numbers are the same and the tracks seem to be correct. Apparently Guest Star could only afford a snapshot of Caiola for the cover and that was it. I'm not kidding...

Enjoy a track by Bill Costa instead which Caiola may, or may not have backed.

Sensational Guitars Of Dan And Dale

Valley Of The Dolls

Sensational Guitars Of Dan And Dale
Diplomat DS 2441

A Product of Synthetic Plastics Co. 

1968

Love Is Blue (L'amour eat Bleu)

We Can Fly

Theme From Valley Of The Dolls

A Little Rain

Never Say Goodbye

Every Monday Night

Mellow Day In The Morning

Our Love Affair

Blue Flowers In Her Hair

It's A Sad Song

TV Jazz Themes - Skip Martin

Fallout

TV Jazz Themes
The Video All-Stars

Recorded in Hollywood
Conducted By Skip Martin

Cover Art: George Pico

Audio Mix: Bill Putnam

Recorded under the direction of D. L. Miller
Stereo Fidelity (Somerset)
Album SF-8800
1959

First Session (Peter Gunn: Theme, Fallout, Session at Pete's Pad – 77 Sunset Strip): Gus Bivona, Paul Horn, Bob Copper, Red Mitchell, Jimmy Rowles, Gene Sherry, Pete Terry, Joe Triscari, Dick Nash, Frank Rosoling, George Roberts, Jimmy McGee, Joe Howard and Jules Jacob.

Second Session (Peter Gunn: Brothers Go To Mother's, Soft Sounds, Dreamsville – Richard Diamond – The Thin Man): Shelly Manne, Al Henderickson, Gus Bivona, Paul Horn, Red Mitchell, Bob Cooper, Pete Terry, Joe Triscari, Jules Jacob, Ray Linn, Gene Estes, Don Fagerquist, Jimmy Salko, Joe Howard, Dick Nash, Frank Rosolino, George Roberts, Larry Bunker, Jimmy Rowles, Vince Terri, Pete Candoli, Gene Sherry, Jimmy Mcgee, Conrad Gozzo, Frank Beach and Irv Cottler.

The April 20, 1959 Billboard mentions that the musicians appearing on this project as "top-flight".

Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn

Pete Rugolo's Richard Diamond

Livingston and David's 77 Sunset Strip

Pete Rugolo's The Thin Man

Selections from Peter Gunn: Theme

Session At Pete's Pad

Brothers Got To Mothers

Soft Sounds

Fallout

Dreamsville

Switched-On Bacharach - Christoper Scott

The April Fools

Switched-On Bacharach
Performed on The Moog Synthesizer by Christoper Scott

Arranged and Conducted by Dave Mullaney

Production Co-ordinator: Harry Meyerson

Produced by Metro Talents Ltd.

Electronic Music Productions, LTD.
Decca Records DL 75141
1969

The Look Of Love

Alfie

Walk On By

This Guy's In Love With You

Wives And Lovers

Do You Know The Way To San Jose

What The World Needs Now Is Love

I Say A Little Prayer

The April Fools

What's New Pussycat?