Easy Listening - Ray Bloch

All The Things You Are

Easy Listening
Ray Bloch And His Orchestra
Produced by Bob Thiele
Signature Records
15050-1-2
1946

3 record 78 RPM set.

From Billboard - September 28, 1946: Ray Bloch with a large studio orchestra, weaves a beautiful melody fabric for six everlasting favorites out of the stage and Tin Pan Alley folios. Embellishing the selections with beautiful interludes, with silky Strads and colorful brass harmonies bringing out all of the melodic charm of the songs, the spinning is truly enough "easy listening". Photo of the maestro graces outside and inside covers.

Bloch would go on to make records for decades including this 1969 set based on the musical Hair featuring The Ray Bloch Singers. Also see Hits Of '68.

The Way You Look Tonight
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
All The Things You Are
People Will Say We're In Love
The Very Thought Of You
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody

Sing A Song Of Goodman - The Randy Van Horne Singers

Sing A Song Of Goodman
The Randy Van Horne Singers
MGM Records E3720

This set is available from online vendors, so I will not be posting a sample. Above is the original cover art which does not illustrate the vendor's material.

An excellent group harmony set. Horne's inventive, jazzy arrangements helps create cross-over appeal to those who enjoy jazz, swing as well as vocal harmony.

From the back cover: Randy van Horne, leader of the great swing choir heard in this recording, was born in El Paso, Texas in 1924. In 1949, he organized the first of his singing groups, a quintet dubbed "The Encores," which racked up a handsome record of success in niteries and on TV. You might remember that the group also recorded with Billy May. Randy began experimenting with the idea of swing choir like that heard in this recording when he organized a chorus made up of volunteers who would be willing to go through the rigors of long rehearsals, and the trail-and-error of the first few of Randy's unusual, swingin' arrangements. Things began to jell nicely and Randy was able to shape the group into a professional body, now much in demand.

Let's Dance
Slipped Blue
Stompin' At The Savoy
And The Angels Sing
Air Mail Special
King Porter Stomp
Soft Winds
Down South Camp Meetin'
A Smooth One
Mission To Moscow
Sing, Sing, Sing
Good-bye

Dance To Richard Rodgers - Victor Silvester

I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Victor Silvester's Invitation
Dance To Richard Rodgers
Victor Silvester's Silver Strings And Orchestra
Capitol Records T10193

From the back cover: Victor Silvester from more than thirty years has enjoyed a fabulous reputation in England – and in Asia and Africa as well – as one of the most popular orchestra leaders ever to give a downbeat.

In this beautifully-produced album, recorded in brilliant stereo as well as monaurally, he presents a dozen of Richard Rodgers' most beloved, and successful show tunes with the sleek Silvester "Silver Strings" featured.

At the age of 22, Silvester won the World's Dancing Championship, an outstanding feat as he had never danced in his life until four years previously. His success was due to intensive training and exceptional ability.

He then opened his own school in London's famous Bond Street, and this became both the largest and most famous in the British Isles. People from all over the world came to learn dancing there, and these included many notable personalities, such as Madeleine Carroll, Merie Oberon and Belita – to mention a few. It was his experience as a dancer and his association with this organization which led to the formation of his orchestra.

At his Dancing Academy – in common with other teachers at that time – Victor found that it was difficult to obtain satisfactory records suitable for the ballroom. It was then he hit upon the brilliant idea of forming his own orchestra to provide music for dancing.

Silvester had learned the piano as a boy, and his studies at the London College of Music were of great value in founding the orchestra. The success of his records in England soon spread to Europe, Australia, South Africa and even India. Everywhere people were learning to dance to the strains of Silvester's music strictly for dancing.

Through his outstanding popularity on gramophone records, it automatically followed that the B.B.C. was anxious to secure Silvester's services for broadcasting (sound radio and T.V.), and today he stands among Britain's most popular dance band leaders. He has topped all the major national newspaper polls for the past ten years. In 1941 he devised his world-famous radio program, "The Dancing Club," to which some 10,000,000 listeners tune in every week.

Before the ware he demonstrated and taught ballroom dancing to teachers all over Europe, and his book, "Modern Ballroom Dancing" has sold well over a million copies in thirty-seven editions. It became the standard dancing textbook in Germany and has been printed in five Japanese editions! In addition, he has written several other textbooks that are considered outstanding in their field.

With his pianist, Ernest Wilson, he has written about ninety dance tunes, including tangos and sambas, with the accent on rhythm. Many of have been recorded by his Stings for Dancing and his Ballroom Orchestra.

Shall We Dance
Mountain Greenery
Some Enchanted Evening
If I Loved You
People Will Say We're In Love
Manhattan
Bewitched
Isn't It Romantic
This Can't Be Love
Dancing On The Ceiling
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
My Heart Stood Still

Singing Cha Cha Cha - Horace Diaz

Charley, My Boy

Singing Cha Cha Cha
Horace Diaz and His Cha Cha Kings featuring Los Amigos
Kapp Records KL-1225

1961

From the back cover: Anyone who likes to dance will enjoy the music of Horace Diaz – one of this country's leading arranger/pianists and an authority on the dance music of Latin America. The son of a guitarist, Horace was born in Vera Cruz, Mexico, but he spent his early years in New Orleans during the golden days of the jazz era, and knew many of the great jazz artists. Later, he arranged for Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Charlie Barnet and Xavier Cugat; was duo-pianist with Eddie Duchin and accompanist for such well-known stars as Morton Downey and Bing Crosby.

Ja-Da
Everybody's Doin' It Now
You'd Be Surprised
Kissproof Lips
Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh
Take It Easy
I Want A Guy Who Can Dance Me The Cha-Cha-Cha
Pretty Baby
Charley, My Boy
A-Tisket A-Tasket
Romantica
Watermelon Heart

The Magic Touch Of Buck Ram

The Magic Touch

The Magic Touch Of Buck Ram And His Orchestra
Mercury Records SR 60067
1959

From the back cover: Buck Ram is perhaps best know today as manager and musical inspiration of The Platters, the highest flying vocal group in all the world. His tunes, arranged for their style, have provided their biggest hits, among them "Twilight Time," "Only You," "The Great Pretender," "I'm Sorry" and "Remember When." Each of these has a full history. "Twilight Time" was recorded thirty-five times since it was first written for The Three Suns in 1942. "Remember When" was recorded six times but never made it until The Platters' explosive version. "Only You" has such a dramatic background, having changed the lives of seven people, that Buck Ram has secretly been waiting for the opportunity to base a movie scenario on its story.

Only You
Whispering Wind
At Your Beck And Call
Twilight Time
Heaven On Earth
Helpless
But Not Like You
I'm Sorry
My Serenade
The Great Pretender
The Magic Touch

Imagination - Malcolm Peters

African Patrol

Imagination
Malcolm Peters And Orchestra
Design: Murray Stein
Photography: George Pickow from Three-Lions
Time Records 70007
1960

From Billboard March 7, 1960: Original big band music, written by Ron Goodwin and arranged by Malcolm Peters, who also fronts the orchestra. A variety of musical impression are offered, as evidenced by such titles as "African Patrol," "Midnight Tussaud's," Jubillee U.S.A.," "Big Top Circus." Mostly effective, the content provide some good mood music.

African Patrol
Tension Zone
Midnight In Madame Tussaud's
Cartooooney
Skin Diver's Ballet
Big Top Circus
Jubilee U.S.A.
Waiting' For The Dawn
Prairie Schooner
Movie Time
Hawaiian Eyebeat
Frighten Flute

Zane Beck Plays The New ZB Model

Too Many Miles

Zane Beck Plays The New ZB Model
Recorded at John's Recording Studio - Russellville, Arkansas
LP-1001

From the back cover: Zane became world famous as a performer with top Country-Western artists such as Billy Walker, Red Sovine, and many, many other Grand Old Opera stars.

Zane expanded his talents when he engineered and constructed his own pedal steel guitar. In the following years, this guitar became known to many as one of the world's finest steel guitars. In 1968, he sold his guitar company and semi-retired on his Arkansas farm. He still acts in an advisory capacity to the Phoenix-based Aerospace Corporation who purchased the ZB Guitar Company.

During the last ten years, Zane has had numerous requests to make a recording but has always declined. This feeling changed in late 1971, when the all-new ZB Student Model was introduced. He couldn't wait to show the new pedal steel players, as well as the old, what can be accomplished with this fine instrument. – Bill Sims - President, ZB Guitar Co.

Zane's Blues
For The Good Times
Gentle On My Mind
It's All Up To You
Plenty Of Time
Take These Chains From My Heart
Cowboy Shuffle
Have You Ever Been Lonely
Crazy Arms
Cold, Cold Heart
Hey Good Lookin'
Too Many Miles

Jose Melis At The Opera

Meditation

Jose Melis At The Opera
Mercury Records SR 60709
1962

This release received a brief listing in Billboard's September 15, 1962 issue as having "Moderate Sales Potential".

As it turns out, out of all the Melis albums I've collected, I find this set to be one of his best and a fine blend of "serious music" and space age pop. Inventive, lively arrangements and sparkling keyboard work by Melis are present.

From the back cover: The Melis interest in serious music is no passing fancy. From the age of six, when he first entered the Havana Music Conservatory, right on through studies in Paris, Boston, and the famed Juilliard School in New York, and on through his years on the Jack Parr TV Show's musical Rock of Gibraltar, Jose has been a passionate purveyor of classical music. Piano artist Melis possesses the happy faculty of being able to combine his interest in music's more serious side with a unique ability, via the keyboard, to translate it into the popular idiom.

Dance Of The Hours (La Gioconda)
Meditation (Thais)
Evening Star (Tannhauser)
Il Mio Tesoro Intanto (Don Giovanni)
One Fine Day (Madame Butterfly)
Carmen Cha Cha (Carmen)
Sextette (Lucia)
Berceuse (Jocelyn)
La Donna Mobile (Riggoletto)
Figaro (Barber Of Seville)
O Lola Bianca (Cavalleria Rusticana)
Che Gelida Manina (La Boheme)

The Great Sounds Of Mort Lindsey And His Orchestra

Ebb Tide

The Great Sounds Of Mort Lindsey And His Orchestra
Dot DLP 25273
1960

Trumpets: Jimmy Maxwell, Bernie Privin, Bob Cusmano, Ernie Royal, Steve Lipkins
Trombones: Chauncey Welsch, Charlie Small, Tommy Mitchell, Dick Hixon
Reeds: Phil Bodner (Clarinet), Toots Mondello (Alto), Romeo Pence (Alto and Bari), Joe Palmer and Wolffe Taninbaum (Tenor)
Rhythm: Don Lamond (Drums), Al Caiola and Barry Galbraith (Guitar), Jack Zimmerman (Bass), Bob Curtis (Piano)

From Billboard - July 27, 1960: Lindsey brings a dreamy, Glenn Miller-styled sweet-swing flavor to pleasant instrumental treatments of fairly recent hits. Interesting wax approach to familiar material for jocks.

From the back cover: A remarkably versatile young man-about-music, Mort Lindsey is perhaps best known currently for his appearances as musical director for Pat Boone, on the latter's popular television program, and of course, for his arrangements in many of Pat's albums. An accomplished pianist and organist, Mort was voted "most talented student" during his undergraduate days at Columbia University. Now a comfortable citizen of Montclair, New Jersey, Mort has proceeded to live up to that early promise in his blossoming career.

Canadian Sunset
Volare
Melody Of Love
All The Way
Mack The Knife
Autumn Leaves
April Love
Unchained Melody
Oh! My Pa-Pa
Ebb Tide
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Love Letters In The Sand

Night Dreams - Gordon Jenkins

So Beats My Heart For You

Night Dreams
Gordon Jenkins and The Ralph Brewster Singers
Cover photo by Ken Whitmore
Capitol Records
T781
1957

From Billboard - February 23, 1957: One of the strongest mood albums in recent months. The repertoire – standards of the likes of "Moon Over Miami," "Drifting And Dreaming" and "My Reverie," is similar to others but there the sameness ends. These are excitingly fluid, imaginative arrangements for big work, with wonderful effects of voices as instruments, contributed by the Ralph Brewster Singers. The instrumentals-vocal appoarch is gaining favor but this is the tops of the current lot. This package with jockey exposure is likely to show very show at counters.

Moon Over Miami
Allah's Holiday
Drifting And Dreaming
How Are Things In Glocca More
So Beats My Heart For You
To Each His Own
Cherie
My Silent Love
Does Your Heart Beat For Me?
My Reverie
The Song Is Ended