Carlene's Sacred Favorites

Beside Still Water

Carlene's Sacred Favorites

I had a moment today as a record collector. I got caught up in a city wide yard sale and made a number of stops looking for records. At one home I actually found a box of records in the yard. 80s stuff, nothing that I was looking for, but in the middle of the stack I found this private press record. Private press vocalists are alway a good bet, so I pulled it out even though the price was $2. There was a lady sitting in a chair right next to me. I asked her if she'd take a $1 for it (actually the going rate for this type of record around here). The woman standing next to her looked at the woman sitting in the chair and said "What do you think Mom? It's your record." I paused for a moment and said... "Is this you?" It turned out that Carlene was sitting right next to me as I went through the records. How fun is that? I said, "I'll give you $2 if you sign it!" So now I have a signed copy. They took a photo of us together with the record. Maybe if they see this post they'll email me a copy of the photo. What a hoot!

So you want to know where some of these private press artists end up? One was sitting, on a cool day in the front yard, with her grand daughter on her lap autographing her album for me.

The Story Of Dracula

The Story Of Dracula
Kid Stuff Records KS118
By The Kid Stuff Repertory Company
1978

Horrible album cover art and the worst Dracula impersonation ever.

The Indian Marimba

The Indian Marimba
The Musical Heritage Society MHS 3238
1975

This is a terrific record. The sound is very "exotica". Of course, the marimba is a staple instrument in many exotica projects so it is easy to hear the "exotica" form in this project (of course I realize that exotica artists barrow from traditional forms). Additionally, the arrangements seem more complex or less conservative then I was expecting. And the creators insert natural sounds that bridge or blend a number of tracks together. This technique adds flavor that might appeal to lovers of exotica.

The back cover notes indicate that "The musical research necessary for the production of this recording was undertaken by Hector Miranda who directs the Los Calchakis Ensemble. Miranda has made a pile of recordings is still active with Los Calchakis.

Apparently you can't find this LP on CD, so I'll post a sample.

Silver Apples Of The Moon

Silver Apples Of The Moon
For Electronic Music Synthesizer
By Morton Subotnick
Nonesuch H-71174
1967

This LP can be found as a CD import. I'd love to post a sample because this is an awesome record. I must say that I know little about the history of synthetic (electronic) music. I believe the movie Forbidden Planet soundtrack contained some of the first experimental music. This record has that great mysterious Forbidden Planet flavor to it. Apparently, Subotnick broke with trend of the day and took the art form from abstract into pattern and rhythm.

Very cool stuff.

Morton Subotnick on Wikipedia.

Margaret Plays The Musical Saw

Green Leaves Of Summer

Margaret Plays The Musical Saw
Audiocraft Recording Co. Cincinnati, OH

Today's offering is a great local private press recording. Minty fresh and autographed!

The Musical Saw is the next best thing to the Theremin when it comes to "strange" music instruments. It may be that Musical Saw recordings are rather more rare than Theremin.

There is a lot of good information on the back cover. But one paragraph stands out. "Margaret carries her saw in a gun case, which causes problems with security when she boards a plane for Burbank, California, to visit her daughter. Sometimes she must demonstrate that it really is a musical instrument."

That's why you do not see many traveling Saw players these days. They would all be pegged for terrorists, knocked to the ground and stripped search everywhere they went.

LIMBO! - The Caribbeanas

Santa Manite

LIMBO!

The Caribbeanas

Diplomat 2277
1962

Side one

Limbo Like Me
Arima Tonight
Gounod's Waltz
Gaza
Melodious Overtones

Side two

Santa Manite
Melody De Amour
Whirling 'Round
Claire Is Where
The Heat

Hot Piano

Hot Piano

Victor Records
194?

Great art from the cover of a collection of 78s issued by Victor.

If We Never Meet Again

I'm Saved And I Know That I Am

If We Never Meet Again

The Blue Grass Trio
The Lexinton Baptist College
REM Records L.P. 1016

Apparently there are four people in the Trio. I can't tell you how many albums I have with more or less people in the Duo, Trio, Quartet or whatever else have you.

Nice autographed budget cover. In this case "Blue Grass" is not an music form, but refers to the "color" of the grass found in the "Blue Grass State".

The building REM Records lists as an address in Lexington, KY has been torn down and is currently an empty lot. REM indicates on the back cover that "...this record can be purchased with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."

The Goldman Band

The Goldman Band
Marching On!
Vocalion VL 73838

Horny for brass? Apparently Vocalion decided that sex could sell anything, including marching band music. Whacky marketing!

Ping Pong Percussion - Lerner & Loewe

I Talk To The Trees

Ping Pong Percussion
Lerner & Loewe
Spinorama Records S-33

Spinorama Records logo is one of my favorite space age icons.

This is another LP fashioned after the Command "percussion series". Lerner & Loewe use a technique I've heard on another of other recordings of this period. The artist develops a "contemporary sound" as a lead into what turns out to be a standard orchestrated piece. In this case, easy listening.

This technique and cover art misrepresent the overall content. None-the-less, this is still an interesting project and sweet record.

To The Tables Down At Mory's

To The Tables Down At Mory's
Songs for getting together, beer drinking and raising hell!!!
Lee Gotch's Ivy Barflies
Somerset SF-7600

I have another great cover to post today. I'm not kidding. I did not make this up. Yes, these gentlemen are drinking beer, raising hell and singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

This music is so white bread it's almost barbershop quartet. This is a wonderful disconnect between marketing and reality.

Gene Tracy Truckstop 11

Gene Tracy
Cleans Up His Act
Truckstop 11
Koala Record Company 1980
KOA 14878

Interesting cheesecake cover for a reissue of Tracy material released the year after he died at the age of 52.

Love this cover. The model is curiously "old" and I don't have any idea why Koala went with this image over any other cheesecake image as there is no connection between the cover and the material. The album contains some adult references, some off-color and politically incorrect jokes, but no bad language what-so-ever.  It is not "XXX" by any means.

So it interesting to note the disclaimer on the back cover: "The illustrations are a commercial concept for this album. Therefore we are unable to say that the illustrations represent a completely accurate presentation of the recording artist as he has or does now appear."

Jesse Crawford At The Organ

Jesse Crawford At The Organ

Crown Records
CST 486

Interesting mid-60s release from a bargain basement budget label, Crown. On the cover, a hip 60s chick... on the inside, organ music from a well known silent movie and gramophone recording artist who passed away several years before this LP was pressed.

Needless to say... there is a complete disconnect from the groovy marketing pitch of the jacket photo and the conservative music contained within.

I think this record is a reissue of Crawford material from a few years earlier. The tracks are available on iTunes and other online sources and these sources all use the early 60s Crown label as an illustration (no jacket photo to be found). This record sports the mid-60s label.

Swingin' Sounds For Secret Agents

Swingin' Sounds For Secret Agents
Columbia Special Products
CSM 444

Here is a rare collection that was released by Columbia as a "Limited Edition – Not Available In Record Stores" I'm do not know how the album was distributed