Featuring Jose Melis

Blue Star (Melis) / Destine Me (Napoli)

Featuring Jose Melis
Spinorama Records M-75

I believe that this is the mono release. No one online seems to know the release date.

Interesting release in that side two features Mike Di Napoli. The only way you know this is the look at the back cover.

Melis served as musical director of The Tonight Show when Jack Paar was host. He wrote Paar's theme song (Jack Paar Theme). Read more about Melis on Wikipedia.

From the back cover: Mike Di Napoli was with the Frank Petty Trio for 13 years. Mike has written many tunes which have been recorded by such famous personalities as the Mills Brothers, Tennessee Ford, Hank Snow etc. etc.

The album has a bit of a space age vibe to it.

Hawaii Calls: Greatest Hits

Hawaii Calls: Greatest Hits
Presented By Webley Edwards
Capitol ST 1339
1960

A beautiful album that mixes pleasant 60s easy listening chorus with outstanding vocal solos. Almost exotica in some instances.

From the back cover: As unusual Hawaiian chorus, singing unusual new arrangements of authentic Hawaiian song favorites.

This collection is available on CD.

Read about Hawaii Calls (a radio program that ran from 1935 through 1975 broadcast, usually from the courtyard of the Moana Hotel on Waikki Beach) on Wikipedia.

Lasting Sounds!!!

Lasting Sounds!!!
The Kings Children
By The Goffs
Queen City Album 10613

Great vintage album cover. Autographed on the back!

Pearl Bailey

Pearl Bailey & Margie Anderson Singing The Blues

Celebrity Records A Division Of Premier Albums UTS 123X
1960(?)

This is one very cool record. I love to play Hit The Road To Dreamland or Haiti Blues for you as samples but all of the tracks, I believe, can be had on CD or by the download.

Intimate, jazzy and very sexy.

Read about Pearl Bailey on Wilipedia.

Perspectives In Percussion - Volume 2

Tiger Hunt

Perspectives In Percussion - Volume 2

Somerset Records SF 13300
1961

This album was released about two years after Enoch Light released his Persuasive Percussion album series. This Somerset series of records (apparently just two volumes) barrows heavily from the Light formula. There are similarities between the light, funky 60s vibe, the audio play between channels, even the cover design.

Now this cover design may not be as dynamic as what Light's Command Label was doing. However, I must say the music conducted by Skip Martin, is very cool and every bit as good as what Light was producing.

Skip Martin gets a mention on Wikipedia for creating a swing concept album titled Scheherajazz on Somerset with Gus Bivona in the late 50s. I'll have to look for that recording.

You could say that this is very cool space age or bachelor pad music that many collectors may very well fancy over Light's work.

As always, if there is a problem with any post, let me know and I will attempt to make corrections.

Perspectives In Percussion - Volume 1

Cuckoo Cha Cha

Perspectives In Percussion - Volume 1
Somerset Records SF 13200
1961

This album was released about two years after Enoch Light released his Persuasive Percussion album series. This Somerset series of records (apparently just two volumes) barrows heavily from the Light formula. There are similarities between the light, funky 60s vibe, the audio play between channels, even the cover design.

Now this cover design may not be as dynamic as what Light's Command Label was doing. However, I must say the music conducted by Skip Martin, is very cool and every bit as good as what Light was producing. The first Light Persuasive Percussion album is more exotica so, for my tastes, I have to give Light the tip of my hat for that effort.

Skip Martin gets a mention on Wikipedia for creating a swing concept album titled Scheherajazz on Somerset with Gus Bivona in the late 50s. I'll have to look for that recording.

You could say that this is very cool space age or bachelor pad music that many collectors may very well fancy over Light's work.

As always, if there is a problem with any post, let me know and I will attempt to make corrections.

Hawaiian Paradise - The Polynesians

Hawaiian Paradise
The Polynesians
Featuring: Harry Baty, Sam Kaapuni and Bob Nichols
Crown Records
1961

A very fine Hawaiian album with touches of exotica. I noted that someone is offering vintage Crown Label tracks by the song on Amazon and iTunes, including this album.

If I had to pick one standout track it would be the last track on the B side. A percussion piece titled Bora Bora.

Award Hits

Award Hits

Strings Unlimited
Oscar OS-114

Oscar records appears to have been a budget label releasing almost nothing but "hits" albums. Strings Unlimited was a staple feature for Oscar who released 13 of their albums. But, if you do a search today, you'll find almost nothing online about Stings Unlimited. I only found the Oscar Discography and an image of one other "Strings" LPs.

Have I finally scraped the bottom of the budget barrel? Golly! I hope not!

Savage!

Nai Vola Ni Nanua Au Cega - Fijian Chant

Savage!
Tihati's South Seas Spectacular

Don Over Records

Album probably sold as a souvenir item at The Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, in the 1980s(?). The album features folk music from Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Rarotonga, The Maoris, Fiji, Kapingamorangi and Tokelay Islands.

As always, if there is a problem with any post, let me know and I will attempt to make corrections.

Korla Pandit - Photo Collection

I was pleased to acquire this group of Korla Pandit images from a seller who had purchased Pandit items directly from the estate.

The top image is an 8 x 10 matt finish original press photo stamped on the back: Photos By Robert H. Churchill. This photo intrigues me as because of the setting. Pandit is surrounded by items that he may have owed. Note the gas lighting fixtures. If I were to guess, I would say that this photo was probably taken inside of Pandit's living space.

The second photo is an autographed Polaroid photograph.

The third image is also a Polaroid of Pandit caught in a more private moment. I believe, when comparing other Pandit hand writing samples I have on hand, that Pandit has written on the back of the photo: "Mar. 26 - 2: AM Santa Rosa, (Initials?).

The fourth image is an 2 x 3 original photo also stamped on the back: Photos By Robert H. Churchill.

Let The Party Begin - Bravado Brass

Lover

Let The Party Begin
Dance To The Hits
Bravado Brass
Diplomat DS 2445

Apparently this group of musicians made at least three records. This records and several others that I can find mention of online. I can not find any information on the band or even the year of release for this album.

I bought the album for the not so well done jacket art with the hope that the music would be on the wild 60s side.

I keep thinking that this may have been Diplomat's way to cash in on the popularity of The Tijuana Brass. Enoch Light also made a "brass" record in the 60s. So there was a market for this type of record.

The recording is easy listening, big band at times. The engineering is pretty good for a budget label.

Marguerite Piazza

Marguerite Piazza
Memorable Moments Of Music
Coral Records CRL 757271
1959

Terrific cover on a terrific album. Piazza's style is to blend opera with pop forms. This approach may account for the Variety quote that she was "an opera star who knows how to please both longhairs and the crew cuts."

Dorothy Loudon

Six Feet Of Papa

Dorothy Loudon at the Blue Angel
With The Norman Paris Trio
Coral Records CRL 757265
1959

Great cover on this vintage Coral album. Loudon style was to mingle song with ad-libbed comedy patter.

Loudon is full of energy, has a great voice and can knows how work a crowd.

Loudon won The 1977 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance on Annie as the evil orphanage administrator Miss Hannigan.

She married Norman Paris. Paris wrote the theme song for the television game show I've Got A Secret.

Children's Favorites

Bird Counting Song

Children's Favorites
The Jinglehimers
HRB Music

Early 80s TV mail order record! For $4.99 you got a record in a very flimsy jacket with a horrible illustration printed on one side.

Amazingly, the songs are probably some of the better kid tunes I've heard, especially from most children's records produced in the 70s and 80s. The lyrics are quirky and the arrangements are interesting.

I actually remember the commercial, which I've embed below.

Twin Pianos - Ferrante & Teicher

Twin Pianos
Ferrante & Teicher
Phillips And Burns
With The Metropolitan Strings
Guest Star Records GS 1410

If I didn't over look the listing, this album isn't to be found on Wikipedia's Ferrante & Teicher Discography. This record contains African Echoes and Mississippi Boogie which seems to be from their first LP (according to the list). Folks who have made mention of this LP online seem not to know the release date. I couldn't find the date myself.

Apparently, not a rarity, inexpensive copies of this album can be found on ebay. I point this out because copies of Soundproof and Soundblast seem more highly valued for inventive music and the great space age covers. This record may not sport a great space age cover like "Proof" and "Blast" but the music, in my opinion, is equally as inventive. The sound will appeal to fans of "exotica" and be worth adding to your collection.

Dancing On The Continent - Lester Lanin

Dancing On The Continent
Lester Lanin
Epic LN 3578
1960

Lanin is known for blending songs together to create tunes that help keep the dancers twirling. This LP is like that. The technique helps keep the tracks lively and makes for a fun bachelor pad music.

Read about Lanin on SpaceAge Pop

All I Do Is Dream Of You - Reg Owen And His Orchestra

My Moonlight Madonna

All I Do Is Dream Of You
Reg Owen And His Orchestra
RCA Victor LPM-1580
1958

This is a very fine easy listening album with a terrific space age cover.

The Reg Owen Orchestra was regraded, at the time, as one of England's leading orchestras. He arranged for Ted Heath and Cyril Stapleton. Owen got into writing film scores in the late 50s and, after writing scores for a few "B" movies he progressed to write for feature films, including Very Important Person (1961).

He died in 1978 at the age of 57.

Romantic Rendezvous - Steve Allen

Romantic Rendezvous

Steve Allen
Neal Hefti and His Orchestra
Coral Records CRL 57138

Great space age cover gracing this Allen album.

Easy listening, easily consumed, easily disposed (space age pop).

Shangri-La - Robert Maxwell

Old Devil Moon

Shangri-La
Robert Maxwell
His Harp and Orchestra
Decca DL 74421
1963

From the back cover: Robert Maxwell, known as "America's Foremost Harpist" is credited with introducing the instrumental to the world of popular music. Previously the harp was relegated to the symphonic rule of playing alongside the triangle or cymbal player.

Maxwell composed Shangri-La which was "the Jackie Gleason theme song of many years".

The LP is inventive, cool and covers a number of tunes that are exotica standards.

The Official Bump Ball Record

Bump Ball

The Official Bump Ball Record
The Bumpers
Pickwick/33 SPC 3112
1968

The Bump Ball was a toy developed and sold by Milton Bradly. Apparently, this album was created to help further market the ball and to help create a "crazy new dancing fad". The fellow in the photos is "Killer" Joe Piro, who according to Wikipedia, was a "dance instructor to high society and popularized steps of the discotheque era of the 1960s and 1970s."

From the back cover: "They (a whole new breed of kids) deserted in droves from the flower children to join this new transcedental (misspelled) experience. It was the answer to America's searching youth. It was Anti-Establishment – and a gas at the same time. It keeps you and your partner close. Groovy into this magic land there stepped a sorcerer with dancing feet."

That's pretty heavy and obscure ad copy.

It is interesting to me that aging dancers would be used to market this new "fad" device to the youth market. I'm not sure that parents in the late 60s would be buying this album for their kids anyway. And would the 18 and over crowd really be into this?

The music by The Bumpers, has bumble gum vibe to it.

Also from the back cover: "It's time the boys got closer to the girls, and this newest dance craze makes it more fun than any historical fox-trot."

Yeah... more fun than any historical fox-trot!

Organ Moods - Jerry Thomas

Till There Was You

Organ Moods
Jerry Thomas
Strand SLS 1081
1963

Great cover on this budget label, discount bin album from Strand. Strand was originally distributed as a full-priced label by Decca, but quickly became budget, cutting corners anyway they could. In this case they mislead the buying public with this cheesecake cover. The music is very easy listening and may only put your Grand Mother in the mood.

There is a bit of a mystery in that I've seen another cover with the same catalog number (the stereo version) with the model pushed up more into the into the frame and the word "STEREPHONIC" removed at the top to be replaced with "HI FIDELITY" overprinted just below the "cellophane" dress topper.