The Romantic Guitar Of Vicente Gomez

Andalucia

The Romantic Guitar Of Vicente Gomez

Orchestra Conducted By Charles Bud Dant
Decca Records DL 8439

The December 5, 1964 Billboard gave this release "Pop Special Merit". The catalog numbers aren't the same. This album cover looks more like a late 50s release to me. The 1964 album is a reissue with a different cover.

The sample I posted above is a tune covered often by "exotica" artists. This is a nice album with a cool period pop flavor.

The Spanish-born American guitarist, Vicente Gómez, was born in Madrid in 1911. His father owned a tavern in the city's red light district, frequented by sailors and gypsies. It was there, in the kitchen, where the young Vicente, at age 6, began practicing the guitar, picking up flamenco rhythms from the patrons. At 12 he began classical training with Quintin Esquembre, a former pupil of Tarrega, at Madrid's Real Conservatorio. He performed his first concert one year later, in 1924, at the famous Teatro Español in Madrid. Read more here.

Beltran Plays Cha-Chas

Bali Ha'i

Beltran Plays Cha-Chas
Fred Astaire Dance Studio Favorites
RCA Camden CAL 679
1961

Very nice Cha Cha album by Mexican Orchestra Leader Pablo Beltran Ruiz. This album was release on RCA's budget label, Camden. Beltran was made most famous for composing a song made internationally famous by Dean Martin as "Sway" in 1954, and later by Bobby Rydell in 1960, with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel. His music, including "Sway" have been used in numerous of films.

I'm not sure what the promotional tie in with the Astaire Dance Studio is. Perhaps the album was put together as marketing tool for and with the backing of the Astaire Dance Studio.

Hollywood Sound Stage

The Moon Of Manakoora

Spellbound

Hollywood Sound Stage
Percussion And Sound
Bob Rosengarden / Phil Krause And Orchestra
Decca DL 74184
1961

The October 23, 1961 Billboard gave this record a "Strong Sales Potential".

This is a cool percussion album from the earlier moments of the percussion trend. The cover isn't a strong design, but the music is outstanding.

Songs begin with a brief scene setting sound effect which actually blend nicely into the main track. The sample track above is totally exotica and a fun surprise on an already enjoyable album.

The Now Sounds Of Today

I Wanna See You On The Dance Floor (Daniel Wilson)

Ha Hou Ho Ho (J. Roland Lafrance)

A Passing Thing (Jimi Dee)

The Now Sounds Of Today
Columbine Records CRH-285

Hey! I found a gem today! This is my first "send in your poem (and cash) and have a professional song made" album!

Basically, wannabe song writers would pay to have their poems scored and recorded by "professional" musicians. Of course, the songs were hammered out as quickly and thoughtlessly as possible. There are many records of this nature floating around, but I think the press runs were so small that they tend to be really hard to find.

John Muir is featured in this great PBS video about the business.

For lovers of the insanely good bad, it doesn't get any better than this. And bless the song writers, they needn't be the least bit red faced. This is really great stuff and I would love to have had one of my songs included on an album like this!

Dino, Desi And Billy

Dino, Desi And Billy
I'm A Fool
Reprise R-6176
1965

I post this record from my friends who want to know who the heck Dino, Desi And Billy were. Well, Dino was Dean Martin's boy and Desi, Desi Arnaz's (Desi and Luci) kid. They formed this band with their friend Billy Hinsche.

Arrangements are by Billy Strange, Jack Nitzsche and Lee Hazlewood. Musicians credited on the back cover: Al Casey, Billy Strange, James Burton, Jim Gordon, Jim Troxel, Dr. Jim Simmons and Jimmy Grey, Donald L. Owens.

I'm A Fool charted #17 Billboard and Not The Lovin' Kind (also on this album), #25. They opened for The Beach Boys in 1965. None of the boys were barely 15 years of age at the time. They also opened for Paul Revere & The Raiders, Tommy Roe, Sam The Sham, The Lovin' Spoonful and The Mamas And The Papas.

Apparently the boys make a appearance in one of the Martin "Matt Helm" movie's Murderers' Row (a movie I have sitting here waiting for me to pop into the DVD player).

Read more on their wiki page.

The record is available on CD.

Born with a golden spoon in their mouths... Still, the record features some great 60s ringing/crunchy electric guitar sound. Fun stuff.

Astounding High Fidelity!

Chase And Kill From "Safari"

Astounding High Fidelity!
In Stereo
Moments In Great Music
Somerset SF-6100
1958

There are a few songs on this album by The Nord Deutches Symphony, a few by 101 Strings, one The London Philharmonic and the sample above that is uncredited. The Chase And Kill track is very much different from the rest of the "classical" fare on the album.

The Windmills Of Your Mind - Billy Vaughn

Time Of The Season

Billy Vaughn
The Windmills Of Your Mind
Dot Records ST-91985
1969

I only other example of this cover I found online is listed with different catalog numbers. I can't find ST-91985 online. The record seems sort of obscure and the other image I found, features color that look very much different. My scan is the actual color of my copy, a sickly yellow/green. What a weird looking cover. What's up with the zombie model anyway?

The music is way groovy 60s light pop. I love the sound. I can't say that there is a dull song on the record. The title track may be available for purchase by the download. But the snippet seems different then the version on this album which sounds fuller. I couldn't find Time Of The Season online, so I post it as a sample.

Melodies In Gold

Melodies In Gold
Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra
Dot DLP 25064
1959

Interesting cover. I can't say this cheesecake model does much for me... Certainly the dress does nothing for her.

Anyway, the tracks are available for download at the usual online outlets so I won't be posting a sample.

The music is punctuated with some "The Shinning-esque" clarinet that stabs through vail of easy listening. It just reminds me of that ballroom scene in the movie The Shinning.  Like music from a haunted dance hall.

1966 Magnificent Movie Themes

Theme From The Chase

Thunderball

1966 Magnificent Movie Themes
Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra
Command Records RS 894 SD

Originated and produced by Loren Becker, Robert Byrne and Julie Klages.

Another fun Command album. You can hardly go wrong with the Command label. Even though this album was released after ABC got their hands on the label and the quality declined rapidly according to Enoch Light's wiki page. The engineering was always top notch and much of the music Command put out during this period, is groovy, silly or depending on your tastes cool light pop.  This a great record with a fab 60s musical groove.

The cover was art directed by Charles E. Murphy, a designer who basically created the Command brand with his graphically bold cover images.

Byrne is mentioned in a 1968 Billboard article as the A&R Director for Command, so I think he was probably on the Command payroll. Loren Becker is mentioned as Command's VP.

Midnight Rhapsody - Joe Bushkin

Midnight Rhapsody
Joe Bushkin
Capitol Records T 711
1955

Sweet romantic piano album featuring a clean, mood setting cover. The tracks are available by the download but you won't get the cover art.

Here's a nice Bushkin bio found on answers.com.

I blogged another excellent Bushki album a while back: I Get A Kick Out Of Porter

Big Band Cha Cha Cha - Freddy Sateriale

So In Love Cha Cha

Freddy Sateriale's
Big Band Cha Cha Cha
Promenade 2133

Here's an obscure Cha Cha album. Not much to be found on Sateriale. No information to be found on the back cover of this album. From the cover it looks like the album was probably released around 1958-60. I've blogged one other album Sateriale released (Broadway Latin American Party on Spinorama).

Fun cover and decent small band Cha Cha.

David Le Winter - Latin Melodies

Sueno Flamenco

David Le Winter
Latin Melodies
Mercury Records MG 20012
1954

Here's a rare bird found in the 50¢ bin at the thrift today. When I first flipped by the album I thought it was a classical music LP. Then I saw the word "latin" and pulled it out to give a closer look. The jacket is very heavy cardboard. The cover is a faux leather or leatherette. And the record itself is probably the heaviest vinyl I've held. I didn't have much hope for it, but this turns out to be a terrific, lively small band Latin recording. From the many recordings I've listened to from the period, this is inventive and sparkling stuff.

From the back cover it appears as though Le Winter was playing "Chicago's luxurious Pump Room" at the time he recorded this album. The photos on the rear cover were apparently "grip and grins" taken at The Pump Room. Also, it appears as though he was no early comer to nightlife, playing at the time the notes were written, 21 years in speakeasies to London's Music Halls. He also played with the Boston Pops Orchestra and the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

In A Dancing Mood - Jan Garber

In The Mood

In A Dancing Mood
Jan Garber And His Orchestra
Decca Records DL 8483
1957

Billboard thought this release might go over well with "mature buyers".

Yup. A few tunes swing a bit, but seem misplaced on a disc featuring mainly dated presentations for the 40s let alone, the late 50s. Terrific cover of couple in a dancing mood on top of a long play platter.

Montenegro & Mayhem

The Peanut Vendor

Montenegro & Mayhem
Hugo Montenegro And His Orchestra
Time Records S/2176

This album is a reissue of Bongs And Brass (Time 2014) released in 1960. It's possible that this is the stereo release.

Montenegro is one of my favorite composers who is a genius at crafting tunes with enough surprises to keep you in the groove. He was also an innovator with the moog, influencing future generations of synth artists.

This album is a bend of jazz, bachelor pad and the ping-pong, a percussion fad that Enoch Light unleashed on the world. "Ping-pong" meaning bouncing sounds, very often and in this case bongos, from one channel to another. This is a great example of the many records created after this sound. Great engineering on this Time release. Cool space age stuff.

Available only on vinyl, but if you like the sample I posted, I think you can dig around a bit and find the album for download.

Musicians on the album include Doc Serverisen and Al Caiola.