The Guitar Style Of Al Caiola

Hindustan

The Guitar Style Of Al Caiola
Plus 5 Top Guitars!
RCA Camden CAL/CAS-710
1962

This is a fun space age guitar alum featuring Al Caiola who is backed by other names you may recognize including George Barnes, Al Casamente, Don Arnone, John Pizzarelli and Billy Bauer.

In A Sentimental Mood - Hugo Montenegro And His Orchestra

Sophisticated Lady

In A Sentimental Mood
Hugo Montenegro And His Orchestra
RCA Camden CAS-729
1962

You won't know it from this album, but Montenegro would go on produce electronic works that would influence future generations of musicians. Still, this is a decent easy listening album and earns points for the fun "bad habits" cover art.

Lo Mejor De Robertha

El Tonoto De La Colina (Fool On The Hill)

Lo Mejor De Robertha
Sabor Records (Subsidiary of Roulette Records) CS-1602
1972

Obscure album and vocalist. Nice late 60s/early 70s vibe and fun cover of The Beatles Fool On The Hill.

Roulette was a budget U.S. label. The brief jacket notes are in both English and Spanish. There really isn't any info in the notes. Robertha apparently has one name and she is an "interpreter of contemporary Mexican music".

Love Is Blue - The Young Lovers

Green Tambourine

Love Is Blue

The Young Lovers
Design Records DLP-285

I've got a several "Young Lovers" albums in the collection now. Valley Of The Dolls is the other LP I've blogged and apparently the group recorded an LP titled Barbarella that sports a great space-age cover design.

In my first post I mention that the studio group isn't super tight. This record plays the same. Especially the tunes featuring the harpsichord. The harpsichord player sounds like he/she showed up to the session without having practiced the songs. It's pretty amazing really. But all of the musicians seem to be unsure of what they are doing. This "unpracticed" approach along with a 60s groove makes for more of a fun private press "lounge" record than a record produced by a "national" label, even though Design produced budget material.

Percussive Moods - Johnny Keating's Kombo

Percussive Moods

Johnny Keating's Kombo

Phase 4 Stereo

London SP 44005

1961

Available on a combo CD with Keating's Temptation so I won't be posting a sample. Sorry!

This is another in the series of great "percussion" or "space age pop" records London released with similar cover designs. This record features a wonderful blend of many period trends including exotica, ping-pong and light pop.

Tim Burton used Keating's song, Bunny Hop in his film Ed Wood. Read more about Keating on his wiki page.

Broad Street - The Electric Indian

Normally I don't collect 45s. But this is a groovy side from a one hit wonder who, as noted below, charted with the Keem-O-Sabe (the flip side of this record).

From wikipedia: The Electric Indian was a studio group assembled by Bernie Binnick, co-founder of Swan Records. Influenced by the popularity of American Indians in the media, Binnick put together the group to record an Indian-esque instrumental, "Keem-O-Sabe." It was released nationally on theUnited Artists label in 1969 and reached the U.S. Top 20 in the Billboard Hot 100. It also made #6 on Billboard's Easy Listening survey, and crossed to the R&B chart.

An album of similar material was recorded, and the follow-up, an Indian style cover version of "Land of a Thousand Dances," (#95, 1969)charted. No future releases were forthcoming. Most of the members later joined the studio group, MFSB.

Shape Of Things To Come - Max Frost And The Troopers

It's Wrong

Shape Of Things To Come
Max Frost And The Troopers
Tower Records ST 5147
1968

Apparently a few of the tunes on this album can be found on CD compilations, but the record seems sort of obscure. I choose a track as sample that isn't available for purchase/CD/digital download.

Max Frost And The Troopers was a fictional rock music group created for the exploitation film Wild In The Streets. The single "Shape Of Things To Come" was release from the soundtrack. It sold well enough to set the group into the studio to record this album. The music is preformed by a studio group with members who are believed to be Paul Wibier (lead vocals) and members of Davie Allan and The Arrows (who release the "Shape of Things to Come" without lyrics).

For a "studio group" and a follow-up effort, the music is tight and very groovy. The solo vocal work is terrific.

As a side note, Les Baxter apparently penned incidental music along with Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann for the movie soundtrack.

StereoSonic - Instrumental Sampler

Sabre Dance - The Frank Ortega Trio

StereoSonic
Instrumental Sampler
Jubilee SSJLP-801
1959

It takes several tracks before the vibe reflects the cover art and displays some energy. Not the best sampler in terms of marketing, but you should be able to find a tune or two on the LP to enjoy.

Justice League Of America

Justice League Song

Justice League Of America
Song And Stories
Power/Peter Pan Records - 8174
1975

Fun comic book record featuring a few cool & cheesy musical intros.

Latin-Esque - Esquivel And His Orchestra

Latin-Esque
Esquivel And His Orchestra
Stereo Action
The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow
RCA Victor LSA-2428
1962

This album can be found on CD, so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

This is a marvelous Stereo Action entry from Esquivel. Stereo Action was a series of records RCA issued to help cash in on the emerging "stereo" trend. Each album featured a different artist who may or may not have worked with engineers to get the most out of the "stereo" technology. All of the jackets were made of heavy cardboard with some sort of die-cut that allowed the 4-color printed sleeve, that was also made of cardboard, to peek through.

I can't say I love all of the Stereo Action entries and still have others I need to collect to help make comparisons. But, on a few that I have in the collection, RCA tended to mess with channel switching to the point that the "stereo action" becomes annoying. But this Stereo Action rocks. The music is a great blend of late 50s and early 60s space age, easy listening vocals and ping-pong. Esquivel could arrange so that each tune was interesting and different, yet fit into a theme.

This record, made for scientific research (a vehicle for porn) has an "A" and "B" side, but the pressing is the same on both sides. Enjoy the sample!

Latin For Lovers - Tito Gomez & His Orchestra

Why Do You Linger

Latin For Lovers
Tito Gomez & His Orchestra
Crown Records CST 621
1970

Somewhat obscure album. The references to Tito Gomez I found online are for a vocalist. This is a small combo light light jazz recording with no vocals.

The LP features four extended tracks per side.

Why Do You Linger
Noise Of The Night
Mischievous Love
Skin Of Ivory
Turtle Samba
At Midnight
It Can Never Be
Blue Samba

Combo! - Henry Mancini

Combo!
Henry Mancini
RCA Victor LSP 2258RE
1961

Available for purchase as CD/digital download, so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

Sometimes I like to post well known, available works when I listen to them for the first time only if only to promote great music. I always say, anyone who has listened to Mancini's later work and possibly dismissed him, you might look for some of his earlier stuff. This record is a great example of hip space age pop/jazz.