Music Makes Me Want To Dance - David Carroll

Cry Of The Wild Goose

Music Makes Me Want To Dance
David Carroll
Mercury Records MG 20926
1964

Hey! I'm beginning to think that Carroll's got a bad online rap. He made several fun percussion albums, but I sort of shied away from the rest of his work because of what I've read. But recently I decided to take a chance on several mid-60's Carroll LPs. They are way far from dull! This is a great and groovy light pop album!

I Love You - Bobbi Martin

One For My Baby

I Love You
Bobbi Martin
Coral Records CRL 57478
1965

You can find a Martin compilation CD online. There are some tunes from this album released on that CD. But I noticed that the tunes I warmed up to on this album, the more "space age" stuff, seems to have been passed over for, perhaps her more traditional "country"style songs. I'm really not sure, but there are some great groovy tunes on this LP!

Enjoy the sample!

Hawaiian Percussion - Billy Mure

Sleep Walk

Hawaiian Percussion
Billy Mure
Strand Elite SL 1010
1961

Here's another great Mure album featuring fun minimalist cover artwork. This LP may be lesser known than his work for RCA that includes Super-Sonic Guitars, Fireworks, Supersonics and Supersonic Guitars. Enjoy the sample!

Dancing On The Sunset Strip - Dick Stabile

Ballet Bleu

Dancing On The Sunset Strip
Dick Stabile His Saxaphone And Hollywood Orchestra
King 623
1959

Yes... let's just go right for the meat... Saxophone. It's spelled right on the back cover. Poor Mr. Stabile, I wonder what his reaction was when he excitedly held the album in his hands for the first time? Frankly, I can't believe that King didn't reprint the cover.

From the back cover: Cover photo by Bert C. Mitteman. Photo was shot in the main lounge of "Dino's Lodge", the fabulous new eatery on the Sunset Strip, owned by Dean Martin. Surrounding Dick are four of Hollywood's loveliest showgirls and songstress Besty Duncan.

Stabile worked with Dean Martin from 1949 until Martin's death. Read more on Stabile's wiki page.

South Sea Moods - The South Seacombers

Vahine Paumoto

South Sea Moods
The South Seacombers
RCA LSP-1698
1958

I don't know who The South Seacombers were. There is no info on the jacket and nothing that jumps out at me online.

This is one sedate, laid back "Hawaiian" album. And as such, it stands out amongst the many others I've listened to. Very pleasant stuff with a light hint of period "exotica". No bird calls... but a mere touch of that Lyman/Denny sound.

There are many fine tracks on this album.

Conflict - Phil Kraus

Kriss-Kraus

Phil Kraus Presents Conflict
A High Fidelity Percussion
Golden Crest Records CR 4004

I couldn't easily pin down the release date on this gem. From the look of the cover, I'd say 1959.

I had no idea what to expect from a record featuring a jacket graced with a somewhat lurid "folk art" looking painting. This majority of the LP comes across as "minimalist" or "experimental" percussion. Side one is a rendition of a piece composed by Douglas R. Allan (...a fantasy for six percussion which tells the story of a Civil War battle). Again, a surprisingly simple arrangement as are all the tracks. Kriss-Kraus is one of the more "traditional" or period sounding "exotic" pieces from side two.

I'm not sure this is everyone's cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed it!

Read about Kraus on spaceagepop.com.

Paradise Found - Felix Slatkin

Paradise Found

Paradise Found
Recorded In Hawaii
The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin
Liberty Premier LSS 14001
1961

Here's another expensive to produce Liberty gate-fold package that includes a die cut cover and a page of color printing on the inside.

And once again... Slatkin makes some of the most conservative music I've ever heard on Liberty.

Emotions - The Mystic Moods Orchestra

Emotions
The Mystic Moods Orchestra
Philips PHS 600-277
1969

Available for purchase/download so I won't be posting a sample. Sorry!

This is another excellent Mystic Moods album. Mystic Moods recordings blended environmental sounds and excellent easy listening arrangements together to create albums that play almost as a single recording, rather than a collection of songs. Excellent space age stuff!

Off The Cuff - Bobby Dukoff

Off The Cuff
Bobby Dukoff
Vik LX-1105
1958

This one is available for purchase/download, so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

This is a surprisingly good early space age easy listening album. Good horn work by Dukoff built on a light jazz foundation, backed up by the Dooosss and Ooohhhsss of a few female vocalists. Fun stuff.

Impact - Buddy Morrow

Impact
Buddy Morrow
RCA Victor LSP-32042
1959

This one is available on CD so I will not be posting a sample. Sorry!

From the album title to the cover image and the songs covered this album promised to deliver the goods.

However, the approach is a conservative one. Too bad... great cover!

Songs Of The Congo

Banana

Songs Of The Congo

EPIC LF 18005

1960

Recorded in The Congo. This Epic album features high production value (good engineering). 

Mexico Party - Los Tijuana Mariachis

Put On Your Dancing Slippers

Mexico Party
Los Tijuana Mariachis
Europa E 148

Groovy fun brass album from a German publisher (operated by Somerset owner D. L. Miller) featuring cover copy in English.

Around The World In Percussion - Louis Bellson

Oriental Spice

Around The World In Percussion
Louis Bellson His Drum And Orchestra
Roulette Records R 65002
1961

This is a fine big band/jazz space age percussion album featuring Herb Geller, Willie Green, Joe Maini, Buddy Colette, Martin Berman, John Audio, Jimmy Zito, Van Rasey, Ray Triscari, Fred Thompson, Nick Di Maio, Tommy Pederson, Dick Gould, Mike Barone, Arthur Maebe, Red Callender, Jimmy Bond, Morty Corb, Tony Rizzi, Bill Pitman, Paul Smith, Lou Singer and Gene Estes.

Fantastic Themes - Felix Slatkin

Brass Pizzicato

Fantastic Themes
The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin
Liberty Premier LMM-13021
1962

Liberty's upscale product feature Poly 120 Sound (or a heavy grade vinyl) and expensive gate fold jacket featuring a die-cut cover (there is a square hole punched through the cover that allows the photo of the instrument head stocks to peek through).

Released and marketed side-by-side with Martin Denny's Exotica Suite and 50 Guitars Visit Hawaii.

This is a pretty straight forward orchestrated easy-listening that doesn't take many chances.