Search Manic Mark's Blog

Loading...

Friday, January 6, 2012

Latin Rhythms Featuring Perez Prado And The Cuban Boys

La Clave
Bongo
Latin Rhythms Featuring Perez Prado And The Cuban Boys
Royale 18146
1955

Junk label 10 inch vinyl featuring very good period Latin by a known artist.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Sounds & Voices Of Henry Mancini

Flamingo
The Sounds & Voices Of Henry Mancini
Sunset - A Product Of Liberty Records
SUS-5105
1966

This is a later attempt by Mancini to cover all of the great "exotica" period songs. The vibe of this album is different from his earlier (exotica or late 50s early 60s period) work. The sound, like the sample I've posted above, is soft, slow and quiet. But like the majority of Mancini's work, he creates an approach/sound and makes an excellent record featuring inventive arrangements. Good stuff!

Side 1

Ebb Tide
The Breeze And I
Sleepy Lagoon
Off Shore
Poinciana

Side 2

Naked Sea
Flamingo
The Whispering Sea
Driftwood And Dreams
Moon Of Manakoora

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Jessica - Maurice Chevalier

Vespalero
Jessica
Maurice Chevalier
Film produced and directed by Jean Negulesco
United Artists UAL 4096
1962

There are only a few space age treasures to be found on this early 60s Italian movie sound track.

Film Fame - Enoch Light & The Light Brigade

For A Few Dollars More
Film Fame
Marvelous Movie Themes
Enoch Light & The Light Brigade
Project 3 Total Sound PR 5013 SD
1967

Gatefold or double fold jacket with the standard Light copy on the inside.

This record features typical outstanding Light engineering. Light did the arrangements and produced the album. The approach, however, is conservative in comparison to many of the Light albums I have collected. For A Few Dollars More and In The Heat Of The Night manage to be interesting but don't expect that vibe on any of the remaining tracks.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Myron Floren - Dizzy Fingers

April In Portugal
Myron Floren
Dizzy Fingers
Pickwick International
SPC-3142

Myron Floren was best know as the accordionist on The Lawrence Welk Show between 1950 and 1982.

I've got several albums produced by members of The Welk Family. On these albums, the artists step outside of their "musical" Welk Show roles to experiment a little.

This is one of those albums. Overall the tracks are great space age fun.

Side 1

Dizzy Fingers
Volare
Wabash Blues
Everything's Coming Up Roses
April In Portugal

Side 2

I Could Have Danced All Night
Misty
Canadian Capers
Sabre Dance

Teenage Dance Party - Vido Musso Orchestra

Teenage Dance Party
Vido Musso Orchestra
Crown Records CLP 5029
1957

Available for purchase/download so I will not be posting a sample.

The "orchestra" sounds like a four/five piece band.

Unlike many records sold to teens that don't deliver the goods, this one does.

Vido Musso's group consists of sax, guitar, bass, drums and organ. Apparently recorded in a room with a single mic(?) the sound has a great budget lounge feel to it.

Beautiful Hair Breck Presents The New Sound America Loves Best

Poinciana - Simon Bernier
Beautiful Hair Breck
Presents The New Sound America Loves Best
RCA Victor SP-33-91
1960

From the January 25, 1960 Billboard: A joint promotion between RCA Victor and Breck, manufacturer of hair shampoo, etc., has resulted in a 38 per cent increase in sales for Breck hair preparations, according to the latter. Promotion offered purchasers of Breck products an RCA Victor LP, containing sides of Harry Belafonte, Perez Prado, Mario Lanza, etc., for $1 (monaural) or $1.25 (Stereo). Victor and Breck publicized the promotion via cross advertising in magazines and on TV shows. Promotion was the largest-scaled premium promotion the company has ever undertaken.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Best Of The Bossa Nova - The Tides

Fly Me To The Moon
The Best Of The Bossa Nova
Featuring The Tides
Mercury Wing MGW 12248
1963

Looks like budget Bossa Nova, but it's not. The LP features a variety of approaches that are fun and jazzy.

No mention on the cover of the personnel that made up The Tides. They were one tight session group.

Lure Of The Islands - Hal Aloma

Tahitian Drums
Lure Of The Islands
Hal Aloma And His Hawaiian Orchestra
Dot DLP 25,057
1957

There are Hal Aloma downloads being sold under this title, but they are not from this album.

This LP pretty straight forward pop/traditional Hawaiian. Tahitian Drums is an unique track on the record.

The tracks list on the side one were reorder so that they do not match the list printed on the back cover.

Side 1 Cover / Side 1 Label

Iniki Malie / Iniki Malie
Pretty Maui Girl / Pretty Maui Girl
Beyond The Reef / Tahitian Drums
When It's Luau Time In Hawaii / Beyond The Reef
The Aloha Waltz / When It's Luau Time In Hawaii
Tahitian Drums / The Aloha Waltz

Side 2

The Hukilau
Hawaiian Paradise
Little Brown Gal
Hawaiian Love Chant
Puanani
Hawaiian Sunset