Arthur Lyman "Hawaiian Sunset" (1959)

                What a sleepy little record.  This may be one of the quietest albums I own.  Literally, the amount of sound coming off the grooves is far less than any other album I have.  However, what it lacks in volume, it make up for in dynamic range.  The playing is so soft that I feel like if someone dropped a glass in the background, my headphones would explode.  When instruments are played this softly, it almost can make you feel somewhat uneasy.  I went to an experimental music show at a Boston conservatory once.  I was told it would be a very quiet show, but I had no idea that the lack of sound would actually make me feel anxious.  It was almost like the sound of my own breathing was interrupting the songs or something.  This record is not that extreme, but does have some elements of that.  At the end of the day, I really do like this record, but I think it makes my wife feel weird.  I can get that.  There are also these big conch shell bellows that explode the volume (I’m looking at you “Ke Kali Nei Au.”)  The whole trip is intriguing. 

                As I mentioned in my post of Hugo Winterhalter’s album “Goes…Hawaiian,” I love “Hawaiian War Chant.”  This version may be one of my favorites, just because it is so different.  First, it starts off in a minor key instead of the traditional major.  It changes to major, but not just the major version of the regular key.  It moves to the relative major.  It is a very basic song to start with, so I really like how Arthur and the boys make it their own. 

                “Hilawe” is only 1:11 seconds long and the group makes every second count.  My buddies and I used to do a lot of “Top 5” lists and one of the topics was songs under 2 minutes.  They are pretty rare to begin with unless you really dig punk music.  “Hilawe” would make my list any day of the week.  It feels a little anachronistic on the record because it is a guitar number and has no vibraphone.  It’s quite charming in its simplicity and performance though.  You can even hear that Arthur’s lowest string on his guitar is a bit desafinado.  Perhaps the concept of the exceptionally short song is somewhat underexplored.  It sure does work here. 

                Because this record is so quiet, there is also strange background noise to be heard.  Strap on some headphones and listen to “Island of Golden Dreams.”  There is a tinkling sound that can be heard right at the beginning behind the band.  Humming and breathing are heard often as well.  Because this album, as well as many of his others, was recorded at the Henry J. Kaiser Aluminum Dome, you can hear creaks of metal as well.  These superfluous bits are part of the Lyman sound as far as I am concerned, and they certainly add to the strange quality of these recordings. 

Tones:  I don’t think I mentioned how beautiful the playing actually is.  Arthur’s tone is soft as rabbit’s fur and makes you feel like your eyes are closed even when they aren’t.  The guitars are also barely strummed and have that old string tone I enjoy so much (I never change my strings on my acoustic until they break.)  Check out the bowed double bass on “Harbor Lights.”  The tone is so low that strings must be about to 15 feet long to obtain it.  I also want to own a celesta one day after hearing this album. It’s not all “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” with that instrument.     

                  

Cover Note:  Very basic, but fitting.  How can you not enjoy a picture of a Hawaiian Sunset?  There are also two little silhouettes at the bottom right if you have never noticed them. 

Price Paid:  $5.00 at an antique shop.

Bottom Line:  After writing this I have concluded that this is a very avant-garde album.  It never truly settles in and even when it starts to, something weird happens.  With that being said, I am always glad I listened to it, and feel better for having done so.  I’d pay $1.00-$5.00 for a clean copy.  Don’t buy a scratchy copy though.  It’s too quiet for that.    

Walter Wanderley "Kee-Ka-Roo" (1967)

                There was a time when I only worked 4 days a week.  Granted, they were 10 hour days, but Monday –Thursday was my work week.  My wife was also working as a nanny and she had Fridays off as well.  Each Thursday night was the end of our actual work week and most of our friends still had to plow through Friday, so my wife and I would enjoy what we dubbed “Secret Friday.”  This primarily involved whiskey sours on the back porch and lots of records.  The three records I remember us listening to the most were “Di Doo Dah” by Jane Birkin, “Histoire De Melody Nelson” by Serge Gainsbourg, and “Kee-Ka-Roo” by Walter Wanderley.  I can’t put on any of these without remembering our “Secret Fridays.” 

                Normally, we would get our drinks together during the first two songs.  “Amazonas” kicks off side one with a low wandering flute and Walter playing the organ in his “Bop Bop ba ba Bop Bop” style.  I have heard a lot of great organ players, but Walter is just so darn sure of himself.  Nothing crazy, nothing out there, just satisfying, like a good handshake.  His playing is delightful, it’s laid back, and it’s deceptively simple.  You forget very quickly that this is very complex music, both harmonically and rhythmically. Some may find this type if organ music a little cheesy, but I highly encourage you to give it a listen with fresh ears.  This is top notch Bossa Nova.

                By the time we made it to the back porch and sat down, our favorite song would start.  “Canto De Ossanah” begins with piano, organ and a donkey jawbone.  Like a heart bursting with love, this song pumps for a full minute before letting loose on the main theme, but it’s the transition that is so exciting.  It’s like the curtain gets pulled back and you realize you’re alive again.  I’m not being dramatic about this.  This song is really that good.  It will let you forget about your garbage week and help you remember that you have a lot of good things in your life to enjoy.  This is why we listen to music, these types of songs.
   

            After this song, it’s just like coasting down a mountain.  I have always been a fan of songs that move quickly, but are still quiet.  Walter does this style so well.  “Sambao” is a nice example of this.  Listen to the drums.  It takes years to master this kind of stuff.  It also has some cool background vocals that are not really sung, or spoken, but more whispered.  It goes “Ahhhhh,” with a heavy emphasis on the “H” sounds.    

                 I briefly have to mention the song “Wait until Dark.”  It is the only vocal on the record and it is pretty darn hokey to me.  The music is nice, but the lady singing, Marge Dodson, sounds like a cocktail singer, and not in a good way.  It’s bad, but it’s entertainingly bad, so I always just smile and give it a pass.

                

Tones:  Walter’s organ tones are soft, percussive, and almost bell like.  Nothing ever cuts.  It’s easy to forget he’s playing with two hands and two feet as well.  Although he is know primarily as an organ player, he also uses an electric piano on “Sensuous.”  What a warm and inviting sound he gets out of that thing.   

Price Paid:  $3.00 at an antique store that has a ton of records, however many are hit or miss.  Over the past few years they have steadily raised their prices from $3.00 to $5.00 to $7.00.  I told my buddy Dave (who has a very different record collection than mine, but is excellent just the same) about this and he said “For $7.00 I want them clean and alphabetized.”  I think that is very fair. 

Cover Note.  This one has a great colorful painting that wraps around all the way to the back.  There are flowers and birds and peppers and I think a dog.  It’s wonderful. 

Bottom Line:  I do a see a lot of Walter Wanderley as I shop, but this one does not pop up too often.  Knowing how much I like it, I would probably pay up to $7.00 if I needed to replace it.  More people should know about how good Walter's music is, so if you see any of his other stuff, go ahead and pick it up, especially if it’s on the cheap.  Buy it and have your own “Secret Friday.” 

Solid State Record "Percussive Mariachi" Arranged and Conducted by Ted Sommer (1967)

 

              I have been attracted to these Solid State record jackets for a while now.  My buddy Vic and I are lovers of old Command Records, and I feel like while much different, these are in the same vein.  It’s a pretty safe bet that if something has geometric figures on the cover and the words “percussive” or “percussion,” then there is a good chance it will be good.  I just bought a record called “Hawaiian Percussion” by Billy Mure based on the same criteria, and it worked out great for me.

                I have found very little information on the Solid State record company, but their claim to fame was recording with solid state gear.  It was specifically for home Hi-Fi’s that utilized the futuristic (and presumably magic) transistor.  “NO TUBES WERE HURT DURING THE MAKING OF THIS RECORD.”  I actually made that quote up, but based on the album notes, these guys were serious about their transistor equipment.  Funny how things change.  Tubes are back in style these days in a big way.  Today, saying your stereo has transistors in it is like saying your car has wheels on it.     

                But how does it sound?  Really great, actually.  It’s super clean and has nice separation.  Some of the low notes the brass section plays will actually rattle your chest deep into the lungs, if played at high volume.  The marimba parts are clean and plucky and the drums are crisp and dry.

                One thing that should be noted is that it does kind of sound of like a Herb Alpert record.  In 1967, Herb was all the rage, so there were lots of "cash in" albums done in his style.  I love Herb Alpert, so this is not really a bad thing for me.  My wife loves the song “If I Were a Rich Man,” and with all of its tempo changes and marimba virtuosity, it’s a great choice.  Ole Herb did this tune on his “What Now My Love” record and she pointed out how cool it was then.  Now she sings it with a kind of “doo doo doot doot doot” kind of sound that I find very pleasing.  Maybe I’ll make her record it for my personal files.

                On an odd note, every time I look at the record cover I think it says “Progressive Mariachi.”  What the heck would that sound like?  I am actually quite intrigued.  It could be awesome, with serious jazz dudes wearing Mexican hats, just tearing it up with fast complex horn lines and harmonies.  Or, it could be somethin’ awful.  I also picture fat metal kids in black t-shirts with 7 string guitars tuned to C#.  They may even play Randall amps.  Those are transistor based…Right?

                Side two kicks off with not one, but two songs from the Black Orpheus soundtrack!  If you haven’t heard Luiz Bonfa’s recording of these songs, just go find them and dig in.  Vince Guaraldi’s versions are great too.  There is a neat percussion sound in “Samba De Orfeu’ that the liner notes calls "pitched cow bells".  It sounds like someone hitting an expensive pan made of both glass and metal.  “Carnival” is also great and played much faster than the more somber renditions I have heard in the past.   Has anyone ever seen the movie Black Orpheus?  I got a get a paragraph in on this. 

                What a strange movie from Brazil.  My wife and I watched this one afternoon before our son was born.  I think we ate BBQ chicken pizza, which my wife no longer cares for, but I would like to have again sometime.  Anyway, the movie has this little dancing kid with a tambourine that follows Orpheus around.  Dang this kid is awesome.  He’s probably 65 now, but I’d still love to meet him.  I tried dancing around the house like him for a few days, but surprise, it did not have the effect I was looking for.  I’m going to go and get my tambourine and try again right now.  Hold on……………………………………………………………………Dang!  I still can’t do it.  If you haven’t seen Black Orpheus though, you should.  So many Jazz and Bossa Nova dudes played the songs from the soundtrack that it’s cool just to say you saw it.  My wife and I still talk about it.  It’s weird and has subtitles though, so don’t watch it when you just need to veg out. 

Tones:  There is an interesting instrument on a few songs called a buzzimba.  Without hearing it, I would think that would sound like a marimba running through a fuzz box, but I am wrong.  To me it sounds bit like a tuned car horn.  Maybe that mixed with a bit of percussive moog.  There is also an ondioline (the ubiquitous ondioline!) on one track, and an electric clavichord on another.  Ondiolines are pretty sick too.  I like just about everything I hear outta them. 

Cover note:  Solid State Records had very similar covers when they were first starting.  This one is mostly white (which I have always loved) and has a picture of an everlasting gobstopper from the original Willy Wonka painting on it.  It’s very eye catching.  Tell me it doesn’t look like this:

Price Paid:  $2.00 from that same record table at the Central Florida Fairground Record show.   I cleaned up that day. 

Bottom Line:  This record won’t change your life, but is great for a sunny Sunday afternoon.  The song list is cool and you may get some different versions of stuff you already like.  If you see it for $1.00-$4.00, snatch it up!   

Edmon De Luca's "Safari" (1958)

            This is Symphonic Exotica at its best.  I’m putting this up there with Les Baxter.  Right from the get go, this record is so epic.  This is not your easy listening, Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman Exotica.  This is a full-fledged orchestra with all the trimmings.  The overall concept is pretty cool too, at least for the first side.  There are six tracks each coinciding with some part of a safari.  You really can pop on a pair of good ole headphones and be transported straight to Africa. 

            “Port Pangani” is very ominous and really quite heavy.  The melody is a far cry from easy listening.   But what it lacks in pleasantness, it makes up for in bravado.  There are so many instruments as well, like lots of stings, and horns, as well as marimbas and other thumping percussion.  I really get the feeling I am looking out on some African land I’m about to explore.

            “The Trek” has more of a typical cocktail/lounge feel to it, but the sheer amount of guys playing on the track really expands the scope.  It’s just big.  Everything on this album is big.  This one is really nice and relaxing, but still has some weird sounding stuff.  It’s the kind of song you play someone because it’s the most normal track you think they would enjoy.  It’s only when you listen to it with someone else that you realize there is some weird stuff going on. This is about how far my wife gets in the album.  Then I know it’s time to turn it off.  Here’s why.

            “The Chase and the Kill” is bone chilling if you actually picture what the music does such a good job evoking.  This was made in the days when killing “Big Game” was more accepted and perhaps more legal.  I always assumed it was an elephant they killed because of all the horns blaring.  Anyway, my wife hates it and I understand why.  There is a big shot when they shoot the “The Beast,” and you can hear it hit the ground.  It’s shocking, and loud, and upsetting, but totally freakin’ awesome!  I certainly don’t condone killing elephants, but nobody got bad karma from writing a song about it.  Right?  It’s just darn exciting, and as a piece of art, it’s thrilling.  Great music is not always supposed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy.  It’s supposed to make you feel something deep.  This does that very well. 

            I think it goes without saying that I would not play this for my 1 year old boy, although he did hear it the first time I played it myself.  Somehow, I wasn't expecting it to all be so intense. 

           The second side has two extended pieces that are not written by De Luca.  They fit in with the feel of the first side, but are not as cool.  There is nothing wrong with them, but it’s almost like another album.  I sort of consider this record to be an E.P. with two extra tracks.  The second side is cool though and I don’t want to undersell it.  I like it. 

Tones:  I can’t think of what they did to make the sound of that gun blast when the elephant is killed, but that makes it more fun for me.  It’s almost like they recorded a crack of thunder, but I doubt they did.  There are also a lot of wordless vocals and chanting on here.  I’d bet over 50 dudes must be singing at the same time.  It’s thick. 

Cover Note:  When I saw this cover, I swear my heart skipped a beat.  It’s the kind of record you pull out just to show people the artwork.  It’s also super pink.  I have no other record with that much pink on it.  That includes Rock and Pop.  It’s a thrilling and perfect representation of the music inside.  Someone should get a tattoo of this. 

Price Paid:  $2.00 at the Central Florida Fairground record show.  I had $20.00 to spend, and I used most of it up on one vendor.  I also found a cool Esquivel record that day and saw an old friend who had recently grown a very large and unexpected beard.  It was a perfect morning. 

Bottom line:  Don’t scare your family with this, but get it if it’s in the $5-$7 range.  It’s high quality work.  

Hugo Winterhalter "Goes...Hawaiian" (1961)

                So, I’m just going to say it. I am a sucker for “Hawaiian War Chant.”  My wife has been singing it to our 1 year old boy all day and he has been laughing his butt off to it.  I have been playing it on the guitar and it just feels so doggone right.  The first time I heard this tune was on Arthur Lyman’s “Hawaiian Sunset.”  I liked the heck out of it then, even though I would later find out that it was not a very “straight” version.  In fact, it may well be the most laid back version on record.  Every other interpretation is always kicking in some way.  Hugo Winterhalter’s version is no exception.    

                The best way for me to describe this song and record as a whole is to say it that sounds like a heartbeat underwater. The way the upright bass and drums hit against the massive reverb wall is astounding.   You thought “Pet Sounds” had a lot of reverb.  Hugo has taken the plunge and has invited us to drown with him.  The strings, however, seem to float on top of the rhythm, slightly out of the reverb.  It makes for a great combo.  I wonder if old Hugo had any say in the amount and placement of the reverb, or if it was just the engineer.  Either way, it’s a defining quality of the album.  The guitar is also awash and totally beautiful in both tone and affect. 

                The song selection is mostly Hawaiian standards with no originals that I can see.  This is not a bad thing though.  “Hawaiian Wedding Song,” “Sweet Leilani,” and “Hawaiian Sunset” were all played to death in the 50’s and 60’s, but they were done so for a reason.  The melodies are beautiful and stick with you.  

Cover Note:  What’s not to like?  There is a lone Hawaiian girl, a lone pineapple, and a lone straw hat.  None of which are interacting.    I’m not even sure the girl is really Hawaiian, but who the heck cares.  When I’m looking through record bins, these kinds of covers make me stop and at least give the song list a second look. 

Price paid: $1.00 at a pawn shop.  When I asked the lady behind the counter if the store got records in very often, she said that they do not buy them anymore.  That’s a shame because I picked up about 7 cool records there, and they were all in nice shape, and all $1.00. 

Botton line:  Far above average Hawaiian record with tons of reverb, cool strings, and good song selection.  This is better than background music and worth a listen with headphones if you got ‘em.  Pick it up if you find it. 

Xavier Cugat "VIVA Cugat!" (1961)

                In my effort to play at least 200 records for my son before his 1^st birthday, I have mostly focused on mellow albums.  For obvious reasons, these seem to go over much better.  Early on I did attempt to play him “Axis: Bold as Love” and “Rocket to Russia,” however neither went well.  As a result, my record shopping has leaned more towards the Exotic/Lounge/Hawaiian/Easy Listening genres as of late.  I didn’t really know what to make of this record, but the song titles looked good and I always like it when there is a layout of the instrument placement used for the recording inside the gatefold. 

                “Jungle Concerto” kicks off this record, and much to my surprise, it’s straight up Exotica!  The horns are blaring, the flutes are fluttering and a phalanx of percussion is moving at quite a fast clip.  Judging by the cover, I thought this would be more of a Latin record, and there is a large element of that, but Exotica seems more pervasive.  What I really like about this is how the Latin and exotic elements mix together.  Nothing seems forced, and it makes for an original sounding record.  Also, the strings are not too syrupy, which can sometimes make these albums real sleepers. 

                Speaking of strings, I cannot neglect to mention “Island of Capri.”  Holy Moly.  This one will tear your heart out.  The way the strings play that same pattern over and over just gets me.  You have to wonder if the string guys knew they were playing on something special.  I pretty much always listen to side one and give this one an extra spin. 

Tones:  One thing I love about these Mercury: Perfect Presence Sound Series records is their clarity.  They are easily on par with Command Records.  I love how the percussion sounds like it was recorded with a microphone placed far away.  It’s a nice touch that lets you really hear and feel the studio they were in. It’s so beautiful and gives you so much presence.  What the heck ever happened to this?  What is with people miking things so closely nowadays?  I also like the Spaghetti Western sound the guitar has.  It’s not that style, but it is that sound. 

Cover Note:  Like I said, it’s very Latin.  Bongos, Congas, Maracas, and Scratchers are all over the place.  It may not be the best cover ever, but the jacket is high quality and has extensive song notation.  It also has a cute little cartoon sketch of Xavier Cugat on the inside. 

Price paid:  Mine has a $.99 sticker on it, but I seem to remember paying $5.00.  I got it from one of my local record sale guys who sets up in his back yard every few months.  I think $5.00 was fair, but I wouldn't pay more than that. 

Bottom Line:  Not an all time classic, but a very good record and worth it for “Island of Capri.”  I have also seen it at other sales, so I wouldn't pay more than $5.00 if you find it.  You should be able to find it at a good price if someone isn't trying to gouge you.  

Tony Mottola "Warm, Wild & Wonderful" (1968)

               Golly I love this record.  It’s all so darn good: The cover, the guitar, the vocals.  This is easily Tony’s masterpiece, and I have a lot of Tony.  Wanna know who else loves this record?  My boy.  He is just about to turn one next week, and when he was a newborn, this was the one we played constantly to put him to sleep.  It instantly mellowed him out, and as a result, mellowed me and my wife.  I've been trying to play him 200 records by his first birthday, and it looks like we’re going to make it.  This is one of them. 

                There has to be something to the whole wordless singing thing that makes it so awesome.  To this day I have a terrible time remembering words to songs.  This is coming from a guy who has played and sang in bands for close to 20 years.  Melodies and sounds have always impressed me far more than words.  So let’s talk about that.

                A little band called The Free Design is all over this record.  They are best remembered for almost nothing.  That, and the fact that they are amazing.   Almost every song and album these guys made is on par with the best of the 60’s harmony groups.  The only problem with them is that they are easily the cheesiest of all of them…and that’s saying something.  I have played these guys to all my music friends and most of them look at me like I’m playing a joke on them.  How can something so hokey be so good though? 

                First, these guys are so sincere and perform without even a trace of irony.  Say what you will about the end result, but any lover of art, music, or performance can tell when something is coming from the heart.  Whether these guys were singing about kites, or Canada, or hit songs, they did so in all seriousness, and were not trying to be cute about it. 

                They were also complex as hell and not afraid to go dissonant in even the loveliest of songs.  Take a listen to The Beach Boys or The Association, and I am sure you will never hear harmonies so delightfully, and momentarily unnerving.    I've listened to “Smile.”  I've listened to “Stop Your Motor.”  The Free Design was way different than its contemporaries, and all the more cool for it. An example of this is “”With a Little Help.”  I find myself missing the weird harmonies on the Beatles version after hearing this.  Wow.

                What about Tony you say?  So mellow and understated, Tony makes you forget just how talented he is.   Not only is the stuff he plays difficult, but it is inventive.  The guitar lick in “This Guy’s In Love with You” before the modulation is outta sight.  It’s unexpected, dissonant (fitting in with the Free Design nicely) and perfect for the song.  This is primarily an easy listening record, so it’s nice to have some surprises thrown in here and there.  I always think that when these jazz guys got to throw something weird into the song they must have enjoyed it.  If the producer didn't make them take it out, they must have been giggling about it with their other weirdo, bebop, modal, jazz cat, friends. 

                His guitar tone is also mighty fine.  It’s a fairly standard big hollow body jazz guitar sound, but you know it’s him when he plays.  He also picks an electric sitar on “Love in Every Room.”  It was 1968 after all.  Tremolo and delay are used sparingly on a few numbers, but effects are not the focus.  I wonder how he got his delay.  What were guitarists using in 1968?  Probably a studio effect if I had to guess.   

                Play this record for your kids.  They're gonna love it.  Mine does.  To me and my wife, “Warm, Wild and Wonderful" will always remind us of the winter of 2013.  Take that 1968!    

Cover Note:  Hilary Night drew it, and it’s one of the best of the 60’s, and one of the best ever.  The afro, the dress, and the eye makeup all just pop so hard.   The girl has a freakin’ cheetah tail too!  There is also a nipple.  Maybe that is why my nursing son loves this record so much.  I've also read that there is a companion cover to another record that Night drew.  I’m keeping a lookout for it.    

Price paid:  I actually own two copies of this and bought them from the same local record guy on separate occasions.  Both times it was only $1.00.  This guy knows his records too, so I’m not sure how I pulled one over on him twice.  I’m gonna mail the second copy to my Command Record loving buddy, that I love, Vic. 

Bottom Line:  Worth it for the cover alone, but the music is stellar as well.  Get it if you like 60’s pop, jazz guitar or audiophile recordings.  This is an Enoch Light record by the way.