Richard Hayman And His Orchestra "Voodoo!" 1959

 

I was talking to my wife about Exotica records the other day, and we both agreed that there are a lot that sound quite similar to each other.  Because we both really like that sound, this is a good thing.  It’s really nice to know that when you pop on a Martin Denny or Arthur Lyman record, you are going to be taken to a place that is exotic, but after a while, familiar.  One thing I have noticed about Exotica records though is that most artists are not afraid to play a little with the formula and try to have at least one or two songs that are off the beaten path (to use an exotic sounding phrase.) 

                “Voodoo!” by Richard Hayman  is no exception.  At this point in my Exotica listening career, I should know what a “voodoo” song sounds like, but when I put on the first side of the record and hear “Danse Calinda,” I don’t get that vibe at all.  This sounds like a jaunty Mambo number if I ever heard one.  It is great for lots of reasons.  It makes me want to move my hips and find out what the lead instrument is.  It sounds like a giant kazoo to me.  When I think of voodoo, wiggling my hips and giant kazoos are not what should come to mind.  With that being said, it’s a fine opener to the album. 

“Mamba” and “Voodoo” are a little closer to what I would expect from an album title “Voodoo!”  Both feature the gut thundering drums that are all over this record.  “Mamba” also makes wonderful use of some ear splitting flutes/piccolos and squawking trombones.  You really get a Les Baxter movie soundtrack vibe from “Voodoo.”  It makes me feel like the characters are struggling with, or mystified by something.  Most people would need context for this type of music.  Without the “movie,” your average listener might just find himself struggling with, or mystified by this song itself. 

There are some songs on here that have more of a traditional Exotica sound to them.  “Spell of Deatra” comes to mind first.  This one is more Middle Eastern and creates some beautiful textures with octave piano notes mixed with strings.  “Gris-Gris” is one of the slower (but not relaxing) paced songs on the record, and “Afro” has a similar feel to Dave Brubeck’s “Take 5.”  It’s not in 5/4 time, but it does sound like a jungle version of that song.   

As I mentioned earlier, there is usually a song on Exotica records that seems to take a chance.  Arthur Lyman used to end his records with something that was totally off the wall compared to the songs that preceded it.  “Incantation” is that song here.  Staring down at the grooves of the records, I can see that it is about twice the length of any of the other songs.  It starts with a percussive groove that slowly ads tambourine, maracas, and toms.  After just under a minute, a “savage” starts to yell in some faux language.  Really, it sounds like a bunch of gibberish.  He does sing a few bent notes that are fairly interesting though.  After a huge gong explodes, a call and response ensues between the “savage” and the large group.  This conversation goes nowhere.  By that I mean the people he shouts at become less and less excited, and actually seem a little disappointed by the end.  It’s kind of weird.  The drums come back and the song and gibberish finish up.  This song sticks out like a recalcitrant hair on a finely combed pompadour (maybe Richard Hayman's?).  As a lover of Exotica, these songs are interesting to me for both sonic and cultural reasons.  However, this song is very much of its time, and I could see someone getting offended hearing this in the wrong context. 

Tones:  This is an orchestra record, and to me the horns play a very important role.  They have a thick pasty quality to them in places, especially on “Midnight Ritual.”  There is only a little guitar on this record, but it is very noticeable on “Conjuration.”  It is light, plucky, and sounds like someone getting hit continually with a pea shooter. 

Cover Note:  This looks more like a picture of a moon walk than anything having to do with Voodoo.  It’s more like a Voodoo cheerleader doll  that is filled with glee that it has found its way to lunar paradise.  The back however has one of the best pictures of an orchestra leader I have ever seen.  Richard Hayman, complete with horn rimmed glasses, shiny slicked back hair, and two inch dimples, has the biggest,  warmest smile I have ever seen.  This is the guy I want to meet at a party.  This is the cool kid I want to sit with at lunch. 

Price paid:  I had read good things about this record, so I forked over $7.00 for a very clean copy.  If you are heavily into Exotica then I think a few bucks more would be perfectly reasonable. 

Bottom line:  I wouldn't say this is a must have record, but it is a very good record.  This kind of record will plant you firmly into “Exotic nerd” territory, or “Weirdo music” land.  It is tough for me to think of a good context to play this for someone.  For me it is one that is best enjoyed with headphones.     

The Turtles "Battle of the Bands" 1968

There are very few truths in rock and roll.  Which band was the best? Who was the most innovative?  Which singer had the best voice? Which group rocked the hardest?  These are all questions that are hotly debated, and for good reason.  It is hard to answer these questions definitively, and really, who wants to?  Having arguments about music is almost as fun as actually listening to the songs.  For example, if I said to you, “Who is the better songwriter: Brian Wilson or Paul McCartney?”  or, “Who is the better guitar player: Jeff Beck or Jimi Hendrix?”  What would your answers be?  We could talk about it all night, and have a great time doing so.  It's a Zen problem.  There is no answer.  That is why it is so fun to search for it.  However, I bring this talk of absolutes up for a reason. It's so I can instantly contradict myself.  I am going to put this out there, and I encourage you to defy my assertion if you feel you need to.  There is really no point though because…

By far, The Turtles are the funniest group of the 1960’s. 

                No other group could be as overtly humorous, as slyly witty, or as satirically jocular a The Turtles.  This humor is on great display on “Battle of the Bands.” The overall concept of the record is that The Turtles would pretend to be a different band for each song on the record, taking the “Sgt. Pepper” concept to a more disparate conclusion. 
                The most obvious masterpiece on the record is “Elenore.”  The lyrics are about as hokey and “teenaged” as possible, but in a highly satirical way.  “You’re my pride and joy etcetera.”  I mean come on, are you kidding me?  This lyric must have slipped past so many people.  The line’s not a gut buster; it’s more of a “Did he really mean to say that?”  The lyric actually sounds kind of unfinished.  Of course it’s not; it’s perfectly crafted in every way.  To talk about the humor in the song is to say nothing of the songs beauty.  The Turtles had clearly mastered the quiet verse/loud chorus formula with “Happy Together,” and were able to explore its magic in a new and wonderful way.  I love this song.  My wife loves this song.  My sister loves this song.  This is probably in my all time top 10 pop songs of the 60’s list. 

                “Surfer Dan” allows the band to flex their collective surf muscles.  There were tons of Beach Boys rip-offs in the 60’s (check out “I Live for the Sun” by The Sunrays) that tried to cash in on a very popular sound.  “Surfer Dan” is one of the best because it makes fun of the genre, while also writing a kick ass song.  I really like the cheerleader vocals (“Be True to Your School") sung by the guys.  They are so perfectly stupid, that they make me smile every time. The hyperbolic lyrics (“27 girls follow wherever he goes”) and double meaning drug references (“He’s so ripped he can’t see you go by”) give the song a lot of depth the more you listen to it. 

Clocking in at well under two minutes, "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts)" sounds like something the Beastie Boys would come up with.  With that bell clanging around in the background, it doesn’t really sound like a Hawaiian song, but it sure is fun.  There is also a tape edit after the drum solo (just before the one minute mark) that is just so slightly off beat.  I like stuff like that. 

                I have made a big deal out of the humor that The Turtles have, but their musicianship is also outstanding.  Lots of bands had studio musicians help them out to expand “their” sound, but Turtles did things the old fashioned way and played their own instruments.  One of the nastier moments of music on the record is “Buzzsaw.”  This sucker is heavy.  The combination of the fuzz bass and overdriven organ is enough to peel the paint off a car.  In many cases, heavy music is something that is more fun to play than to listen to.  I can imagine Howard and Mark at a concert watching some terrible opening band drudge through some plodding, heavy, rock crunch fest and telling each other, “We gotta make fun of this.”  Nothing they ever make fun of ever seems mean spirited though.  It’s tongue-in-cheek, and full of winks and small grins. 

             I have a personal connection to the song “You Showed Me.”  I have a 45rpm of this one that my wife and I used to play very early in our relationship.  We used to sit around and play this one on repeat, resetting the needle each time, just like they used to do in the 60’s.  This is fabulous make-out music, and Mark and Howard’s voices set the mood perfectly.  I am also pretty sure this is one of the first times that a synthesizer (moog) was used on a popular recording.      

Tones:  I find myself amazed at the sound of Howard Kaylen’s voice.  It can be so pretty, but so edgy as well.  Compare the lead vocal on “Battle of the Bands” to “You Showed Me,” and you will see what I mean.  Mark Voleman also sings like a school choir boy (that’s a good thing) on the bridge of “You Showed Me.”  Listen to how he says “fall”.  The note actually drops as he sings it, making it sound like “fall…all…all". Lastly, Jim Pons contributes some impossibly low country singing (mocking the Johnny Cash/Dave Dudley baritone) to “Too Much Heartsick Feeling.” 

Cover Note:  This album is an entire concept package.  While the cover is fairly tame (just the boys in tuxedos) the inside cover is where it’s at.  For each song The Turtles not only created a song as a different band, but dressed up as the band too.  There is even a name for each “band.”  Here they are:

1.       The U.S. Teens featuring Raoul

2.       The Atomic Enchilada

3.       Howie, Mark, Johnny, Jim & Al

4.       Quad City Ramblers

5.       The L.A. Bust '66

6.       The Fabulous Dawgs

7.       The Cross Fires (The Turtles’ original name back when they were a surf band)

8.       Chief Kamanawanalea and his Royal Macadamia Nuts

9.       Nature's Children

10.   The Bigg Brothers

11.   Fats Mallard and the Bluegrass Fireball

12.   All

Price paid:  I remember paying around $10.00 for this one.  My copy is an original White Whale label pressing.  I have never been a stickler for having an original pressing.  That just happened to be what I stumbled upon.  The cool thing about the Turtles’ records is that they were reissued on vinyl in the 80’s by Rhino records.  That means you can find them for cheaper than what I paid. 

Bottom Line:  The Turtles are an extremely satisfying band, definately an A-list band of the 60’s.  In my opinion “Battle of the Bands” is their best effort because it seems like they are really able to be themselves.  That may sound ironic considering the concept of the record, but that is exactly what makes the Turtles so intriguing.  How can a band be its best self when it’s pretending to be a band it’s not?  I think you better go ask your Zen master that one.  He’s up at the monastery playing “Battle of the Bands” right now.

Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 "Equinox 1967

Sergio Mendez was truly a master interpreter.  Being a fine interpreter of the music of others seems to be an under appreciated art these days.  Really, since the members of the Beatles blew the doors wide open with writing their own material, the focus has been on writing songs yourself.  The problem is that most artists/bands find it hard to consistently write a full album of top rate material.  This is not to say the Sergio lacks the ability to write a good tune; that is beside the point.  His albums are special for a different reason.  He has a sound, and you buy his records to hear that sound.  To me, he could really take any song and make it his own.  What makes this album such a delight, is that he has some really great songs to apply his sound to. 

Let’s begin with the last song for a change.  “So Danco Samba” is of course, one of Antonio Carlos Jobims’ most well known songs.  What sets this version apart from the myriad of other versions is the mixture of both the male and female vocals.  The double tracked vocals float over the Bossa Nova beat like parallel lines disappearing over the horizon.  Listen to the way the female singer pinches out the word “vai.”  It’s almost like a reverse gasp.  After Lani Hall’s main lead vocal jumps to the forefront for a few bars, the song opens up with a reserved swinging push.  

And speaking of Lani Hall, what a voice!  It has a dynamic subtly that draws me in every time.  It is beautifully plush and is accentuated by its double tracked recording.  Lani Hall’s doubled vocals are as much a part of the Brazil ’66 sound as Sergio’s piano.  When I hear a song like “Constant Rain (Chove Chuva)” I really feel a touch of warm sadness.  Listen to how she sings “…to be alone and lonely in the rain.”  The notes go from being sung hard to being sung softly in quick bursts.  I have to admit that I had a bit of a crush on that voice in my late teens.  (Herb Alpert must have had a small crush too because he married her, and the two have been married for about 40 years.) 

A few more Jobim songs are covered on this album as well.  I find myself concentrating on the maracas in the left channel on “Triste.”  How often do maracas catch your attention?  They are featured heavily in “Sympathy for the Devil,” but that is the only song that comes to mind quickly.  I love how they are mixed right on top of the drums as well.  The other Jobim tune is “Wave.”  I have a special place in my heart for the melody of this song.  I made a “sleep mix” for my son right after he was born.  Every night, the original Jobim version started off a 2 ½ hour mix of 60’s Bossa Nova and cool jazz that we would listen to as he fell asleep (or stayed up all night).  The melody really is something amazing, and in the competent hands of Sergio Mendez, the song becomes more effervescent and accessible.  Before I heard this version, I had never heard the lyrics (sung in unison by both men and women here) before.  I love how simple they are:

 So close your eyes
For that’s a lovely way to be
Aware of things your heart alone

Was meant to see
The fundamental loneliness goes

Whenever two can dream a dream together

There are a few other tracks that really grab me as I continue to listen to this album.  “Cinnamon and Clove” has a wonderful hook that I find myself singing along to.  “For Me” plays with rhythm in a way no other song on the album does.  Quietly fading in, it starts with a show tune feel that is filled out with some Walter Wanderley inspired organ stabs.  It then moves into a driving Bossa Nova beat that gradually weakens.  “Bim-Bom” (sung in English as opposed to the original Portuguese version) and “Night and Day” are also given the Brazil ’66 treatment with excellent results. 

Tones:  This album has so many wonderful sounds that I just love: Latin beats, softly sung vocals, light psych touches, and precise, detail oriented production.  Sergio's piano is like a neon light in a bar.  You don’t notice it all the time, but the impression it leaves is undeniable.  Other touches such as the sitar on “Constant Rain (Chove Chuva)” and the dampened chorus like guitar at the beginning of “Wave” create a sonic pallet that sets this album apart from other Bossa Nova influenced records.  Herb Alpert had a hand in the production of this, and he always comes through when it comes to creating beautiful tones. 

Cover Note:  Not bad, but not great.  What could the context for this photo be?  Where are they and why is everyone looking up?  It screams “album cover photo shoot” to me.  Compared to the other Brazil ’66 covers like “Look Around” (which is far more natural looking), and “Fool on the Hill” (which is far more weird/artistic), “Equinox" leaves me wanting more, especially because the music is so great.   

Price paid:  I do not have a vinyl copy of this one.  I have a great CD reissue (an LP facsimile to be exact) that I bought in the early 2000’s when I was first getting into Bossa Nova music.  This was before I was into vinyl.  I think I paid about $15.00 for it, maybe less.  The good news is that I have seen vinyl copies of it at places like flea markets quite often.  Don’t pay more than $5.00 or $6.00 for it though. 

Bottom Line:  This would be a great album if you are already into 60’s music, but would like to dip your toe into the water of never ending pleasure that is Bossa Nova.  It is definately where I started.  After that I moved on to Jobim, Walter Wanderley, Joao Gilberto, Luis Bonfa, and Caetano Veloso.  There is nothing difficult about this album.  You could play this for your grandmother or your coolest friend and both would find things to enjoy.  Heck, invite them over to the same party.  You might get a laugh out of watching them Samba dance to “So Danco Samba” together.