Billy Mure "Hawaiian Percussion" 1961

                I picked up this pretty little record the other day and did a little research on it.  It turns out that Billy Mure just recently died this September at the age of 97, not too far away from where I live in Florida.  I thought it would be fitting to give this album the attention it deserved.  In addition to his solo albums, Billy was also the man who arranged Bobby Freeman’s late 50’s hit “Do You Wanna Dance?” He was also known for records that were filled with overdubs and crazy guitar work.  This, however, is a more straight forward affair.    

                Yes!  Another version of “Hawaiian War Chant!”  I am really amazed how many great versions of this song there are.  This one is bouncy and the melody is picked swiftly on the guitar. It’s very nice in a very non threatening kind of way.  However, after an organ break, the guitar turns savage.  Billy’s really not foolin’ around here.  As the song goes darker, this guy tears into his first solo on the record with some aggressively sharp guitar stabs.  It’s nasty sounding, especially by 1961 standards.  Then the steel guitar comes in and saves the day.  Like a loud drunkard being settled by his friend, the steel pacifies the guitar solo and the jaunty mellowness continues. 

                That’s one thing I really like about this record:  the songs don’t always keep the same rhythm throughout the entire song.  “Song of the Islands” is a wonderful example.  It starts off straight, with a major focus on the percussion, then starts to swing ever so slightly.  About ¾ of the way through, it kicks into high gear and gives us a beat we can really dance to.  It then slows down one more time and takes us home. 

                The organ sound on this album is absolutely heavenly.  It’s watery and dreamlike.  Sometimes it chirps like a cricket, and sometimes it just tickles your ear, but what it really does is make you feel something.  Some of the repeating figures played in “Kalua” sound like some of the 70’s arpeggiated synthesizers I have heard on some Todd Rundgren (among many others) tracks.  It makes me picture a gigantic piece of glass that has a million spider web-like cracks in it.  If someone could play those cracks, that’s what it would sound like.  It feels like some kind of effect, but because this was released in 1961, it’s more than likely just some good old fashioned fancy finger work.  Billy arranged/created some very interesting sounds that weren't explored until almost 15 years later.  I love hearing this kind of stuff.     

                There is a cover of “Sleep Walk” on here as well.  Considering the year this came out, and the instrumentation of the album, it is a very logical choice.  However, it’s really hard to capture (let alone top) the magic of the original Santo and Johnny version.  Billy’s take is adequate and close to the original, so it feels more like a rehash instead of a re-imagining.  It strikes me as something the record company would have asked him to include.  

                I actually passed over this record once.  It was only $.50 (what the heck was I thinking?) at a pawn shop. I told my wife that I saw a cool record with a geometric pineapple on it, but passed it up.  She told me I should go back and get it, and I am so glad I did.  This is everything I wanted it to be: cool percussion, cool guitar licks, cool steel guitar, and very cool greasy hair on Billy’s picture on the back cover.  Sometimes, wives are cool and make you delicious things to eat.  Sometimes wives are very cool and tell you to go back to the store to buy awesome records.  My wife was very cool that day.      

                On another personal note, buying this album so soon after Billy's death makes me wonder about the timing of things.  I would have loved to make the short drive to where Billy lived and see him play a show or get a guitar lesson.   My understanding is that he was still playing regularly.  Check out this link.  How often is it that someone from the 50's is still out there doing what they love?  I do consider myself lucky to have found this record though, and have heard a lot of good things about his other more layered guitar work.  I actually found a copy of "Supersonic in Flight" the other day, but it was scratched and unplayable.  That's how it goes sometimes.  

Tones:  Like I said, that organ is the surprise hit of this album.  It’s as inviting as a hug on a cold day.  The percussion is also captured nicely.  It is difficult for me to tell what the bamboo log is, and what the temple block is, but I like ‘em when I hear ‘em, and according to the liner notes, they're on here.  

Cover Note:  Geometric figures, weird paintings that have little to do with the actual music, and huge advertisements of stereo sound are all good signs when it comes to records collecting.  This one has an orange square pineapple and three other geometric modern marvels on it.  Mine also has an actual orange sticker placed on the bottom right that says “STEREOPHONIC.”  Was stereo some kind of selling point in the late 50’s or something?  Just kidding.

Price paid:  If you see a record that looks cool to you for any reason and it’s only $.50, just buy it.  Don’t be silly like me and have your wife tell you to go back and buy it.  I really must have been having an off day.  I think I had a job interview or something.  Anyway, $5.00-$8.00 is fair.  This is well above average.  

Bottom line:  It’s fun.  It’s melodic.  It has nice sound, and it has a great cover.  My wife also likes this record, so I advise you to throw your headphones away in the garbage (or keep ‘em, whatever) and listen to this with your family and friends.  Billy’s the man.  Let's go dig through some boxes, find Billy's records, and give his music the spins it so desperately deserves.  

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.