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exotica-digest         Monday, August 24 1998         Volume 02 : Number 196



In This Digest:

(exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"
(exotica) Re: Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"
Re: (exotica) Rarest of the rare LPs
(exotica) Bruce Haack
(exotica) Playlist For "Jimmy's Easy" 8/18/98
(exotica) Spaced Out website update
(exotica) electric bezouki
(exotica) Covers as clues to contents
(exotica) CD compilation: Canto Morricone
(exotica) the art of Hal - the hall of Art?
(exotica) RE: Rarest of the rare LPs
Re: (exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"
(exotica) FM Weirdness
Re: (exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"
(exotica) Ronald Shannon Jackson: Pulse
(exotica) e-pulse excerpts
(exotica) Percussion Grafting
(exotica) Another FAQ idea?
(exotica) Vern is taking hula lessons.....
Re: (exotica) Percussion Grafting
Re: (exotica) Vern is taking hula lessons.....
(exotica) Percussion Grafting
(exotica) Playlist for "Mondo Bongos" for Wednesday, August 26, 1998

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 98 15:51:54 PDT
From: "B. Yost" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"

Les Baxter's "African Jazz" (I think that's the title).  You who have heard
it, how is it?

Thanks,

Brad


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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 15:43:32 -0500 (CDT)
From: [e-mail]
Subject: (exotica) Re: Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"

>Les Baxter's "African Jazz" (I think that's the title).  You who have heard
>it, how is it?


absolutly great.   it's probably my favorite of all Baxter's LPs.


check out the new additions to The Exotic World of Les Baxter:
http://www.tamboo.com/baxter

 - kini




visit...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
          King Kini's  C L U B  V E L V E T
             http://www.tamboo.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++





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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 17:46:22 +0100
From: "Charles Moseley" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (exotica) Rarest of the rare LPs

I don't see the point of investigating rare LPs or records unless they =
have
a value or a merit. For instance, I and most other people know extremel=
y
rare LPs and records which are also crap and don't deserve a mention.
e.g., The LP I found that was created using Nintendo's MarioPaint SNES
cartridge is probably very hard to find - but then who would want to fi=
nd
it? On the other hand, I've never seen a copy of Roy Budd's Get Carter
soundtrack but I've heard it sells for =A31,500 and I want it badly (an=
d its
being rereleased soon).

Oops, in my ranting, I seem to have inadvertantly added to this threat.=






Charlie
=





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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 13:26:06 +0100
From: "Charles Moseley" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Bruce Haack

Just got hold of a repressed Bruce Haack classic LP - Electric Lucifer.=


Wierdness abounds in this hippy fest with underlying electronics and
overly-heavy reverbed voices, chanting, vocoded voices, noise and gener=
al
chaos. Cool cover and ony =A38.49. This reminds me of Timothy Leary's T=
une In
Turn On Drop Out LP which I got a couple of weeks ago. Both are trippy =
to
the point of stupidity but still cool with it. If you like your folk mu=
sic
with a dose of brown acid and religous overtones, Bruce is perfect for =
you.

On a similar tip, I heard that both Silver Apples LPs got repressed
recently. Does anybody know where I can get hold of the vinyl?


Thanks





Charlie
=





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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 18:39:24 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Playlist For "Jimmy's Easy" 8/18/98

"Jimmy's Easy" airs on WMBR-FM, Cambridge Tuesdays 6-8am
- -----Billy Taylor Orchestra-David Frost Theme-----
George Shearing-Blue Rainbow-LP Mood Latino
101 Strings-Latino Sentimental-LPNelson Riddle &101 Strings
George Romanis-Breaking Into The Bank-LP OST 8 On The Lam
Ventures-Pink Panther Theme-LP Fabulous Ventures
Luis Enriquez Bascalov-Paranagua-CD Easy Tempo 4
Brass Ring-Theme From Sand Pebbles-LP Disadvantages of You
Warren Barker-The D.A.'s Man-LP TV Guide's Top TV Themes
Red Holt-Sanctified Indian-LP Look Out (Later of Young Holt)
- -Lalo Schifrin-Boysie's Bossa-LP OST The Liquidator
- -Otto Sieben-Curley Shirley-CD Music For TV Dinners (Scamp)
- -Nelson Riddle-Sawdust, Spangles, & Dreams-LP (forgot name)
- -Chaquito-Name Of The Game-CD Mad Mad Mad Wrld Soundtrax
- -David Taylor Group-Spy In The Jungle-CD Scored! (UK)
- -Dean Martin-Mimi-CD DM Does It French  (Casa Nostra)
- -France Gall-Christiansen-LP Les Grand Successe de..(Phillips)
- -Francesco DiMasi-Diamond Bossa Nova-CD Easy Tempo 3
Esquivel-Surfboard-CD on Bar None
Armando Trova Joli-Masquerade-CD Easy Tempo 4
Pete Jolly-Plummer park-CD Dimenziones In Sound #3
Love Unlimited Orchestra-Barry's Theme-LP Love Unltd Orch
Xavier Cugat-It's Not Unusual/Goldfinger-LP Feelin' Good
Perez Prado-James Bond Theme-LP Lights! Action! Prado!
Johnny Brown & Joy Boys-Suspense-CD Swing For A Crime
Troy Donahue-Live Young-LP OST Palm Springs Weekend
Stan Freeman & Twisters-Volare-LP Everybody's Twistin'
Piero Umiliani-Flirt-A-Rio- (forgot to note the source)
Edmund Ros Orchestra-Moon Over Miami-LP Bongos From South
Loleatta Holloway-Hit & Run-LP Loleatta (Salsoul)
- -Roy Budd-Get Carter-CD Sound Something or Other
- -Peter Thomas Orchestra-Der Hexer-CD Futurmuzik (Scamp)
- -Nino Fidenco-Supercolpo Shake-CD Cinecitta 2
- -MFSB-K-Gee-CD MFSB TSOP
- -Dewolf Studio-Main Chance-CD Bite Hard
- -Combustible Edison-Punch Drunk-CD OST 4 Rooms
- -Ahab & The Wailers-Neb's Tune-CD Brit 6T's Instros
- -MoonTrekkers-Return of The Vampire-CD Joe Meek Instros
- -----Wayne Newton-Wives & Lovers-LP-----
MIX TAPES AND ORIGINAL MUSIC WELCOME-E-Mail Me Privately



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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 00:43:05 +0100
From: "Robbie Baldock" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Spaced Out website update

Just to let you know about a small update to the Spaced Out site:
a set of links directly to song-writers' entries at the ASCAP
website.  You'll find them on the "Other Resources" page at:

http://www.rcb.easynet.co.uk/light/links.htm

Curiously (and worryingly), Dick Hyman's entry at ASCAP includes
"Hooked on Classics"...?!?


Robbie


- ----------------------------------------------------------
** ** ** * Spaced Out - the Enoch Light Website * ** ** **
** ** ** * http://www.rcb.easynet.co.uk/light/  * ** ** **
- ----------------------------------------------------------


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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 21:48:15 -0400
From: "Michael Bennet" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) electric bezouki

Does anyone know any particular albums or songs that feature the electric
bezouki?  I figure there have to be a bunch featuring Vinnie Bell and his
Danelectro Belzouki, but I don't recall having ever run across any.

mb


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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 23:01:09 EST
From: "Brian Karasick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Covers as clues to contents

Nat writes:

> I have no problem buying a record for the cover.  Someday I'll have a
> website and scan in these "Philco Presents" records I have.
> I kind of doubt I'd even be into most of the music discussed on this list
> if I hadn't been initially attracted by the covers.  And it's still a big
> part of it.
For me it was the cover and the band/record name that was the key,
especially during the New Wave years, back when you could never
listen to records before you bought them and imports were expensive.
It's been a long time but I'm certain that's how I discovered Der
Plan! It's still a factor as I recently picked up a record called
"Polish House Party" based on the cover, and you can be absolutely
certain it wasn't for the music! Nat will certainly understand this
purchase!

Johan writes:
Re: Friends of Dean Martinez
>     is this "Retrograde" as good as (or the same type of stuff as)
>     their debut "Shadow of your smile"?
Shadow.... is a really good release.  Looking forward to hearing this
new one myself!

Cheryl writes:
> > 12. I have a Licence To ...
> Be right all the time (just ask Brian!)=20
I won't even try to argue this one!

Jill writes:
Re: France Gall
>... I'm just listening to her
> German sung CD "Die Beste in Deutsch" which I think is also fab. Some is a
> little bland, but all very poppy and cute. I'm wondering what other LPs she
> did in the 60s that are in this cool mood. Does anyone know so I can track
> them down?
I should have a copy of this one coming to me but I've lost touch
with my  contact during the last few weeks.  I'm looking forward to
hearing it myself. I found this incredible German Schlager website
complete with bios, cover art and discographies.  It even lists books
for further reading which much of the info is excerpted from.  All in
German though:

http://www.online.prevezanos.com/schlager

(It was so good I snagged the site - about 15mb).  It seems Bear
Family Records is the best (and most thorough) source for CD reissues
of this era of German performers (no France Gall though).  I could
drop my annual music budget on what I saw available through them!

 Brian Karasick
Physical Planner
McGill University
Montreal, Canada


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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 07:01:28 -0400
From: [e-mail] (Jonathan M Perl)
Subject: (exotica) CD compilation: Canto Morricone

Picked up this German CD yesterday as from the back it looked like I
would really like it.
I was not disappointed - this is an incredible release, beyond my wildest
dreams.

The songs are generally that kind of beautiful electric harpischord or
piano driven, meditative pop songs with light rock drums and ethereal
vocal backgrounds - like much of the mondo morricone compilation.

21 tracks, including
- - the incredible 'deep down' from Danger diabolik
- - three different versions of the malamondo theme, one sung in italian
- - two versions of the fantastic 'se telefonando', one by Francoise Hardy
in French and the other by Mina in Italian.  I didn't recognise the name,
but I found I knew the song very well.  It is an emotionally charged 60s
pop orchestral masterpiece.
- - An incredible version of 'hurry to me' (there is a Roy Budd version of
this on the Sound Spectrum compilation) by the Sandpipers with lyrics
('come on hurry hurry hurry to me, you can tell or share your worries to
me...;
- - lots of other incredible songs I didn't know.

Nice illustrated booklet too.
By some distance the best CD I have bought this year; possibly ever.
Break the bank for it! (I paid $22; well worth it)

Details: Canto Morricone Vol.1 The 60s, Bear Family records (BMG) BCD
16244 AH

regards

Jonny

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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 13:40:18 +0200
From: Marco 'Kallie' Kalnenek <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) the art of Hal - the hall of Art?

Hi everyone,

This weekend I picked up a copy of the lp "Art Mooney cha cha" by Art
Mooney & his Orchestra (Celebrity Records) at a record-fair in the city
of Nijmegen (Netherlands).
When I played the record this morning I noticed that the version of
'Caravan' on this record (re-titled "Whirling sands' for unknown
reasons) is the same as the version by HAL Mooney on the cd 'The Exotic
Trilogy vol.2" (Opaque Records).
So my obvious question is: are ART and HAL Mooney (Hal Mooney recorded
for Mercury) one and the same person? Or did the people who compiled The
Exotic Trilogy get their Mooney's all mixed-up?

Marco Kalnenek

p.s. by the way, I found some other nice records at this fair:
"Dynamica" by Ray Martin for 1 Dutch Guilder! And two nice 10"-lp's by
Leroy Anderson from 1950 and '51. I also bought my first Mantovani
record. Whatever next?


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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 08:12:23 -0500
From: "Bryan J. Cuevas" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) RE: Rarest of the rare LPs

Frank -

>"Bold brave organ extravaganza" by "Mr. Talent" Dave Fredricks - Gulco6437

Well, I don't have this organ LP, but I do have a 7" single by Dave
Fredricks where he's playing the ARP pro soloist synthesizer.
Unfortunately, the record is 8 hours away from me right now, but I remember
this as some sort of demonstration disc.

Keep on steppin'
Bryan C.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Bryan J. Cuevas
Department of Religious Studies
University of Virginia
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=




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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 02:50:08 -0500
From: Robert Sloane <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"

At 03:51 PM 8/23/98 -0700, B. Yost wrote:
>
>Les Baxter's "African Jazz" (I think that's the title).  You who have heard
>it, how is it?

I'll register a positive vote for this one, as well.  I have it on a 2-fer
CD by GNP Crescendo, issued with Baxter's _The Colors of Brazil_ (which I
also think is quite good).

Rob


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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 08:47:44 -0700
From: "Carl Russo" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) FM Weirdness

Just curious:

Any listers out there with fond memories of KPFA, Berkeley, during the years
that (sound/text composer) Charles Amirkhanian was MD?

All those avant-garde music shows of the late 70s thru mid-80s: C.A.'s
"Morning Concert" of experimental 'new music;' the totally whacked
performance artists on "Night Sky Music;" Ray Farrell's
experimental/post-punk rockers on "Assassinatin' Rhythm;" home-tapers on "No
Other Radio;" phone-in jams with Negativland and friends on "Over the Edge;"
"Music from the Hearts of Space" (when it was a 3-hour acid trip) and other
middle-of-the-night weirdness...  A few shows survive but things sound much
more "normal" now.

College radio has its moments of weridness, of course, but nothing on this
coast compares or compared with 59,000 watts of mind-blowing sounds for
hours on end.

C. "Ratso" Russo





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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 18:44:45 +0200
From: Marco 'Kallie' Kalnenek <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (exotica) Opinions: Baxter's "African Jazz"

Robert Sloane wrote:
>
> At 03:51 PM 8/23/98 -0700, B. Yost wrote:
> >
> >Les Baxter's "African Jazz" (I think that's the title).  You who have heard
> >it, how is it?
>
> I'll register a positive vote for this one, as well.  I have it on a 2-fer
> CD by GNP Crescendo, issued with Baxter's _The Colors of Brazil_ (which I
> also think is quite good).

You're confusing it with "African blue", which is a nice record - but
not the same as "African Jazz"!

Marco K.


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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 13:28:19 -0400
From: Brian Phillips <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Ronald Shannon Jackson: Pulse

    i looked for Ronald Shannon Jackson's "Pulse" on cd,
    but couldn't find it; does it exist on cd?
1. Thanks for saving something that I wrote and quoting it!
2. It doesn't seem to be in print in any media and I remember it being cut
out in a HURRY as a record.

Sorr..(Wham, slap...well, I don't play the drums.)
Brian Phillips



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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 14:50:09 -0500
From: Lou Smith <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) e-pulse excerpts

Howdy hey, y'all.
Just back from a week down lower Cape Cod, where many dozens o' Wellfleet
ersters were inhaled.
Got a lot of mail to catch up on.
Apparently no one big died while I was gone so no obits from me - how could
I top Robert's Ketchamori piece anyway?!
Here's some excerpts pulled from recent E-Pulse issues, snatched on the fly
while bulk-moving e-mail from In to Out.
- -Lou

6. smoking-section album of the week:
     For those who idolize Astaire as much as Presley, who want a bit of
art with their youth culture, there's a shortage of rock'n'roll
sophisticates these days. You know the type of idol they're looking for:
well educated, rakish hair, natty threads, witty lyrics, ever-present
ciggie (Gitanes, naturellment), a bit of old Weimar decadence around the
edges, the ability to boozily croon or scream in withdrawal-like pain.
With the disappearance of Bryan Ferry, Scott Walker's reclusiveness and
David Bowie's current sartorial identity crisis, these sophisto
flag-bearers, the neo-Sinatras, are in short supply. Thankfully, there's
THE DIVINE COMEDY, a.k.a. Neil Hannon. Little known here, Northern
Irish-born Hannon cribs Scott Walker's dark suits and shades but bypasses
the Jacques Brel catalog for his own compositions on the foibles of
humankind, usually delivered with arched eyebrow. He and his musicians
(which include a chorus and wind and brass ensemble) have been making
memorable records for years, and the latest, 'FIN DE SIECLE' (Setanta,
8/18), is the best yet and one of the year's best as well.
     'Fin de Siecle' is darker than earlier DC albums, a good thing since
they at times had difficulty maintaining a souffle-light mood. Its opening
song, "Generation Sex," sets the agenda, skewering the modern tendency to
make everything a commodity to be bought and sold: "Generation Sex
respects the rights of girls who want to take their clothes off/ as long
as we can all watch," Hannon sings, delivering sharp jabs to paparazzi and
tabloid readers. Then there's "Thrillseeker," which starts with a
"Mission: Impossible" flute riff and coldly dissects the live-fast ethos
("It's my triumph of will/ just to stay alive 'till/ they've spent several
million to save me, albeit vainly"). From a song about travel ("National
Express," so driving it cries out for Stanley Donen to direct a video for
it), a humorous tribute to Sweden and even a send-up of doomsday ("Here
Comes the Flood") that will have you laughing and shaking your head at its
audacity, Hannon shows a rare ability to arrange the forces of an
orchestra while maintaining the excitement of rock and writing memorable
tunes. No mean feat.
     If it sounds pretentious--the suits and strings and weighty themes--it
belies the fun and surprises in 'Fin de Siecle,' and of the sense of an
artist aiming high and hitting a bull's-eye. The capper is the closing
track, "Sunrise," where Hannon ditches his cool persona and deadpan baritone
to sing hopefully about the possibility of peace in Northern Ireland, which
he likens to the dawn after a long period of darkness. It's
a song made more poignant by the recent strain on that peace pact. There
*is* one problem with 'Fin de Siecle,' however: The Divine Comedy's label,
Setanta, recently ceased American distribution, which means this may only be
available as an expensive import. But it's well worth it. (Melton)

2. point: Burt Bacharach's godlike:
     Editorial emotions ran the gamut upon loading 'SELECTIONS FROM THE
LOOK OF LOVE: THE BURT BACHARACH COLLECTION' (Rhino 3-CD box
set, 10/ 27) into the disc player. Granted the sampler contains the
biggies,
leaving the obscurities ("Me Japanese Boy I Love You" -- Bobby Goldsboro)
to the box set. But, oh what hits, what lush, fat horns, what over-the-top
orchestrations. It's the memory-sparking factor that gets me. I can
remember shimmying to Tom Jones' "What's New Pussycat"; sitting in the
back of the car on road trips singing "Do You Know the Way to San Jose";
summer camp sing-alongs of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"; and
hairbrush-as-microphone renderings of "(They Long to Be) Close to You." My
recollection of Dionne Warwick was limited to Psychic Friends hotline
commercials until all the Bacharach song titles started my brain juices
flowing. The Dionne and Friends version of 'That's What Friends Are For'
almost negates "Promises, Promises," "Walk On By," "I Say a Little
Prayer," and "The Balance of Nature." Can't hardly wait the two months
till the set comes out -- go Burt. (Wildfeuer)

3. counterpoint: Burt Bacharach is a sadist:
     They just don't make hearing protection strong enough to withstand
'THE LOOK OF LOVE: THE BURT BACHARACH COLLECTION' (Rhino 3-CD
box set, 10/27). From the cheesy arrangements of "Don't Go Breaking My
Heart" to the overzealous background vocals on "(There's) Always Something
There to Remind Me," this collection is like some Muzak soundtrack to a film
about shopping with my parents. Although "(They Long to Be) Close to You"
and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" do have a certain kitsch appeal, I
can't understand why it's necessary to own three CDs of the stuff. What
frightens me even more is that what I heard was a sampler containing only
the hits. I can only imagine what horrors may lie within the obscurities
of "Mexican Divorce" and "The Blob." Don't misunderstand; I mean, this
collection isn't all bad. It is nice to hear that Dionne Warwick had a
career before 'Solid Gold,' and "Arthur's Theme" does call to mind images of
a drunken Dudley Moore. Of course, this whole diatribe could be a result of
my bitterness about those Naked Eyes hits actually being covers of Bacharach
classics. (Willis)

6. Mrs. Peel, we're needed:
     If you're a fan of the original '60s TV series, everything about the
new 'Avengers' movie seems wrong, from the casting to the overly busy
poster. Oh course, this being written before the film is available for
viewing, there is a chance that -- against all the ominous signs -- it's
great, and then we'll take it all back. In the meantime, we do have 'THE
AVENGERS: THE ALBUM' subtitled "Music From and Inspired by the Motion
Picture," (Warner Sunset/Atlantic, out now) and it offers further evidence
that this big-budget movie is conceived mainly as product. But if the
'Armageddon' soundtrack is a by-the-numbers classic-rock equivalent to a Big
Mac, 'The Avengers: The Album' is the H. Salt Esq. Fish and Chips model: At
least something different. Trying to tap into the jungle/trip-hop/drum &
bass/electronica scene, the soundtrack serves up the likes of Merz and Roni
Size, but also left-field choices like Grace Jones and erstwhile
Madness mouthpiece Suggs. Things start off with an update of the classic
Laurie Johnson TV theme song, but the bouncy tune has been dragged down with
gimmicky "contemporary" baggage. Think of the U2-affiliated "Mission:
Impossible" redo a couple of years ago. Yep, it's a yawn. The next track,
"Storm," gives Grace Jones a chance to be Shirley Bassey -- there are enough
'Goldfinger' and John Berry/James Bond swipes to make it
interesting, if not essential (not only that, new-wave geeks, but one of the
writers/producers is Bruce Woolley. Anybody remember the Camera Club?). The
Suggs track, "I Am," starts off like classic Madness but then falls into
predictable ska before veering off into another half-dozen directions. A
potentially good track, it could have used the deft touch of his old
bandmates. Another oddity is a remake of the Sugarcubes song "Mama" by Annie
Lennox. It's not quite the Arista-governed safe pop coma
she's slipped into, an encouraging turn. But let's face it: The song is
too weird to completely cleanse. The rest of the CD is similarly
"respectable," with lots of beats, scratches and the like from Merz,
Babybird, Utah Saints, and even a fairly commercial song with Sinead
O'Connor on vocals. There are good moments, particularly by Roni Size, but
what's missing is the audacity, the style, the sheer surprisingness of the
'Avengers' show, which was so influential in its day. It created trends,
it didn't copy them. It would have been more impressive if the studio had
gotten Laurie Johnson to do the score, or even Roni Size. Could we have a
little more originality, please? (Melton)

2. this week's rant:
     The emperor's new zoot suit: You know it's pretty much curtains for a
current trend when centenogenarian radio barker Paul Harvey jumps on the
bandwagon. Yet there he was on one of the local right-wing AM cesspools
during noon drive last week: "These kids today!" he gushed in his
inimitable loose-dentured robotic snarl. "They're swinging! They're
jitterbugging! They're ... even ... waltzing!"
     You go, Grandaddy-O! Uh-huh, "Swing" seems to be undergoing some sort
of revival--although what's being passed off under its rubric is more a
pastiche of '40s jump-band blues, recycled Vegas lounge aesthetics and
thrift-store-driven fashion mistakes--mix'n'match Brooks Brothers &
pachuco zoot suits, anyone?--grafted onto a post-punk framework than
anything Benny Goodman might give a thumb's up. Sorry to smash the fedora
on you wannabe Damon Runyon characters who're buying into this nice little
game of "let's play dress-up," but this whole "swing revival" shebang is
nothing more than a fashion-driven foist that has precious little to do
with music.
     Oh, sure, there are bands playing the stuff. To explain it using a
'Jeopardy'-based metaphor, if "Pop Culture for $50" opens to
"swing-revival bands," your winning answer would be: "What can failed
rockabilly poseurs, gas-station-shirt rockers who got passed over by
major-label A&R weasels during the post-'Nevermind' alt-rock boom,
post-Hanky Rollins tattoo casualties, San Francisco thrift-store habitues,
Vegas hacks, singing bartenders and last year's ska leftovers do to avoid
selling smokes to kiddies in that mini-mart?" Or, as a good friend who's
also a musician succinctly put it: "Brian Setzer's involved--that oughta
tell you something!"
     Nothing against Mister Setzer personally--or against Royal Crown
Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin' Daddies and others of their
ilk, either--but the big problem with this entire genre is that none of
its practicioners seems to have the foggiest idea on how to write a
passable tune (sorry, but pallid rewrites of Louis Jordan and Louis Prima
songs don't count). And when they inevitably do fall back on cover
versions by long-dead crazy guys, as they must, the result's about as
interesting as hearing Sha Na Na bowser-ize choice kibbles'n'bits from the
Danny & the Juniors catalog--or watching paint dry.
     Which is the major reason why the "swing" revival's shelf life will
be short, and its downfall inevitable. Like Sha Na Na, these swing bands
can't hold a candle to the acts they ape. And like the disco boom, the
swing revival is driven more by an elitist fashion sense (as in, "you're
not dressed appropriately for this club") than by any musical raison
d'etre. So sorry, Paul--those kids won't be visiting your stardust
dreamworld for long. (Griffith)

3. red hot item of the week:
     'RED HOT + RHAPSODY' (Verve/Antilles, 10/6) is the latest
installment of the very fine Red Hot series. This disc pairs the songs of
George and Ira Gershwin with artists from all over the musical map. The
apparently unusual combination of talent and songs works as well as it did
in 'Red Hot + Blue,' the debut disc in the series. Gershwin's music is
timeless, but when interpreted by the likes of Duncan Sheik, Luscious
Jackson, Money Mark and Skylab, its blend of Tin Pan Alley shows no sign
of having been written several decades ago. Sinead O'Connor returns to the
Red Hot fold with a lush "Someone to Watch Over Me." Baaba Maal updates
"Bess You Is My Woman Now" by singing it in Senegalese. Morcheeba and
Hubert Laws do a dreamy "Summertime." David Bowie gets the Angelo
Badalamenti treatment on "A Foggy Day."
Red Hot is creating a companion album, 'BY GEORGE (AND IRA): RED HOT ON
GERSHWIN,' that features the classic recordings of Gershwin songs. Both
albums will be released in time to celebrate the centenary of George's
birth. The Red Hot organization has donated $7 million towards AIDS
research, due in part to the huge success of the albums. Great songs and
singers and an important cause. (Wildfeuer)




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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 14:54:10 -0400
From: Ross Orr <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Percussion Grafting

So in my quest to buy every record ever made with the word "percussion" in
the title, I've started to develop a whole section of what I call
"percussion graft" records. These are the ones where some producer says
"dammit, we need to get in on this percussion craze!"--and pulls some
random session out of the vault, which they dub extra percussion effects
onto. Usually the perpetrator is some budget label like Pirouette.

Well, a friend just gave me what might be the Ultimate Percussion Graft LP:
_Ping Pong Percussion Lerner & Lowe_(Spinorama). Starting with
string-heavy, orchestral sessions (which are utterly non-percussive), these
guys added TOTALLY goofy ping-pong introductions. They are LONG (sometimes
1/3 of the band), they use goofy sounds (whistles, guitar twangs), and they
have NO relation to the melody which follows. There's just an abrupt
razor-edit into the lush strings. A must-have for you fans of freakish
non-sequiturs. . .

Brrang! Clonk. . . . Rappa rappa!

 --Ross

|| Ross "Mambo Frenzy" Orr  <[e-mail]>
|| Ann Arbor, Michigan USA




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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 15:39:02 -0400
From: Ross Orr <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Another FAQ idea?

Speaking of budget labels, what do you think?--perhaps there ought to be an
entry like this in the FAQ:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Q: What are "budget labels" and how do I look out for them?

A:  While some major companies had their own lower-price labels (such as
RCA's "Camden" or London's "Richmond"), the term usually refers to small
companies who distributed records through drug-stores and other retailers
outside the usual music-store channels.

To keep costs low, these labels had many tricks: Using unknown performers;
putting fewer tracks on each record; recycling previously-issued tracks
under fictitious artist (and song) names; and pressing on lower-quality
plastics (according to one rumor, even melted-down ashtrays). One
particular "Hawaiian" session was reissued dozens of times under different
covers and names. Budget disks are generally maddening to collectors for
these reasons--though despite everything, these labels occasionally managed
to release a good (or brilliantly bizarre) record.

The jackets of budget-label LPs usually *look* cheap--they rarely use
photos and almost never have a title printed along the spine. One notorious
and insidious company was Synthetic Plastics Company, of Newark New
Jersey--a.k.a. "Premier." They put out records under a blizzard of
different label names, such as Parade, Pirouette, Diplomat, Spinorama, and
Coronet.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Any other suggestions?

 --Ross

|| Ross "Mambo Frenzy" Orr  <[e-mail]>
|| Ann Arbor, Michigan USA




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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 16:04:50 EDT
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Vern is taking hula lessons.....

I saw a very cute cartoon commercial the other night that starts out, "Vern is
taking hula lessons...." it ends with the guy in a full grass skirt offering
garden burgers to his guest.  There was one other blatent exotica-related
commerical but I forget at the moment what it was.  Has anyone seen this cute
commercial or any others?  This one was on A&E.

- - Michele


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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 16:11:32 -0400
From: Chris Cook <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (exotica) Percussion Grafting

>Well, a friend just gave me what might be the Ultimate Percussion Graft LP:
>_Ping Pong Percussion Lerner & Lowe_(Spinorama). Starting with
>string-heavy, orchestral sessions (which are utterly non-percussive), these
>guys added TOTALLY goofy ping-pong introductions.

Yes, yes, yes!!!!  I have this one and a similar one (could it be Ping Pong
Percussion with 101 stings?) that are absolutely off the damn wall.  I was
just in a separate email describing another one of these percussion
expliotation records.  Because I'm lazy, I will quote from my earlier work:

I have one of those Ping-Pong Percussion w/The Ink Spots records that gets
out and out dopey in spots.  ***BOOIIINNGGG***  Clip  -- Clop  -- Clip ---
Clop.  StrumStrumm  ****BOOOOOINNNNGGGG****  (pause)
I-dont-want-to-set-the-world. ...

- --chris cook




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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 16:18:08 -0400
From: Chris Cook <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (exotica) Vern is taking hula lessons.....

>I saw a very cute cartoon commercial the other night that starts out, "Vern is
>taking hula lessons...." it ends with the guy in a full grass skirt offering
>garden burgers to his guest.

Yeah, it's really pretty funny ... it gets played to *death* on the TV Food
Network, though.

Interestingly, in addition to the Hawaiian soundtrack, the spot's narrator
actually says:  "[Vern] wants her to think he's exotic."

So, the question is, who here is really the Madison Avenue mole?

- --chris c.




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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:34:51 -0500
From: Lou Smith <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Percussion Grafting

At 02:54 PM 8/24/98 -0400, Ross Orr wrote:
>So in my quest to buy every record ever made with the word "percussion" in
>the title, I've started to develop a whole section of what I call
>"percussion graft" records. These are the ones where some producer says
>"dammit, we need to get in on this percussion craze!"--and pulls some
>random session out of the vault, which they dub extra percussion effects
>onto. Usually the perpetrator is some budget label like Pirouette.
>Well, a friend just gave me what might be the Ultimate Percussion Graft LP:
>_Ping Pong Percussion Lerner & Lowe_(Spinorama).

This reminds me of a little project I haven't gotten to yet: making a tape
comp of *just* the percussion grafts from all the PPPercussion Lps I've got.
Has anyone out there attempted something like this? I'm wondering if the
payoff will be worth the effort, or if the concept beats the actuality.

- -Lou





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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:42:20 -0400
From: "telstar" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (exotica) Playlist for "Mondo Bongos" for Wednesday, August 26, 1998

Mondo Bongos can be heard every Wednesday between 9 & 11 am on CFRU 93.3 fm
in Guelph, Ontario. Canada.

Jack "Bongo" Burger: Jordu "In a Cocktail Mood"

Voo Doo Phunk: Starsky "Acid Jazz on the Rocks"
- - compilation of new music on the Irma label

Thievery Corporation: Vivid "Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi"
- - the entire cd is dedicated to the memory of Antonio Carlos Jobim

Plug: Maker of All "Drum & Bass for Papa"
- - a great sitar & tabla track from Luke Vibert

Sukia: Vaseline & Sand " Contact Espacial con el Tercer Sexo"
101 Strings: Karma Sitar "Astro Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000"
Gershon Kingsley: Hey, Hey "Music to Moog By"

Add N to X: Hit Me "On the Wires of Our Nerves"
- - analogue synths!

Laika: Spooky Rhodes "Sounds of the Satellites"

Dr. Rockit: The Lion & the Cucumber "The Spirit of Vampyros Lesbos"
- - DJ remixes of the Vampires Sound Incorporation recordings. 2 lp set

Angelo Baroncini: Sculturea Beat "Scoctopus: The In Sound from Octopus
Records"
- - funky production library music. 2 lp set. now available on cd I think

Billy Strange: Get Smart Theme "Secret Agent File"
- - a great cd on GNP/Crescendo records. Contains versions of themes from
"The Prisoner", "I Spy", "The Man from Uncle" & so forth

The Tiki Tunes: Traitor Vic "Secret Agent Sounds"

The Propellerheads featuring Miss Shirley Bassey: History Repeating
"Decksanddrumsandrockandroll"
- - this song is easily the best track on this cd. worth the price of
admission

United Future Organization: The Planet Plan "3rd Perspective"

Hooverphonic: 2Wicky "A New Stereophic Sound Spectacular"
Mono: Silicone "Formica Blues"
- - Hooverphonic & Mono fit into the post-Portishead sound, but are not as
noir-ish.

Burt Bacharach: The Look of Love "Reach Out"
- - I found this lp in a garage sale for $0.25.

Isaac Hayes: Ike's Mood "The Best of Isaac Hayes Vol 2"
Eddie Caruso & I Five: Topsy "Mo'Plen 2000"
Armando Trovailoi: Bada Caterina "Beat at Cinecitta Vol 2"

The James Taylor Quartet: Midnight Stomp (The New Rhumba) "The Money
Spyder"
- - I think that anyone who is interested in 60's spy music soundtracks would
enjoy this homage.

Morton Stevens: Front Street "Hawaii Five-O ost"
- - my favourite used vinyl find this year!

Dimitri from Paris: Dirty Larry "Sacrebleu"

The United States of America: Hard Coming Love "The United States of
America"
- - rock with electronics innovators

Portishead: Half Day Closing "Portishead"
- - this song was inspired by the previous band

Fifty Foot Hose: If Not This Time "Cauldron"
Amon Tobin: Nightlife "Permutations

Comments & questions welcome

Allan







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End of exotica-digest V2 #196
*****************************