When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
It's Only A Paper Moon
My Blue Heaven
The Continental
Goodnight Irene
Dear Little Boy Of Mine
Life Is So Peculiar
Accidents Will Happen
One Finger Melody
Remember Me In Your Dreams
If Only She'd Looked My Way
London By Night
Meet Me At The Copa
Come Back To Sorrento (Torna A Surriento)
April In Paris
I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest
Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Take My Love
I Am Loved
You Don't Remind Me
Love Means Love
Cherry Pies Ought To Be You
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
Don't Cry Joe (Let Her Go, Let Her Go, Let Her Go)
Every Man Should Marry
If I Ever Love Again
We're Just A Kiss Apart
Every Man Should Marry
The Wedding Of Lili Marlene
That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
Mad About You
(On The Island Of) Stromboli
The Old Master Painter
Why Remind Me
Sorry
Sunshine Cake
(We've Got A) Sure Thing
God's Country
Sheila
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
Kisses And Tears
When The Sun Goes Down
American Beauty Rose
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The Coffee Song (They've Got An Awful Lot Of Coffee In Brazil)
Among My Souvenirs
I Love You
September Song
Blue Skies
Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
The recordings contained in this posting are protected by copyright laws and may not be shared by this blog. We recommend to buy them at Amazon.com website
Born in Wilmslow in 1923, Lawrence was a talented trumpet player during World War II. He wrote and arranged music. He was based in Cairo during the war years, playing and arranging for the RAF service bands. After he left the armed forces, he played with some of the leading British dance bands of the 1940s, finally being invited to join the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra in 1953. He stayed with this band for sixteen years playing alongside fellow trumpet player Stan Hibbert.
In 1967, Lawrence teamed up with several of his colleagues at the Northern Dance Orchestra to play the music that he was most enthusiastic about, that of Glenn Miller. Early concerts at the Mersey Hotel in Manchester were a success, and larger venues were found to play in as the reputation of his band grew.
Yorkshire Television gave the Syd Lawrence Orchestra a regular spot on the comedy show Sez Les. As the music became more popular, Lawrence and his band started touring around the UK, which they did with great success for many years. Several records were made along with radio and television appearances on variety shows.
Lawrence retired from touring in 1994 and died of an aneurysm in 1998. Following his death, the Syd Lawrence Band continued on and still tours. The orchestra has been led by Brian Pendleton, and presently by Chris Dean.
Icy strings swoop and sway in an ocean wave of sound on Percy Faith's Bouquet, one of this talented conductor/arranger's most popular albums. Piano chords swell and xylophones delicately plink in the distance, but Faith's arrangements are really all about the massed strings: the melodies, the counter-melodies, the gorgeous undulation of violins (32 of them!). If you have a good stereo system, find a CD or clean vinyl copy of Bouquet and turn up the volume -- immerse yourself in the glorious flux and reflux of pure sound. This is one of the most beautiful and distinctive mood music albums ever made, and if hearing it does not give you a new appreciation for the genre, then there is no hope for you. Highly recommended.
Herb Alpert was still using an array of SoCal studio all-stars as his Tijuana Brass when South of the Border (1964) began to restore the combo's good name after the modest Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Vol. 2 (1963) failed to ignite a fire in listener's ears. In his essay accompanying Shout! Factory's 2005 Signature Series reissue of South of the Border, Alpert comments that the Sol Lake composition "Mexican Shuffle" "opened a new door for me." That passageway meant the loss of the Tijuana Brass' practically forced mariachi style and the rise of Alpert's approach in arranging familiar melodies in fresh, creative settings. Nowhere would this stylistic progression be as pronounced as in the horn-driven updates of several then-concurrent chart hits. For instance, the mod sonic wrinkle in "Girl from Ipanema" emits a darkness veiled in mystery, directly contrasting the light buoyancy of "Hello! Dolly" or the footloose feel of the Beatles' "All My Loving." They seamlessly fit in with Sol Lake's "Salud, Amor y Dinero" and a cover of Julius Wechter's playful mid-tempo "Up Cherry Street" -- which Wechter's own Baja Marimba Band had just recorded for their 1964 self-titled debut. The ballads "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "Angelito," and "Adios, Mi Corazon" provide contrasts with Alpert's sensitive scores never seeming maudlin or unnecessarily over the top. If the regal "El Presidente" sounds particularly familiar, it may well be due to Alpert's slight renovation of the "Winds of Barcelona" from the Tijuana Brass' previous effort, the less than impressive Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Vol. 2. It was renamed "El Presidente" presumably to honor the recent memory of the slain U.S. leader John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Building upon South of the Border's (1964) Top Ten success, Herb Alpert dismissed the contingency of Los Angeles-based studio instrumental all-stars, which he had christened the Tijuana Brass. Because there was enough demand for live dates, just like a musical Gepetto, Alpert formed a real Tijuana Brass. The bandleader/trumpeter was joined by Tonni Kalash (trumpet), Robert Edmondson (trombone), Pat Senatore (bass), John Pisano (guitars), Lou Pagani (piano), and Nick Ceroli (drums). Ostensibly, the personnel wasn't a primary consideration as Alpert and company had already begun making serious inroads on the pop music scene. Not bad, considering the market was being heavily infiltrated, if not practically dominated by the British Invasion. With Whipped Cream & Other Delights (1965), they would take that momentum to new heights -- including three Grammy Awards alone for the update of the Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow-penned theme to Shelagh Delaney's play of the same name, "A Taste of Honey." The remainder of the material on the dozen-song album was chosen with food as the underlying thematic motif. Sol Lake -- who provided Alpert "The Lonely Bull" and "Mexican Shuffle" returns, and this time he has custom-made the upbeat and, above all, catchy trio of "Green Peppers," "Bittersweet Samba," and "El Garbanzo." Allen Toussaint's title composition "Whipped Cream" garnered significant attention, but not as a chart hit. Rather, it could be heard as bachelorettes were being introduced on ABC-TV's The Dating Game. Early in the series run, additional Alpert offerings were also incorporated as incidental music: "Spanish Flea," as the bachelors were being announced, "Lollipops and Roses," when the lucky winners were being told where they would be spending their date, and both "Ladyfingers" and "Lemon Tree" were in rotation as contestants mulled over their answers.
After several poor analogue-to-CD transfers in the '80s and '90s, Whipped Cream & Other Delights was reissued as part of Shout! Factory's Herb AlpertSignature Series and boasts remarkably improved sound.
(by Lindsay Planer from allmusic.com)
One of the most successful instrumental performers in pop history, trumpeter Herb Alpert was also one of the entertainment industry's shrewdest businessmen: A&M, the label he co-founded with partner Jerry Moss, ranks among the most prosperous artist-owned companies ever established. Born March 31, 1935, in Los Angeles, Alpert began playing the trumpet at the age of eight. After serving in the Army, he attempted to forge an acting career, but soon returned to music, recording under the name Dore Alpert for RCA.
With Lou Adler, Alpert co-wrote a number of Sam Cooke's most enduring hits, including "Wonderful World" and "Only Sixteen." Under the name Dante & the Evergreens, he and Adler also recorded a cover of the Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop"; additionally, Alpert produced tracks for the surf duo Jan & Dean. In 1962 he teamed with Moss to found A&M Records, scoring a Top Ten hit with the single "The Lonely Bull."
From its humble origins as a company run out of Alpert's garage, A&M grew to become the world's biggest independent label; among its greatest successes were the Carpenters, Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, and Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Nevertheless, Alpert and his backing unit, the Tijuana Brass, remained the label's flagship act: on the strength of the hit "A Taste of Honey," his 1965 LP Whipped Cream and Other Delights topped the charts, popularizing his Latin-influenced style (dubbed "Ameriachi"). The follow-up, 1965's Going Places, also hit number one, launching the hit "Spanish Flea."
After 1966's What Now My Love -- his most popular effort, remaining at number one for nine weeks -- Alpert continued to dominate the charts with records including 1966's S.R.O. and the following year's Sounds Like and Herb Alpert's Ninth. In 1968, he scored his first number one single by taking a rare vocal turn on a rendition of Burt Bacharach's "This Guy's in Love With You"; the album Beat of the Brass followed the hit to the top of the charts, becoming Alpert's fifth and final number one LP.
Released in 1969, Warm was the first of Alpert's 11 albums not to crack the Top 20; by 1971's Summertime, his commercial fates had fallen to the point where he no longer reached the Top 100. As A&M continued to thrive, he moved his primary focus from music to industry, although he regularly recorded throughout the early '70s; 1974's You Smile -- The Song Begins was his most successful outing in several years, but subsequent releases like 1975's Coney Island and 1976's Just You and Me met with greater chart resistance.
In 1979, Alpert staged a major comeback with Rise; not only did the album reach the Top Ten, but the title track topped the singles charts and became the biggest hit of his career. The follow-up, 1980's Beyond, was a Top 40 success, but subsequent efforts like 1982's Fandango and 1985's Wild Romance fared poorly. In 1987 Alpert enjoyed another renaissance with the album Keep Your Eye On Me; the lead single "Diamonds" hit the Top Five and featured a guest vocal from Janet Jackson, one of A&M's towering successes of the late '80s.
Alpert continued recording throughout the 1990s, producing work like 1991's North on South Street, 1992's Midnight Sun, and 1997's Passion Dance. After selling A&M to PolyGram in 1990 for a sum in excess of $500 million, he and Moss founded a new label, Almo Sounds, in 1994; among the imprint's hit artists was the group Garbage. His own albums, including 1997's Passion Dance and 1999's Colors, were also released on the label. Alpert also tackled other forms of media, exhibiting his abstract expressionist paintings and co-producing a number of Broadway successes, including Angels in America and Jelly's Last Jam. He also established the Herb Alpert Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to establishing educational, arts, and environmental programs for children.
After the ballad-heavy In the Wee Small Hours, Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle returned to up-tempo, swing material with Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, arguably the vocalist's greatest swing set. Like Sinatra's previous Capitol albums, Songs for Swingin' Lovers! consists of reinterpreted pop standards, ranging from the ten-year-old "You Make Me Feel So Young" to the 20-year-old "Pennies From Heaven" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." Sinatra is supremely confident throughout the album, singing with authority and joy. That joy is replicated in Riddle's arrangements, which manage to rethink these standards in fresh yet reverent ways. Working with a core rhythm section and a full string orchestra, Riddle writes scores that are surprisingly subtle. "I've Got You Under My Skin," with its breathtaking middle section, is a perfect example of how Sinatra works with the band. Both swing hard, stretching out the rhythms and melodies but never losing sight of the original song. Songs for Swingin' Lovers! never loses momentum. The great songs keep coming and the performances are all stellar, resulting in one of Sinatra's true classics.
Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week)
Day In - Day Out
Cheek To Cheek
Baubles, Bangles And Beads
The Song Is You
The Last Dance
Arranged and conducted by Billy May
Working with Billy May again, Frank Sinatra recorded his hardest swing album ever with Come Dance with Me! Driven by an intensely swinging horn section, the album has a fair share of slower numbers, but the songs that make the biggest impression are the up-tempo cuts. With May's charts wildly careening all over the place, Sinatra relies on his macho swagger; as a result, Come Dance with Me! is an intoxicating rush of invigorating dance songs.
All selections arranged and conducted by Billy May
Constructed around a light-hearted travel theme, Come Fly With Me, Frank Sinatra's first project with arranger Billy May, was a breezy change of pace from the somber Where Are You. From the first swinging notes of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen's "Come Fly With Me" -- which is written at Sinatra's request -- it's clear that the music on the collection is intended to be fun. Over the course of the album, Sinatra and May travel around the world in song, performing standards like "Moonlight in Vermont" and "April in Paris," as well as humorous tunes like "Isle of Capri" and "On the Road to Mandalay." May's signature bold, brassy arrangements give these songs a playful, carefree, nearly sarcastic feel, but never is the approach less than affectionate. In fact, Come Fly With Me is filled with varying moods and textures, as it moves from boisterous swing numbers to romantic ballads, and hitting any number of emotions in between. There may be greater albums in Sinatra's catalog, but few are quite as fun as Come Fly With Me.
Alone At Last (Theme From "Something To Live For") (1953)
The Wonder Of You (1956)
Stringin' Along (1951)
Theme For Love (1951)
My Love (1951)
Rita (1955)
The Call Of Far-Away Hills (Theme From "Shane") (1953)
Twilight Nocturne (1951)
Bright Lights (1954)
Wintertime Of Love (1953)
Love Theme to Love You (1956)
Latin Rhythm (1949)
Apresenta Victor Young
Track 1 - with Bernie Leighton, piano soloist
Track 4 - with Ray Turner, piano soloist
Track 5 - with Tommy Dorsey, trombone soloist
Track 7 - with Carl Prager, sax-alto soloist
Falecido em 1956, aos 56 anos de idade, Victor Young foi considerado, através de sua carreira de compositor, orquestrador e regente por 22 anos consecutivos, um dos campeões mundiais da música ligeira. Nascido em Chicago, EUA, estudou música durante 10 anos em Varsóvia, no Conservatório Imperial. Em 1920, ao retornar a seu país, Victor Young tentou desenvolver carreira de violinista, chegando a apresentar-se como solista com orquestras importantes, inclusive a Sinfônica de Chicago, a esse tempo dirigida por Frederick Stock.
A música popular, todavia, acabaria por atraí-lo, principalmente porque o recebeu de braços abertos, dando-lhe oportunidades de trabalho. Victor Young, decididamente, não era violinista para competir com um Heifetz ou um Mischa Elman. Quanto a isso, ele não alimentava ilusões. Mas seu talento teria lugar em outra área que não a do recitalista, e isso Victor Young compreendeu logo. Trabalhou durante algum tempo com diversas orquestras de dança (inclusive a de Ben Pollack, onde também começou Glenn Miller), até que formou a sua própria. Entrementes, já se pusera a compor e, uma das baladas de sua autoria, Sweet Sue, Just You, seria um dos maiores sucessos dos anos 20.
Em 1934, foi um dos primeiros contratados do novo selo Decca (hoje MCA), juntamente com Bing Crosby, Guy Lombardo e Mildred Bailey. À frente de uma orquestra com muitas cordas, metais e madeiras, Victor Young não só fazia a maioria dos acompanhamentos para cantores da Decca, como também gravava num estilo semelhante ao de Paul Whiteman e Nathaniel Shilkret, produzindo discos que logo chamariam a atenção pela inventividade e bom gosto.
Em 1935, Hollywood requisitou-o para fazer música de filmes. Trabalhou durante muitos anos com exclusividade para a Paramount Pictures, mas, com o correr do tempo, tornar-se-ia "free-lance", produzindo partituras para a Warner, Republic, etc. Muitas dessas partituras receberiam prêmios, destacadamente as feitas para sucessos de bilheteria como "Por Quem os Sinos Dobram", "A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias", "Sansão e Dalila", "Palavras ao Vento", "Um Amor em Cada Vida", "Os Brutos Também Amam" e "O Meu Maior Amor"; mas, ao lado disso tudo, Victor Young também entraria várias vezes em "paradas de sucesso", assinando, como autor, canções ainda hoje em repertório, ressaltando-se My Foolish Heart, Stella By Starlight, Love Letters e Beautiful Love.
O número de gravações que Victor Young com sua orquestra fizeram para a Decca é incontável, se somarmos as só instrumentais às de acompanhamento para cantores. Em reedições que lançamos recentemente ("Temas de Hollywood com Victor Young" e "Oscars com Victor Young"), selecionamos muitas dentre as melhores, mas, como o título dos LPs bem o demonstram, não nos preocupamos senão com o repertório, dando Victor Young como o intérprete.
Neste disco, contudo, o assunto é somente Victor Young. Reunimos algumas de suas melhores composições (não reeditadas, evidentemente, nos lançamentos anteriores) sob sua própria regência. Resultou, é lógico, um LP onde Victor Young apresenta Victor Young, disco há muito aguardado pelos apreciadores de nosso saudoso focalizado.
Há duas faixas que se colocam entre as derradeiras gravações que o músico fez, ambas realizadas em 1956: o tema do filme "O Fruto do Pecado" e a canção The Wonder Of You. Aparecem pela primeira vez em LP. Note-se, por outro lado, a presença do também saudoso Tommy Dorsey na faixa My Love, uma das melodias mais notáveis que Victor Young criou em sua carreira. Incluímos, outrossim, composições sem vinculação com o cinema, valendo observar que uma delas - Latin Rhythm - embora constitua peça independente, teve o seu "trio-central" melódico aproveitado como tema de abertura do filme "Chaga de Fogo", em 1951.
No programa deste disco, enfim, buscamos por um pouco de tudo. Há líricas peças noturnais, baladas românticas, ritmos latino-americanos, fantasias de grande brilho orquestral, ternos solos de piano, coberturas melódicas para filmes e, sobretudo, a até hoje inimitável capacidade de Victor Young para levar ao ouvinte uma linha melódica clara e precisa, usando, a seu modo, de meios orquestrais altamernte sofisticados e com equilíbrio sonoro fora do comum.
Repondo em catálogo antigas matrizes há muitos anos reclamadas de volta pelos apreciadores, esperamos, de nossa parte, ter contribuído para a preservação dessas autênticas jóias fonográficas, mantendo-as ainda intactas junto do convívio de quem realmente aprecia a boa música.
I Could Have Danced All Night / I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
A Wonderful Guy
Bali Ha'i
Younger Than Springtime
Some Enchanted Evening
Tracks 1, 2, 3 and 4 - From "Oklahoma!"
Tracks 5 and 6 - From "The King And I"
Tracks 7 and 8 - From "My Fair Lady"
Tracks 9, 10, 11 and 12 - From "South Pacific"
