Bert Kaempfert - "A Man Could Get Killed" - Original Motion Picture Score

1. Main Title (From The Motion Picture "A Man Could Get Killed")
2. Explosive Welcome; Bi-Naveled; Key Note
3. Beddy Bye (Strangers in The Night)
4. Beddoes Shadows
5. Clues Dropper; A Tape Sandwich; Rude Awakening
6. Noted Arrival
7. Taking De-Tour
8. But Not Today (Sale Fish)
9. Down To The Docks; A Deadly Game
10. Foiled In Oil
11. Handy Brandy; Hail The Azalea
12. No A Go-Go (End Title)

A Man Could Get Killed

What happens when an extraordinarily talented musician, a composer-conductor such as Bert Kaempfert, attains the pinnacle of success in his field of making records? Does he sit back, fold his hands, read his complimentary reviews and wait for something new to happen? Not Bert Kaempfert!

Bert, as his fans must know, has been at the top of the popular music field for some time, with such hits as "Red Roses For A Blue Lady" and "Three O'Clock In The Morning". And with such original compositions as "Danke Schoen", "Moon Over Naples", "Bye Bye Blues" and "L-o-v-e", Bert could well afford to rest on his laurels.

Bert Kaempfert, however, believes that an unused talent wastes away and is lost. So why not use it rather than lose it? And what better way to employ it than the challenge of writing for motion pictures!

The result of this kind of thinking is a delightful motion picture score for "A Man Could Get Killed". Filmed largely in Portugal, this is a spy-comedy thriller with an internationally famous cast. Bert" highly distinctive and individualistic handling of the musical background lends just the right touch of universality to the story treatment.

The picture gets off to a fast start with an opening airport scene that Bert punctuates with his trademark sound of electric bass guitar. The web of intrigue is woven around the hero, who is innocent of any involvement in an international diamond theft but who, nonetheless, becomes entangled in the mesh of circumstances to the point of being the No. 1 secret agent for the British Embassy, in an attempt to solve the crime. Here Bert's inimitable style and flavor provide just the right sense of excitement for our hero-victim. The hilarity of broad comedy and the double-barreled enjoyment of two pairs of romantic lovers are heightened by Bert's music flair for the unique, especially the love theme, and the Portuguesesque folk melody interwoven throughout the score. Keystone cop-like chase scenes are puntuated by "action music" with great humor in this cloak-and-dagger affair.

In the end, of course, the diamonds are located, the hero and heroine are saved from the nasty villains, and true love finds a way.

Writing music for motion picture is a highly complicated activity involving split-second timings, exact underscoring for the action taking place - to say nothing of originally and the ability to create a mood required of the composer. Bert Kaempfert has succeeded magnificently on all counts and can proudly take his place with this highly select group of composers, thereby additng yet another strand to his crown of laurels.

(From original LP liner notes)

Billy Vaughn - Plays The Million Sellers

1. Canadian Sunset
2. Moonglow and Theme From Picnic
3. Holiday For Strings
4. Tonight We Love
5. Till The End of Time
6. Fascination
7. Around The World
8. So Rare
9. In the Mood
10. Full Moon and Empty Arms
11. Ruby
12. High Noon

Million Sellers

Com a evolução cada vez mais acentuada do gosto pela música, consequência indiscutível do carinho com que se procura dar ao disco qualidades técnicas e artísticas dia a dia mais ricas, o público discófilo passou, naturalmente a ser mais exigente, a querer aquilo que efetivamente seja BOM.

Não será por menos que Billy Vaughn conquistou a opinião popular de todo o mundo, com seu estilo especial de arranjador que sabe não só imprimir aos números que "arranja" sua personalidade marcante, como também pela felicidade na seleção musical de seus LP's.

"Favoritos de Milhões" (Million Sellers) cabe inteirinho nessas considerações. E ao apresentar números preferidos, aqueles que são favoritos mesmo dos audientes, Billy Vaughn revela justamente sua personalidade, porque não é nada fácil trazer idéias novas para velhos números, já tão executados.

O toque particularmente gracioso que ele sabe dar a esses antigos êxitos constitui, por si só, uma consagração de seu bom gosto. E, para você, apreciador do belo, colecionador de discos de reais qualidades artísticas e para quem é tão familiar o motivo popular do "Moonglow" ou do "In The Mood", como os temas clássicos de Chopin Rachmaninoff e Tchaikovsky apresenta com a "roupa nova" da nossa época, esse expressivo trabalho de Billy Vaughn irá proporcionar momentos de satisfação, dessa alegria que todo o apaixonado pelos bons discos encontra ao travar novas relações com a sempre renovada e aperfeiçoada arte fonográfica.

Enriquecida está, portanto, sua discoteca com estes doze encantadores arranjos de Billy Vaughn.

(Notas originais escritas por Fausto Macedo)

Percy Faith His Orchestra and Chorus - Today's Themes For Young Lovers

1. The 59th Street Bridge Song
2. Yellow Days
3. There's A Kind of Hush
4. I Can Hear The Music
5. Release Me
6. Mary in the Morning
7. Can't Take My Eyes Off You
8. Windy
9. A World of Whispers
10. Happy Together
11. Somethin' Stupid

Today's Themes

The Strings of Paris - Sleepy Shores - Conducted by Jean Paul de La Tour

1. Sleepy Shores
2. I'll Never Love This Way Again
3. Felicita
4. Georgia On My Mind
5. Speak Softly Love
6. Girl From Ipanema
7. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
8. Moulin Rouge
9. Barcarolle
10. Volare
11. Ebb Tide
12. Two Sleepy People
13. La Montanara
14. Disco Tropez
15. Stardust
16. Bilitis

Sleepy Shores

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade - The Most Beautiful Music in the World

1. The Night Is Young and You're So Beautiful
2. What a Difference A Day Made
3. Someone To Light Up My Life
4. My Foolish Heart
5. Hey Jude
6. This Guy's In Love With You
7. Autumn Leaves
8. Alfie
9. I've Got A Crush On You
10. April In Portugal

The Most Beautiful Music

Caravelli & His Magnificent Strings - La, La, La

1. La, La, La
2. Delilah
3. San Francisco
4. Love Is Blue
5. Live For Life
6. Zingara
7. White Roses
8. In Just One Hour
9. Alone in the World
10. Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde
11. A Man and a Woman

La, La, La

Biography:

This easy listening conductor and arranger was born September 12 of 1930 in Paris, France, from Italian father and French mother.

He was initially instructed in music by his mother in piano and voicing/harmony at seven years old, and later, when he was thirteen he started to attend the Paris Conservatoire.

At twenty he was professionally touring, accompanying singers on piano, and his first son, Patrick was born (his daughter two years later).

When he was 26 years old he started as orchestra conductor.

In 1959 with the help of famous French jazz bandleader Ray Ventura, he obtained a contract to form his own orchestra oriented to popular music.

In 1956 Caravelle Aerospatiale introduced the twin jet Caravelle. This plane was the first jet created for the short-haul market. The first Caravelle entered service for Air France on May 9, 1959. France was proud of it. So Claude took this name which he turned more Italian in honor to his father origins, changing the last letter: “CARAVELLI et son Violons Magiques/& his Magnificent Strings” was born.

He signed a contract with the French record label Versailles. His first album “Dance Party” is recorded (issued also in STEREO).

So under Versailles licenses his early recordings are edited in other countries (20th Century Records in USA, Ariel in Argentina and Discophon in Spain, etc.)

In 1962 he composed Et Satan conduit le bal original soundtrack under his real name, French film starred by young Catherine Deneuve. An EP record was issued in France.

In 1963 he composed Accroche-toi Caroline! which was used by the British Broadcasting Corporation as the theme to Vision On.

Later Versailles is acquired by Columbia records (1964). Thanks to CBS worldwide distribution facilities soon he started a real international career, obtaining gold records in France, Japan, Israel and South America.

With his orchestra he also made recordings with Maurice Chevalier and Charles Trenet ( La mer / Beyond the sea ) among other singers.

In 1970 he composed “L'Homme Qui Vient De La Nuit” soundtrack film, starred by Ivan Rebroff. This soundtrack was issued in lp by CBS France.

In 1970/1 he recorded an album in USA.

He is one of the first and few Western artists who were invited to conduct the NHK Orchestra from Japan TV Network.

His first Japan Live Concert is recorded in 1972 by CBS.

In 1973 one of his own compositions was included in the Frank Sinatra album "Old Blue Eyes is back" : “Laisse moi le temps” / “Let me try again”, original French lyrics by Michel Jourdan, English lyrics by Paul Anka.

This song was previously presented in competition at the "Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar", Chile, representing France and obtaining a 2nd prize (a Chile song was the winner), although it was considered the best song by critics and people. Making a delayed justice, a few years ago, it was proclaimed the Best Song in the history of this Festival, in its 40th Anniversary, something unusual for a non 1st prize in any song contest. This song was also covered by Raymond Lefevre.

In 1978 he composed and recorded the title song of "Goldorak et les 2 Mazingers", for the Japan anime/cartoon.

In a television interview in Buenos Aires (1980) he informed he was coming from making his recording # 2000. It was Berlin "White Christmas".

In 1981 he toured with his orchestra in the ex-Soviet Union in Riga and Moscow with great success (all concerts were sold out).

The summer of following year, he went back to that country, this time to make a record in the Melodiya label with Russians musicians and female singers (in his style without lyrics). This record "Caravelli in Moscow" includes 12 songs, majority written by young pop Russian composers of that time, and a couple of traditional tunes. 10 themes were recorded in Moscow/Melodiya, and 2 in Paris/CBS with his own orchestra.

In 1983 “Caravelli plays Seiko Matsuda” album is recorded in Japan in digital.

In the middles '80 in order to up to date his sound he started to share the rhythm arrangements with his son Patrick Vasori and prestigious musicians like Gilles Gambus and Serge Planchon, who also played keyboards and synthesizers with the orchestra.

In November 2001 he was touring Japan with an orchestra composed of 32 musicians (tour N° 7 ), invited by Sony Foundation ( the previous tour was in 1996 ).

According to this event Sony Music Japan edited another 2CD set "Caravelli plays Michel Polnareff and ABBA", being the first (Polnareff) a selection from '60 & '70 albums (including his outstanding cover of Love me, please love me, but in mono) and the second (ABBA) a selection from 70' recordings.

In November and December 2002 he recorded a 15 songs album titled “A new day has come” with his Grand Orchestre in Brussels, Belgium, for Readers’s Digest.

In December 2003 he was touring Japan again. This time 6 concerts, all sold out.

(From Wikipedia)

The Boston Pops Orchestra - Peace, Love & Pops - Conducted by Arthur Fiedler

1. Aquarius
2. Do You Know the Way to San Jose?
3. Day by Day
4. Leaving on a Jet Plane
5. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
6. Wichita Lineman
7. King of the Road
8. Let It Be
9. Bridge Over Troubled Water
10. Theme from "Love Story"
11. Evergreen
12. Days of Wine and Roses
13. The Sound of Silence
14. Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
15. Gentle on My Mind
16. Those Were the Days
17. What Have They Done to My Song, Ma
18. Jesus Christ Superstar - "Overture", "Everything's Alright"

Peace, Love

Groove to the symphonic sounds of the '60s and '70s, played by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. Included are hit songs originally recorded by The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and The 5th Dimension, and favorites from the rock musicals "Hair", "Godspell" and "Jesus Christ, Superstar".

Arthur Fiedler (1894-1979) delighted audiences of all ages as conductor of the Boston Pops for fifty years, bringing a mixture of classical music and pop tunes to mass audiences around the world.

Arthur Fiedler garnered many distinctions during his fifty consecutive seasons as conductor of the Boston Pops. He helped bring classical music to mass audiences; conversely, he also gave lighter genres such as pop a respectability they would not have had if he had not performed and recorded their works with his orchestra. Fiedler's albums with the Pops have sold over fifty million copies, and his rendition of Danish composer Jacob Gade's "Jalousie" became the first record by a symphony orchestra to sell over a million copies. In addition to being the toast of the city of Boston while he led the Pops, Fiedler and his orchestra toured extensively throughout the United States and the rest of the world. For his musical efforts, the conductor received many tributes, including the United States' highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, and France's Legion of Honor. When Fiedler died in 1979, he was eulogized in Newsweek by Hubert Saal as "neither elitist nor specialist" and "renowned" for his "resoundingly middlebrow musical taste that embraced high and low with equal respect and zest."

Fiedler was born in Boston on December 17, 1894, to a musical family. His father played violin for the Boston Symphony, and his mother played the piano, though not professionally. So many of his father's ancestors had been violinists in Austria that over the years their surname became Fiedler, the German word for "fiddler." Not surprisingly, Arthur Fiedler's father determined that his son should continue in the family tradition, and provided him with violin lessons in his childhood. Fiedler, however, told Stephen Rubin in the New York Times that he did not particularly enjoy either those or the piano lessons he also received. "It was just a chore, something I had to do, like brushing my teeth," he explained. When his family moved to Berlin, Germany in 1910, Fiedler briefly rebelled against his father's plans for him and became an apprentice at a publishing firm there. He quickly tired of the business, however, and returned to his musical efforts.

Supported Himself on the Violin

While his family was in Europe, Fiedler was fortunate enough to be accepted at Berlin's Royal Academy of Music. Though he concentrated on studying the violin, he also took classes in conducting, which, even then, he liked better. Fiedler used his violin to support himself, however, by playing in small orchestras and in cafes. He continued in this type of musical job when his family returned to the United States to avoid the dangers of World War I. By 1915 he had won a spot as a second violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, hired by then-conductor Karl Muck.

After a brief period in the U.S. Army - from which he was discharged for having flat feet - Fiedler returned to the Boston Symphony in 1918. For some time he played the viola for the orchestra, and also served as a substitute on many other instruments, including the piano, organ, celesta, and, of course, the violin. He longed to conduct, however, and though he remained with the Boston Symphony, he began conducting smaller musical groups such as the MacDowell Club Orchestra and the Cecilia Society Chorus. With some of his fellow Boston Symphony musicians, Fiedler formed the Boston Sinfonietta, a small chamber orchestra that specialized in performing unusual and little-heard classical compositions. As Richard Freed reported in Stereo Review, the Sinfonietta was "perhaps the only permanently constituted chamber orchestra in the country in the 1930s." Freed went on to laud its achievements: "The Sinfonietta made the premiere recording of Hindemith's viola concerto Der Schwanendreher, with the composer as soloist. With organist E. Power Biggs there were works of Handel, Corelli, and Mozart. There were the big Mozart Divertimento in B-flat Major, K. 287, and the Wind Serenade in C Minor, K. 388, Telemann's Don Quichotte suite, and such rarities as the marvelous little Christmas Symphony of Gaetano Maria Schiassi and a suite by Esajas Reusner (the latter with the first U.S. recording of the Pachelbel Canon as filler)."

Initiated Free Outdoor Concert

Not content with his many musical activities, Fiedler in 1927 began an effort to gain support for free outdoor concerts. He later told Newsweek: "I believed people should have an opportunity to enjoy fine music without always having to dip into their pockets." By 1929 Fiedler had his way, and he conducted selected members of the Boston Symphony in the first of what became known as the Esplanade Concerts, on the banks of Boston's Charles River.

The following year, Fiedler became permanent conductor of the Boston Pops, an orchestra drawn from the Boston Symphony for the purpose of performing lighter classical music. At its helm, Fiedler led the group to heights of popularity that had hitherto escaped it. By the end of his first season as the Pops' conductor, he had achieved great personal fame in and around the Boston area. He began recording with the Pops in 1935, and their popularity began to spread to the rest of the United States - and to the rest of the world.

Embraced the Beatles and Beegees

Throughout his lengthy tenure with the Pops, Fiedler was not afraid of innovation. In addition to serving up renditions of lighter classics such as Strauss waltzes, he would often add to his programs versions of Broadway tunes or popular hits of the day. With the Pops, Fiedler made recordings of the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, and was one of the first "serious" musicians to recognize the worth of the Beatles' efforts, successfully featuring some of their songs - including "She Loves You" - in Pops concerts. Shortly before his death from cardiac arrest on July 10, 1979, Fiedler and the Pops made an album of songs from the disco-celebrating film Saturday Night Fever, aptly titled Saturday Night Fiedler. Saal quoted Fiedler about his approach to music selection: "I think the snobs are missing something. There's no boundary line in music, I agree with Rossini: 'All music is good except the boring kind."' Similarly, a Time reporter recorded more of the conductor's words: "My aim has been to give audiences a good time. I'd have trained seals if people wanted them."

Though towards the end of his time as leader of the Boston Pops Fiedler's health was poor and he needed the help of assistant conductor Harry Ellis Dickson, he remained active with the group practically up to his death. As Time reported: "Toward the end, the proud old man would shuffle unsteadily to the podium. But then, invigorated by the music, he seemed to shed 20 years."

(From Answers.com)

Peace, Love & Pops

Mantovani - Musical Moments with Mantovani

1. And I Love You So
2. Eye-Level
3. Chanson de Maria
4. For All We Know
5. Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
6. It's Diff'rent Now
7. Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose
8. Our Last Affair
9. Elisabetan Serenade
10. Fool
11. Dear Father

Musical Moments

Antonio Rossi and His Orchestra - Yesterday, Once More

1. The Way He Makes Me Feel
2. Long, Long Time
3. Songbird
4. Starting Here
5. It Was Night
6. Yesterday, Once More
7. Our Day Will Come
8. Strange Little Girl
9. Sonja
10. We've Only Just Begun
11. The Colours of My Life
12. No Two People
13. Old Shoes
14. It's My Turn
15. Idyll
16. Why Me

Yesterday Once More

Richard Hayman and His Symphony Orchestra - The Music of Henry Mancini

1. Peter Gunn
2. Moon River
3. Baby Elephant Walk
4. Strings on Fire
5. Dear Heart
6. Dream of a Lifetime
7. The Great Race March
8. Days of Wine and Roses
9. The Pink Panther
10. Two for the Road
11. Pie in the Face Polka
12. Ballerina's Dream
13. The Life Force Theme
14. The Glass Menagerie
15. Charade
16. Beaver Valley '37 - The River
17. Beaver Valley '37 - Black Snow
18. Beaver Valley '37 - The Sons of Italy
19. Drummer's Delight
20. The Thorn Birds
21. March with Mancini

The Music of Mancini

Recorded at the Concert Hall of the Slovak Radio in Bratislava from 7th to 9th November, 1990.

Producers: Karol Kopernicky, Hubert Geschwandtner

Associate Producer: Igor Shvartsman

America's favourite "Pops" conductor, Richard Hayman is principal "Pops" Conductor of the Saint Louis, Hartford and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras, of Orchestra London Canada and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and also held that post with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for many years.

His original compositions are standards in the repertoire of these ensembles as weel as frequently-performed selections of many orchestras and bands throughout the world.

For over 30 years, Mr. Hayman served as the chief arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra during Arthur Fiedler's tenure, providing special arrangements for dozens of their hit albums and famous singles. Under John Williams' direction, the orche4stra continues to program his award-winning arrangements and orchestrations.

During the past several years, Mr. Hayman has been concentrating most of his time on guest-conducting special "Pops" concerts. He is reinvited, season after season, by all the leading orchestras across the United States and Canada to conduct these popular entertainments during their regular seasons, as well as for their summer festivals.

Now residing in New York City, Mr. Hayman's work is in constant demand, in every medium of musical expression, from Boston to Hollywood. Though more involved with the symphony orchestra circuit, Mr. Hayman has served as musical director and/or master of ceremonies for the tour shows of many popular entertainers: Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Olivia Newton-John, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, The Carpenters, The Osmonds, Al Hirt, Andy Williams and many others.

Richard Hayman and His Orchestra have been presented in 23 albums and 27 hit singles by Mercury Records, for which he served as musical director for 12 years. Dozens of Mr. Hayman's original compositions have been recorded by various artists all over the world. He has also arranged and conducted recordings for more than 50 stars of the motion picture, stage, radio and television world.

Mr. Hayman has also scored Broadway shows and numerous motion pictures.

In 1960, Mr. Hayman was honored with his own star in Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Other awards have included a Certificate of Recognition from Cosmopolitan magazine for Achievement in Bettering Popular Music, the Edison Award for Creative Achievement in Recorded Arts from the  Academy of Musical Recorded Arts and Sciences and the National TV Festival and Forum Award.

(From original liner notes)

Earl Grant - Ebb Tide and Other Instrumental Favorites

1. Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)
2. Bewitched
3. Canadian Sunset
4. Dreamy
5. I'm in the Mood for Love
6. That's All
7. Ebb Tide
8. My Foolish Heart
9. Deep Purple
10. Misty
11. Evening Rain
12. Theme from Exodus (An Otto Preminger Production)

Ebb Tide

Earl Grant is a man of many varied talents, and a man who pokes fist-sized holes in the "Jack-of-all-trades" theory. He's tops in everything.

Organist-pianist-vocalist Grant's rich musical background has given him the solid technical foundation on which to build his colorful and inventive style of delightful improvisation.

In this album, Mr. Grant takes to organ and piano. His interpretations of ever-popular standards such as the title song, Ebb Tide, Stormy Weather, Misty, Canadian Sunset, I'm In The Mood For Love, and the many others, represent an instrumental performance without peer.

As Earl Grant characteristically coaxes even the most subtle tones and innuendos out of his instruments, the album is further distinguished by having superbly exploited the full depth and many of the unusual effects in sound made available by today's modern techniques and equipment.

(From original LP liner notes)

Earl Grant was a triple-threat entertainer as a pianist, organist, and vocalist. While much of his material fell into the arenas of either light pop or jazz-schmaltz, Grant scored two R&B hits in the late '50s and early '60s, the most memorable being "Sweet Sixteen Bars" in 1962. It reached number nine on the R&B charts. His prior smash "The End" was his lone pop hit, reaching number seven in 1958. Grant also was in the films "Tender Is The Night," "Imitation of Life," and "Tokyo Night." He was killed in 1970 in a car wreck at age 39. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Earl Grant (January 20, 1931 - June 11, 1970) was an American easy listening pianist, Hammond organist, and vocalist popular in the 1950s and 1960s.

Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Grant was gifted with keyboard skills and a fine singing voice. Other instruments he was skilled at playing were trumpet, drums and Hammond organ. Grant attended four music schools, then became a music teacher, augmenting his income by performing in clubs during his army service, stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas. Before long, Grant signed with Decca Records in 1957 and his first single "The End" reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Ebb Tide, released in 1961, was his first album, which also rose to number 7 on the Billboard 200. The single "Ebb Tide" sold over one million copies, gaining gold disc status. He recorded five more singles that made the charts, including "Swingin' Gently" (from Ebb Tide), and six additional albums (mostly on the Decca label) through 1968. He also recorded the album Yes Sirree and the instrumental album Trade Winds, single-tracked on the Hammond organ and piano, featuring the love theme from the film El Cid and Chaplin's "Eternally". This album featured some realistic sounding 'tropical bird calls' produced by his electric organ. "The House of Bamboo" was another big selling single.

Grant also made a few appearances in film and television, including Tender Is the Night (1962), Juke Box Rhythm (1959), and The Ed Sullivan Show (1961).

He died instantly in a car accident in Lordsburg, New Mexico, at the age of 39.

Selected discography:

    * Versatile Earl Grant (Decca Records) 1958
    * The End (Decca Records) 1958
    * Grant Takes Rhythm (Decca Records) 1959
    * Nothin' But The Blues (Decca Records) 1959
    * Paris Is My Beat (Decca Records) 1959
    * The Magic Of Earl Grant (Decca Records) 1960
    * Ebb Tide (Decca Records) 1961
    * Earl After Dark (Decca Records) 1961
    * Beyond The Reef (Decca Records) 1962
    * At Basin Street East (Decca Records) live 1962
    * Midnight Sun (Decca Records) 1962
    * Yes Sirree! (Decca Records) 1963
    * Fly Me To The moon (Decca Records) 1964
    * Just For A Thrill (Decca Records) 1964
    * Just One More Time (Decca Records) 1964
    * Trade Winds (Decca Records) 1965
    * Spotlight On Earl Grant (Decca Records) 1965
    * Winter Wonderland (Decca Records) 1965
    * Sings And Plays Songs Made Famous By Nat Cole (Decca Records) 1966

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marvin Gaye - A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole

1. Nature Boy
2. Ramblin' Rose
3. Too Young
4. Pretend
5. Straighten Up And Fly right
6. Mona Lisa
7. Unforgettable
8. To The Ends Of The Earth
9. Sweet Lorraine
10. It's Only A Paper Moon
11. Send For Me
12. Calypso Blues

A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole is a tribute album released by Marvin Gaye on the Tamla (Motown) label on November 1, 1965, dedicated to his idol, late jazz/R&B performer Nat "King" Cole.

An Allmusic writer said the album was "a fine album that got lost after its release". Marvin was a vocal admirer of Nat King Cole and told interviewers Cole's vocals and performing style influenced his.

 

Biography: Marvin Gaye

    * Born: 2 April 1939

    * Birthplace: Washington, D.C.

    * Died: 1 April 1984 (shot to death)

    * Best Known As: Singer of "Sexual Healing"

Name at birth: Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr.

Marvin Gaye was an African-American soul singer whose hits included "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You," "Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)" and "Sexual Healing." Gaye was an early hit-maker for Motown Records, writing and recording singles like "Can I Get a Witness" (1963), "Ain't That Peculiar" (1965) and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (1968). Gaye worked with just about everyone in the R&B business, writing and recording mostly mid-tempo romantic ballads, as well as duets with the likes of Tammi Terrell ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough," among others) and Diana Ross. He began to exercise more control over his recordings in the 1970s, and his 1971 album What's Going On showed he was a composer interested in more than hit singles. What's Going On was a "concept" album that spawned the top hits "What's Going On," "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," and the "Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)." Always moody and a little distant from the public, Gaye fell on hard times in the late 1970s. Following two divorces, money troubles and bouts of depression, he made a comeback in 1982 on the Columbia Records label with the single "Sexual Healing" from the album Midnight Love. The record was a Grammy-winning hit that put Gaye back into the spotlight, but he continued to be plagued by drug addiction and money trouble. After living in Europe and dodging the Internal Revenue Service for a couple of years, he moved in with his parents in Los Angeles. On 1 April 1984 he was shot in the chest and killed by his father after a heated argument. Gaye was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Gaye sang the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game. His rendition became a sought-after bootleg recording... His father was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and received a suspended sentence with probation; he died in 1998... "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was used in a popular 1980s commercial featuring The California Raisins... "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You" was also a hit for James Taylor.

(From Answers.com)

The Boston Pops Orchestra - Unforgettable - Conducted by John williams

1. Unforgettable
2. My Funny Valentine
3. Lover
4. The Way We Were
5. The Song Is You
6. Long Ago and Far Away
7. Satin Doll
8. Sophisticated Lady
9. Begin the Beguine
10. Stella by Starlight
11. Laura
12. Moonlight Serenade
13. 'S Wonderful
14. Evergreen
15. Through the Eyes of Love
16. Smoke Gets in You Eyes
17. Star Dust

Unforgettable

Algumas canções exercem tal atração que os ouvintes, quaisquer que sejam seus gostos musicais, reagem com a mesma carga emotiva. Bastam poucas notas para evocar a lembrança de momentos perdidos. Há quem as defina como "clássicas" e quem as chame "inigualáveis". Em uma palavra, são "inesquecíveis".

Cada um destes grandes sucessos tem uma sua própria história. Alguns viram a luz na Broadway ou em tin Pan Alley, enquanto outros constituiam um tem básico de filme, tornando inesquecíveis algumas cenas. Frequentemente sua durabilidade é devida também à contribuição de letristas que deram mais preciosidade depois à beleza musical. Em 1951 a magia de Nat "King" Cole fez um clássico da balada de Irving Gordon "Unforgettable". Em tempos mais recentes, a filha de Cole, Natalie, acrescentou sua voz à do pai numa excelente interpretação da mesma canção que conquistou um prêmio Grammy em 1991.

"My Funny Valentine", batizada por Mitzi Green em 'Babes in Arms' em 1937, foi sucessivamene reciclada no filme de 1955 'Gentlemen Marry brunettes' e de novo em 'Pal Joey', de 1957. Alec Wilder escreveu a propósito da obra-prima de Richard Rogers: "Esta é a melodia mais elegantemente destilada que já ouvi num musical".

Jeannette MacDonald lançou uma outra jóia de Rodgers, "Lover", com versos especialmente escritos, no filme de 1932 'Love Me tonight'. Rodgers, que sempre fora contrário aos remanejamentos das suas melodias e dos seus ritmos, a Peggy Lee, que lhe perguntava se lhe havia agradado o seu frenético "revival" daquela canção (com que conquistara um lugar na "hit parade"), respondeu, gélido: "Caso não tenha percebido, trata-se de uma valsa".

"The Way We Were", uma melodia de Marvin Hamlisch do filme homônimo de 1973, tornou-se um enorme sucesso para Barbra Streisand - que aparecia no filme ao lado de Robert Redford - e naquele mesmo ano ganhou o Oscar pela melhor canção.

Jerome Kern e Oscar Hammerstein II começaram sua colaboração em 1927 com 'Show Boat'. "The Song Is You", por eles composta, é tirada da comédia musical da Broadway 'Music In The Air', que incluía também "I've Told Every Little Star".

"Long Ago and Far Away", cantada por Nancy Wynn, que emprestava sua voz a Rita Hayworth, honrava com sua presença o filme de 1944 'Cover Girl' e foi indicada para um Oscar naquele mesmo ano. No começo deste século Jerome Kern tornou-se o mestre de um novo tipo de canção. Como observou Alec Wilder: "As suas melodias ficam sempre vivas e verdadeiras e em ótimo estado de saúde".

Duke Ellington e Billy Strayhorn compuseram a música de 'Satin Doll' e aquela versão instrumental foi publicada e gravada em 1953. Os versos, obra de Johnny Mercer, foram acrescentados em 1958. Conforme observou Alec Wilder: É delicada...e, ao mesmo tempo, rica de swing".

"Sophisticated Lady", uma das imortais delícias de Duke Ellington, veio à luz nos anos 20 como peça instrumental cujos direitos de autor só foram registrados em 1933, quando foram acrescentadas as palavras.

Cole Porter compôs "Begin The Beguine" para o seu musical de 1935 'Jubilee', no qual foi lançada por June Knight, mas foi preciso a versão swing de Artie Shaw, gravada em 1938, para lhe dar a glória.

"Stella by Starlight", de Victor Young, vem do filme 'The Uninvited', de 1944, e foi a orquestra do próprio Young que executou pela primeira vez aquela inesquecível melodia.

"Laura", o tema composto por David Raksin para o filme de suspense "Vertigem", de 1944, ficou vivo na memória de muitos. Aquele filme foi projetado para quase todos os soldados americanos que estavam no front àquela época, e desde então os ex-combatentes continuam a reevocar as circunstâncias em que a ouviram pela primeira vez. Da gravação com a orquestra de Woody Herman foram vendidas um milhão de cópias.

"Moonlight Serenade", de Glenn Miller, tornou-se a marca sonora de sua orquestra, a qual Mitchell Parish acrescentou os versos em 1939. Todavia, uma versão anterior composta por Miller nos tempos em que tocava com a orquestra de Ray Noble, trazia o título "Now I Lay Me Down to Weep", com versos de Edward Heyman.

"'S Wonderful" foi composta por George e Ira Gershwin para o show da Broadway de 1927 'Funny Face', com Fred e Adele Astaire. Na versão cinematográfica de 1956 (Cinderela em Paris), fred Astaire estava ao lado da encantadora Audrey Hepburn.

A eclética Barbra Streisand escreveu "Evergreen" para a nova produção de 1976 do filme 'Nasce uma Estrela'. a ela e ao letrista Paul Williams foi concedido um merecido Oscar pela melhor canção daquele ano.

"Through the Eyes of Love", um sucesso de Marvin Hamlisch e Carole Bayer Sager, foi interpretada com grande sensibilidade por Melissa Manchester, Peggy Lee e muitas outras.

À famosíssima canção de Jerome Kern "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", com versos de Otto Harbach, foi lançada em 1933 por Tamara no musical 'Roberta'. Segundo o letrista/libretista Otto Harbach, o motivo tinha sio composto originariamente para um número de claquettes que servia para entreter o público durante uma mudança de cena em 'Show Boat', mas quando aquele ritmo vivo foi transformado num ritmo lento, nasceu esta obra-prima.

"Star Dust" (Poeira de Estrelas) apareceu pela primeira vez em disco em 1927, tornou-se uma das canções famosas de que foram feitas muitas gravações. Hoagy Carmichael a compusera originariamente como peça para piano, a que Mitchell Parish acrescentou depois palavras em 1929.

"Unforgettable" ("Inesquecível") é uma rica resenha de extraordinários sucessos - canções que cobrem um arco de várias décadas e que fazem parte das memórias de todos nós. Nesta gravação aqueles grandes sucessos são executados pela grande estrela da música clássica ligeira e popular, a Boston Pops Orchestra, sob a direção mde John Williams, cujo prodigioso talento de compositor inclui as músicas para setenta filmes, entre as quais se encontram alguns dos maiores sucessos de todos os tempos. Williams foi indicado vinte e oito vezes para o Oscar e alcançou quatro. Os arranjadores desta gravação, também eles grandes talentos musicais, têm em seu ativo arranjos para a tela grande, gravações e espetáculos da Broadway e seriam necessárias muitas páginas para relacionar todos os seus sucessos.

Como observou Vincent d'Dindy (1851-1931): "Só a melodia não envelhece nunca". John Williams e a Boston Pops Orchestra lhe asseguram a eterna juventude.

Max Baade, 1993
(Tradução: Zito Baptista Filho)

The most popular film composer of the modern era, John Williams created music for some of the most successful motion pictures in Hollywood history -- Star Wars, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, and Jurassic Park are just three of the credits in his extensive oeuvre. Born February 8, 1932, in Long Island, NY, he was himself the son of a movie studio musician, and he followed in his father's footsteps by studying music at UCLA and Juilliard; initially, he pursued a career as a jazz pianist, later working with Henry Mancini to compose the score for the hit television series Peter Gunn. Williams then went solo to pen a number of TV soundtracks for series including Playhouse 90, Wagon Train, and Bachelor Father; in 1959 he ventured into film with Daddy-O, and spent the majority of the 1960s alternating between the silver screen (The Killers, The Plainsman) and its smaller counterpart (Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space).

In 1968 Williams earned his first Academy Award nomination for his work in Valley of the Dolls; in 1970, he garnered nods for both The Reivers and Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and two years later finally won for Fiddler on the Roof. A slew of Oscar nominations followed, for features including The Poseidon Adventure, Images, Tom Sawyer, and The Towering Inferno. In 1974 he first teamed with a young filmmaker named Steven Spielberg on a movie titled The Sugarland Express; the two frequently reteamed over the years to come, with often stunning results -- Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List were just a few of the Spielberg/Williams pairings, with Jaws, E.T., and Schindler's List all winning the composer Academy Awards.

Williams' other most frequent collaborator was George Lucas; beginning with 1977's Star Wars -- yet another Williams Oscar winner -- they later teamed for 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi, with the composer agreeing to score Lucas' subsequent Star Wars films as they went into production in 1997. He even celebrated his 30th anniversary of working with Steven Spielberg with 2002's Minority Report soundtrack. Other scores of note included 1979's Superman, 1987's The Witches of Eastwick, 1988's The Accidental Tourist, 1991's JFK, and 1995's Nixon. In 1980, Williams also took over for the late Arthur Fiedler as the conductor of the Boston Pops. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

The Gentle Sound Of My Guitar 2 - Songs For Lovers

1. Scarborough Fair
2. How Deep Is Your Love
3. Daniel
4. Message In A Bottle
5. September
6. The Logical Song
7. Eye In The Sky
   
8. Calling You
9. Love Of My Life
10. The Year Of The Cat
11. American Pie
12. Letter For Nicolas
13. Just The Way You Are
    
14. Hey Nineteen

Your Nice and Easy

Paul Mauriat - Toccata

Favoritas de Agora, Imortais Amanhã - Volume 3 - Varios Artistas

1. The Lady In Red - Ian Hughes
2. Three Times A Lady - Ronnie Price
3. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Larry Dalton
4. Always On My Mind - Billy Vaughn
5. Livin' La Vida Loca - Luiz Rodriguez
6. As Long As You Love Me - Christian Colombier
7. All By Myself - Romantic Strings
8. Tears In Heaven - David Cullen
9. Only Time - Wendy Quinlan
10. The Power Of Love - Paul Bateman
11. Hero - Francis Goya
12. Thank You - Lavender Hill Orchestra
13. Let It Be - Gordon Langford
14. May It Be - Lavender Hill Orchestra

Favoritas de Agora 3

Favoritas de Agora, Imortais Amanhã - Volume 2 - Varios Artistas

1. La Isla Bonita - Billy Vaughn
2. Don't Worry, Be Happy - Paul Bateman
3. Woman In Love - Christian Colombier
4. Say You, Say Me - Billy Vaughn
5. Take My Breath Away - David Firman
6. I Don't Want To Talk About It - David Firman
7. For Your Eyes Only - London Symphony Orchestra
8. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Ian Hughes
9. Careless Whisper - Paul Bateman
10. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You - David Firman
11. Eternal Flame - Tommy Fisher
12. Cherish - Billy Vaughn
13. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) - Gordon Langford
14. The Winner Takes It All - Johnny Gregory

Favoritas de Agora 2

Favoritas de Agora, Imortais Amanhã - Volume 1 - Varios Artistas

1. Morning Has Broken - Mr. Acker Bilk
2. Sailing - Pierre Belmonde
3. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Johnny Gregory
4. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - Romantic Strings
5. Rose Garden - Al Capps
6. Hotel California - Francis Moore
7. (They Long To Be) Close To You - Romantic Strings
8. The Way We Were - Henry Mancini
9. You've Got A Friend - Gordon Langford
10. Yesterday Once More - Peter Hope
11. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Richard Hayman
12. Tie A Yellow Ribbon - Romantic Strings
13. Knowing Me, Knowing You - Billy Vaughn
14. Lady Marmalade - Pietro Lacirignola

Favoritas de Agora 1

A Magia das Orquestras - Volume 3 - Varios Artistas

1. Solamente Una Vez - Clebanoff and Orchestra
2. Greensleeves - Billy Vaughn and Orchestra
3. Theme From The Godfather - Orquestra 101 Cordas
4. L'Hymne A L'Amour - Pierre Porte Orchestra
5. I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Orquestra 101 Cordas
6. Guantanamera - Clebanoff and Orchestra
7. Un Homme Et Une Femme - Francis Lai and Orchestra
8. Fiddler On The Roof - Orquestra 101 Cordas
9. The Windmills Of Your Mind - Billy Vaughn and Orchestra
10. Conversa de Botequim - Rio Jazz Orchestra
11. Summertime - Orquestra 101 Cordas
12. My Way (Comme D'Habitude) - Orquestra Tabajara
13. O Cantador / Canção do Sal - Rio Jazz Orchestra
14. T'En Va Pas - Pierre Porte Orchestra

Magia das Orquestras 3

A Magia das Orquestras - Volume 2 - Varios Artistas

1. Anos Dourados - Orquestra Tabajara
2. La Vie En Rose - Pierre Porte Orchestra
3. Summer Of 42 - Orquestra 101 Cordas
4. As Time Goes By - Orquestra 101 Cordas
5. Na Baixa do Sapateiro - Orquestra Cuba Libre
6. Besame Mucho - Clebanoff and Orchestra
7. Eres Tu - Orquestra 101 Cordas
8. All The Way - Orquestra Charles Segal
9. Chattanooga Choo Choo - Glenn Miller and Orchestra
10. Red Roses For A Blue Lady - Billy Vaughn and Orchestra
11. For A Shadow - Francis Lai and Orchestra
12. Carnival In Venice - Mantovani and Orchestra
13. Garota de Ipanema - Rio Jazz Orchestra
14. Eu e a brisa - Orquestra Tabajara

Magia das Orquestras 2

A Magia das Orquestras - Volume 1 - Varios Artistas

1. Carinhoso - Orquestra Tabajara
2. Memory - Orquestra 101 Cordas
3. Fascination - Orquestra 101 Cordas
4. Granada - Clebanoff and Orchestra
5. Petite Fleur - Billy Vaughn and Orchestra
6. La Mer - Pierre Porte and Orchestra
7. Café da manhã - Orquestra Tabajara
8. Autumn Leaves - Mantovani Orchestra
9. Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller and Orchestra
10. Un Amour De Pluie - Francis Lai and Orchestra
11. La Paloma - Clebanoff and Orchestra
12. Begin The Beguine - Orquestra 101 Cordas
13. Dora - Orquestra Tabajara
14. Asa Branca - Rio Jazz Orchestra

Magia das Orquestras 1

Jerry Gray - A Salute to Glenn Miller

 

1. Elmer's Tune
2. Blue Rain
3. Jersey Bounce
4. Anvil Chorus
5. Poinciana
6. Restringing the Pearls
7. Pennsylvania 6-5000
8. Sun Valley Jump
9. Perfidia
10. Johnson Rag (Featuring Dave Harris)
11. Serenade in Blue
12. One O'Clock Jump

A Salute to Miller

A son of first generation Italian immigrants who settled in Boston, Generoso Graziano studied violin from the age of seven, played accordion as well and was self-taught as an arranger. By the time he joined another Bostonian, Artie Shaw (Arthur Arshawsky) in 1936, he was known as Jerry Gray. Soon Shaw, with Gray as his principal arranger, was locked in a battle with a very different breed of American musician, a model of mid-western caution and reserve from Clarinda, Iowa, Glenn Miller. The battle was one of supremacy in the pop music magazines as the Best Big Band in a nation then awash in sweet and swing bands, playing to dancers and vast radio audiences and record buyers coast-to-coast. Shaw reached the top with "Begin The Beguine" arranged by Gray. Then Miller did it with Joe Garland's "In The Mood", which Shaw had first but failed to edit and tailor as Glenn did to fit a three-minute 78-rpm record. Artie Shaw was both intellectually and emotionally unable to cope with his sudden celebrity status and, late in 1939, he simply abandoned his band in New York.

Within weeks Jerry Gray had been recruited by Miller to share principal arranging duties with Bill finegan. There Jerry Stayed until Glenn broke up his civilian band in September of 1942 to soon build a new orchestra, all-star in every way, for the Army Air Force. Of course, one of the first musicians Captain Miller persuaded to join him was Gray who knew how to write for strings, for which Glenn had big plans, almost all of which came to fruition. The service band had twenty strings, including a number of first-chair players from the New York Philharmonic.

With both the Miller civilian band and the AAF band Jerry Gray not only arranged but wrote many originals, some of which became very big hits. "A String Of Pearls", "Pennsylvania 6-5000" and "Sun Valley Jump" were among them. Another great arranger-composer, Mel Powell, was also with the service band as was drummer-leader-singer Ray McKinley. These three led splinter units of the Miller service band in England and continued after by-then Major Miller disappeared forever in the fog over the English channel on December 15, 1944. It was Jerry Gray, however, who conducted the band that soon returned to the States. In 1946, Gray, once again a civilian, moved West and led the band on his own radio show, then took on similar duties for Club Fifteen, the Bob Crosby Hollywood-originated radio show with Jo Stafford, Dick Haymes, Margaret Whiting and the Andrews Sisters. He was finally persuaded to lead his own band playing his Miller-style arrangements and hits. He talked Willie Schwartz into playing clarinet lead, as he had done for Miller, hired the best studio guys, got a Decca record contract and finally sttled in Texas.

The band on these 1958 sessions heard in this collection was probably the best Gray ever had, made up of the cream of Local 47 studio musicians and key members of the Les Brown band. Reeds were played by Babe Russin, Ronny Lang, Willie Schwartz, Dave Harris and Jerry's brother-in-law, John Rotella. Trumpets were Ray Linn, Frank Beach, John Audino, Zeke Zarch (another Miller alumnus) and Al Porcino as well as Johnny Best, like Jerry a veteran of both Miller and Shaw. The all-star trombone section has Jimmy Priddy, Hoyt Bohannan, Joe Howard, Ray Sims and Milt Bernhart. Wow! Rhythm here is by the great Mel Lewis, drums, famed Rolly Bundock, bass and Ernie Hughes, here often featured, at the piano. Dave Pell was the producer on the date, which accounts for all the Les Brown guys (Dave played alto in the best, most swinging band Les ever had) and Bones Howe was the recording engineer.

As Dave says, "The Glenn Miller band itself never sounded this good". It was all done 2-track with a limited number of microphones. Dave adds, "The lawyers controlling the Miller estate tried to block the original release of the records that came from this session, they were that good. But you can't copyright arrangements, which were all Jerry's". You'll notice differences from the original performances, of course. Section work replaces the vocals. Reeds take over where violins swelled in the case of "Poinciana", which Gray had written for the Air Force Band. All the tenor sax solos are by Babe Russin (a star of the Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey bands and the movie "The Glenn Miller Story") and all the trumpet solos with the Miller civilian band on some of the same titles, notably "Sun Valley Jump" and "Pennsylvania 6-5000".

I've mentioned that Best played both with Shaw (joining Artie just shortly after Gray came aboard) and Miller. He is often called a Louis Armstrong-influenced player but Johnny says he didn't listen to Armstrong records very much until he told Shaw that his goal was to learn to play like Bunny Berigan. Said Artie, "Who do you think was the idol for Bunny? Louis Armstrong! Better get some records and start listening." It wasn't long before Best's solos, always melodic and inventive, took on some of Satchmo's force and range. It's very apparent on these recordings. John says he found it more musically exciting to play with the Shaw band but he and Artie fought and split more than once and finally Best moved to the Miller band where he settled into a comfortable groove. "At one point Glenn actually paid me $125.00 a week", he says, "Of course I paid all my hotel bills and food and clothes and gasoline out of that, but a buck went a long way in 1940!" Everyone was young in those days, too. Most of Miller's men were in their twenties and the leader was barely in his thirties. Sidemen needed stamina to do seven shows a day at the Paramount Theater in New York, the CBS radio show three days a week, early-morning or late night recording sessions, plus one-niters. And, after the summer of 1939 at the Glen Island Casino and the "In The Mood" break-through the band couldn't possibly fill all the gigs it was offered, even working twelve or more hours a day every day of the week. That the musicians were able to continue to perform wonderfully well, look rested and play with spirit and showmanship is a credit top the leader, even though Glenn was never one-of-the-boys, ruled the band like the military Major he later became and most of the musicians (and arrangers) were sick of the clarinet-lead sound. Glenn also was the perfect, always charming host on his Chesterfield radio show and on stage as well. What's most remarkable is that over a half a century later the Miller magic, reflected in his music, was still there: still the number one big band of all time!

Let's look at the Jerry Gray-arranged Miller hits collected here. "Elmer's Tune" was an eight-bar tune mortician's assistant Elmer Albrecht invented, noodling around at Chicago's Aragon ballroom during breaks of the Dick Jurgens band. Jurgens completed the tune, brought in a lyricist and had himself a hit. But the BIG version was by Glenn Miller. It hit Number 1 in October of 1941.

"Blue Rain" is a now nearly-forgotten Jimmy Van Heusen melody that reached its peak after Miller was in the service: 1943. "Jersey Bounce" here features the muted trumpet of Ray Linn and terrific section work by all. Jerry Gray turned Verdi's "Anvil Chorus" into pure swing. This revised arrangement stars Mel Lewis on drums and pits the massed trumpets against the reeds in the last chorus or two. On "Poinciana" Willie Schwartz has a rare clarinet solo. Producer Dave Pell says "Re-Stringing The Pearls" is "String Of Pearls" played sideways. "Pennsylvania 6-5000" is true to the original except that Johnny Best's trumpet solo is even better. The same can be said of "Sun Valley Jump". "Perfidia" is as romantic as ever but with trombones and saxes instead of the Modernaires. Now - about "Johnson Rag". Better this should be a surprise to you. Suffice to say it is an exception to the Miller sound, that it's fun and that Dave Harris has the sax solo. Jerry skips the Billy May intro to "Serenade In Blue" but shows what a beautiful melody Harry Warren wrote (number two in the fall of 1942). "One O'Clock Jump" is a 'head' arrangement designed to give solo space to pianist Ernie Hughes and to the trumpets of Ray Linn (with mute) and John Best (open horn).

There's no question but that this is exceedingly delightful music all the way. We can look forward to a follow-up release with Jerry Gray again showing how important he was to Glenn Miller and why both men were so important to the Swing Era.

Fred Hall, May 1997.

(Fred is a prolific writer on music and musicians and host of the internationally-syndicated radio show, "Swing Thing")


Arranged and conducted by Jerry Gray

Band Personnel:

Wilbur Schwartz, John Rotella, Ronny Lang, Dave Harris, Babe Russin - saxes
John Best, Ray Linn, Frank Beach, John Audino, Zeke Zarchy, Al Porcino - trumpets
Jimmy Priddy, Hoyt Bohannan, Joe Howard, Ray Sims, Milt Bernhart - trombones
Ernie Hugues - piano
Mel Lewis - drums
Rolly Bundock - bass

Produced by Dave Pell

Recording Engineer: Bones Howe
Liner Notes by Fred Hall

Recorded Direct to 2-Track Stereo at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, February 18, 24 and 25, 1958.

Lawrence Welk - The Best Of Lawrence Welk

1. Champagne Time - 'A perfect example of the Welk Champagne style'
2. Moon River - 'This sensuously lovely arrangement won a Gold record'
3. Calcutta - 'Bright and bouncy, Welk's FIRST Gold record'
4. Baby Elephant Walk - 'This novelty hit features Mahlon Clark's "high E sax"'
5. Misty - 'Errol Garner's moody masterpiece'
6. Canadian Sunset - 'A full-scale, orchestral arrangement of this classic'
7. Yellow Bird - 'Another Gold record for the band'
8. Winchester Cathedral - 'And another Gold Record! This features a vocal by Bob Lido'
9. Love Is Blue - 'An instrumental which was a huge hit in England before arriving on these shores in the Sixties'
10. Last Date - 'Frank Scott plays an intricate piano solo'
11. Gentle on My Mind - 'A light-hearted champagne music arrangement of this favorite'
12. Somewhere My Love - 'The soaring love theme from "Dr. Zhivago"'
13. By the Time I Get to Phoenix - 'The Welk string section makes magic with this tune'
14. The Sound Of Music - 'Glorious sounds by Rogers, Hammerstein and Welk!'
15. Georgia on My Mind - 'A lyrical version of Hoagy Carmichael's plaintive hit'
16. Goin' Home - 'Welk's Musical Director George Cates adapted and arranged this from the New World Symphony by Anton Dvorak'
17. Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree - 'The joyous "theme song" of our returning hostages'
18. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head - 'The sparkling hit from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"'
19. Bubbles in the Wine - 'The nostalgic, unforgettable Welk theme, written by Lawrence'
20. Adios, Au Revoir, Aufwiedersehn - 'The perfect song to complete any Welk performance'

The Best of Lawrence Welk