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Here's a few thoughts and information of the artists from my lounge mix.
King Henry and the Showmen were one of the most versatile lounge bands, rivaled by only The Links. They released a dozen or more records starting in the late 60's and played nearly everywhere from unknown motor lodges to Carnegie Hall. I think they still play around the Poconos. One treasure about lounge records is finding a cover of a television theme with sometimes awe inspiring results. Such is The Young & The Restless! You can find King Henry and the Showmen or King Henry and the American Show Band's records for usually under $10 dollars, and their worth it!
Phil Palumbo has a long history is supper club jazz ensembles, a story that's told in detail in Enjoy the Experience and one that's worth reading. For me it's the last song, a song that I usually wouldn't give a glance at, since Sinatra kind of owns it. But Phil Palumbo and Pals turn It Was A Very Good Year into a hip moody intro, with grit and swing, like hearing it anew.
I've tried to dig up info on Vinnie Rome, I'm still trying to contact him. I think he released a few 45's as well as the amazing 'At The Pirates Inn.' I want everything this guy plays the organ or piano on, his cover of 'Moondance' is the perfect combination of sleaze and hip.
With a title like Psychedelic Sounds, most people might be a little disappointed to hear Trinidad's The Famous Casanovas. Released in 1976, though I have the feeling it was recorded much early, maybe '70? The opening song is 6 minutes of dreamland organ, shimmering cymbals, with exotica twinkling guitars. One of my top 10 lounge records!
3 & Company's were a four piece lounge act from Ohio? Wave was released on Century's United Sound imprint, with a blank back, no information on this one. They have this nice after dark at the promenade vibe, with organ, guitar, cod latin percussion. Finding this at a goodwill in San Antonio was one of those memorable digging days.
Paul major has this to say about The Center Line: "This band with mixed male & female vocals and the classic cool organ sound has as the superb highlight a 10:55 long "Peace Medley" which uses a bunch of Beatles songs including a mystical lounge "Within You & Without You", "All You Need Is Love", "Carry That Weight", "The End", "We Can Work It Out" and others. Whole LP is good lounge rock with also "Suspicious Minds", "Goin' Out Of My Head", "Dock Of The Bay", a terrific "Misty" deep organ mood instrumental...they also use harpsichord, violin, guitar, electric piano etc. along with the organ. This is a winner in the lounge rock band department for sure."
Two For The Road here covering one of my favorite lounge standards, 'The Shadow of Your Smile' with no frills, just guitar, someone keeping a beat, maybe a bongo, and vocals, with nice bar sounds, glasses clicking, coughing, chatter. Released on Century Custom records, otherwise no information on these two guys,odd photos on the back with each guy aiming pistols??
Jo'El played the Observation Lounge on the sun deck of the S.S. Monarch Sun Cruise line. Her souvenir record 'Songs Of Love' is her singing and playing with a hand harp, and I honesty can't imagine people relaxing on a cruise and listening to Jo'El. Sometimes there's a faint drum machine, otherwise it's her and a harp, covering 'If You Go Away' or 'Greensleeves' with lots of somber echo and just dreariness. It's a beautifully sad record and she has another one I'd like to hear with a sunrise stock cover. She also played the Colony Beach Club, the Hilton Inn, Davy's Locker, The Place, and The Grenadier all in Florida. beguiling music!
I have two records The Billy Fane Trio and both are spooky midnight cocktail loungers with heavy organ and trumpet. His Misty is maybe the best version I've heard, and his September Song is a brooding masterpiece of organ and trumpet. What a cover too, Billy Fane breathing into some homemade instrument of a hose attached to a plastic bottle!!
Hank Juray was a mainstay in the South Jersey club scence and from what I can gather, he played at The Marlton Manor, Cinellis, The Club Honeydew, The General Wayne Inn, and with The Rage Band at The Springfield Inn in Sea Isle City. A Happening At Cinelli's is a special record, for me it's the pinacle of swinging cocktail jazz with each standard perfected. Guitarist Sonny Troy is the real secret here, playing the classiest simple lines, maybe the best lounge guitarist, next to Bryce Roberson. A true monster of a record!
Hermilo Ortiz was a blind pianist and arranger, who played at Hotel Ancira in Monterrey, Hotel Arispe-Saenz in Saitillo and the house band leader at Bill Bennett's Steakhouse in the Sky and the Penthouse Club in Houston, TX. His custom record, 'The Many Moods Of Milo' has two covers, one a blue and white photo of him at his organ and mine, a hand drawn cover with lettering and a shield, no idea why two covers for what is obliviously a small pressing. Also does a dark version of Misty too!
I love schmaltzy geezer lounge, hang on to the 60's crooner/big band ensembles that were dying out in the mid 60's. Murphy's is a great example of this, recorded live at at The Sea Bay Inn of Normandy Beach New Jersey. It captures a typical weekend summer evening at the Inn. The band doesn't have a name, Harlod Murphy does vocals/emceeing, Lee Sandford on Organ and piano, Tommy Gee on drums, and Frankie Ross on bass and trumpet. Everyone gets more drunk as the evening progresses and the crowd joins in on a unexplained out of no where segue into the mickey mouse club theme. Great organ instrumental of 'Girl From Ipanema' too!
The Southernaires were from Tyler,TX and recorded with Curtis Kirk on Custom Records, known for releasing a few garage 45's. Another geezer combo act doing great jazzy lounge versions of country and cocktail standards. Playing organ, bass, guitar, sax, trumpet, and drums, dressed in shiny matching suits, this is a prefect local lounger similar in vibe to The Twilights. WIsh I could find more info on these guys??
Here's Gary Nelson is the sort of record I would've passed on a few years ago, with Gary posed in a sweater vest against a dark background. I'm happy I didn't, this private record from 73 is solid jazz with a groovin' cover of 'Ain't No Sunshine' and a bluesy 'Doodlin'. It's the ballads that I love with 'What Are You Doing For the Rest Of Your Life' being what I dream of hearing at a dive bar.
Philip John Lewin is the only artist that doesn't really belong here, yet his second record has the drifting loungey guitar and lost drunken vibe that I had to include him. You can buy both of his records directly from him and I'd highly recommend it!
Here's stunner, a dreamland of mellow AM hits reimagined by Leather Tuscadero cutting a lounge record instead of becoming Suzi Q. Small town midwest treasure! What's great is how many different angles you can approach this record from and they all impress, high school basement reveries, real people grooves, or loungers on a soft rock binger. Even with Chantilly Lace, this is still a solid play, the slow melancholic unfolding of 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', the underwater bubbling guitars on 'The Way We Were' and her easy soft and sexy 'Feel Like Making Love.'
We're nearing the the third eye realm, with Richard Vale and the Gems. A distant place of late night couples dancing for those with stars in their eyes and the twilight zone behind them. He has two records, one recorded live and the other a studio. Richard Vale might not be everyone's bag, with the cordovox as the main instrument, but once you fall under the spell he cast, it's an odd place to be, imagine the carnival of souls and red velvet suits.
Boyles Brothers were from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Somehow their first record was released on International Artist, the psych label from Houston. Their second record is a weird one with a great whistling lounge version of The Good The Bad and The Ugly, and a schmaltzy Roy Orbison. The cover is one of my favorite, almost like a parody of a lounge record with both brothers in ruffled tux and holding microphones.
― JacobSanders, Tuesday, 21 January 2014 18:50 (eleven years ago)
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