Thursday, January 29, 2009

Eavesdroppings

Overheard when: 8:45pm on Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Overheard where
: the narrow corridor near the bar inside gay hangout Madison Pub at 1315 East Madison Street in Seattle, WA [map]
Overheard who: a gay, cane-using octogenarian man, commenting to his two elderly friends as the three gingerly made their way toward the exit through the dense crowd of 40-something-year-old gay men.

Overheard what: "What happened—did school just let out?"

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Jack Costanzo

Artist: Jack Costanzo
LP: Latin Fever — The Wild Rhythms of Jack Costanzo
Song: "Cumbanchero"
[ listen ]

Here's some red-hot bongo music for a cold gray morning. You can read about Jack "Mr. Bongo" Costanzo on " Wikipedia [here], you can find some cool clips of Costanzo playing w/ Nat King Cole, Elivs and others and become his friend on MySpace [here] and I've copied the notes from the back of this 1958 "Latin Fever" LP here:

From a humble, do-it-yourself beginning...(he constructed his first
set of bongos and taught himself to play)...JACK COSTANZO has become
the worlds most renowned bongo drummer. When he plays in Cuba the
natives shout—when he plays in Hollywood the cream of the screen stars
turn out to listen...and to study with him
.

Jack has worked with Stan Kenton as the first bongo drummer to join
a jazz orchestra...with Nat "King" Cole as the first to play with such a
trio; he has played in night clubs from New York to Las Vegas...even

appearing in the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall...and his rhythmic
genius has surged through many motion pictures
.

If you're not already a Costanzo fan, you will be after one quick listen
to this, his latest album, "LATIN FEVER." You may even decide to
buy some bongos—or make them yourself—and practice till your fingers
are sore and your wrists stiff...but don't say you weren't warned!
--Vance Graham


LATIN FEAVER LP features:
Eddie Cano — Piano

Paul Lopez — Trumpet
Jay Corre — Tenor Sax
Augie Alcaraz — Flute
Tony Reyes — Bass
Eddie Aparicio and Ray Rivera — Drums

Notes for "CUMBANCHERO" track:
Another first—the first time you'll hear snare drum played with open
snares. Solo honors are divided between bongos and trumpet...
over-all effect is the most!


[ Jack Costanzo ]

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Fog Face

While riding my bike to work on a foggy morning last week, all the fog stuck to my face and covered up my glasses. I couldn't see!

side one:
01. Me/Yo - Maria and Gordon
02. Olé, We Are the Champions - De Allergrootste Voetbalkrakers
03. Kauf' Dir Einen Bunten Luftballoon - Lolita
04. E-Ma-Ma - The Andrews Sisters
05. Blue Skirt Waltz - The Gay '90s Village Wurlitzer #105 Band Organ
06. Strawberry Tea - Tiny Tim

07. On With the Show - The Rolling Stones
08. Hymn to the Sun - Stanley Black & His Orchestra

09. Kem Kem - Juma Bhalo
10. Every Day Is Ladies Day With Me - Jack Carson w/ The Vikings and Betty Munro
11. Galveston - The Exotic Guitars
12. I Wish I Could Fall In Love Again - Jan Howard
13. Piensa En Mí - Virginia López
14. Sommerblau - Tommy Kersten
15. The Fling - Mikis Theodorakis
16. The Lady Is a Tramp - Lovelace Watkins
17. Jumping Jack/Windmill/Tortoise and Hare - Boyd Pexton
[ listen ]

side two:
01. My Roomate - Village People
02. White Is the Color - Vancouver Whitecaps
03. The White Bunny and His Magic Nose - The Pan-Harmonic Music Education Society
04. El Aguacero - Miguel Aceves Mejía

05. A La Feria - Los Cardenales Del Exito feat. Rubén Oliveros
06. Stella - Riccardo Fogli
07. Black Hawk Waltz - The Gay '90s Village Mills Violano Double Virtuoso
08. Moon River - Mrs. Miller
09. Bien Avant - Benjamin Biolay

10. You Only Live Twice - Ronnie Aldrich & His Two Pianos

11. Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots - The Cheers

12. She Lived Next Door to a Firehouse - Cliff Steward and His Boys
13. Vida Perdido - Grupo El Bueno
14. Skyrover - Omega
15. Over the Waves - The Gay '90s Village Wonderful Belgian Band Organ
16. Squat Thrust - Boyd Pexton
[ listen ]

Monday, January 26, 2009

The Clash

Artist: The Clash
LP: 7" single
Song: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
[ listen ]

Everyone knows this song, right? It's probably even more popular in the USA today than their #8 hit "Rock the Casbah," from the same LP. the strange thing is, "Should I Stay/Go" never entered the US Billboard top 40, though there were two separate attempts to get it there. "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" was first released in the summer of 1982 with the picture sleeve shown above; the song spent 13 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, peaking at #45. After the top-ten success of follow-up single "Rock the Casbah" in late 1982, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" was released again as a single in the spring of 1983—with a different picture sleeve (shown below)—in hopes that this time it would be a hit. Unfortunatley, the song stayed in the Hot 100 just 10 weeks the second time around and peaked at #50.

Someone from The Clash is missing from the photos on the sleeve of the 1983 release, and I'm guessing it's drummer Topper Headon, who was asked to leave the band shortly after the "Combat Rock" recording sessions because of his herion use. If anyone can confirm that's who's missing from the pictures, let me know. You can read all about The Clash [here] and [here].

Friday, January 23, 2009

Die Ärzte

Artist: Die Ärzte
LP: 7" single
Song: "Teenager Liebe"
[ listen ]

Here's a single I picked up in Munich when I was 16. I remember working really hard to make my hair look like that guy's hair there on the right. You can read about the band Die Ärzte on Wikipedia [here].

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Geeta Dutt

Artist: Geeta Dutt
LP: 7" single
Song: "Jane Kya Tumne Kahi"
[ listen ]

Here's a pretty song from the 1957 Indian film [Pyaasa]. Singer Geeta Dutt was born in Bangladesh in November of 1930 and married up-and-coming film director Guru Dutt in 1953, but then she drank herself to death in July of 1972. You can read more about Geeta Dutt's life and career on Wikipedia [here] and there's another interesting article about the singer [here].

January 30, 2009 update: A Geeta Dutt fan named Parag wrote to let me know that he/she was involved in the recent creation of this terrific [Geeta Dutt tribute website], where you can find photos, trivia, songs and pretty much everything you've ever wanted to know about Geeta Dutt but were afraid to ask. Thanks, Parag!


[ Geeta Dutt ]

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Crusaders

Artist: The Crusaders
LP: Unsung Heroes
Song: "Heavy Up (Don't Get Light With Me)"
[ listen ]

Of course some crusading clothes-horse has to go and spoil the whole effect just so he can show off his impressive collection of dress shirts:

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Up With People

Artist: Up With People
LP: Livin' On
Song: "Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Fresh New Day"
[ listen ]

We have a new president, hurrah! My conservative Republican mother called to tell me that even she's excited about the way President Obama is bringing all sorts of people together. I won't get to watch today's historic speeches until after work, but when I went to The Sandwich Tree to get my morning coffee, I did have the pleasure of seeing former President George W. Bush lift off in his helocoptor and fly away. Here's a song for President Barack Obama's inauguration day, and here are some notes from the back of this 1974 Up With People LP:

Recorded in London and in Tucson, Arizona, LIVIN' ON is the Up With
People Sound: big, alive, and very new, with twelve never-before-
recorded songs from the all-new Up With People show. From Carnegie
Hall to Paris' Olympia Theatre, from outdoor music festivals to London's
Royal Albert Hall, on national television and in village squares around
the world, Up With People has captivated audiences with its original
music, its contemporary kaleidoscope of sight and sound, and its fresh
expression of hope and concern.


It's a big show with a hundred or more performers on stage, from every
part of the United States and about 20 other countries. They sing as
if born to it, play a variety of instruments from electric guitars to funky
brass, dance up a storm, and generally carry on with a professional
but human touch you'll seldom find in so large a production. Their
music is all new, from rock to country to anything else that really comes
across, and they put it out for two unforgettable hours—or more—a night.
And it talks to you. Their concerns are serious but somehow exhilarating;
they make the faceless crowd feel like real people again from the first
note to the final chord and usually a lot longer. When you walk out of
one of their shows you feel a little more tolerant, a little more
involved, a little more human.


So lay this record on your stereo, sit back, and imagine dimming lights,
stomping feet, a hush as Up With People takes the stage: LIVIN' ON!


Sunday, January 18, 2009

Fat Chance

One of my New Year's resolutions is to gain too much weight.

side one:
01. Le Pornographe - Marcel et Son Orchestre
02. The Caterpillar - The Cure
03. Whole Lotta Fire - Stingray
04. Rainbow Massaker - Electronicat w/ Miss Le Bomb
05. Come Home Woman - Swallow
06. Red Hot Chicken - Wet Willie

07. Man Made Paradise - Freddie Mercury
08. I Get Ideas - Jane Morgan

09. Moonbeam - Men Without Hats
10. Ça Va Ça Va - Karl Zéro
11. A Worm's Coat - Whirlwind Heat
12. Empty Glasses - The Amps
13. A Face In the Crowd - Peggy Taylor Woodard
14. I Wonder - Yma Sumac
[ listen ]

side two:
01. What Does Sex Mean to Me? - Human Sexual Response
02. Give Me Some Drugs - Spider Babies
03. Cath Carroll [10cc mix] - Unrest
04. The Circus - Tangra

05. When You Said Hello - Double Take
06. Emotional Traffic - The Rumour
07. Computer Datin' - Patrick D. Martin
08. Like Flames - Berlin
09. And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind - Neil Diamond

10. He Hit Me - Jody Miller

11. The Hills of Yesterday - Scott Walker

12. Current Time - Beautiful Skin
13. Behold the Devils - Nino Rota
[ listen ]

Friday, January 16, 2009

OXO

Artist: OXO
LP: 7" single
Song: "Whirly Girl"
[ listen ]

This terrific single from OXO's only LP peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in April of 1983. The song has a great beat, is easy to dance to and it's one of my favorite pop songs of the 1980s. You can read a brief bio of the band [here] and you can go [here] to become OXO's friend on MySpace, see pictures of the band and listen to a few more of their songs.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Erotic Drum Band

Artist: Erotic Drum Band
LP: Touch Me Where It's Hot
Song: "Touch Me Where It's Hot"
[ listen ]

Brrrrrr, another cold and foggy winter morning in Seattle. This guy must want to be touched in Phoenix, Arizona. My parents just came back from there and said it was a balmy 84 degrees!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Denny Pezzin

Artist: Denny Pezzin
LP: 7" single
Song: "Up-and-Comer"
[ listen ]

Here's something I listen to whenever I feel like I'm dropping behind in this cockamamy rat-race called life on planet Earth. and here are the sweet, sad notes from the back of the single:

Someday I hope to be a "somebody" in the recording industry. Below
are listed all of the people who believed in me when I was a "nobody."
Great big hugs to all of you for helping me get my very first
record produced. --Denny


BOB & DIANE ALBANO • CHRIS ALEXANDER • BOB & NORMA ARMSTRONG •
JOHN & JUNE ATKIN • WERNER & FRIEDA BATZLER • CHUCK, JOAN & TROY
BENSINGER • DICK & MAE BIGGINS • DON & DOTTIE BLAYDES • GINGER &
JOHN BOHLAND • EUNICE BOWEN • DON BRACKENBURY • JEFF BREWNER •
JIM & DIANA BURNHAM • JACK & KATHI CAMPBELL • DAVID & JILL
CARMICHAEL • DENNY & DIANE CARROLL • DAVE, JOAN, DAN & DOUG
CASSAVAR • DIANE CHAMPION • CHARMAINE & MEL • GEORGE CLASBY &
JOAN SHIRK • CHAMOIS CONKLIN • BEN & SALLY COOLEY • BARRY &
DIANE DAGESTINO • SUSAN DANIELS • CHAN & DYANE DeKRAMER • JOE &
AURORE DEMERS • LOIS DORRANCE • CHERYL DUHME • CAROL ELSTON •
PAUL & SUSIE FARKAS • JERRY & JUDITH FILLMAN • BARBARA FINEBERG •
JAMES & GLORIA FOHRMAN • NEATSA FOSTER • DONNA GARSOMBKE •
SABRINA GAUTREAU • LINDA HACKETT • BARBARA HAINES • SCOTT,
NANCY & SHAWNNA HARRINGTON • BRUCE & JANET HEATHCOTE•
TOBY & SHER HECKER • DONNA & RAMSEY HEDRICK • BOB & ROBIN
HEIL • BILL & JUDITH HUNT • JACK & HELEN JENKS • JERRY & YVONNE •
CATHY KEATON • JOE & ELSA KINDER • DEBORAH KUTTRUFF • SUSAN
LANGLEY • JERRY & JEANNINE LEAPER • JERI LENNON • TERESA LLOYD •
JOHN & NANCY LONGMORE • LOU & YVONNE LONNI • SAM MAIMONE •
MARY MARCUS • JOE MAZZEO • PETE & BONNIE McRAE • ED & MARY
MILLER • KARLEEN MONROE • JANE MORRIS • DON MORRISON • TOM &
SUE MULLIGAN • MICHAEL & RHONDA NORTH • ANITA PAIGE • HAROLD &
VICKI PARKER • LORETTA PEZZIN • MOM & DAD PEZZIN • DON & NANCY
RIDDLE • MIKE & MARY JANE RODGERS • KATHY ROSHONG • PATTY
SANDERS • ED SATHER & ROSE MARIE TEEN • VALLERIE SCHOFIELD •
LARRY SKELDON & SHARON HAHN • EDDIE & OLLIE SKELDON • BOB & NANCY
STEARNS • BOB, SCOTT, TIM, STEVE, KEVIN & RODNEY STEARNS •
MOM STEARNS • GRANDMA & JO TALLUTO • JIM & SHARON TALLUTO •
JULIE TALLUTO • CHRIS TANNOUS • MERRY TRAMMELL • TURTLE ROCK
FRIENDS • BILL & BESS WAGANFEALD • BOB WAGANFEALD • MORTON &
MARLENE WENDER • TERRY WELCH FAMILY • FORD WHEATLEY, IV •
DALE & ELLY WINTERQUIST • LOU ZAVAC • CAROLYN ZIMMER


The good news is that Denny Pezzin is still "somebody," as I found this listing from the October 24, 2007 edition of the Orange County Register's Night-life Calendar:

SANTA ANA
Embassy Suites Capistrano Lounge, 1325 E. Dyer Ro. Denny Pezzin (lounge, dancing), 8:30 p.m. Tue.-Sat. 714-241-3800.

I also found a recent-looking YouTube clip of Denny Pezzin performing [Lady], perhaps recorded at the Santa Ana Embassy Suites Capistrano Lounge! and I just found the [Denny Pezzin Official Website], where you can read Pezzin's bio, see lots of photos and even send him an email. If you're reading this blog entry and you happen to be Carolyn Zimmer, Chamois Conklin, a Turtle Rock Friend or one of the Stearns boys (or anyone else included in Denny's exhaustive list above), please send an email with any amusing, enlightening or hopeful Denny Pezzin anecdotes you'd like to share. And if you happen to be Denny Pezzin, please write to say hello.

UPDATE: well I just heard back from Denny Pezzin (I sent an email to tell him I found his record and to see how he's been doing). Sadly, after 16 years of performing at the Embassy Suites Capistrano Lounge, Denny will be hitting the pavement in three weeks because the hotel is getting rid of entertainment. Things are tough all over, even in Orange County, CA. Still, if the lyrics to "Up-and-Comer" are any indication, I'm sure Denny Pezzin will land on his feet and be walking tall again real soon.


Tuesday, January 13, 2009

K. Leimer

Artist: K. Leimer
LP: Imposed Order
Song: "Water Music"
[ listen ]

If you're like I am and O.D. on caffeine every morning, here's an early '80s tranquilizer to help slow you down.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Luise Rainer

If this world were fair and even, the name Luise Rainer would be as familiar to classic movie fans today (and even to the general public) as the names of great film actresses like Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis.

Born in Düsseldorf, Germany on January 12, 1910, Rainer was discovered by an MGM talent scout and brought to Hollywood where she starred with William Powell in ESCAPADE in 1935. Her next two films were THE GREAT ZIEGFELD (1936), in which she plays French entertainer Anna Held, and THE GOOD EARTH (1937) in which she plays O-Lan, a Chinese peasant farmer's long-suffering wife. Luise Rainer received back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actress for the two performances, a feat that has only been matched by one other actress—when Katharine Hepburn won the Best Actress Oscar in both 1967 and 1968.

Though Rainer begged to continue with serious and demanding roles, studio boss Louis B. Mayer ignored her pleas and she was cast in lightweight, forgettable films after her double Oscar win. Frustrated, Luise left Hollywood behind in 1938 and moved to New York with husband Clifford Odets—returning just once to star in the WWII drama HOSTAGES in 1943. Luise Rainer had been off the silver screen for 54 years when she had a comeback of sorts at the age of 87 with a spirited performance in the 1997 British production of THE GAMBLER. You can read more about Luise Rainer's life and career on Wikipedia [here]—and thanks to a tip from DonHo57 from deep in the hills of West Virginia, I found more interesting tidbits about Luise Rainer on the TMC website [here], where I also found a list of several never-released-on-video-or-DVD Luise Rainer films from 1937 and 1938 that they're showing (and I'm missing) today. [January 12, 2011 update: you can now buy three of these Luise Rainer films on DVD here!]

I'm not sure why I've suddenly become fascinated with Luise Rainer and her films, as I've seen her name on the Oscar winners' list for years and have always just half-wondered about her. But over the past two weeks I've watched THE GREAT ZIEGFELD, THE GOOD EARTH and THE GAMBLER each for the first time and can heartily recommend them all (especially THE GOOD EARTH), if only to enjoy the talent and beauty of the wonderful and sadly forgotten star Luise Rainer.

Now living in London, Rainer turns 99 years old today, so I've put this mix together as a tribute. Happy Birthday, Luise Rainer!

side one:
01. Kaikyo - Asa-Chang & Junray
02. I'm Gonna Live Till I Die - Frankie Laine
03. Tacka Vet Jag Det Som Var En Gång - Mats Olsson med Sin Kör och Orkester
04. A Time For Love - Urbie Green
05. Triste Le Ciel - Georges Schmitt
06. 99 - Toto

07. Wien Bleibt Wien - Will Glahé & His Orchestra
08. Too Old to Cut the Mustard - Marlene Dietrich w/ Rosemary Clooney

09. Il a Mal Aux Reins Tintin - Suzanne Dehelly
10. In Germany Before the War - Marianne Faithfull
11. Bulgareasca - Fanfare Ciocârlia
12. Flower Crown - Goddess In the Morning
13. Eux - Raymond Lefèvre & His Grand Orchestra
[14. Octobre - Jacqueline François]
[ listen ]

side two:
01. C'est La Vie - Léo Ferré
02. Le Tour de Monde - Céline Dion
03. Lovely Sunny Days - Démis Roussos
04. Me Esta Matando Suavemente Con Su Cancion - Juan Torres

05. Say Goodbye to Hollywood - Billy Joel
06. Dreams - Ozz
07. Claire Disco Lune - Ferrante & Teicher
08. My Lost Dream - Yim Chu Ling
09. Louise - Erroll Garner

10. Finkenwalzer - Gunter Kallmann's German Chorus w/ Orchestra and Bells

11. Quando, Quando - Max Eric Trio

12. The Honey-Wind Blows - Leon Bibb
13. In the Sweet By and By - Fred Lowery
14. Louise - The Human League
[15. Aimer Comme Je T'aime - Jacqueline
François]
[ listen ]

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Eva

Artist: Eva
LP: 7" single
Song: "Je M'en Vais"
[ listen ]

Why is it that having a heartache sounds more painful in French?

Friday, January 9, 2009

Amormio Cillan, Jr.

Artist: Amormio Cillan, Jr.
LP: Amormio Plays Philippine Folk Songs
Song: "Zamboanga"
[ listen ]

Here's a song from an album of traditional folks songs from a popular and prolific Filipino organist. I looked to Wikipedia [here] for more information on Cillan, Jr., but found nothing new since I don't know what a musikong is. Here are some notes from the back of the LP, copied exactly, so not my fault if some parts don't make sense.

From the Fifth Edition of the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:

Folk [fók], adj — of or pertaining to the folk; designating songs,
dances, etc., originated or used among the common people; as
in folk song, folk dance, folk music, etc.


Folk music is of, for, and by, the common people. It is music played
by a "rondalla" during a barrio fiesta. It is the love tune sung by a
suitor as he serenades his beloved "paraluman." Or a song of hope
warbled by the weary Central Luzon farmer as he turns to his guitar
after a day in the cane fields. Or a tender lullaby hummed by a mother
rocking her baby to sleep. Or a bright and happy "balitaw" chorused
by the barrio folks celebrating an abundant harvest
.

The many colors, faces, and moods in Philippine folklore are, alas,
fading away into oblivion, perhaps, due to the unrestricted entry of
foreign recordings into our local market, and the continuing indifference
of most of our local producers towards Filipino folk music
.

We have, therefore, complied a dozen of the most beautiful and
enduring folk airs of our country, gave each one a fresh and new
arrangement, and assigned them to the country's top YAMAHA
Organist, AMORMIO CILLAN, JR. because we believe that our own
folk songs are just as, if not more, beautiful as any other in the world.
We feel that these songs only to be nourished and constantly
cultivated to be appreciated by our people. Hence, this
creative piece of recording.


And we are quite certain the sounds inside will prove us right.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Herb Jeffries

Artist: Herb Jeffries
LP: Jamaica
Song: "Devil Is a Woman"
[ listen ]

Herb Jeffries' shadow on the cover of this "Jamaica" LP looks to me like the human-sized chicken in Charlie Chaplin's film, "The Gold Rush." What does it look like to you? Anyway, this fabulous Herb Jeffries LP is one of my favorite finds of the past few months. At age 97, Jeffries is the only surviving member of Duke Ellington's Orchestra! You can read about Herb Jeffries' incredible career [here], you can go [here] to become his friend on MySpace, where you can also check his current mood and watch lots of cool Herb Jeffries YouTube clips—including several short documentaries about his career, a short (recently made? look at her hair.) video for "Devil Is a Woman" and the one I like most, an early music video for "Flamingo" with Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. And here are some biographical notes from the back of the "Jamaica" LP; it seems everything Herb Jeffries touched instantly turned into gold!


During each era of entertainment, there are but a handful of performers,
a fabulous few who flash across the scene like a brilliant, colorful comet
to go down in the annals of showbusiness as the "all-time greats." From
our era, he is one of those select few...one of the most exciting,
incomparable entertainers today, HERB JEFFRIES
.

Little did he dream when he set his sights on a singing career at
sixteen that one day he would be acclaimed throughout the world
as "THE SINGER'S SINGER," probably the highest compliment his
trade could pay him. Making his professional bow in Detroit with
local orchestras, Herb worked especially hard to polish his performance
and to gain the necessary confidence before he headed Chicago-way
for an engagement at The Grand Terrace which turned out to be
his "discovery" and the actual launching of his career. The sensational
singing style of young Jeffries won him a recording contract, the result
of which was the recording of a song that has become synonymous
with Herb Jeffries. "FLAMINGO" was the song that "made" the
singer...and coincidentally, in this case, Herb was the singer who
"made" the song, now a popular standard. With his new record fame
came the inevitable tour all recording stars must make to keep their
hits riding high, so aboard the wings of "Flamingo," Herb
went on his
first tour which took him to Europe and which opened new vistas
career-wise. With a flair for a franc, "businessman" Jeffries opened
his own night club in Paris and the spot swiftly became the talk of
the continent. The word about the going-on at his Parisian plusher
y
soon spread back to the states where LIFE magazine got wind of it
and dispatched writers and photographers to the scene to do a
complete spread on the life story of Herb Jeffries, his career and
his almost-overnight success story.


After deciding to sell the Paris club, he returned to the U.S. to
record an album titled "Magenta Moods" which was given LOOK
magazine's "Album of the Year" award. Apparently, Uncle Sam was
also a fan of Jeffries and had been keeping a watchful eye on his rise
to fame and popularity because Herb was tapped to head an entertainment
unit for the Armed Forces overseas. He'd ha
rdly finished unpacking from
his European return when he was off again to perform for the Forces in
the Atlantic and pacific areas. Herb's untiring efforts in bringing
entertainment to combat-weary troops of Korea made him recipient
of the Department of Defense Award for Outstanding Activity of
Entertainment to the Armed Forces
.

Badly in need of a much-earned rest, Herb completed his 'round-the-
globe tour and returned to Paris to open another club, equally if not
more successful than the first one, with jam-packed houses nightly.
Rested, relaxed and ready to get on-the-go again, he put on his
travelin' shoes for a concert tour of Europe, singing for Kings and
Khans across the continent and adding another title-laurel to his
list, "The International Set Singer." By this time, tempting offers
from the U.S. were pouring in urging the sensation of the Continent
to return for a string of engagements and once again, Herb came
back home, opening at the world-famed Crescendo on Hollywood's
Sunset Strip where he broke al
l house records night after night.
Next stop, Las Vegas, and a two-week engagement at the Royal
Nevada Hotel that mushroomed into a ten-week stint plus a
return-engagement contract to star in one of Vegas'
fabulous musical productions
.

Though constantly performing, Herb kept his "business" office open
with the purchase of an interest in a recording company and the
masters of a now defunct record company. His firm's first releases
were given top ratings by the trade papers and magazines while at
the same time, still adding award upon award, he was selected as one
of the top singers of the year in the DOWN BEAT and METRONOME
polls, marking Herb Jeffries one of the nation's top recording artists
.

Up to this point, this has been more or less a thumbnail sketch of
Herb, the singer, but his story wouldn't be complete without at least
mentioning a few more of the multi-talents of the artist. In th
is
album, you are introduced to composer-lyricist Jeffries, and with
your initial listening to this collection, you'll rate Herb in the top ranks
of today's songwriters. Here, too, you meet Mr. Jeffries, patron of
the arts, who, with what little spare time he has away from his career,
spends off-hours painting and doing sculpture. Then, just to make
certain that time doesn't hang heavy on his hands, with his pilot's
license, he can hop in his plane for a quick cross-country, enter a
race with his sports car (in which he won many cups), or don swimsuit
to go aqua-planing (which also has added several trophies to his
mantelpiece). On the Continent, he is considered an outstanding
mountain climber...and now (just to keep himself "occupied"), Herb
is busy writing his autobiography which will be titled "Hot and
Cold and Back Again."


With
a number of motion pictures already to his credit, "actor" Jeffries'
latest is "CALYPSO JOE" from which this collection of his own
compositions has been taken. Here is the exciting HERB JEFFRIES
in a rare combination of his singing-songwriting techniques,
performed as only "The Singers' Singer" can!

--Notes by Larry Meeks

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Louise Mandrell

Artist: Louise Mandrell
LP: 7" single
Song: "Too Hot to Sleep"
[ listen ]

I chose this one because we're experiencing a warm spell in Seattle and the heater in my bedroom was turned up way too high last night. Wendy Heether, my "girlfriend" at West Valley Jr. High School many years ago, gave me this record since she was a huge Louise Mandrell fanatic. I probably didn't thank her properly at the time, so if you're reading this Wendy, thanks!

[ Wendy Heether ]

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Billy Joel

Artist: Billy Joel
LP: 7" single
Song: "Don't Ask Me Why"
[ listen ]

Why do I have this in my collection?

Monday, January 5, 2009

The Universal Robot Band

Artist: The Universal Robot Band
LP: Freak In the Light of the Moon
Song: "Disco Trek (Star Trek Theme)"
[ listen ]

As we venture into the year 2009, it occurs to me that each and every one of us is boldly going where no-one has gone before!