Roland Shaw and His Orchestra

Artist: Roland Shaw and His Orchestra

LP: The Return of James Bond — In "Diamonds Are Forever"...and Other Secret Agent Themes

Song: "Diamonds Are Forever"

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I grew up watching the '60s and '70s James Bond films on TV. Even when I was a kiddo I loved the films' theme songs and the sensual opening credits sequences. Roland Shaw must have loved them too, since he was rather prolific when it came to releasing James Bond movie music records in the 1960s and early '70s. I picked up this two-LP collection a few years ago at Daybreak Records (according to the price sticker anyway; my memory is shot) but until this evening I hadn't opened the album (or had I?) to reveal, not only its full gate-fold centerpiece glory, but also a signed head-shot of Sean Connery somebody stuck inside my copy! (You know, the marketing team might have put one of these in every copy of this record when it came out back in 1971. Who knows.) (But still...)

[ Sean Connery Is Forever ]

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is notable for marking Connery's return to the screen as British Secret Agent 007 after model George Lazenby took on the role for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, released in 1969. I think most 007 aficionados would agree that DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER has one of the most riveting theme songs of any in the Bond franchise (sung, of course, by the legendary Shirley Bassey...it also happens to be one of my own karaoke greatest hits!) Likewise, I don't think anyone could argue over the fact that the film has one of the most dynamite 007 posters of any ever made. And though DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is certainly of interest for featuring an early appearance in cinema of a gay male couple (as a pair of villains...played mostly for laughs, unfortunately and of course), I'm fairly certain Bond fans and critics alike would solemnly nod in agreement when I say... This film stinks.

I don't need love...

For what good would love do me?

Diamonds never lie to me.

And, when love's gone... 

They luster on!

[ Roland Shaw: May 26, 1920 — May 11, 2012 ]

Marty Wilson and His Orchestra

Artist: Marty Wilson and His Orchestra

LP: Jun'gala

Song: "Misty Poo"
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Song: "Manteca"
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Here's some steaming hot jun'gala music for a cold and dreary Sunday afternoon. (Who would have guessed that "Misty Poo" could be so appealing?) In spite of Marty wearing multiple hats during the making of this record (arranger, conductor, composer, musician—he plays the flute) I wasn't able to find any online info about the fellow, nor locate a single photo of him wearing a hat...except maybe this one. Marty, is that you? There's a gushing track-by-track review of Marty and His Orchestra's 1959 "Jun'gala" LP on the Ambient Exotica website here. 

The Three Suns

Artist: The Three Suns

LP: The Sounds of Christmas

Song: "Jingle Bells"

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Song: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

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Song: "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
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Not only does this 1957 Christmas album from The Three Suns have a terrific old-timey cover and contain lovely old-timey instrumental holiday music that fills the soul with cheer or whatever, but the liner notes contain a rundown on the history of a host of popular carols, both secular and spiritual alike! According to Wikipedia, The Three Suns was First Lady Mamie Eisenhower's favorite band.

[ The Three Suns ]

Ricardo Santos and His Orchestra

Artist: Ricardo Santos and His Orchestra

LP: 7" single

Song: "Song of the Pearlfisher"
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It's Gay Pride weekend! In other news, here's a lovely instrumental tango (with ethereal mermaid vocals) that you can let wash over you on this overheated Seattle Saturday afternoon. The track, from 1957, is performed by the prolific and mysterious Ricardo Santos and His Orchestra. There are plenty of Ricardo Santoses on the internet—like this one and this one and this one and this one and this one—but it's impossible to tell which one of them has, or at some point in the past has had, an orchestra. I'm putting my money on this one. 

Max Pillar and His Orchestra feat. Sally King

Artist: Max Pillar and His Orchestra feat. Sally King

LP: Where Dreams Come True

Song: "They Don't Care"
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Did you know that the Seattle Space Needle is where dreams come true? They probably come true in the fancy and expensive circular restaurant up there at the top. The entire restaurant rotates a full 360° every 30 seconds or something, so that people will have a panoramic view of the city while they eat their dinner. So if that's your dream, it comes true!

The trouble is, the cover of this 1961 LP by Seattle legend Max Pillar sticks the Space Needle somewhere over in West Seattle instead of at the site of the 1962 World's Fair. It looks like it's right where Salty's is supposed to be. So if you've ever wanted the West Seattle Salty's to be displaced by the Space Needle, well then that dream comes true too. Vocals on two album tracks, including "They Don't Care," are nicely handled by big band singer Sally King, who just passed away last August. Her obituary, with lots of biographical information and some neat photos from her career, can be found here. 

You can go here to read the briefest biography of Max Pillar, go here to read the Seattle Times obituary for Mary Pillar, Max's wife of 38 years, and there's a neat article here from 1993 about the closing of Parker's Ballroom on Aurora, where Max Pillar and His Orchestra used to play regular gigs. Parker's opened in 1930 and was a Seattle music hot spot for decades, but in 1993 it got turned into a sports bar—a sports bar where dreams come true.

 [ Max Pillar: 1913 — 2002 ]

Guido & Maurizio

Artist: Guido & Maurizio

LP: Welcome!

Song: "Verde"
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Song: "Goodbye My Friend"
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Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, whose film THE SALESMAN has just been nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, has decided not to attend the awards ceremony in Hollywood this year. He'd initially planned to be there, but after Friday's executive order banning travel to the USA from seven Muslim-majority countries, Farhadi regretfully announced, "I have decided to not attend the Academy Awards Ceremony alongside my fellow members of the cinematic community...the possibility of (my) presence is being accompanied by ifs and buts which are in no way acceptable to me, even if exceptions were to be made for my trip." 

He continued, "To humiliate one nation with the pretext of guarding the security of another is not a new phenomenon in history and has always laid the groundwork for the creation of future divide and enmity. I hereby express my condemnation of the unjust conditions forced upon some of my compatriots and the citizens of the other six countries trying to legally enter the United States of America and hope that the current situation will not give rise to further divide between nations."

That sucks. Asghar Farhadi's A SEPARATION won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of 2011, and he's one of the most exciting filmmakers working today.

Speaking of films, brothers Guido & Maurizio De Angelis made music for lots of them, mostly the ones from Italy. They also made pop songs with vocals, but those were released under the name Oliver Onions.

Fontanna and His Orchestra

Artist: Fontanna and His Orchestra

LP: Music For Expectant Fathers

Song: "Sweet and Lovely"
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Here's one that my friends John and Aine gave me as a Christmas gift three days ago. They were just about to have a baby, and I helped! Funny thing is, I haven't even gotten through both sides of the LP yet, and now it's already démodé. Darla Helen O'Connor was born just a few hours ago! I'm pretty sure she's actually Debbie Reynolds reincarnated. When I meet her tomorrow I'm going to perform "Singin' In the Rain," complete with rotating hand motions. I bet she's gonna' light up like a light bulb—she may even sing along!

I don't actually recommend listening to "Sweet and Lovely," unless you're an expectant father who's so overly-enthusiastic about your forthcoming baby, you need a strong dose of relentlessly nondescript blandness to bring you back down to earth. Any one of Fontanna's selections should do the trick.

Hugo Blanco y su Conjunto

Artist: Hugo Blanco y su Conjunto

LP: Bailables No. 9: Agua Fresca
Song: "Agua Fresca"
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Song: "Oro Cochano"
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This isn't the first time I've posted music by Venezuelan harpie Hugo Blanco on my blog—see here and here—but it is the first time he's appeared on here since he died in the summer of 2015. RIP, Hugo Blanco. If anyone deserves to go on plucking and strumming their harp amongst the clouds for all eternity, it is you. Hugo released lots of Bailableses during his time here on Earth. "Agua Fresca," aka. "Bailables No. 9," came out in 1972. Find Hugo's full Palacio Records discography here.

The three things I'm going to remember most about Ithaca, NY and their local record store, Angry Mom Records, are these: 1.) Due to some big festival ("Apple Harvest" or something) there wasn't one single motel room available in the entire city the night I pulled into town—except one. And that one was listed at $77 on the internet, but the price was suddenly jacked up to $149 when I gave them a call on my quickly-dying cell phone. Why on earth would I spend $149 on a used bedroom when that same $149 could go toward the purchase of used Venezuelan disco-harp records instead? I slept in my car. 2.) There's no place I'd rather have coffee and breakfast after sleeping in my car than at The State Diner on State Street. 3.) Apple Harvest Fest is weird, and the people of Itlaca love donuts. They will line up for hours. For a donut. 

4.) People in Ithaca are simply wild about their local acapella choirs. 5.) It's hard to find a public restroom in Ithaca at night. 6.) Angry Mom Records has an amazing selection of records—especially in their 'World' and 'Soul-Funk-R&B' bins—and at really good prices too. I ended up buying 25 records here. 7.) The 'guy' employees at Angry Mom Records will not talk to customers. They aren't mean or anything, just mute. Questions are answered with a series of gestures or with actions instead of words. Upon inquiring if it would be alright for me to charge my cell phone somewhere in the store while I shopped, the guys took my cell phone and charger from me and plugged it in behind the counter...but without uttering a word. They were the friendliest, most accommodating store clerks with absolutely no customer service skills that I've ever met.

[ Hugo Blanco: September 25, 1940 — June 14, 2015 ]

[ Angry Mom Records — Ithaca, NY ]