Z

Artist: Z (aka. Mort Garson)

LP: Music For Sensuous Lovers
Song: "Climax One"

[ listen ]

Here's something titillating I picked up at Daybreak Records on my way home from work this evening. I've been playing some of my mp3s at work before the day gets started, but I guess I should probably skip this one. 

Prolific composer Mort Garson certainly does create a sensuous and erotic moog with this experimental electronic record full of ladies' moans, groans, whimpers and sighs. Released under the name "Z," the record features a cover that's basically the equivalent of the brown paper bag adult magazines were mailed in back in the 1980s and '90s...uh, from what I've been reading in history books, I mean. 

I was hoping side two would be "the man side," but no such luck. This was recorded back in 1971, when straight men couldn't utter any sound at all during sex without risk of seeming silly. 

[ Mort Garson: July 20, 1924 - January 4, 2008 ]

The Moog Machine

Artist: The Moog Machine

LP: Christmas Becomes Electric

Song: "O Holy Night" 
[ listen ]

If this 1969 "Christmas Becomes Electric" LP doesn't put you in the holiday moog, then nothing will. You can read more about the moog synthesizer on Wikipedia here and go here to read more about the man behind the keys.

 [ Moogmaster Kenny Ascher ]

Les Baxter

Artist: Les Baxter

LP: Moog Rock: Greatest Classical Hits

Song: "Chopin: Etude in E"

[ listen ]

Listed on the LP as "Chopin: Prelude in E," this popular piece by the famous Polish composer is actually one of his etudes. I was looking forward to hearing how Les would handle the song's difficult middle section on the Moog—but he had no problem with it at all. He just skipped it entirely! Les Baxter is one of my favorite musicians, not only for his wonderful music, but also because he's one of those artists who, just when you think you've surely seen all of his LPs in various dollar bins and at thrift stores, you suddenly come across a dozen more! As Les himself once said about his career, "I never turn anything down." You can read more about Les Baxter and see his discography here, and find the liner notes from his 1968 "Moog Rock" LP here:

 [ Les Baxter: March 14, 1922 — January 15, 1996 ]