Teasing the Korean

The Fajardo album with the tikis is Danzones Completos Vol. 2, on Puchito, MLP-569.

This is the time of year when I transition from drinking Old Fashioneds to classic rum cocktails. And with this shift in cocktails comes a shift in musical preferences: For this is the time of year when I bust out the Latin jazz and exotica albums. Within and around these categories, I have accumulated over the decades a great many drum albums - African, Afro-Cuban jazz, exotica, and various hybrids. I truly love most of these albums. They produce an effect similar to that created by my favorite genres of electronica, lulling me into a near-hypnotic state that is subtly broken along the way with variations and surprises. So each year this time, with rum cocktail in hand, I make my way through the LP and CD shelves to play each of these drum albums at least once. And each year, I come across the Art Blakey drum albums - namely Orgy in Rhythm Vols. 1 & 2, Holiday for Skins Vols. 1 & 2, and (to a lesser degree) The African Beat. I remember each year thinking to myself, "I did not like these so much last year, but can't remember why. Something must have been wrong with me." And each year, I play them again, to find myself once again disappointed. Well, no more. I am writing down for posterity everything I don't like about these albums here, for handy reference next year. And I would be interested in receiving input from my Organissimo friends as to what I may be missing. I fully recognize that my "problems" with these albums may have less to do with the music intrinsically than with my expectations of what a drum album should be. I will listen to these albums over the weekend, and post my impressions.

This is the time of year when I transition from drinking Old Fashioneds to rum cocktails. And with this shift in cocktail choices, I start to drag out the Latin jazz and exotica albums. A lot of my older Afro-Cuban records include an instrument that a gringo such as I would assume is an acoustic 12-string guitar. In fact, what I am probably hearing on these records is the instrument known as the Cuban Laud. I have seen these only in pictures. I have never attended a gig where one was used, let alone played in a combo that featured one. So tell me what you know - facts, impressions, and rumors are all welcome. This thread is intended as your convenient one-stop shop for all things related to the Cuban Laud.

How about the Fajardo album with the giant tiki on the cover?

Or just go on a diet! Says Oddjob!

Yes, my brother has the LP version.

There doesn't seem to be a thread about this recent-ish box set, consisting of five classic Cuban jam session albums recorded for the Panart label.

Late to the party. I have listened to this a few times today - the one-disc, 47-minute version. I have most or all of the classic Coltrane Quartet albums, and this seems like a very solid, if not exactly earth-shattering, addition to the catalog. The 11-minute blues doesn't do much for me. Was this a warm-up? If you get rid of it, you end up with a 35- or 36-minute album, with two 18-minute sides, ideal for LP length. Very worthwhile.

I assume you guys mean "contemporary" classical and not "modern" classical.

It would be a four-way, if you included the guitar.

The Dells had one of the longest stable lineups of any group ever. Four of the five were there from the early 1950s until 2012. The new guy joined around 1960. Love the Dells.

So many sad things that I didn't know about. Her son Terry Melcher said that the nicest thing his dad ever did for Doris was dying in 1968.

Ha ha! I hope you didn't get any body fluids on your guitar.

OK, I did not realize this. I can't see the images you posted. Was this released on an LP and never reissued on CD?

To my knowledge, the Gil Melle scores that have been released are The Andromeda Strain, The Organization, and Borderline. I'll keep my ears open for Waterbirds.

I'm talking about the Disney True Life Adventures films, with scores by Thee Great Paul Smith. I would love a CD set with all of these scores, but Disney is a bitch when it comes to licensing.

Disney is very problematic.

The movie may be better than the score, for all I know. I've watched the film, but have not had the luxury of listening to the score on its own. I'll let you know when I receive my copy.

There is no direct correlation between the quality of the film and the quality of the score! That said, the movie ain't bad for what it is - Halloween exploitation fun!

There may be, but if you snag one for $5 in two years, it may be worth it!

It will probably be available from Screen Archives Entertainment and Dusty Groove. The prices will likely be similar, but the shipping may vary by a few dollars. If this is a slow seller, you may be able to buy it in a year or two for $10 or even $5 if they are trying create shelf space. On the other hand, it could sell out quickly, and then you're stuck with second-hand copies for $100. It's like playing the stock market. Just thought folks here would want to know, either way.

La-La Land Records and Universal Studios proudly present the fourth title in the acclaimed Universal Pictures Film Music Heritage Collection -- the world premiere official release of the original motion picture score to the big-screen 1977 horror chiller, THE SENTINEL, starring Chris Sarandon, Cristina Raines, Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith and Martin Balsam, and directed by Michael Winner. Never before officially available in any format, renowned composer Gil Mellé’s chilling music is an expertly experimental mix of large orchestra and electronics that has earned its place as one of the great ’70s genre scores. Unnerving and horrific, tragic, yet somehow beautiful, Mellé’s work deepens the film with astounding dimensionality. Produced, mixed and mastered by Mike Matessino from multi-track studio vault elements, this special release is limited to 3000 units, includes bonus source and musical effects cues, and features exclusive, in-depth liner notes by writers Jeff Bond and James Phillips, with sharp art design by Dan Goldwasser. https://lalalandrecords.com/sentinel-the-limited-edition/

I had forgotten that her son Terry Melcher died several years back. Love Doris's Duets album. That Latin album has eluded me.

My point is that world does not exist anymore, regardless of how much we want it to, and regardless of who is playing jazz now. I was acknowledging that Chris had some connection to that vanished world. That is not a criticism of contemporary jazz artists. It is simply a fact.

I love this! She also scats on a track called "June Christy," which is impossible to find on Youtube, because every track with Stan Kenton and June Christy surfaces.