Teasing the Korean

What I've always found interesting about Esquivel's music is that he's from Mexico, yet his music distills that whole postwar American futuristic optimism vibe more perfectly than any of his US contemporaries.

Kovacs used "Sentimental Journey," which was included on the "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music" compilation on Bar None. When the first Esquivel reissues were being discussed in the early 90s, RCA had ZERO interest in releasing them, which was why they were released by Bar None. That first compilation ended up selling WAY MORE copies than the indie-pop crap that RCA was peddling at the time.

I think Picasso said that taste was the enemy of creativity!

Actually, I got the title wrong: Fever, Smoke and Fire. Don't know about the King Curtis.

Actually, most mood music LPs from that era DID NOT sell well, and the labels knew they wouldn't from the get go. The labels had to quickly create hi fi catalogs, and then stereo catalogs a few years later. The hope was for the records to break even, and if they made a few bucks, all the better. They were making their money off of hit singles and blockbuster LPs like "West Side Story."

k thnx bai

Exactly.

If you don't already have it, try to find their "Smoke and Fire" album on RCA, just as good if not better.

Our beloved chewy brought up Esquivel in the vinyl forum, and asked if anyone else here digs him. I do, and I STILL need to find the album with him and the telescope on the cover. I have most of the other ones. Thoughts?

In the fine print, it says on the jacket Manufactured by Capitol Records. There's no Van Gelder stamp on the vinyl. The record sounds terrific anyway. capitol rekkid club.

I have "Composer of Desafinado" and it's more full sounding in mono. Most of the Verve jazz/pop stuff from that period sounds better in mono. Sgt. Pepper - and for that matter all 60s pop/rock up to about 1968 or so - is WAY better in mono. Over the years, I have upgraded my jazz, pop, and rock albums with mono versions as I've come across them. I have rarely regretted unloading a stereo for a mono. Also: If you do vinyl, be sure to play mono records with the mono switch engaged. It cuts down on surface noise and groove distortion.

I really like the stuff with Michel Legrand, but the jazz purists among us probably wouldn't like these.

Merv.

The one that reproduces original cover art. Until then, I will not patronize these frauds.

Seeline, I think you're mixing up "Top Percussion" with "Tambo." The former is a drum album. The latter is BRILLIANT.

You HAVE TO HEAR Tambo! It's KILLER!

I have lots of stuff by both of them. Which do you consider their best stuff? I'm sure I'm missing key albums. EDIT: Did TR ever do anything as great as TP's Tambo on RCA, circa 1960? That album is AMAZING!!!

I've never heard anything by Tito R as "bad" as Tito P at his most ordinary, but I've also never heard anything by Tito R as great as Tito P at his best. That's my experience, at least. They both recorded a zillion albums.

Just received the Naxos release. It's great to hear the full-length work, but there are some issues with the tempo in places. And while the close-mic technique is nice for detail in the quiet passages, it lacks the depth and mystery that you hear in the suite on the aforementioned Everest LP. Still, if you're into post-Rite of Spring moderne primitivism, you'll dig this.

http://www.myspace.com/harbingerburgundy/

Coincidentally, I spun the mono LP a few nights ago. It sounds great. I'm sure the mono version isn't in the box set.

As someone who has done what you're attempting, I can tell you that the most important piece of advice has been left out: Invest in extra band-aids and triple antibiotic ointment.

Watched the opening ceremony. Could care less about the athletics.

The aforementioned Warhol Daphis et Chloe (Warhol did the booklet illustrations):

Interesting to see all these tunes listed in one place. Kind of makes a compelling counter-argument against the popular "rock killed jazz" cliche.