Teasing the Korean

The first couple of Arthur Lyman Albums, Taboo and Bwana A are probably the best. "Yellow Bird" was his big hit stateside. Lyman plays on the first two MD albums, Exotica (the mono version) and Exotica 2. The stereo version of Exotica was a re-record done after Lyman's departure.

Lalo Schifrin did it on "Black Widow" also. Arthur Lyman started out in Martin Denny's band. His albums are alright, but generally lacking the punch and interesting arrangements that Denny employed.

Moonlight on the Ganges predates any of the examples cited above.

By the time of "A Taste of Honey," MD's records were studio projects with his name slapped on the covers. MD and his group play on the dozen or so albums that predate ATOH. These are the ones that defined the sound of exotica, along with (of course) the exotica albums by The Great Les Baxter.

I got this DVD for my wife for Christmas. It's really great - All the surviving Tim Buckley footage mastered from the best sources, along with interviews with Larry Beckett, Lee Underwood, and others. The songs are all presented in their entirety, not excerpts. Highly recommended for fans of Tim.

As a bossa nova fan, I'm in no hurry to dig through your LP collection...

Alakazam The Great OST - The Great Les Baxter - Vee Jay mono

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Rankin Bass TV soundtrack - Decca mono The CD of this is one of the most horribly mastered CDs I've ever heard. The vinyl sounds much better. Various - Christmas Gift 'Rap - Motown stereo Xmas comp, pre-Jackson 5ive.

Miles 60s group box set Billie Holiday Verve box set and The Banana Splits/Beagles twofer CD.

Steve & Eydie - That Holiday Feeling - Columbia stereo

Ramsey Lewis - More Sounds of Christmas - Cadet mono

Never was a huge fan, despite the fact that I'd accumulated an awful lot of his vinyl over the years. A favorite has always been the Verve album with Milt Jackson.

Sad, isn't it?

Johnny Mathis - The Sounds of Christmas - Mercury mono His harder to find second Xmas album from the early 60s, with more obscure tunes such as "Have Reindeer Will Travel."

Thanks for the warning. I too would prefer the Airto & Flora lineup.

Anyone hear Herbie on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me?"

Jo Stafford June Christy Vince Guaraldi Three Volumes of Ultra Lounge Phil Spector Jimmy Smith Kenny Burrell Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Lewis, Volume II Jingle Bell Jazz A&M Something Festive Frank Columbia Frank Capitol Frank Reprise Dean Capitol Ella Fitzgerald SWITCHED ON SANTA Swingle Singers Anita Kerr Singers Steve & Edie Even Johnny Mathis... Also: Duke Nutcracker Chipmunks Volume 1 Chipmunks Volume 2 Oh, yeah, and aforementioned Tony Bennett

Something Festive - A&M Holiday Collection With Burt Bacharach, Claudine Longet, Brasil '66, etc. This is like walking into a late 60s/early 70s December issue of Playboy.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST YOUR HI-FI. WE CONTROL THE TREBLE. WE CONTROL THE BASS.

Here are the details: Happy Holidays - Jo Stafford - Vocalion VL 73856 (enhanced stereo) Winter Weather Winter Wonderland Sleigh Ride Let it Snow The Christmas Song Night Before Xmas Toyland O Come Emmanuel Oh Little Town of Bethlehem Silent Night Tracks are mildly rechanneled with mild reverb. Also, it does not have the celeste segues on the Columbia Happy Holidays album.

Most of the tracks on this album are from "Happy Holiday," and I think a few are from "Ski Trails," both on Columbia.

With this album you can actually experience the concept of stimulus progression. We have programmed six selections on each side for purposes of demonstration. Move the needle of your record player from one selection to the other. Listen a few seconds to each. Feel the change in mood as the stimulation increases from the first selection to the last. The effect is both psychological and physiological: proof that MUZAK is more than music.

I always thought this was a Decca subsidiary/budget label. However, I found a Jo Stafford LP on Vocalion consisting of tracks from the Columbia vaults. What's the story?

THE MUZAK BOARD OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS MUZAK has undergone a striking metamorphosis since its pioneering days in developing concepts of environmental music. Today, as specialists in the physiological and psychological applications of music, MUZAK is concerned with developments in vigilance and human factors research, automobile driver safety, medical and dental studies, noise control, the influence of color and music on emotions and of course, the effects of scientifically planned music on work productivity and efficiency, among others. Professional guidance is provided by the MUZAK Board of Scientific Advisors which consists of distinguished professionals in the field of education, industrial engineering, medicine, psychology and human factors. Under the guidance of the Board, MUZAK aims to make dramatic contributions to the business community through new discoveries in the scientific applications of music.

MUZAK: A Tool of Management Unlike ordinary music or so-called background music, MUZAK is a non-entertainment medium, employing rhythm, tempo, instrumentation, etc. , to scientifically determined specifications. Different types of arrangements and selections are planned for different times of the day to achieve predetermined effects. In work situations, independent studies have documented the effectiveness of MUZAK programs in improving employee attitude, efficiency and productivity. In commercial applications, special MUZAK programs are employed to create environmental conditions conducive to improved customer relations and profits.