Monty Python - Another Monty Python Record

Mr Snookles is Up, Up and Away for the next two weeks, so no posts for a while. But dry your tears, gentle reader, and be uplifted by the pure absurdity of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Ah yes, sit back in your comfy chair, unchain the spam, watch out for the rotating knives, and have a good old chuckle at some classic Pythonesque Humour.

01 - Monty Python - Side A
02 - Monty Python - Side B

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Another Monty Python Record

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Another Monty Python Record

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Eric Coates - London Suite

We are delving into the world of the light classics today, with a post from the father of British light classical music Eric Coates.

What is Light Music? It is pleasant melodic music, less demanding of the listener and easier on the ear. It does not try to make any profound statements or push boundaries but is content simply to entertain, like the waltzes and polkas of the Strauss family. (from mFiles)

Most popular of Coates' pieces was the London Suite (1933). The last movement of this, "Knightsbridge", was used by the BBC to introduce their radio programme In Town Tonight. (Wikipedia)

01 - London Suite Pt 1 - Covent Garden
02 - London Suite Pt 2 - Westminster
03 - London Suite Pt 3 - Knigtsbridge
04 - Sleepy Lagoon
05 - London Bridge
06 - London Again Suite Pt 1 - Oxford Street
07 - London Again Suite Pt 2 - Langham Place
08 - London Again Suite Pt 3 - Mayfair
09 - Footlights

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Eric Coates - London Suite

Mr Snookles

Ena Baga - Happy Hammond Plays Bacharach and Beatles

More Hammond goodness today...

Born Rosina Baga in 1906, Ena started her musical career as an movie-house organist in the golden age of silent movies. In 1932 she was invited to Balmoral, where she improvised music for Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush for George V and Queen Mary.

In the 1960s, Baga played a Hammond organ at Joe Lyons's corner house on Tottenham Court Road, and later at the Jolly Blacksmith at Fulwell. Baga updated her repertoire to suit the 1960s, and the new Hammond electric organ, performing tunes such as Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. She once she gave Oscar Peterson a masterclass on how play for silent film scenes. (thanks Wikipedia)

In this two-album set you can hear her background as a theatre organist. Lacking the finesse of Klaus Wunderlich on the keys, she brings a robust enthusiasm and forcefulness that defines her style.

01 - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
02 - With A Little Help From My Friends
03 - Here There and Everywhere
04 - Can't Buy Me Love
05 - World Without Love
06 - From Me To You
07 - Hey Jude
08 - Hard Day's Night
09 - Eleanor Rigby
10 - Michelle
11 - Yesterday
12 - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
13 - This Guy's In Love With You
14 - Anyone Who Had A Heart
15 - Wives And Lovers
16 - The Look Of Love
17 - Do You Know The Way To San Jose
18 - I Say A Little Prayer
19 - Close To You
20 - Always Something There To Remind Me
21 - Trains And Boats And Planes
22 - I'll Never Fall In Love Again
23 - I'm A Better Man

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Ena Baga - Happy Hammond pt 1
Ena Baga - Happy Hammond pt 2

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Ena Baga - Happy Hammond

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p.s. Ena Baga was also referred to in the Goon Show episode "The Mighty Wurlitzer"

Grytpype: Neddie, Neddie, we've heard you play the organ and we don't think you have it.

Seagoon: Rubbish. Next to Reg Dixon I'm the greatest player in the world.

Moriarty: Nonsense, Ena Baga could play better than you.

Seagoon: I'd like to hear Ena Baga try it.

Moriarty: Little tone-deaf lad, I am an authority on organ playing. You haven't a hope in the world of becoming a great player.

Seagoon: What! (Sobs) Oh, what a terrible turribule shock, ten years I've studied organ playing in the Sahara and now... failure... and sunburn... I ask you... what can I do with my fifty-ton brass-bound organ?

Grytpype: May I make a suggestion?

Seagoon: (suspicious) What?

... to find out what Neddy Seagoon does with his fifty-ton brass-bound organ click here.

Tommy Dorsey - Tea For Two Cha Chas

After Tommy Dorsey's untimely death at age 51, trombonist Warren Covington assumed leadership of the band with, presumably, Jane Dorsey's blessing (she owned the rights to her late husband's band and name) and it produced, ironically enough, the biggest selling hit record ever released under the Dorsey name. Billed as the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Starring Warren Covington, they topped the charts in 1958 with Tea For Two Cha-Cha. Covington led the Dorsey band through to 1970. (Thanks to Wikipedia)

01 - Tea For Two
02 - Por Favor
03 - Patricia
04 - I Still Get Jealous
05 - Corazon De Melon
06 - Dardanella
07 - Rico Vacilon
08 - I Want To Be Happy
09 - Together 123
10 - Trumpet Cha Cha Cha
11 - Dinah
12 - Cha Cha For Gia

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Tommy Dorsey - Tea For Two Cha Chas

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Tommy Dorsey - Tea For Two Cha Chas

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Don Harper - Library Music

Double post today featuring the music of Don Harper. He wrote theme and background music for many programmes produced by BBC TV, including Dr Who, Champion House, Sexton Blake, Devil in the Fog, and The Inside Man. He held the position of Music Director for London Weekend Television's popular World of Sport and wrote all the music for this series for fifteen years. For more info see The Australian Music Centre.

Don Harper also had the rare distinction of lecturing in Jazz Studies at Wollongong University when Mr Snookles was a student there studying Musical Composition way back in the 1980's. It's nice to know one of us had a successful musical career!

Don Harper - New Decade

01 - World Arena
02 - New Decade
03 - Counterstrike
04 - Action Unknown
05 - Funky Fiddles
06 - Undercover Man
07 - Sun, Sea and Air
08 - Coming Up trumpets
09 - Theme For A Stranger Pt 1
10 - Theme For A Stranger Pt 2
11 - Theme For A Stranger Pt 3
12 - Theme For A Stranger Dramatic Link 1
13 - Theme For A Stranger Dramatic Link 2
14 - Theme For A Stranger Dramatic Link 3
15 - Fast Moving Stranger
16 - Sinister Stranger
17 - Happy Stranger
18 - Troubled Mind - Torment
19 - Troubled Mind - Ferment
20 - Psychosis
21 - Twisted Mind
22 - Aunty's Army
23 - Moving Shadows
24 - Dark Earth Pt 1
25 - Dark Earth Pt 2
02 - Dark Earth Sting No. 1
02 - Dark Earth Sting No. 2

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Don Harper - New Decade
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Don Harper - New Decade


Don Harper - Impress

01 - Game Set and Match
02 - Success Story
03 - Success Story Fanfare
04 - Centre Point
05 - Man Of Ideas
06 - On Three Fours
07 - Five Times Table
08 - Voice Of Time
09 - Secret Vanguard
10 - Toy Fair
11 - Wheels Within Wheels
12 - Changing Values
13 - Object Exercise

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Don Harper - Impress
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Don Harper - Impress

Mr Snookles

Xavier Cugat - Cugat In Spain

According to the liner notes from my last Cugat post he was originally from Barcelona, but the liner notes off this album state he was from the small town of Girona (misspelled Gerona on the album cover). Wherever he comes from, his cha cha beats have provided (and continue to provide) entertainment for thousands of people.

Xavier brings his distinctive Latin stylings to the music of his native Spain in this outing. The paso dobles, gypsy airs and Spanish classical tunes are all overlayed with that distinctive Cugie cha cha feel.

01 - El Beso
02 - Valencia
03 - El Relicario
04 - Tres Veses Guapa
05 - Playera
06 - Malaguena
07 - Clavelitos
08 - Madrid
09 - Ritual Fire Dance
10 - El Gato Montes
11 - Granada
12 - La Violetera

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Xavier Cugat - Cugat In Spain

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Xavier Cugat - Cugat In Spain

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Bert Kaempfert - Swingin' Safari

I know some of you will have this famous Bert Kaempfert album, but the copy I downloaded from the Internet was pretty poor quality, so when I had the chance to make a rip of a high quality vinyl, I jumped at it. And, having ripped it. what could be more natural than to share it with the loyal readers of this blog? So here it is, Bert's masterpiece, delivered to you with that inimitable Mr Snookles quality.

01 - A Swingin' Safari
02 - That Happy Feeling
03 - Market Day
04 - Take Me
05 - Similau
06 - Zambesi
07 - Africaan Beat
08 - Happy Trumpeter
09 - Tootie Flutie
10 - Wimoweh
11 - Black Beauty
12 - Skokian

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Bert Kaempfert - Swingin' Safari

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Bert Kaempfert - Swingin' Safari

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The Kings Singers - Encore

If you liked the Mike Sammes post, then you should like this. The King's Singers is an a cappella group whose name recalls King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars in 1968. They have a reputation for musical perfection in balance, tone, and general musicianship, and sing a wide variety of music, from renaissance to contemporary, classical to popular.

01 - The Peanut Vendor
02 - Shenandoah
03 - Cherry Ripe
04 - Summertime
05 - Time Was
06 - Scarborough Fair
07 - None But The Lonely Heart
08 - Linstead Market
09 - The Oak And The Ash
10 - Wives And Lovers
11 - Blow Away The Morning Dew
12 - The Green Leaves Of Summer
13 - What Kind Of Things

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The Kings Singers - Encore

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The Kings Singers - Encore

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Impact

Here's another Studio 2 sampler, similar to the 'Breakthrough' post of a couple of months ago. My personal favourite is Basil Henriques and the Waikiki Islanders Tiki version of 'Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You', though Ron Goodwin's 'Legend of the Glass Mountain' runs a decent second.

01 - David Rose - The Stripper
02 - Norrie Paramor - Soul Coaxing
03 - Acker Bilk - Stranger On The Shore
04 - Pepe Jaramillo - Sucu Sucu
05 - Franck Pourcel - Love Is Blue
06 - Ron Goodwin - Legend Of The Glass Mountain
07 - Loe Loss - Wheels
08 - Norman Newell - Live For Life
09 - Basil Henriques - Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
10 - Ralph Dollmore - The Fool On The Hill
11 - Manuel And The Music Of The Mountains - A Man And A Woman
12 - Jack Emblow - Ritual Fire Dance

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Impact

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Impact

Mr Snookles

Mike Sammes - Smooth

Mike Sammes and his ultra-smooth vocal sounds have been a lounge favourite of Mr Snookles ever since he first heard them as a child on his parents' radio way back in the 1960s. Some of you may have this album as it has been sighted on other music blogs, but if you haven't, or if you would like to upgrade to a high quality 320kbps rip from vinyl in good condition, then this is for you.

To me these guys (and dolls) are the sound of the 60's. They provided background sounds for countless TV shows, and appeared on records from Henry Mancini to Tom Jones to The Beatles.
Essential easy listening.

01 - This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
02 - Surrey With The Fringe On Top
03 - The Stolen Hours
04 - Things Are Swingin'
05 - There'll Always Be Another Spring
06 - Something's Gotta Give
07 - Guys And Dolls
08 - The Girl From Ipanema
09 - To Wait For Love (Is To Waste Your Life Away)
10 - The Second Time Around
11 - Lollipops And Roses
12 - Limehouse Blues

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Mike Sammes - Smooth

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Mike Sammes - Smooth

Mr Snookles

Paul Mauriat - L'Ete Indien

Marseilles-born composer Paul Mauriat is best known for his hit 'Love Is Blue' which hit number 1 in the US charts for 5 weeks in 1968. In a career lasting over 30 years he released more than a hundred albums. This one from 1975 features his trademark harpsichord, but also has leanings toward the funk/disco sound of the time.

This album also wins the inaugural 'Mr Snookles Trophy For Most Artistic Cover' award. If any of our French-speaking readers can translate the title, or indeed the track names, please leave a comment...

01 - Brasilia Carnaval
02 - L'Ete Indien
03 - Melisa
04 - C'est Mieux Comme Ca
05 - Minuetto
06 - Amore Grande Amore Libero
07 - Love Will Keep Us Together
08 - J'ai Encore Reve D'elle
09 - Dansez Maintenant
10 - Je Ne Suis Que De L'amour
11 - I'm Not In Love
12 - Feelings

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Paul Mauriat - L'Ete Indien

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Paul Mauriat - L'Ete Indien

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Tony Hatch - Hits Symphonic

Tony Hatch wrote TV themes, (including perennial Aussie soap Neighbours, and long-running UK soap Crossroads), and hit songs for a number of artists in the 60's and 70's. He wrote nearly all of Petula Clark's hits including 'Downtown' and 'Don't Sleep In The Subway'.

During the 1970s Hatch was also a regular panellist on the talent show New Faces where his blunt style of assessing the contestants has proved to be a forerunner of approaches to come in later, similar series.

This record has a bit of wow and flutter to it, as the hole in the record was cut slightly off-centre. Shadrac Blintz informs me that it is possible to shave away part of the hole to re-align the record, but that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, so I have uploaded it as is.

01 - Storm In A Teacup
02 - Your Song
03 - The First Ever I Saw Your Face
04 - Without You
05 - If We Were Free
06 - Baby I'm a Want You
07 - Alone Again Naturally
08 - If You Could Read My Mind
09 - Butterfly
10 - Come What May
11 - Shadows of Your Mind
12 - (Is This the Way to) Amarillo

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Tony Hatch - Hits Symphonic

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Tony Hatch - Hits Symphonic

The Temperance Seven

Perennial favourite of co-conspirator Shadrac Blintz, the Temperance Seven are the quintessential British tea-room jazz ensemble. Whimsical, ironic, light-hearted - they were the fore-runners of Viv Stanshaw and the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band. Well worth a listen, their distinctive sound will grow on you with repeated listenings.

01 - That Certain Party
02 - Hard-Hearted Hannah
03 - Dinah
04 - Sugar
05 - Black Bottom
06 - Chilli Bom Bom
07 - Everybody Loves My Baby
08 - Home In Pasadena
09 - Vo-Do-Do-De-O Blues
10 - Falling In love Again
11 - The Charleston
12 - Tiger Rag

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The Temperance Seven

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The Temperance Seven

Mr Snookles

Journey Into Stereo Sound

As you can see from the gaggle of unsmiling boffins on the front cover, this album takes its stereo separation pretty seriously. This is one of the original stereo samplers, and is perhaps more of a novelty, and a piece of history, rather than a serious musical outing.

Nonetheless there are some excellent offerings to be had, though many are abbreviated excerpts rather than the full piece. The Ceremony of the Keys is perhaps the most unusual field recording ever made, featuring a group of guards barking unintelligible orders at one another, while the plummy-voiced narrator provides context for each stentorian outburst. Perhaps the great delight of this album is the sheer range of musical styles contained therein - from Stravinsky to Winifred Atwell.

01 - Train Sequence
02 - Chabrier - Espana
03 - Beginners Please
04 - Edmundo Ros - Under The Bridges Of Paris
05 - Rehearsal Sequence
06 - Stravinsky - Rite Of Spring
07 - Wagner - The Walkure
08 - Racing Cars At Goodwood
09 - Mantovani - True Love
10 - Ceremony Of The Keys
11 - Rimsky Korsakov - Capticcio Espanol
12 - Kirsten Flagstad - O Divine Redeemer
13 - Dave King - There's Only One Of You
14 - Vera Lynn - Another Time, Another Place
15 - Ted Heath - June Is Bustin' Out All Over
16 - W. A. Mozart - Concerto In Bb Minor
17 - Winifred Atwell - Portrait Painter Of Paree
18 - Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique

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Journey Into Stereo Sound

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Journey Into Stereo Sound

Mr Snookles

Xavier Cugat - Cugat Cavalcade

Barcelona's favourite son, Xavier Cugat - sometime piano accompanist to Enrico Caruso, part-time caricaturist of the Hollywood set, and leader of one of the hippest dance bands around. Nicknamed 'The Rhumba King', he was immortalised when Cole Porter wrote 'Begin the Beguine' and dedicated it especially to Xavier Cugat.

01 - Brazil
02 - Besame Mucho
03 - What A Diff'rence A Day Makes
04 - My Shawl
05 - La Cumparsita
06 - Tico Tico
07 - Orchids In The Moonlight
08 - Yours
09 - Miami Beach Rhumba
10 - Jalousie
11 - Guitara
12 - Dengoza

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Xavier Cugat - Cugat Cavalcade

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Xavier Cugat - Cugat Cavalcade

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Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound

This re-badged Project 3 release was not for sale, but bundled with sales of the Kriesler Multi-Sonic Stereogram, a worthy edition to any space-age bachelor (or bachelorette) pad. No mention of Enoch or Project 3 on the front cover, but the label reveals all.


What is a Kriesler Multi-Sonic Stereogram you ask? Why, it is a gramophone with attached dynamic microphone (observe the picture from the back cover showing two swingin' young things rocking out with their KMSS) and multi-sound sockets for tape recording and playback. In short, it was the karaoke machine of the 60's. See the back cover scans for a full list of the uses of the Kriesler Multi-Sonic Stereogram.

As is to be expected on these demonstration records, there's a fair swag of bombastic, speaker poppin' full orchestra freakouts, but check out the classy Tony Mottola numbers and the fabulous jazzed up version of 'Blowin' in the Wind' by Bob and Phil and the Orchestra.

01 - Enoch Light - April In Portugal
02 - Enoch Light - Someone To Light Up My Life
03 - Tony Mottola - Tony's Tune
04 - Tony Mottola - Georgia On My Mind
05 - Lew Davis - Hold Me
06 - Lew Davis - A Tower Of Strength
07 - Enoch Light - Theme From 'The Sand Pebbles'
08 - Enoch Light - Born Free
09 - Bob And Phil - Blowin' In The Wind
10 - Bob And Phil - Pussyfoot
11 - Enoch Light - Summer Samba
12 - Enoch Light - Workin' In The Coalmine

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Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound

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Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound

Mr Snookles