Frank Chacksfield - The World Of Frank Chacksfield

Broad, sweeping themes and a powerful orchestral sound. Frank new how to make his orchestra sound big. This comp shows some of his finest works, but I have to warn you, it came from a battered and scratched old piece of vinyl. The majority of it has restored well, but be aware that track 6 is distorted and you may wish to remove it from the collection.


01 - Ebb Tide
02 - Moulin Rouge Waltz
03 - My Prayer
04 - Fascination
05 - Jealousy
06 - Born Free
07 - Theme From Limelight
08 - Temptation
09 - The Blue Danube
10 - Love Letters In The Sand
11 - Cuban Boy
12 - Theme From 'Laurence Of Arabia'

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Frank Chacksfield - The World Of Frank Chacksfield
MU
Frank Chacksfield - The World Of Frank Chacksfield

Mr Snookles

D'Artega - The Breeze And I

Some tasty easy-orchestral sounds from Alfonso D'Artega. Ernesto Lecuona, whose music is featured here, is a major figure in the Space Age Pop scene. He brought the first successful Latin orchestra to the United States, fostered the careers of many of the most influential artists in Latin music, and composed many of its most enduring songs. His compositions Malaguena, La Comparasa, and The Breeze And I appear on numerous records. (Thank you again, Space Age Pop)

As far as I can tell, this record was recorded in 1946, though the info is a bit hazy. Any informed listeners out there - please give us the benefit of your wisdom in a comment...

01 - Malaguena
02 - Ante El Escorial
03 - Jungle Drums
04 - Armor Que No Es Verdad
05 - Aragonesa
06 - La Comparasa
07 - The Breeze And I
08 - Maor Que Bonito Has Vuelto
09 - No Tienes Corazon - El Merinaque
10 - Say 'Si Si'
11 - Gitanerias
12 - Cordoba

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D'Artega - The Breeze And I
MU
D'Artega - The Breeze And I

Mr Snookles

Paul Mauriat - Summer Memories

A little French sophistication from M. Mauriat. Highlights are the pomp of the Jesus Christ Superstar excerpt 'I Don't Know How To Love Him' , and the jaunty 'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing'. I'm sure you all have lots of Paul Mauriat in your collection by now, but the light-as-a soufflé arrangements with their typical Gallic charm make this a worthy addition to the stable...

01 - The Godfather
02 - I Don't Know How To Love Him
03 - La Decadanse
04 - Butterfly
05 - Comme Un Soleil
06 - Day By Day
07 - A Summer Place
08 - The Summer Knows
09 - Mother Of Mine
10 - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing
11 - Summer Memories
12 - Ebb Tide

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Paul Mauriat - Summer Memories
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Paul Mauriat - Summer Memories

M. Le Snooklé

ps. some wow and flutter on track 6 as the record had a slighly off-center hole - still, it adds to the period authenticity n'est pas?

Horst Jankowski - Return To The Black Forest

One of my favourite composers and the best of the Teutonic loungers IMHO. His iconic "Schwarzwaldenfahrt", better known as "A Walk in the Black Forest", is one of the great easy-anthems of the sixties. Horst's gently swinging jazz-tinged piano style is in evidence on this compilation, as is his talent an arranger...

01 - A Walk In The Black Forest
02 - Windmills Of Your Mind
03 - Eleanor Rigby
04 - A Shadow Of Lotus
05 - Gentle On My Mind
06 - Blue Spring
07 - Jerusalem
08 - A Bright Day's Hideaway
09 - El Condor Pasa
10 - Princess Doll
11 - Little Lady Butterfly
12 - A Song Of Joy

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Horst Jankowski - Return To The Black Forest
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Horst Jankowski - Return To The Black Forest

Mr Snookles

Exotic Guitars - Indian Love Call

Some easy surf-rock with Al Casey and the gang. In the late 1960s, Casey was approached by label owner Randy Wood about arranging and recording a set of current hits for a guitar ensemble with a slightly softer sound. Wood was hoping to attract a younger audience to his mainstream easy listening label, Ranwood. As "The Exotic Guitars," the concept won a respectable, if not huge, audience, and Casey went on to record several albums, each featuring his own arrangements.(Thank you Space Age Pop)

01 - Indian Love Call
02 - La Paloma
03 - Battle Hymn Of The Republic
04 - Pearly Shells
05 - Red Roses For A Blue Lady
06 - Sabre Dance
07 - Vaya Con Dios
08 - Galveston
09 - Green Door
10 - Petite Fleur
11 - Trying
12 - Moon River

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Exotic Guitars - Indian Love Call
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Exotic Guitars - Indian Love Call

Mr Snookles

Vera Lynn - Hits Of The Blitz

Time to put down that Martini and make yourself a nice cup of tea... British wartime sweetheart Vera Lynn sings the songs that saw a nation through one of its darkest hours.

01 - This Is The Army - Stagedoor Canteen - Lovely Day Tomorrow
02 - The White Cliffs Of Dover
03 - Don't Fence Me In
04 - Lilli Marlene
05 - That Lovely Weekend
06 - Who's Taking You Home - Wishing Will Make It So - Wish Me Luck
07 - When The Lights Go On Again - I'll Pray For You - We'll Meet Again
08 - A Nightingale Sang In Berkely Square
09 - Bless 'Em All - Seigfreid Line - Kiss Me Goodnight Sargeant Major
10 - You'll Never Know
11 - I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire - Maybe - Coming Home
12 - There'll Always Be An England

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Vera Lynn - Hits Of The Blitz

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Vera Lynn - Hits Of The Blitz

Mr Snookles

Rogers And Hammerstein - The King And I

We don't often go down the Musicals and Music Theatre path here at Third Island, but for this delightful piece of early exotica we can make an exception. With its hints of eastern splendour and memorable tunes it makes a worthy addition to any collection. The 'March Of The Siamese Children' has become an exotica standard - covered amongst others by Roy Harte and Milt Holland in their album 'Perfect Percussion' which can be found elsewhere on the blog.

01 - Overture
02 - I Whistle A Happy Tune
03 - My Lord And Master
04 - Hello Young Lovers
05 - March Of The Siamese Children
06 - A Puzzlement
07 - Getting To Know You
08 - We Kiss In A Shadow
09 - Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You
10 - Something Wonderful
11 - Song Of The King
12 - Shall We Dance
13 - Something Wonderful (Finale)

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Rogers And Hammerstein - The King And I

MU
Rogers And Hammerstein - The King And I

Mr Snookles

Gordon Jenkins - Hawaiian Wedding

Gordon Jenkins was a composer/arranger during the forties and fifties whose string arrangements and lush arrangements helped to define the easy listening sound. Most famous for his work with Frank Sinatra, he spent a number of years as music director at Decca.

This piece of proto-exotica sounds somewhat dated these days - (which of course is what we like...) the vinyl shows its age and some sections sound a bit thin and brittle. Still it has a calm, soothing quality, and those echoes of yesteryear have a mellow charm that still appeals - listen for the pizzicato strings that imitate ukuleles, and drift with the lush sounds of the Raplh Brewster singers.

01 - Beyond The Reef.mp3
02 - Blue Hawaii.mp3
03 - Now Is The Hour.mp3
04 - To You Sweetheart, Aloha.mp3
05 - Sweet Leilani.mp3
06 - Hawaiian Paradise.mp3
07 - Ke Kali Nei Au.mp3
08 - Moon Of Manaloora.mp3
09 - Moonlight On Diamond Head.mp3
10 - Heavenly Islands.mp3
11 - Honolulu Honeymoon.mp3
12 - Aloha Oe.mp3

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Gordon Jenkins - Hawaiian Wedding

MU
Gordon Jenkins - Hawaiian Wedding

Mr Snookles

p.s. A big Hi to a certain miss Tricia G. Concepcion niece of Jake Concepcion whose album "Sexy Saxes" is still available for download. Tricia dropped by to say thanks for supporting her uncle Jake. Tricia - it's always a pleasure to here from the artists we preview here at Third Island - I hope many more people continue to enjoy the music of your talented uncle.
Mr S.

Bobby Byrne - Shades of Brass

Altogether more hip and funky is Bobby Byrne's 'Shades of Brass'. High energy grooves, big brass sound - even a bit of Moog for good measure.

01 - Respect
02 - Help Yourself
03 - The Pendulum Swings Both Ways
04 - Delilah
05 - Feelin' Groovy
06 - Hurry Love
07 - A Shade Of Brass
08 - Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
09 - Who Is Gonna Love Me
10 - Barbarella
11 - Windy

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Bobby Byrne - Shades of Brass

MU
Bobby Byrne - Shades of Brass

Mr Snookles

Dick Dia - Magnificent Mandolins

Time for some more armchair travel - this time we're off to sunny Italy with mandolin virtuoso Dick Dia. Dick lines up a first-class collection of musos including Al Caiola and Al Casamenti on guitar, Dominic Cortese on accordion, Phil Kraus on mallets and Bob Rosengarden on percussion. Bellissimo!!

01 - Summertime In Venice
02 - Never On A Sunday
03 - Nu Quart' E Luna
04 - Arrivederci Roma
05 - Pearl Fishers
06 - Brasiliera
07 - Piccolissima Serenata
08 - La Luce Nella Fenesta
09 - Chella 'Lla
10 - Vola Colomba
11 - La Strada Nel Nosco
12 - Scalinatella

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Dick Dia - Magnificent Mandolins

MU
Dick Dia - Magnificent Mandolins

Mr Snookles

Stanley Black - Sounds Widescreen

Let's face it - no one does the light classics like the Brits. Light, airy, breezy, full of humour and contrast - just like the British national character??

But seriously, behind the rather mundane album cover lurks some superb arrangements by our Stanley, played with panache and verve by the London Symphony Orchestra. I think Stanley was amongst the very best of that generation of arrangers and composers that dominated the sounds of BBC radio in the 60's and 70's.

It certainly reminds me of my growing up in a bleak Yorkshire industrial town, with the rain pattering on the window pane and the tinny sounds of the radio crackling from the corner...

01 - Big Country
02 - Tara's Theme
03 - This Is My Song
04 - Zorba's Dance
05 - Theme From 'Fiddler On The Roof'
06 - A Taste Of Honey
07 - Waterfront
08 - Stagecoach
09 - Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
10 - The Longest Day
11 - Exodus
12 - Lara's Theme
13 - High Society - 'True Love'
14 - Third Man Theme

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Stanley Black - Sounds Widescreen

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Stanley Black - Sounds Widescreen

Mr Snookles

ps. Maxi - Official Friend Of Third Island - has been at work restoring covers from some recent posts. Check in the comments if you want to dl them. Thanks Maxi...

Manhattan Pops Orchestra - Flamenco Passion

Richard hayman at the helm of this piece of bombastic black plastic. The Manhattan Pops Orchestra hit the loud pedal, turn the violins up to 11 and let fly.

01 - El Gato Montes
02 - La Rosita
03 - Fandango
04 - La Bamba
05 - El Choclo
06 - Red Sombrero
07 - Flamenco Guitar
08 - Matador
09 - Franesca
10 - Lady Of Spain

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Manhattan Pops Orchestra - Flamenco Passion

MU
Manhattan Pops Orchestra - Flamenco Passion

Mr Snookles