This was $3. It looked interesting enough. Most times, percussion albums are really hit or miss, but I guess the title and cover hooked me.
Dick Schory, born in 1931 in Chicago, is more than just a percussionist. He was a band leader of groups including his New Percussion Ensemble which is featured on this album. He also did work with other ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He served various functions at Ludwig Drum Company. In addition to his role as Vice President of Marketing, he was instrumental in product development. He would compose, arrange, and conduct for both records and television. Finally, he founded Ovation Records in 1971. As of this writing , he is still alive and recently was a guest conductor at the Glenview Park District’s Bearfoot in the Park concert series.
Percussive Arts Society Page on Schory.
A lot of cheap record labels throw together an orchestra with a limited range of exotic percussive instruments and market it similar to this one. This, however, is RCA and Dick Schory. I believe this is his first album for RCA, released in 1958. The range of instruments used on this is pretty extensive. Highlights include “Typee”, “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans”, “Baia”, and “April in Paris”. The arrangements as good. Moreover, the recording and the production value on this album are excellent. Overall, it really puts the budget label percussion albums to shame.
For a sample, I went with “Holiday in a Hurry” which is a quirky number that has a pretty good range of percussion on it. What I like about this, and the whole album is the percussion adds to rather than takes from the songs. Also included is “Baia” as it is one of my favorites. Again, the percussion is not overdone and you can also hear the harp lines as well.
A satisfactory record indeed.