Eddie Layton- No Blues On This Cruise

It is your hump day in the middle of Continental Week.  I think I got this because of the Hi Fi organ advertised on the front.  The song selection was not bad either.

Eddie Layton was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1925.  Having learned organ at age 12, he got his hands on a Hammond during his stint with the Navy in WWII.  Upon his return, he composed scores for soap operas for CBS.  During this time, he released 27 or so records as well as toured countless music stores demonstrating his organ skills on the Hammond product.  According to Allmusic.com, he was on Hammond’ payroll for 50 years.

Layton’s Page on Spaceagepop.com

Layton’s crowning achievement perhaps was his work with the New York Yankees. Under pressure to compete with the Mets’ organist Jane Jarvis, Layton took the organist job with the Yankees in 1967, despite knowing nothing about baseball and never setting foot in a stadium prior.  He held the job until 2003 (with a small break between 1971-1977). Apparently, he popularized both “Charge” and ” The Mexican Hat Dance” at sporting events.  He also worked games for the Knicks, Rangers, and Islanders. Layton would pass of natural causes in 2004 at the age of either 77 or 79.

This was released in 1957 before his sports gig.  It is from Mercury Records.  Pretty decent album.  Nice arrangements and songs that I know.  I always get a kick out of good organ albums.  I think because I always wanted to play the organ as a kid.  Layton’s work is well regarded among space age pop fans and this album doe snot disappoint.

For a sample, I was  stuck between “Song of India”, “Under Paris Skies”, and “El Relicario”.  All fine songs but after some thought, I went with “El Relicario”.

Satisfactory Record.

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