Jairo- El Valle Y el Volcan/ Amigos Mios Me Enamore

Here is a 1975 Parnaso Record of Argentine singer Jario ( 1949, Cruz del Eje, Cordoba, Argentina). I paid $1 for this way back when.

This record was a victim of the end of the month blues where I try to finish up the month and kind of speed thru things. Same thing goes for writing these as well. So here we are then with “Habia Una Vez” or “Once Upon a Time”.

Habia Una Vez

VA- Country & Western Hall Of Fame

So I paid $6 for the below 1962 Design compilation titled Greatest Country & Western Stars featuring Ferlin Husky, Patsy Cline, and Jimmy Dean among others. What I got when I opened the record was Design’s1965 compilation, Country Western Hall of Fame featuring, well, Ferlin Husky, Patsy Cline, and Jimmy Dean among others.

Most of the time , with mismatched records, there is a clear winner and loser, but this time, it is a quite even swap, despite the fact that carl Belew’s version of ” Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On” was probably the reason I bought this record. Other than that, I do not feel cheated on this but nor do I feel I got anything extra, either. Here is ” New Step Up and Go” from what I thought was from sausage king, Jimmy Dean but now realize it was done by the Maddox Brothers plus Rose.

Step it

Robert Last- Happy Dancing

Here is another record I recently bought. From the brother of Kai Warner and somewhat frequent blog guest, James Last, here is drummer and band leader Robert Last. This record from Telefunken in 1970 I think, with its happy dancing cover was purchased for $4. If I were to be honest, I confused Robert with James when I bought this.

That being said, this was a fine record and perhaps because he was a drummer, focused more on the beat as compared to his brother’s work. A lot of Russian tunes on here which made it slightly uneasy for me given current tensions. However, as out sub theme this month has been classical music, here is a selection of Tschaikowsky tunes.

Tschaikowsky

The Dave Clark 5- Coast to Coast

Almost done with this week. Oh how I long for the days where I was 6 months ahead. I guess in time, I grew complacent. I am about 15 days current and is close to going week to week. ( Gulp). Here is a record I got for Saturday star power. I paid $1 for this in 2015. Bargain.

Epic Records.1965. Really good record. Here is ” Don’t You Know”.

Don’t You Know

Floyd Cramer- Class of ’67

Here is a record from legendary pianist and session man, Floyd Cramer. RCA Victor in 1967. 50 cents. This is a steal. I had another record lined up for today but switched it at the last minute. the reason why eludes me at the momment. Well, it is of no significance to you at this point, now is it?

Her we have Cramer going thru some of the hits of the year that was 1967. Included on this are “Casino Royale”, “Windy”, “Music To Watch Girls By”, “Groovin”, and “Here Comes My Baby”.

But for what eve reason, I have to go with the Fab Four and hit up “For No One”. Well, “Here Comes My Baby” is fine as well, so let’s play two.

For No One
Here Comes My Baby

Tomita- Snowflakes are Dancing

I was going to put off writing these until tomorrow but I am so close to the finish. I paid $6 for this from frequent blog guest and excellent last week of the monther , the electronic godfather, Tomita.

From RCA in 1974, this record has Tomita tackling the work of French composer, Claude Debussy (1862-1918). Most notably pieces from Debussy’s Preludes and Children’s Corner. Very Moog heavy but of course that is to be expected. The pieces fit well om the instrument and this is an excellent record.

For a sample. I went with “Gardens in the Rains” as well as “Clair de lune” as it is one if not the most recognizable piece from Debussy.

Satisfactory.

Gardens in the Rain
Clair de lune

Webb Pierce- Webb With A Beat

Yay. It is the end of the month.  We are done.  I can start listening to next month’s records.  Also, my wrist is killing me.  $2 for this one.  And it had a couple of Webb Pierce’s big tunes on it including “I Ain’t Never” and “In The Jailhouse Now”.

Just as much pop as country, this record was released by Decca in 1960 and features pretty good instrumentation.  A bit more modern country than past releases yet still distinctly Webb.  Good record.

For a sample, here is the Mel Tillis/Ray Price/ AR Peddy tune, “I’m Tired”. Which I find quite ironic as I usually get quite tired of writing this blog by month’s end.  Great record.  Satisfactory.  See you next month.

OBC- Carousel

Welcome to another month of Donkey Show.  I am a bit more current than normal, only being three weeks ahead of myself.  Sort of in a funny place with the blog these days.  Started a new job (which hopefully I still have when you read this) so that is draining some time.  More importantly, records have gotten so darn expensive as of late.  During my last trip to Half Price Books, record prices seem to have doubled making $2 and $3 albums the new norm.  Well before I complain to much, I probably do have a three year backlog of albums at my apartment, bought from sales past.  What does this have to do with this post?  Nothing I guess.  Besides, I am just starting to see the blog really take off.  Anyway, I got this for a dollar.  It hits many spots for me.

I am sure I wrote most of this information when I posted the movie soundtrack, but Carousel was the second piece of work from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.  Adapted from Ferenc Molnar’s 1909 play, Lilom, Carousel hit Broadway in 1945.  Due to the smash success of the duo’s previous work, Oklahoma!, the stakes for this piece were high.  Carousel ran 890 shows.  Although not as great a hit as Oklahoma!, it was generally well received and all in all a successful show.  Over the years, it has remained a popular work, with a current Broadway revival going on right now. Also, Molnar, who had previously denied others the rights to his work, was generally positive about the production, something that nobody really expected.

I have written about this before, but my attitude on this has changed over time as well.  Initially, i really did not like it much.  I mean, did you expect your marriage to a carny to be a bed of roses?  However, I have come to really like this musical.  I think seeing it at the Houston Grand Opera three years ago really changed me.

 

This record features the original New York cast including John Raitt as the lead Billy Bigelow and Jan Clayton as his love, Julie Jordan.  Also featured are Jean Darling, Christine Johnson, Eric Mattson, Murvyn Vye, and Connie Baxter.  The album features a pretty good run down of the songs from the musical and was released by Decca, I imagine sometime near 1945.

 

Of course dance numbers really do not translate well on records, but like its predecessor, the production featured a ballet performance, choreographed by Agnes de Mille, who also worked on Oklahoma!.  I enjoyed this in both the production I saw as well as the film.  Apparently, the ballet scene was much longer, (roughly twice as long) and was slimmed down after put of town tryouts.

For a sample, there were many songs to choose from.  My intentions were to highlight something from Raitt, (who is the father of Bonnie).  Some of his highlights include “Soliloquy” when Bigelow realizes what he must do to keep his unborn daughter off the stripper pole.

I also really liked “Highest Judge of All”, since it was not included in the movie.

Finally, from the ladies, there is what is probably one of R&H’s most famous songs, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, made more famous not only by the thousands of artists who covered it but also by its use by Liverpool FC as well as Glasgow Celtic FC.

Well, again, I seem to have stuck it to Raitt by not including his work again.  After much thought, I seem to have been enchanted by the opening number, the instrumental “Carousel Waltz”.  I can not think of a more enchanting Rodgers melody.  I think seeing the production and the opening prologue made me gravitate towards this.

Anyway, excellent album.  Satisfactory. Been awhile since I wrote one of these. Good to shake the dust off.

Louis Prima- A Tribute to Louis Prima

This record was $2.00 with discount.  Why not?  Louis Prima was a stud, in many ways.  Still trying to finish out to month and year.  With it technically still being November while I am writing this, I should point out that despite being in the American League, we are still proud of our local baseball team, the Houston Astros for winning the World Series.  Although I am still not happy about them moving out of the National League, there is not a better group of guys in sports than our Astros.  They held the parade a few weeks ago downtown. The rumor I heard in my apartment elevator was that 700,000 people were in attendance.  Either way, it made it tough for me getting home from work with all roads by my apartment jammed.

As noted above, Louis Prima was a stud.  Born in New Orleans in 1911, Prima mixed his Italian roots with New Orleans’ jazz to form something new and original.  His own musical styles also evolved over time, starting with a New Orleans-style jazz band in the 1920’s, a swing combo in the 1930’s, a big band in the 40’s, a jump blues band in the 50’s, and finally a Las Vegas lounge act in the 60’s. Unlike other artists such as Frank Sinatra, Prima openly embraced the new rock and roll which was rising in the 1950’s.  Prima was also married five times, inlcuding a stint to singer Keely Smith, with whom Prima had a successful act.  Prima died of complications from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1978.  He was 67.

This record was a collection of some of his biggest hits, both solo and with Smith, including, “Just A Gigalo”, “Sing, Sing, Sing” and :Felicia No Capricia”.  Pretty good album.,  Really jumping.

For a sample, I had various options but decided to go with the “Bourbon Street Blues” as well as “Hey Boy, Hey Girl” which features the talents of Keely Smith.

Top rated album.