77

[dbdigital]

Over the past few months I've been going through a record collection handed down to me by a former owner of an AM station (his wife, actually). One gem that has totally captured my ears is the 77 Sunset Strip soundtrack by Warren Barker and his Warner Bros. All-Stars Orch.

Most TV soundtrack albums are little more than promotions for the show and much of the music on them is filler. But every cut on the 77 album is a winner. Warren Barker who was house music director for Warner Bros. at the time, assembled the best session players in L.A. and gave them some incredible charts to work with. A couple of the players were Frank Rosolino and Tommy Tedesco. And for a 1959 recording, the engineering is sensational and holds up well against modern recordings. Chalk one up for old analog.

Another soundtrack album in this collection worthy of note is Mr. Lucky by Richard Maltby and his orchestra. I believe this album was recorded in New Jersey. But Mr. Maltby's charts are wonderful. In some ways, I prefer his arrangements over Mancini's. The album was released on the RCA Camden label but I have yet to find a reissue on CD.

But if I were programming an Adult Standards format, these two albums would most certainly be in the mix.

db

 

[Chuck]

I wonder if either have been re-released on CD?

 

[dbdigital]

I wonder if either have been re-released on CD?

The 77 Sunset Strip soundtrack was re-released on CD in 2004 and you can find it on Amazon for 12 bucks. But, sadly, not the other album which is kind of strange since, from what I've read, it was a huge seller when it was released.

It may be that since Camden was RCA's bargain bin label the recordings are not considered worthy of re-releasing. If that's true, then it's a shame.

db

 

[dbdigital]

BTW, if any have a favorite lounge, off-beat or just solidly produced instrumental album, I'd love to hear about it. I'm in a collecting mood for this stuff. Thanks.

db

 

[BlueHen]

BTW, if any have a favorite lounge, off-beat or just solidly produced instrumental album, I'd love to hear about it. I'm in a collecting mood for this stuff. Thanks.

I have a twofer CD (2 LPs on 1 CD) by Dominic Frontiere: "Pagan Festival" from 1959 and "Love Eyes" from 1960 (Collectables COL-CD-7454 Sony A 54486). I only knew of him from composing the music from the old Outer Limits TV series and never realized he was a recording artist as well.

Also "Hatchback" by Tony Hatch (CD on Sequel Records NEM CD 951 from England). He was Petula Clark's producer.

I haven't ordered them yet, but I see The Brass Ring's albums from the '60s are now available on CD. Remember "The Dis-Advantages Of You" used in those Benson & Hedges cigarette commercials?

 

[dbdigital]

BTW, if any have a favorite lounge, off-beat or just solidly produced instrumental album, I'd love to hear about it. I'm in a collecting mood for this stuff. Thanks.

I have a twofer CD (2 LPs on 1 CD) by Dominic Frontiere: "Pagan Festival" from 1959 and "Love Eyes" from 1960 (Collectables COL-CD-7454 Sony A 54486). I only knew of him from composing the music from the old Outer Limits TV series and never realized he was a recording artist as well.

Also "Hatchback" by Tony Hatch (CD on Sequel Records NEM CD 951 from England). He was Petula Clark's producer.

I haven't ordered them yet, but I see The Brass Ring's albums from the '60s are now available on CD. Remember "The Dis-Advantages Of You" used in those Benson & Hedges cigarette commercials?

All of those albums you suggested sound like they would be great. I'll look for them on the web.

In this collection I obtained, there is an album by the Beatles' producer George Martin in which he does instrumental versions of Beatles songs. The last song on the album is entitled "Scrambled Egg", which, of course, was the original title for the song "Yesterday."

db

 

[BlueHen]

In this collection I obtained, there is an album by the Beatles' producer George Martin in which he does instrumental versions of Beatles songs. The last song on the album is entitled "Scrambled Egg", which, of course, was the original title for the song "Yesterday."

That's something I did not know. "Scrambled egg... all my bacon seemed so far away." Good thing they changed it when they added the lyrics!

For instrumentals of Beatles songs, check out the Hollyridge Strings readily available on CD. My favorites are "Eleanor Rigby" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away."

 

[dbdigital]

In this collection I obtained, there is an album by the Beatles' producer George Martin in which he does instrumental versions of Beatles songs. The last song on the album is entitled "Scrambled Egg", which, of course, was the original title for the song "Yesterday."

That's something I did not know. "Scrambled egg... all my bacon seemed so far away." Good thing they changed it when they added the lyrics!

For instrumentals of Beatles songs, check out the Hollyridge Strings readily available on CD. My favorites are "Eleanor Rigby" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away."

I actually think I prefer your lyric. And, yes, those are great arrangements of those two Beatles tunes. I also like "Nowhere Man". Stu Phillips did a great job arranging the French horns for that piece.

I have four of the Beatle's Song Book LPs by the Hollyridge Strings. I bought them along with the actual Beatles albums as they were released in the 60's and early 70's. Needless to say, Capitol Records got a lot of my lunch money (I was in Jr. High and high school at the time).

I've also e-mailed Stu Phillips on several occasions. He's still active and occasionally conducts his works with regional orchestras (he wrote the themes to Quincy M.E., Night Rider and Battlestar Galactica in addition to his work with the Hollyridge Strings).

You can contact him through his "Stu Who?" website. He loves hearing from fans.

What I don't have and would like to get is the Hollyridge Strings Song Books of Elvis Presley, The Four Seasons and The Beach Boys. To my knowledge those have never been released on CD.

db

 

[BlueHen]

Hollyridge Strings

What I don't have and would like to get is the Hollyridge Strings Song Books of Elvis Presley, The Four Seasons and The Beach Boys. To my knowledge those have never been released on CD.

db: I believe you're correct. I've never seen those on CD. A couple years ago I acquired the Hollyridge Strings "Christmas Favorites" album. That's one I'd like to see on CD, but at least their version of "Jingle Bell Rock" is on some various artist compilation CDs. There's also a song called "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag" which used to get frequent airplay on the old Westwood One format, but I haven't heard it at all in recent years.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: Hollyridge Strings

What I don't have and would like to get is the Hollyridge Strings Song Books of Elvis Presley, The Four Seasons and The Beach Boys. To my knowledge those have never been released on CD.

db: I believe you're correct. I've never seen those on CD. A couple years ago I acquired the Hollyridge Strings "Christmas Favorites" album. That's one I'd like to see on CD, but at least their version of "Jingle Bell Rock" is on some various artist compilation CDs. There's also a song called "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag" which used to get frequent airplay on the old Westwood One format, but I haven't heard it at all in recent years.

They all came out in Japan on CD, even the Four Seasons. They occasionally come up on E Bay... including a 3 CD set of the Beatles songs.