Baxter

I heard Blackberry Winter half asleep on Classical 24 and knew I wanted to hear it again. I just got the CD and have only listened to B.W. so far, but if the rest of the disc is a hog calling contest held by ducks, I would still give it 5 stars.

I bought this album because of the dulcimer concerto on it, and it didn't disappoint. Teh liner notes were outstanding and I am so glad to have this piece in my collection!

I got to see "Blackberry Winter" performed live in Nashville a few years ago and it was awesome. I took violin lessons from one of the violinists in the orchestra for a long time, so it was a little extra exciting. I got to meet the conductor, Paul Gambill about a year later and he was a really nice guy. He also conducted us in a big youth-orchestra gathering where we played the soundtrack to "Lord of the Rings."
"The Stone" is by far my favorite track on the CD. The mysterious Scottish and Irish themes entwined with each other are simply fantastic. It pretty much just transports you to another world.
"Blackberry Winter" is awesome, too. There's not many great recordings of a mountain dulcimer with an orchestra to back it up. Plus, the melodies and themes in that itself are really uniquely beautiful.
Overall, it's great quiet time and thinking music. It's definetely worth it!

I heard this recording on NPR radio and loved it. While it was out of the mainstream usually stocked at music stores, I found it on Amazon, ordered it, and received in a matter of days! The recording is a lovely collection of Tennessee / Celtic pieces with wonderful solo work. Ellisor is a Nashville musician and composer and her "Blackberry Winter" for Tennessee music box is a real delight. Other pieces on the CD are by Barber, Kodaly, Mock, and Scearce.

I absolutely 'love' this CD. INNOVATIVE modern music. One of my favorites indeed.

Inspired by my recent review of Sam Ku West's cd of Hawaiian steel guitar from 1927 and '28, and his version of Memphis Blues contained therein, I decided I need to review this disc which contains a killer Memphis Blues by the Mobile Strugglers.

What you get here is a very fine collection of mostly pre-war fiddle musics, covering a wide range of styles and abilities. From the abysmal toned, a-rhythmic atrocity of Alma Waltz (the very rare bad track) by the Mississippi Mudsteppers at the low end of the spectrum, to the bluesy drawl of Broonzy's fiddle, all the way up to the utter brilliance of the great Lonnie Johnson.

Still, the lesser-knowns are what this is about. Sure the titles of this and the "Folks, He..." disc put the emphasis on violins/fiddles but the music doesn't stop there. There are some seriously great bands here. Full-on killin groove units that will have you dancing on the couch as you listen... Memphis Shakedown and the "train impersonation" song, Moore Girl, for example. I've always found the latter interesting because, at least in my experiences thus far, I'm more familiar with black train-sound songs being done with harmonica, while whites seem to favor fiddle trains. A very cool track.

Also though, for me, Frank Stokes' Right Now Blues and the Alabama Sheiks' Travelin Railroad Blues give this disc a more pensive, vulnerable feeling than the "Folks, He..." disc.

Lots of stylistic variety, lots of great songs and playing. Had I reviewed this when it first came out I'd have probably given it 5 stars, but with the subsequent release of "Folks, He..." I do have to say that the "Folks, He..." disc has a touch better sound. A little less muffled. When I listen to these 2 right in a row, I listen to this one a few clicks louder to make it sound as good.

My continued thanks to all the collectors out there who saved this stuff, and to labels like Old Hat who've allowed people like me to enjoy!

It's pretty amazing, this late in the folkloric/historic reissues game, to find a whole album's worth of "undiscovered" old-timey music that is of such a high caliber. Old Hat Records, a tiny North Carolina indie label, packs its discs with some of the best music in the style that you're ever likely to hear. (You might also want to check out the "Lost Provinces" and "Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow" CDs...) This disc highlights a rare style of African-American fiddle music, featuring rare recordings by the bands that dotted the southern landscape 'way back when. These groups mixed stringband styles and jazzy jug-band blues and, not incidentally, made some of the catchiest music ever. In addition to great sound quality and great material, the CD is handsomely packaged; the insert booklets include some really cool archival photos, as well as extensive liner notes of the sort that have been woefully absent on similar recent reissue efforts.

This has rapidly become one of my favorite discs. Excellent selection of tracks, excellent transfers, excellent booklet. My only complaint would be that the text in the booklet is not in the same order as the tracks on the disk.

As early as colonial times, free and enslaved blacks were widely known for their virtuosity on the fiddle, so it was only natural that the instrument would eventually find a home in the blues...even though most people probably don't tend to think of it there. And that's the beauty of this CD. It contains samples of the blues and many of the traditions that preceded it: country dances, rags and stomps, folks songs and medicine show music, all lovingly remastered from early recordings to create 73 minutes of vintage fiddle music. The 32-page full-color booklet alone is worth the price. This is a must-have for any student of African American culture in general, or anyone who just enjoys good music.

I don't believe this release can be improved. The song selection is terrific from both a musical and historical perspective. Sound mastering is excellant. The notes, artwork and photographs were not an after thought. They are very well done. OLD HAT has now released two top notch volumes and I really hope there is a lot more in the pipe. This is a mandatory disc for all blues and old timey fans. About the only negative is the sad fact that it probably won't get out to a wider audience. A reissue done by people who love and respect this music. Just superb.

A good musical, yet not the greatest by Lloyd Webber. Actually, the song "Memory" is the only one in our memories. The rest seems to me quite average. We should have in mind that a few years later Webber wrote wonderful songs for each one of his musicals: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, SUNSET BOULEVARD and the unfortunate WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, besides his previous masterpiece, JESUSCHRIST SUPERSTAR, with almost an entire collection of classical and marvelous songs. I saw CATS in Broadway back in 1992 and I saw it again last year here in Chile: I guess some cats were left on the plane on their way down here because the southamerican tour production looked quite poor compared to the Broadway version. It was shown in a huge arena and in a frontal stage, quite different to the half-circled and smaller Winter Garden Stage.

I do not mean to ruffle anybody's feathers in my comments of this particular CATS recording, However, of all the official English-language recordings this recording sounds a little stilted and wanting in that littbe bit of energy. Part of it could be due to some of the performances, and part of it because this album uses the first version of CATS. Yet despite the lack of oomph, it is quite good and redeems itself by the aura it projects for being the world-premiere recording of the score.

This recording features the Grizabella of Elaine Paige, who can be considered a true Grizabella in her own right. It's true that this early recording doesn't allow her to nuance the role as she did in the video, but she conveys a strength and vulnerability in her portrayal. Paige's rendition of Memory is solid, but at this early stage she had yet to mature into the role. I guess that it's also because this recording used the single version of the song, and that's probably why it sounds stilted. Brian Blessed partners her with his sincere and benevolent portrayal of Old Deuteronomy, and the rest of the performers fare quite well. However, I found Paul Nicholas as The Rum Tum Tugger to be somewhat wanting in energy. He fares a little better in his rendition of Mr. Mistoffelees, but doesn't smoke it out in his standout number. I think this is pretty much the case for most of the performers here, as the performances of the cast as a whole sound solid yet stilted at the same time. The orchestrations are less flashy and somewhat weak but you can hear the sort of sound that Lloyd-Webber originally intended for the musical, and the variants. Yes, this West End cast recording is like a concept album of sorts, staying closer to the T.S. Eliot cat poems without cutting verses as in later productions.

The redeeming feature of this West End cast recording are the variants of numbers that were changed in lature productions. One variant, the duet for Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer is set to an unvarying and jazzy melody that Lloyd-Webber replaced with the vaudeville-like version as heard on the Broadway video and in the video. The other variant is the duet for Growltiger and Griddlebone during Growltiger's Last Stand. Before this duet number was replaced with the better-fitting Puccini spoof, Growltiger and Griddlebone sang a rather unromantic drinking song about a musically talented parrot named Billy M'Caw. Even if Lloyd-Webber admits to preferring Billy M'Caw I tend to like the Puccini spoof a little better as it better integrates itself into the scene. For those who are used to the later versions of these numbers and to the beefed-up orchestration of the Broadway and video versions, this recording can offer a nice contrast. Yet in my view they have only made the rewrites and revisions that Lloyd-Webber added to the score for the rest of the productions much better. Despite my feelings, at least the aura of this recording is enough to save it from being stilted, despite the solid performances from everyone concerned. And besides, it includes extra verses that were cut for the Broadway and subsequent productions of the show, so it makes this album feel closer to the T.S. Eliot poems.

It's good to see this recording in a reissue that treats it with respect. The 2 CDs come in a slimline double-disc case, packaged in a neat slipcase. The booklets are an improvement over those in the previous Polydor releases, as they have offered a better-print edition of the libretto and the production credits, including the musical numbers. However, I do admit that there isn't much of a difference in sound quality between this release and the original Polydor CD. The CDs appear to have been pressed from the original CD master rather than the better-sounding remastered version that was released in 1998. I know that if I were to recommend this West End cast recording I would recommend the 1998 remastered version, as it sounds less muffled compared to the sound on this release. Yet it would not be practical because that 1998 CD costs a whopping 65 dollars.

In short, even if CATS fans covet this recording I'm sorry to say I don't covet it as much as they do. I acknowledge its strengths, but yet I know it sounds a little stilted on the whole. Even so, this recording redeems itself with its solid performance and the aura of it representing the first thoughts of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and staying close to T.S. Eliot's source material before the show was tweaked and altered for Broadway. But my first choice for a CATS recording still lies with the Broadway cast Cats: Complete Original Broadway Cast Recording (1982 Original Broadway Cast)as it's got this energy that makes the show work, without destroying its spirit and nature.

I have heard many different recordings of the show CATS and I still find the original London cast to be best. The songs are brilliant, the music fantastic and the singers magnificent. Elaine Paige is the original and the best Grizabella.

The London verson has a longer overture and has more lyrics then the b way version
1. overture..........London
2. Jelicle Songs.....London
3. Naming of Cats....London
4. Invitation........London
5. Gumbie Cat........B way [shorter]
6. Rum Tum Tugger...London
7. Grizabella.......Same
8. Bustopher Jones..London
9. Mungo & rumple...Tie But Lundon Is much slower!
10.Old D...........London [but longer]
11.Jellicle ball..tie Shorter than B way
12.Memory.........London
13. Moments Of Happiness. London
14. Gus..........London
15. Skimble shanks.London
16. Macavity.London
17. Mistofoless. London
18 Memory. London
19 heviside layor.london
20 ad ressing. london london wins!!!!

Like most people, I've been torn between London and Broadway for a while. I'll admit, I'm fond of both London and Broadway, but some songs I like on Broadway more than London, and vice versa. However, when I bought the Australian recording, it turned into my favorite CATS recording, hands down. They have EVERY song in there, (Growltiger's Last Stand, and Battle of the Pekes and Pollicles) Anyhow, here's my biased opinion on which of the three recordings dominate in certain songs.


Overture - The overture is pretty much the same

Jellicle Song for Jellicle Cats - London

Naming of Cats - Australia

Invitation to the Jellicle Ball - Broadway

Old Gumbie Cat - London but Australia's is pretty darn good

Rum Tum Tugger - I'm not very fond of London's version or Broadway's. I'd have to say Australia, but Broadway is just as good.

Grizabella - London

Bustopher Jones - London

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer - Australia. This version has a very interesting Mungo and Rumpel

Old Deuteronomy - London or Broadway

Jellicle Ball - London

Grizabella: The Glamour Cat - Tie


Memory - Okay, Elaine Paige is about as good as it gets. But Debbie Byrne from Australia delivers a heart felt Memory also.

Gus: The Theatre Cat - Australia

Growltiger's Last Stand/The Ballad of Billy McCaw - All are good

Macavity: The Mystery Cat - Australia

Mr. Mistoffelees - Australia. The Australian Rum Tum Tugger is a lot better. And while I'm a huge Sarah Brightman fan, and you can hear her overpowering in this song, I still say Australia wins here.

Memory - Moment of truth. I love Elaine Paige. Her Memory is as good as it gets. However, some would say that Elaine's version is too soft and sweet, and isn't bitter and cold enough. This song could go both ways. Betty Buckley certainly expressed rage and power in this song, but maybe too much. In my personal opinon, Elaine's version is too soft, and Buckley's version is too cold. Debbie Byrne is a perfect medium, and she expresses remorse, sorrow, pain, anger, and loneliness in perfect harmony. I'd have to say Australia.

Journey to the Heaviside Layer - Not much of a difference. Tie between all three.

Ad-Dressing of Cats - Broadway. THANK GOD FOR KEN PAGE.

Like Old Hat's other compilations, this one is superb. The remastering is sufficiently clear and the liner notes are a joy to read. Know though that it highlights the use of the fiddle in African American music in the 1920's and 1930's. As the album cover states, the songs span the range from blues to jazz to jug band to even old time string band. Overall, it is a fascinating history lesson.

Old Hat Records always goes the extra mile to present incredibly rare sides from vintage 78s. The sound quality is top-notch, and the generous booklet is packed with equally rare photography, highly-informative notes and thorough documentation.

There are lots of reissues of early recordings, but all the offerings from Old Hat are head and shoulders above the rest.

Sure, the pirates of the world can probably find this material in MP3 format, but despicable thievery aside, they're missing out on the complete package. The music combined with the ample booklet is the true prize. The true value is owning this release, holding it in your hand: listening, reading, viewing the rare photos.

Whether you're a hard-core collector or occasional enthusiast of early recordings of Jazz and Blues, you'll enjoy this truly superlative production.

a wonderful disc of old time fiddle/violin recordings. pianos, guitars, banjos, and vocals also are present on a 24 set of songs that all old time music lovers should possess.

Inspired by my recent review of Sam Ku West's cd of Hawaiian steel guitar from 1927 and '28, and his version of Memphis Blues contained therein, I decided I need to review Violin, Sing the Blues for Me which contains a killer Memphis Blues by the Mobile Strugglers. Then of course I had to review this, its equally compelling companion disc.

This stuff is history-come-alive. There's a fun tidbit for those folks who still think the blues began with Robert Johnson. Check Wild Cow Blues by Joe Williams' Washboard Singers, recorded in 1935... before RJ's earliest sides. RJ obviously listened to, liked, and studied this side. RJ's iconic vocal phrasings come straight from here, but RJ had the better voice, thus pulling them off more powerfully.

Rukus Juice features some serious fiddling over a hopping groove. Moanin' and Groanin' Blues has the best humming this side of one of the better Grateful Dead Candymans.

You also get Lonnie Johnson. You may largely think of him as one of the best lyricists and guitarists (both 6 and 12-string) the blues have ever known, or as one of the primal jazz guitarists, but had Lonnie gotten tired of the guitar he could have taken Stephane Grappelli's place in the QHCF with little problem. His Memphis Stomp glides and swirls through time in rather astounding fashion. Pre-war Lonnie Johnson was THE MAN. I still don't understand why there isn't a complete boxset of him from 1925-1932. But I digress...

From slow blues drawl, to a track like Peetie Wheatstraw's Throw Me in the Alley, which would have made King Oliver proud. There's a lot of ground covered here, much of it great. Just try to hold still during Doctor Medicine by the South Memphis Jug Band!

The heart and soul of both this and "Violin, Sing..." are the people you probably never heard of. People who may have only recorded a few sides total, and have rarely if ever before been presented on cd. The few tracks by the famous greats can be heard elsewhere, so it's those largely forgotten by time who make this such a gift.

Well, I completely disagree with the negative review below, and I have a feeling that the gentleman who wrote it, who claims to be a mediocre picker of several instruments, will remain mediocre for his entire life. Fiddle and violin are not the same thing. As the old joke goes, the difference between the two is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin.

To expect rural and traditional black fiddlers from the Depression to play fiddle like classically trained modern fiddlers like Mark O'Connor or Allison Krauss is like expecting your country Grandma to make Hazelnut-crusted filet of Chilean Seabass with a Pomegranate and Wasabi reduction for Sunday dinner, instead of pot roast and mashed potatoes. It's an absurd expectation. This is the music of real people. Many of these musicians undoubtedly farmed or did other backbreaking labor all week, taking their only joy from the music they'd play on the weekend. Their faithful listeners were in the same boat.

Remember that for many of these recordings, the concept of "jazz" hadn't been invented yet. Bluegrass, for that matter, wouldn't be invented for a couple more decades.

Anyone with a genuine appreciation for American traditional and folk music will love this album. Yes, some of the recording quality is a little bit rough (many of the songs sound like they're playing on an old turntable instead of on a CD), but it's completely listenable, not nearly as difficult to listen to as many other re-released gems from this era. Listen to it with an open mind, and after you've heard the first few tunes, your brain will automatically tune out the static (which is minimal to begin with).

This album is one of the more brilliant re-releases and collections from this era. Get an idea of what real people were listening to and playing in this time period. You'll thank yourself for giving it a try.

This is an amazing trip-hop album very much in the same vein as Portishead (especially dummy) and Tricky's more mellow work. Definitely an excellent listen. Nice beats, haunting vocals and beautiful lyrics make this a truly magical album.

This is a melancolic and dark album, I really like it, but is not easy listening, I think is great for days when you feel blue. I really like it, because is soft music, and I like that.

This is one of the best trip-hop cd's I've ever heard...This Cd is an awesome combination of Drum'n bass and trip hop beats...Trust me you won't regret this purchase...Get this cd right away if you can find it...

I had high hopes after all the good reviews. I was disappointed with this cd. I've only listened to it once. It reminds me of underground club music of the early 90's.

Baxter, one of the best female trip hop artists I've ever heard of in my life.
I remember when this album was released and couldn't stop listening to it, and still listen to it frequently..

Like a cross between Frou Frou meets Esthero with some Spicy Thievery Corp!
excellent.
=S=

.
Thanks, HankFan and Stuart M. Paine.

Music Out of the Moon, a Capitol album, is subtitled:
"Music Unusual featuring the Theremin - Themes by Harry Revel"
It featuring Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman on the Theremin.
With Orchestra conducted by Les Baxter
Here is a big cover image.
www.ele-mental.org/~ecc/exo/exotica/outerspace/Music%20Out%20of%20the%20Moon.jpg

Perfume Set to Music, an RCA Victor release, also features the Theremin.

This compilation includes the complete Le Sacre Du Sauvage 10" album (not the extended album, which includes 4 extra tracks).

Here's the track-list, from as HankFan reported, but (as suggested by Stuart M. Paine's review) identifying the album each is from; plus year. (And year for the singles.)

This is a very chronological sampler.

1947 - Music Out of the Moon (10") - Lunar Rhapsody
1947 - Music Out of the Moon (10") - Moon Moods
1947 - Music Out of the Moon (10") - Celestial Nocturne
1947 - Music Out of the Moon (10") - Radar Blues
1949 - Perfume Set to Music (10") - L'Ardente Nuit
1949 - Perfume Set to Music (10") - Jet
1950 - Voice of the Xtabay (10") - Earthquake (Tumpa)
1950 - Voice of the Xtabay (10") - Lure of the Unknown Love (Xtabay)
1951 - Arthur Murray Favorites - Tangos - Romantic Rio
1951 - Arthur Murray Favorites - Tangos - El Choclo
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Busy Port
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Jungle River Boat
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Jungle Flower
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Stone God
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Quiet Village
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Coronation
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - Love Dance
1951 - Le Sacre Du Sauvage (10") - The Ritual
1953 - 45RPM single - I Love Paris - 1969 - Baxter's Best
1954 - The Passions featuring Bas Sheva (10") - Despair
1954 - The Passions featuring Bas Sheva (10") - Lust

1954 - Les Baxter & His Orchestra - EP (7") - Whatever Lola Wants
1954 - Les Baxter & His Orchestra - EP (7") - Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White
1954 - Tamboo! - Simba
1956 - Tamboo! - Oasis of Dakhla
1956 - Tamboo! - Pantan
1956 - Tamboo! - Mozambique
1956 - Tamboo! - Zambezi
1955 - Kaleidoscope - Tropicana
1955 - Kaleidoscope - April In Portugal - 1953 - 45RPM single
1955 - Kaleidoscope - Atlantis
1955 - Kaleidoscope - Elaine
1955 - Kaleidoscope - Blue Tango - 1952 - 45RPM single
1955 - Kaleidoscope - Ruby - 1953 - 45RPM single
1956 - Caribbean Moonlight - Taboo
1956 - Caribbean Moonlight - Nightingale
1956 - Caribbean Moonlight - Poinciana
1956 - Caribbean Moonlight - Sway (Quien Era)
1956 - Les Baxter's La Femme - Frank Pourcel - Les Hanches
1956 - Les Baxter's La Femme - Frank Pourcel - Le Mollet
1957 - Midnight on the Cliffs - Unchained Melody - 1955 - 45RPM single
1957 - Midnight on the Cliffs - Blue Mirage
1958 - Confetti - The Poor People of Paris - 1956 - 45RPM single

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Baxter
www.tamboo.com/baxter/baxter2.1.html

Enough with the collections. I want to see more of Les, preferably on twofers, of course. And from the master tapes. Not too much to ask, since they would be big sellers. I gave this five stars for the great music within, but come on.

The track listing was provided by another reviewer earlier and it convinced me to buy the CD. and the CD is great but...the titles are off! I have those same songs by different artists (Martin Denny & Arthur Layman)

CD1
Lunar Rhapsody
Moon Moods
Celestial Nocturne
Radar Blues
L'Ardent Nuit
Jet
Tumpa
Xtabay
Romantico Rio
El Choclo
Busy Port
Jungle River Boat -----------> Jungle Flower
Jungle Flower----------------> Jungle River Boat
Stone God--------------------> Quiet Village
Quiet Village----------------> Jungle Jalopy
Coronation
Love Dance
The Ritual
I Love Paris
Despair
Lust

As you can see, it's mostly the order of the tracks..however one track "stone god" isn't there and a track not listed "jungle jalopy" is.

This is the first CD set I've seen which combines Les Baxter's great pop and exotica tracks of the period 1947 to 1958. Many thanks to our other reviewer, "hank fan", for listing them.

At a glance, I see these albums represented:

MUSIC OUT OF THE MOON (w/ Harry Revel and Dr. Samuel J Hoffmann)
PERFUME SET TO MUSIC (again w/ Revel and Hoffmann))
ARTHUR MURRAY FAVORITES
VOICE OF THE XTABAY ("shta-bye" - w/ Yma Sumac)
RITUAL OF THE SAVAGE
TAMBOO
THE PASSIONS (w/ Bas Sheva)
CARIBBEAN MOONLIGHT

and these hit 45s:

"Blue Tango"
"Ruby"
"I Love Paris"
"April in Portugal"
"Unchained Melody"
"The Poor People of Paris" (biggest hit of the 1950s)

For someone new to Baxter, there is no disc set I could recommend more highly! A+++ for the people at Phantom Sound & Vision.

Here's the track list:
CD1
Lunar Rhapsody
Moon Moods
Celestial Nocturne
Radar Blues
L'Ardent Nuit
Jet
Tumpa
Xtabay
Romantico Rio
El Choclo
Busy Port
Jungle River Boat
Jungle Flower
Stone God
Quiet Village
Coronation
Love Dance
The Ritual
I Love Paris
Despair
Lust
CD2
Whatever Lola Wants
Cherry Pink & Apple Blossome White
Simba
Oasis Of Dakhla
Pantan
Mozambique
Zambezi
Tropicano
April In Portugal
Atlantis
Elaine
Blue Tango
Ruby
Taboo
Nightingale
Poinciana
Sway
Les Hanches
Le Mollet
Unchained Melody
Blue Mirage
The Poor People of Paris

I enjoyed the first part of this CD - nice exotica type mix - but wasn't too crazy about the "skins" part - not enough melody for me - just lots of banging on drums!

"Skins" could very well be the best bongo album ever. A true classic
from the beatnik era. The bonus album "Tamboo" is not bad either.

Idly perusing Amazon's pages led me to the music that I had thought so passionate in 1957. I ordered Tamboo and discovered that 50 years later the music was pale, colorless. The music hasn't changed, of course, but time has moved on. What was avante garde then is relegated to the ordinary now. Still, Tamboo is a great listen for gentle background along with some reminiscing!

TWO OF THE BEST LES BAXTER EXOTICA/LOUNG MUSIC RECORDS RELEASED IN THE 1950'S- EARLY 1960'S. YOU WILL WANT TO SIT BACK WITH AN EXOTIC COCKTAIL (THE KIND WITH AN TINY UMBRELLA STICKING OUT OF THE TOP) WHEN YO UHEAR THIS MUSIC. TRULY ORIGINAL FOR ITS' TIME, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SOUND DATED TODAY. BUT THE GREAT RECORDING SOUND AND RE-MIXING MAKE IT WORTH IT.

Never mind about exotica, tiki, virtual tourism, disney soundtracks, white suburban 1950s. Did Les Baxter really think like that?

Both these albums showcase exactly what Les Baxter's music was all about - haunting melodies, luscious harmonies, ingenious and often downright experimental arrangements and - more than anything - a wonderful, sparkling compositional mind with surprising subtlety and emotional depth. Probably some of the most atmospheric music you will ever hear.

People speaking of Les Baxter as "Easy Listening" is like labelling Brian Wilson simply as "Classic Rock". Was "Pet Sounds" about sun surf and girls? Should tracks like "Mozambique" and "Oasis Of Dakhla" really just be labelled as suburbia , space age pop or lounge music? There's far too much going on here and way too much depth in those melody lines for this music to be simply pigeonholed as "Exotica". Les Baxter is in a different league altogether.

Highly recommended cd release.

Also look out for "The Exotic Moods Of...." double cd compilation which is the best place to start if you're new to Les Baxter.

More please!!

In response to Anthony Barkdoll's criticism of the original
orchestrations to Carousel's 1945 Broadway Cast:
According to Rodger's autobiography, "Musical Stages," Robert
Russell Bennett did, in fact, orchestrate the original "Mister
Snow" for the 1945 Broadway Cast album, until other projects
caused him to be sidelined.

Although i like the movie soundtrack a lot,i was glad to get the original cast album that includes one track:THE HIGHEST JUDGE OF ALL that was not in the movie.CAROUSEL will always remain a great show that had it all to become a classic.If you consider the age of this record 1945,it's still a treat to hear JOHN RAITT,JAN CLAYTON and company do their numbers.Probably because i am a fan of this show,i think it holds up very well.Anyway,if you are a RODGERS and HAMMERSTEIN enthousiast,you simply must include the original CAROUSEL cast album in your collection.

This CD from the MCA Broadway-Gold range features the peerless original 1945 cast of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL, regarded by the duo as their favorite of all their collaborations.

The 1945 cast featured John Raitt, in his Broadway debut, as the carnival barker Billy Bigelow with the lovely Jan Clayton as Julie Jordan. The role of Carrie is played by Jean Darling with the cast rounded out by Christine Johnson as Nettie, Eric Mattson as Enoch Snow, Murvyn Vye as Jigger and Connie Baxter.

Raitt's amazing voice perfectly inhabits songs like "The Highest Judge of All" and the breathtaking "Soliloquy". Jan Clayton is a perfect fit for Julie. Miss Clayton would go on to further distinction a few years later, playing both Magnolia and Kim in a landmark revival of SHOW BOAT. Jean Darling perfectly captures the breathless romantic longing of Carrie with the delightful "Mister Snow".

Sound quality is quite good for the age of the material. This cast album is naturally a must-own for all fans of musical theatre

Yikes. I bought this based on the reviews (and because I prefer the original cast recordings as well). But quite frankly, this album is no fun to listen to. If you like Sound of Music, Cinderella, and that style, you will not like this. It is very dense, and somewhat tortured sounding, as is the story. Robert Russell Bennett is not involved in the orchestration, so that may account for the music. And the wry humor and satirical, yet loving insights that I expect from Hammerstein are missing as well. Unlike most of their other albums, this one sounds old and dated, and ready for the grave.

"Carousel" is the great American musical. Try as they might, no composer (including Rodgers and Hammerstein) has surpassed it.

Having said that, I would recommend the 1993 recording of the Original London Cast of the Nicholas Hytner revival of "Carousel" over this one. While I am a bigger fan of the voices here (especially John Raitt and Jan Clayton), the truncated numbers and out-and-out cuts make listening to this album a tragic experience.

I am usually a believer that the original cast recording is the one to buy as it represents what the composer had in mind while putting the show together, but I do not believe that here. The 1993 recording is far better than this. While this 1945 recording does hold an important place in history, the 1993 recording should be considered definitive.

Timely arrival. However, the case for the CD arrived all broken. The music, though, is lovely.

Relax...here's the honest truth- the "Real Deal" so-to-speak. One of the most difficult musical genres to access is Exotica. Most people don't even know what the f@#k it is, and arguably for good reason, Its difficult to discover and represents a slightly obscure period of cultural history. But if you happen to discover it this is probably one of the best albums to date in its class. (And if you haven't discovered Exotica, this may be the stronest gateway into such a bizarre world.) Baxter now has a real "feel"--its finally groove-oriented while retaining its melodical and harmonic sense. Cooler than the at-times corny stuff that Baxter and others made before its inception while still capturing some strong essences of the original style; It should not be compared to Brazilian Samba and Bossa Nova, true Brazilian genres critical to the advancment of music as an artform. You should compare it, rather, to its own soothing sense of "escapism", a product of its own invention.

I like this because im a genius. if you suck, you won't like this. i recommend sampling "Yellow Sun". a moving track, that makes you wish you never existed, given all the crap geniuses have to deal with daily.

This CD contains two original albums of Les from the late 60's. The first 13 tunes coming from an LP originally titled "Brazil Now" (except "A Banda" which is a bonus from the "Love Is Blue" album). Most of them are well-known standards, not composed by Les, but arranged and conducted in his own special way. Please note that this is no traditional latin music, but very fine easy listening. In fact not all songs are latin stuff, but Les also brings latin moods to titles like "A Man and a Woman" (by Francis Lai) and "Born Free" (by John Barry). The remaining 12 tracks (composed by Les) representing his "African Blue" album, which (in my opinion) is fantastic. Good compositions played by great musicians. Sometimes the guitar sounds like played by Jerry Reed! Sound quality is also very good.

What's wrong with Mr. Baxter giving his interpretation of Brazilian music? Why not? All I need is one rainy day, one valium and one record-lovely. This is mood music at its best.