Sunday, March 15, 2009

Let's Disco!

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LetsDisco_Back

Album: Let's Disco!

Artist: Various Artists

Year: 1978

Label: K-tel

Liner Notes: "DISCO. A single word has captured a nation's imagination. No longer thought of as an amusement strictly for the "beautiful people," DISCO has become a national entertainment. People 6 to 60, tired of watching a select few have all the fun, are shredding their 9 to 5 humdrums, donning their dancing shoes and stepping out! The key to your personal DISCOvery is to realize that nearly anyone can learn to disco dance. It's simply a matter of getting the basics down, stepping on the floor and letting yourself go! And that's where LET'S DISCO comes in. LET'S DISCO was designed with the idea of presenting the basics of disco dancing as simply as possible for those with little or no dance background. We believe that this package is totally unique in that it teaches you disco steps in four different ways:

  • through the use of over 400 photographs which illustrate the positions and movements of a step, beat by beat
  • through simple, concise, written instructions explaining the movements seen in each photograph
  • through the liberal use of detailed, easy to follow foot diagrams
  • and finally, through this full length record featuring the voice of a disco instructor who will lead you through many of the steps along with original disco hits for dancing practice

With LET'S DISCO, learn:

  • freestyle steps and routines
  • line dances
  • dances for couples (touch dancing)

And best of all, with LET'S DISCO you can learn in the privacy of your own home."

Special Features: Supplemental "LET'S DISCO" book.

SIDE 1: Instruction

  1. Introduction / Walking Steps / Four Beat Turn / Freestyle Routine
  2. Touch Steps / Two Beat Turn / Freestyle Routine
  3. Basic Camelwalk / Camelwalk Kick / Freestyle Routine
  4. Kick Ball Change / Ball Change Kick / Samba

SIDE 2: Non-Stop Disco

  1. Do What You Wanna Do -- T-Connection
  2. Get Down Tonight -- K.C. & the Sunshine Band
  3. Get Off Your Aahh! And Dance -- Foxy
  4. Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me -- Peter Brown

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Christmas Rhapsodies for Young Lovers

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ChristmasRhapsodies_Back

Album: Christmas Rhapsodies for Young Lovers

Artist: Midnight String Quartet

Year: 1967

Label: Mistletoe Records

Liner Notes: "The Midnight String Quartet presents the Christmas album of the year, and for every year to come! What better instrumentation could be found to project the spirit of the holiday season. The selection of Christmas songs and carols were carefully picked by the producer, "Snuff" Garrett to give everyone their favorite song of the season. The Midnight String Quartet has now arrived at a position of great prominence among the successful instrumental groups of the world. I hope that you will find this album to be both inspirational and entertaining -- it should prove to be just one important step in the new but successful career of this most enjoyable ensemble. -- Ed Silvers"

Track Listing:

  1. White Christmas
  2. Sleigh Ride
  3. Christmas Rhapsody
  4. The Christmas Song
  5. Silent Night
  6. The Little Drummer Boy
  7. Oh Holy Night
  8. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
  9. First Noel

Sunday, December 7, 2008

In the Mexican Bag

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InTheMexicanBag_Back

Album: In the Mexican Bag

Artist: Billy Strange and the Mexicana Brass

Year: 1966

Label: GNP Crescendo Records

Liner Notes: "Billy Strange is the unsung hero of the music business. He digs music inside and out. And he knows how to take even the most complicated things and put them into a language that everybody digs. Needless to say, he sure gets thru to this girl! He's given me direction. A SOUND! Billy's like a short wave radio. He not only sends out his message loud and clear, but he receives everybody else's. So when you ask Billy to write something, you can be sure that there will be a part of you in it too. Because he can pick up on you, like nobody else! He figured me out in a fast five minutes. I OWE HIM A LOT! AND I LOVE HIM A LOT! -- Nancy Sinatra"

Track Listing:

  1. These Boots Are Made for Walking
  2. Crying Time
  3. Flowers on the Wall
  4. Michelle
  5. Caliente
  6. Tijuana Taxi
  7. The Shadow of Your Smile
  8. Guillermo's Guitar
  9. Adios
  10. Spanish Eyes
  11. A Touch of Tabasco
  12. Hava Tequila

Monday, November 24, 2008

Persuasive Percussion

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PersuasivePercussion_Back

PersuasivePercussion_Inside

Album: Persuasive Percussion (Volume 1)

Artist: Terry Snyder and the All Stars (featuring Tony Mottola, Willie Rodriguez, Dick Hyman, Jack Lesberg, Teddy Sommer, Artie Marotti, Stanley Webb, and Dominic Cortese.

Year: 1959

Label: Command Records

Special Features: Cover art by Josef Albers. Also, reportedly, the first use of gatefold packaging.

Liner Notes (excerpt): “This is the most unusual record you have ever put on your turntable. It is a unique mixture of entertainment, excitement, beauty, and practicality. It will show off the marvelous potentials of your stereo equipment – potentials that you may not even have realized were there before – and at the same time it will enable you to adjust your equipment so that you will get the best possible performance from it.”

Track Listing:

  1. I’m in the Mood for Love
  2. Whatever Lola Wants
  3. Misirlou
  4. I Surrender Dear
  5. Orchids in the Moonlight
  6. I Love Paris
  7. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
  8. Tabu
  9. The Breeze and I
  10. Aloha Oe
  11. Japanese Sandman
  12. Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Hammond Hit Parade

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HammondHitParade_Back

Album: Hammond Hit Parade

Artist: Harry Baumann

Year: Unknown

Special Features: Two cocktail recipes on back.

HammondHitParade_Recipe

Side 1:

  1. Congratulations / Rock Around the Clock / Warst Du doch in Dusseldorf gebliedben
  2. Harlekin / Mony, Mony / Jumpin’ Jack Flash
  3. Bells of Love / Young Girl / Hohe Tannen
  4. What a Wonderful World / Hurdy Gurdy Man
  5. Help Yourself / Alle Blumen wollen bluhen / Cotton Fields

Side 2:

  1. Arrividerci Hans / Simon Says / Yummy Yummy Yummy
  2. Sehnsucht / A Man Without Love / Choo Choo Train
  3. Happy Harry / Sunny Morning / My Name Is Jack
  4. Honey / Du solst nicht weinen
  5. Der Computer Nr. 3 / Lazy Sunday / Last Night in Soho