Four full albums from the great Martin Denny – presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the initial Exotica album – the birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a record like this, he delivered the goods better than anyone else – by taking away all the too-sweet styles of Hawaiian music, and serving up a stripped-down, jazzy kind of sound! The album features Denny's classic original quartet – with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on bongos – and titles include "Stone God", "Jungle Flower", "Busy Port", "Lotus Land", and his hit recording of "Quiet Village". Exotica 2 is the second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Exotica 3 is sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare percussion, rhythmic piano, and just the right amount of vibes and bird calls to give the track a really haunting feel. That approach is echoed throughout the set – with shifting instrumentation that includes celeste, bongos, marimbas, and marimbula as well! Titles include "Quiet Village", "Paradise Found", "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". CD features bonus tracks too – "Llama Serenade" and "The Enchanted Sea" and more. CD

Silly title – but a great album, with Cugie playing relatively straight Latin versions of 60s pop hits. A few of the tunes are a bit silly, but there's less of the goofiness that "caricatures" might imply. Titles include "Papa Loves Mambo", "Night Train", "Fly Me to The Moon", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Desafinado", "The Continental", "Witchcraft", and "I've Got The World On A String". (Latin, Now Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

A lot more brash and bold than you might guess from the title – not just sleepy seduction music, but a batch of really dynamic tunes that will really push the limits of your hi-fi! Most numbers here are instrumental, although some of them have some occasional vocal refrains in the mix – and most have rhythms that are slinky and seductive – never too over the top, but filled with jazzy flourishes and some compelling instrumental moments – so much so that you'll be fine in your pad on your own, even without a girl! Titles include "Like Young" by Dave Pell, "Playboy's Penthouse" by Cy Coleman, "Shangri La" by Spike Jones, "A Shot In The Dark" by Jimmie Haskell, "Melancholy Sounds" by King Curtis, "Night Train" by Alvin Rey, "The Beast" by Milt Buckner, "Cool" by Lou Busch, "Sexe" by Line Renaud, "Caravan" by John Buzon Trio, "Spring Sprang Sprung" by Jack Fascinato, and "Theme From Our Man Flint" by Elliot Fischer. CD

A pair of late 50s gems from Jackie Gleason – back to back on a single CD! Opiate D'Amour definitely has the drug promised in the title – thanks to some lush arrangements from the legendary Jackie Gleason! But the set's also got some other charms, too – thanks to solo instrumental passages by some surprisingly great guests – including Al Caiola on guitar, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Bernie Leighton on piano, and Romeo Penque – who plays the "oboe d'amore"! The album's definitely got Gleason at the top of his game – working well within the specific concepts Capitol allowed him for the record – on titles that include "The Girl", "It's All Right With Me", "Pink Lace", "Casa D'Amor", "Caress", and "Pale Blues". Rebound features beautiful music for the blue at heart – and the kind of record that really helps get us through a late night after a big breakup! Jackie Gleason is at his moody best here – with orchestrations that are full, but nicely restrained – and some great solo inflections from Bernie Leighton on piano, and reedman Romeo Penque – who plays a special instrument here named the "oboe d'amour"! Titles include "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me", "Satin Doll", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Nevertheless", "Long Before I Knew You", "I'm Making Believe", "Without Love", "Close Your Eyes", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "More Than You Know", and "I Just Couldn't Take It Baby". CD

Late 50s Exotica jazz gems from Les Baxter for Capitol – Africa Jazz and Jungle Jazz in a single set! Africa Jazz is one of his greatest records, and one that's got just about everything you'd ever want! Plas Johnson plays tenor, and his solos are right out front, and recorded beautifully. There's a number of other great LA session players on percussion and vibes, and the arrangements have a definite jazz bent to them. Tracks include "Congo Train", "Walkin Watusi", "Ostrich Hunt", "Balinese Bongos", and "Mombasa After Midnight". Jungle Jazz is also fantastic stuff, and recorded with beautiful sound! It's right on a par with African Jazz, which uses a similar formula: Plas Johnson's up front playing gutsy tenor, and Les is behind, working a large group of exotica players into a tribal frenzy of mellow grooves. Titles include "Amazon Falls", "Coco", "Isle Of Cuba", "Jungla Brava", "Go Chango", and "Blue Jungle". CD