Now Sound — Recently Added
Lounge, exotica, bachelor pad, instrumental pop, and Hi-Fi gems!
Herb Alpert, 2018. New Copy
CD...$12.99
13.99
Herb Alpert remakes himself again – taking all the best tunes from his classic years on A&M records, then fitting them to contemporary grooves – all at a level that's a bit like some of the Verve Remixed projects from years back, but even better! These aren't remixes, but new ... CD
Ray Davies & The Button Down Brass
Themes From The Exorcist, The French Connection, The Sting, & Other Great Films/Pye/Vocalion (UK), 1974/1975. New Copy
Two great albums from Ray "funky trumpet" Davies – not the lead singer of The Kinks, but a heck of a groovy British bandleader from the 70s! First up is an album of Themes From The Exorcist and other films – all familiar movie themes from the early 70s, penned by artists like ... CD
Frank Chacksfield
All Time Top TV ThemesPhase 4/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1966. New Copy
A sweet little take on the TV theme world of the 60s – served up by Brit maestro Frank Chacksfield at a level that's maybe a little bit more groovy than some of his other records from the time! Frank's still working with a very full orchestra, but the songs themselves have an inherently cool ... CD
Columbia, Mid 60s. New Copy (reissue)
Wonderful stuff – way more than just an easy instrumental album, and a great batch of exotic tunes with lots of jazzy touches! There's enough of the Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman influence here – but Rex and group take the sound a lot further, by playing like a true small combo, and ... LP, Vinyl record album
Ray Conniff
Theme From Swat/Columbia/Vocalion (UK), 1976. New Copy
Very cool 70s work from Ray Conniff – two albums that have him taking on a very new groove! Theme From Swat features a whole host of hip TV themes from the time – performed by Conniff's studio ensemble with a strong focus on instrumental solos – both by Ray on trombone, and ... CD
Ray Conniff
Alone Again Naturally/Columbia/Vocalion (UK), 1972. New Copy
A pair of groovy albums from Ray Conniff – both with a wonderful 70s vibe! Alone Again Naturally takes its title from the leadoff version of the great Gilbert O'Sullivan tune – and Ray conducts his group with a surprisingly bouncy vibe at times – mostly a sing-song mode that has ... CD
Elsa Popping & Her Pixieland Band (Andre Popp)
Delirium In Hi FiColumbia, 1957. New Copy (reissue)
A lost Hi Fi gem! Released in America under the name of "Elsa Popping & Her Pixieland Band" – the record is actually a stunning collaboration between French orchestra leader Andre Popp and sound effects wizard Pierre Fatosme. The sound is wild and swinging, with a feel that's ... LP, Vinyl record album
Les Baxter
African Jazz/Capitol/El (UK), 1958/1959. New Copy
CD...$6.99
13.99
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. ... CD
Paul Page & His Paradise Music
Pacific ParadiseSubliminal Sounds (Sweden), 1940s/1950s. New Copy 2LP Gatefold
A fantastic tribute to the enigmatic Paul Page – an exotic music genius from the west coast scene of the postwar years – but one who never reached the fame of bigger names like Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, or Webley Edwards! Page spent his later years in Hawaii, and right from the start ... LP, Vinyl record album
Cuca/Modern Harmonic, 1962. New Copy
LP...$23.99
24.99
A wonderful bit of hipster tracks from the early 60s! Mel Henke was part Esquivel, part Pete Rugolo, part Ken Nordine, part Kenyon Hopkins – and one of the best, and most underrated of the late 50s/early 60s bachelor pad arrangers! This album's most likely his best – and it's a mad ... LP, Vinyl record album
Dave Harris
Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry CannibalsDecca/Sonitron, 1958. New Copy (reissue)
A classic session of music from the mighty Raymond Scott – performed here by a small combo led by Scott's old tenor player Dave Harris! All of the tunes here were written by Scott, and many are of the vintage that stretches back to his cool cartoon work – those jaunty, jagged little ... LP, Vinyl record album
Eden Ahbez & Others
Wild Boy – The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez (180 gram pressing)Bear Family (Germany), 1950s/1960s. New Copy Gatefold
LP...$28.99
31.99
A much-needed look at the untapped musical legacy of Eden Ahbez – the west coast mystic who's best remembered for delivering the song "Nature Boy" to Nat King Cole (legendarily walking in barefooted during a recording session!) – but who also made a range of other great music ... LP, Vinyl record album
Percy Faith
Disco Party (with bonus track)CBS/Sony (Japan), 1975. New Copy
A sweet little disco party from Percy Faith – a man who cut some pretty sleepy records in the 60s, but really managed to open up his groove in the 70s! The whole thing's maybe the same disco take on older instrumental styles that Henry Mancini would cut a bit during the period, too – ... CD
Hugo Montenegro
Rocket Man/Vocalion (UK), 1971/1975. New Copy
A pair of 70s albums from Hugo Montenegro – back to back on a single CD! Rocket Man is excellent – very groovy stuff! After paying tribute to Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan on other LPs, Hugo Montenegro turns his talents to the groovy compositions of Elton John in this nice album of ... CD
Jimmy Takeuchi
Blue Chateau – Drum Sound Best – Standard Best 1200Universal (Japan), Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy
Very cool drum sounds from Jimmy Takeuchi – an artist who was maybe Japan's answer to Sandy Nelson – and who worked in a similar blend of instrumental rock modes! The drums are upfront on all the numbers here, but there's also a lot of twangy guitar, saxophone, and other sweet elements ... CD
Tokashi Obara
Itsudemo Yumewo – J Hits Piano Best – Standard Best 1200Universal (Japan), 1995. New Copy
Gentle solo piano from Japan – a set that recalls older easy instrumental albums of the 60s and 70s, even though it was recorded in more recent years! The sole instrumentation here is piano, recorded in a lushly echoey style that has the same softly captivating vibe of later albums by ... CD
GNP, Late 60s. Very Good+ Gatefold
Not as totally exotic as the title might imply, and with a different sound than Les' early work for Capitol in that vein, but still a very groovy batch of tracks done in LA with a small group that includes Clare Fischer on organ, Carol Kaye on bass, and assorted Latin and Brazilian percussion. 12 ... LP, Vinyl record album
Esquivel
Strings AflameRCA, 1959. Near Mint-
Despite the "strings" in the title, this one actually swings quite well, and has a bit of an exotic gypsy flavor to it, augmented by cool spacey production that makes the strings hum with a strange other-worldly tonality. The set's filled with the usual crazy Esquivel arrangements, and ... LP, Vinyl record album
Esquivel
Exploring New Sounds In StereoRCA, 1959. Very Good
Juan Garcia's at his best here – gazing into a telescope on the cover, looking at the stars and contemplating his next musical direction. For that, the session leaps into a swinging hi-fi mode that brings the hi-ghest fi-delity to the band's nutty approach to arrangements. Esquivel's ... LP, Vinyl record album
Leroy Holmes
For A Few Dollars More & Other Motion Picture ThemesUnited Artists, 1967. Very Good+
... LP, Vinyl record album
Laurindo Almeida
Acapulco '22Tower, Late 60s. Near Mint-
Excellent work from Laurindo – a truly wonderful album, played with small combo backing, which gives the set a jazzier feel than usual! Players include Jimmy Rowles on organ, Bob Cooper on tenor, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Shelly Manne, Milt Holland, and Chico Guerro on percussion – ... LP, Vinyl record album
Burt Bacharach
Make It Easy On YourselfA&M, 1969. Very Good+
Fantastic work by maestro Burt Bacharach – subtle genius, and an album that offers more to us every time we listen to it! Burt's work has been recorded by many – but few ever gave it the kind of treatment that he did – as you'll hear in this brilliant array of sweeping strings, ... LP, Vinyl record album
Arthur Lyman
Bwana AHi Fi, 1958. Very Good
Classic exotica from Arthur Lyman – a set that really shows the lessons he learned from Martin Denny – and his willingness to take the genre into some strong new directions! The style here is still very much in the percussive mode you might expect from Denny's generation – but it' ... LP, Vinyl record album
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Whipped Cream & Other DelightsA&M, 1965. Near Mint-
Trumpety magic from Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – a record that's known not only for its classic cover of a model dipped in whipped cream, but also for it's tremendously groovy groove! The Tijuana sound is very firmly in place by the time of this set – Mexican-inspired, but ... LP, Vinyl record album
Martin Denny
ExoticaLiberty, 1957. Very Good
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 ... LP, Vinyl record album
Mohammed El Bakkar
Music For A Belly DancerAudio Fidelity, Early 60s. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold
... LP, Vinyl record album
Dave Harris
Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry CannibalsDecca, 1958. Very Good-
A classic session of music from the mighty Raymond Scott – performed here by a small combo led by Scott's old tenor player Dave Harris! All of the tunes here were written by Scott, and many are of the vintage that stretches back to his cool cartoon work – those jaunty, jagged little ... LP, Vinyl record album
Mickey Mantle
My Favorite HitsRCA, 1958. Very Good
Mickey Mantle doesn't actually play or sing on this, but he collected this batch of RCA hits, and he's standing on the cover in a beautiful photography shot at Yankee stadium on a sunny day. The music's pretty standard easy listening and pop from the 50's, but the cover's beautiful, and a must for ... LP, Vinyl record album
Kip Anderson & The Tides
Shango! Night In A Quiet VillageMedallion/Kapp, Early 60s. Very Good+
A nice little bit of exotica – with a dreamy island feel that mixes organ, electric guitar, vibes, flutes, and percussion – in a groove that's almost like that of a surf combo gone easy, as you might guess from the name of the group. There's no real standouts here, but Joe Cain ... LP, Vinyl record album
Arthur Murray
Music For Dancing – Mambo Rumba Samba Tango MerengueCapitol, Late 50s. Very Good
... LP, Vinyl record album
Al Caiola
Tuff Guitar English StyleUnited Artists, 1965. Very Good
Groovy guitar instrumental versions of UK hits – like "Satisfaction", "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place", "Help", "Yesterday", "You Really Got Me", and "Just A Little Bit Better" – plus originals "Midnight In Soho" and ... LP, Vinyl record album
Jackie Gleason
Now Sound – For Today's LoversCapitol, 1969. Near Mint-
A record that's definitely after our own heart – in case you couldn't tell from the title! The set has Jackie Gleason expanding his bag a bit for the late 60s – moving from the easy sound to the "Now Sound" – with the help of some cool electric sitar, pictured on the ... LP, Vinyl record album
Living Jazz
Manha De Carnaval & Other Bossa Nova FavoritesRCA, 1973. Very Good+
Groovy bossa material from Phil "Brass Ring" Bodner! LP, Vinyl record album
Martin Denny
PrimitivaLiberty, Late 50s. Very Good
One of Martin Denny's greatest albums – thanks to some extra special added elements! For the record, Denny's classic quartet is augmented by a wealth of odd added percussion – including gongs, cymbals, tuned logs, steel drums, chimes, and "chromatic bamboo"! All of these ... LP, Vinyl record album
Les Baxter
Skins! - Bongo Party With Les BaxterCapitol, Late 50s. Very Good
Very groovy LP of bongo-oriented tracks conducted by Les Baxter for "young America" (or so says the label!) The overall feel is nice and jazzy, and the tracks have a nice snapping bongo sound. Tracks include "Reverberasia", "Bustin the Bongos", "Brazilian ... LP, Vinyl record album
Sandy Nelson
Cheetah BeatImperial, Late 60s. Very Good+
One of Sandy Nelson's best albums from the late 60's! The best tracks have a good fuzzy psychedelic sound to them, which is a new twist on Sandy's drum-heavy instrumental style. Includes the nice long track "Freak Beat", plus "Good Thing", "Pandora's Golden Heebie ... LP, Vinyl record album
Henry Mancini
Warm Shade Of IvoryRCA, 1969. Near Mint-
Lovely late nite Mancini! The album has Mr. M's tinkling piano set amidst dark moody arrangements that bank the piano in warm washes of strings and light lilting rhythms – all moving at a slow somber pace that's perfect for a summer night with the lights down low, the windows open, relaxing ... LP, Vinyl record album
David McCallum (with David Axelrod)
Music – It's Happening Now!Capitol, Late 60s. Very Good
McCallum's third album for Capitol – and like the first, a genius batch of instrumental tunes that's graced with the talents of HB Barnum and David Axelrod! As beathead revivalists have shown, the album would be nothing without that pair, especially Axelrod – and McCallum's really just ... LP, Vinyl record album
Ferrante & Teicher
Soundproof – The Sound Of Tomorrow TodayWestminster, 1956. Very Good-
Incredible! Ferrante & Teicher play the piano like nobody ever else had – save for perhaps John Cage! The duo do a heck of a lot of work inside the piano – plucking the strings, hitting them like vibes, and sticking in all of these weird bits to create a "prepared piano" ... LP, Vinyl record album
Dick Hyman
FantomfingersProject 3, 1971. Very Good+ Gatefold
Pretty darn groovy stuff from Dick Hyman, and a record that has him getting some great tones out of the Baldwin organ! In fact, he seems to use his experience with the moog to find new ways of playing the organ, so that some of the tones and sounds have more of a moogy feel than you'd expect. The ... LP, Vinyl record album
Billy Mure
Fireworks – Billy Mure's Supersonic GuitarsRCA, 1958. Very Good+
Screamin' guitar instrumentals, played at top speed and with a great sound that's pure Billy Mure! Check out the great "Firecrackers", complete with sound effects, or other goodies like "Crackerjack", "Dancing Guitars", and "Guitar Theme". Nice stuff, and ... LP, Vinyl record album
Roger Christian/
Discover Yourself Through Astrology – The Story Of Your Sign In Words & Music
Uni, Late 60s. Very Good
A pretty groovy little record – one that features narrated bits on each sign of the Zodiac, set to some warm and floating music by Richard Russell! The set's an odd counterpart to some of the hipper Zodiac sets, as it kind of comes off like you've never heard of astrology – and first ... LP, Vinyl record album
Yma Sumac
Mambo!Capitol, 1954. Used
Quite possibly our favorite album ever by the enigmatic Yma Sumac – thanks to some lively arrangements by Billy May, who gives the set a swinging jazzy groove! As you might guess from the cover, the style here is more in a Latin jazz mode than some of Yma's other more ethereal work – ... LP, Vinyl record album
