Teaser: Truly, this album has all the warning signs of being terrible. Christmas in the distant future of 2001, missionaries to outer space (?), low budget children’s music… But it’s actually pretty good!
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Part two of our holiday series, we bring you a low-key, yet festive Christmas album from movie composer extraordinaire, Henry Mancini.
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Perhaps the quintessential Christmas album? We encourage you to start your own Ray Conniff style caroling flash mob and take advantage of these extraordinarily festive arrangements of classic holiday songs.
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It's a special birthday episode! To celebrate co-host Steve's birthday, we count down the top four songs from the 3rd Festival Da Music Popular Brasiliera from 1967, via the 3-LP collection. Stay tuned for a most epic geek-out about Brazilian music and history.
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A listener request brings us folk songs from all over the world and we trace the path of a one-man recording operation to booming multimedia empire.
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A staple of your local thrift store-dollar bin, and a long-time favorite artist of Living in Hi-Fi, Herb Alpert! All the upbeat, easy-listening brass you can handle, and some trivia about Herb Alpert’s diverse artistic interests.
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On this week’s episode, we feature a listener contribution! Pour yourself a margarita and settle in for some lively Tex-Mex accordion.
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This album could totally have been made today by some earnest hipsters. It could be you and your neighbor who home-brews playing jugs and washboards on the porch. But no! It’s from 1964. A playful and timeless album of early jazz, blues, and folk tunes.
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We love Halloween! A rather silly impression of Bela Lugosi as Dracula introduces a solid hard bop jazz album from 1958.
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George Chakiris is a highly underrated vocalist. Best known for his role as Bernardo in West Side Story, in this self-titled album, George Chakiris sings effortless renditions of some pop standards.
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Wanda Sá (AKA Wanda de Sah) has the quintessential bossa nova singing voice: so sweet and gentle! It’s showcased beautifully in this American production on Capital from 1965.
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Let’s head to the 1970s, the golden era for… belly dance? Indeed! This classic belly dance album that could be considered early “world fusion” with its traditional songs from the Middle East repackaged for American night clubs.
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Listening to records isn't just a hobby, it's a lifestyle. A selection from RCA victor's Hi-Fi Living series sets the mood for lounging and romance.
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You'd think that by this album cover, you're in for some surf rock, but in fact, you'll find a collection of exotica themed pop songs with traditional Hawaiian vocal stylizations and sweet harmony. Easy listening for your next luau!
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Shredding on the banjo? Yeah, that’s a thing. Let’s take a trip to Appalachia with some instrumental bluegrass from 1961 by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
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One of our all-time favorite albums! A staple of our collection from A&M records, Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 perfectly fuse bossa nova and american pop. Stellar arrangement and crystal clear lady vocals make this album shine.
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Look Around on AppleMusic
Look Around on Amazon
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Look Around on Wikipedia
Sérgio Mendes on Wikipedia
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This week we deliver a charming collection of foxtrots and such for dancing or for a simply sophisticated evening at home via London's long-time dance band leader, Sydney Lipton.
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Sweet Harmony & Dancing at the Grosvenor House on AppleMusic
Sydney Lipton on Wikipedia
Sydney Lipton on AllMusic
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The Grosvenor House on Wikipedia
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There’s more to Barry White than just his sexy baritone voice. This episode, we check out his masterful and funky proto-disco instrumental arrangements.
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Rhapsody in White on AppleMusic
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Have we mentioned that we love cha-cha? And Hammond organs? This rare release from 1959 on Liberty is the height of Latin-flavored easy listening with its nonchalant solos and minimalist instrumentation.
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John Buzon Trio on AppleMusic
Ultra-Lounge on Wikipedia
Come on everybody, let's do the twist! But in a really low budget kind of way. This 1962 album insists that you enjoy the first international dance craze.
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Twist on AppleMusic
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The Twist dance
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An exotica staple! Yma Sumac is most recognized for her extraordinary five octave vocal range. This diva is an Incan princess (true!) and her talent is showcased in traditional and not-so traditional latin music and backed by a hollywood-style orchestra.
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Mambo on Apple Music
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Yma Sumac on Wikipedia
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Do you like polka? Beer? Did you steal the keeshka? What is a keeshka, anyway? Answers to all these questions and more as we check out the best of Frankie Yankovic.
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Frankie Yankovic on AppleMusic
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Frankie Yankovic on Wikipedia
Polka on Wikipedia
I stole the Keeshka T-Shirt: Ladies or Unisex
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Pennsylvania Polka as featured in Groundhog Day
You can't really go wrong with a Verve recording! This episode's featured album will appeal to both jazz lovers and bossa nova fans. We'll share with you a great introduction to Brazilian music of the 1950s and 60s.
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Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto performing the Girl from Ipanema
This is our first time featuring a review of a new release on the podcast! As lovers of old funky records, we have mad respect for the Avalanches whose love of music is obvious in their ability to scout out only the most awesome bits of obscure music and show it off in groovy new compositions. Even if you think you're not into electronic music, we bet you'll dig the psychedelic feel of Wildflower.
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Wildflower on Apple Music
Order the LP from the Avalanches
Chandra 1980 on Bandcamp
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The Avalanches Guide to the samples, features and stories of Wildflower on Triple J
The Show Must Go On (Pitchfork)
Since I Left You (Wikipedia)
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Subways by the Avalanches
Subways by Chandra Oppenheim
Since I Left You by the Avalanches
The World’s Most Important 6-sec drum loop (The Amen Break)
In this episode we learn that Pizza and Pipes was apparently a thing in the pacific northwest in the 1970s? Who knew. This episode may give you nightmares due to the shaky audio transfer or creepy movie themes or both.
Browse Northwest Organists page for more about: Paul Quarino, David Lee, Jonas Nordwall, and Don Simmons
Way out Wednesday: At the Organ Grinder Vol. 2 on Pop Dose
Pipe Organ Pizzerias Briefly Explained at Serious Eats
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