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Ultra lounge |
Tiki Shaker
Grand Member (4 years) 
Joined: Jun 28, 2008
Posts: 689
From: Oceanside, CA
|  Posted: 2010-06-12 12:55 pm Permalink
Did anybody ever frequent the "Ultra Lounge" store? It was in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square Mall. I can't remember how they were affiliated with Capitol. They used the same logos and of course sold the cd's.
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2416
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2010-06-12 12:57 pm Permalink
Yes! Tiny store with Leopard print pillows.
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JOHN-O
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: May 16, 2008
Posts: 2489
From: Dogtown, USA
| Posted: 2010-06-12 12:59 pm Permalink
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On 2010-06-11 23:32, MadDogMike wrote:
...has our perception of what Tiki music is changed in 10 years?
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I think the perception of Tiki Music may evolve further right along with the Tiki Revival, after all the genre was defined well after classic Tiki-style ended.
An example I'm thinking of is Yma Sumac. Today she's considered a pillar of Exotica (or maybe that's just my wishful thinking). Based on a vintage stereo magazine article that the Jab posted, she wasn't mentioned at all. With the Lounge/Exotica Revival of the 1990's however I think she's clearly associated with that camp.
Current bands of today like the Ding Dong Devils and the Hula Girls wouldn't fall into the classic Tiki Music definition but maybe 20 years from now that classification will be broader.
Also as newer Tikiphiles embrace other types of mid-century music (that can have a Poly-Pop connection) not really popular here (Rockabilly, Honky Tonk Country, Annette, Elvis etc), we might see additional sub-categories of Tiki Music being defined.
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JOHN-O
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: May 16, 2008
Posts: 2489
From: Dogtown, USA
| Posted: 2010-06-12 1:14 pm Permalink
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On 2010-06-12 11:05, bigbrotiki wrote:
So you invite your grandmother to your Tiki haunt, and she sits down at the bar -is she TIKI now?
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That depends on the grandmother...
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10600
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-06-12 1:36 pm Permalink
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On 2010-06-12 12:59, JOHN-O wrote:
I think the perception of Tiki Music may evolve further right along with the Tiki Revival, after all the genre was defined well after classic Tiki-style ended.
Also as newer Tikiphiles embrace other types of mid-century music (that can have a Poly-Pop connection) not really popular here (Rockabilly, Honky Tonk Country, Annette, Elvis etc), we might see additional sub-categories of Tiki Music being defined.
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Well, question is will the definition evolve or devolve, as in get watered down? Just because Rockabilly and some Honky Tonk happened in the same time period is not enough reason for it to ever being called Tiki music. And because Elvis and Annette did a relatively small percentage of their tunes in the Polynesian pop style they are not Tiki Music artists. Elvis' Blue Hawaii/Paradise Hawaiian Style and Annette's Hawaiianette are pure Poly pop fitting in fine at any Tiki Lounge, but it's these albums, not their general oeuvre.
Quote:
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On 2010-06-12 12:59, JOHN-O wrote:
Current bands of today like the Ding Dong Devils and the Hula Girls wouldn't fall into the classic Tiki Music definition but maybe 20 years from now that classification will be broader.
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Those would be Tiki REVIVAL bands in the Surf and Hapa Haole tradition, really.
I know that this kind of differentiation will mean jack s#%t out in the real world, where everything in a ten mile radius of Tiki gets called that, but on TC I think we can be more specific and see the difference between being merely related, being part of, and being IT.
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DejaVoodoo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 07, 2008
Posts: 135
From: Woodbridge, NJ
| Posted: 2010-06-12 2:52 pm Permalink
I LOVE me some Ultra-Lounge!  I have the whole series and was really into them about 6 or 7 years ago, long after the height of their popularity. I may have discovered them late, but I'm so glad I found them at all! I think the "Christmas Cocktails" comps were my gateway Ultra-Lounge, and lounge/easy listening, CDs. Once I caught the sickness, there was no cure in sight! Still isn't, sometimes!
If I'm not mistaken, the Leopard skin sampler uh...samples two tracks from roughly the first half of the series, and the Tiki sampler does the same for the last half of the series, including the few in-depth single artist compilations released after the initial 18 volumes. So, it most certainly is NOT Tiki music. Any association that comp has with Tiki and Polynesian Pop ends with the artwork and packaging. In this case, don't judge a book by its cover! You'll be sorely disappointed if you do! LOL!
I am glad that since the initial release of the Ultra-Lounge series, quite a few full albums by the included artists have trickled out of the vaults over the years...on CD, no less! Namely:
*"Warm Brandy" by Dolores Gray (her song, "You're My Thrill" is featured on "UL Vol. 6: Rhapsodesia" and was reissued by DRG records.)
*"Christmas Favorites" by The Hollyridge Strings (a bunch of their syrupy, reverb laden easy listening orchestral takes on holiday standards were featured on the "UL: Christmas Cocktails parts 1 & 2" and the full album was reissued by Collectors' Choice Music.)
*"Softly" by Wanda De Sah (a slew of her songs wound up on "UL Vol. 14: Bossa Novaville" and the full album was reissued TWICE, first by Rev-Ola in the UK and then as a twofer with a Brasil '65 album on DRG records)
*"Cha Cha De Amor" by Dean Martin (yep, the title song was apparently the inspiration for "UL Vol. 9: Cha-Cha De Amor" and thanks to Collectors' Choice Music, you can own the full album WITH bonus tracks!)
There are probably a ton more, as this is by no means a definitive list! I just mentioned the ones I was most interested in seeking out.
Most all of the Julie London and Jackie Gleason UL tracks can be found on their respective albums reissued on CD either as imports or domestic releases. Half the fun, frustrating as it may be, is tracking this stuff down! Nine times out of ten, though, the full album CDs are out of print.  However, every once in a while you get lucky, like I did with Jimmy McGriff's "Christmas With McGriff." Those "dirty" organ renditions of Christmas songs on the "Christmas Cocktails" comps are mostly played by Mr. McGriff and can be found on the full album released on CD by Collectables Records.
Ah, what a thread! Like I said at the beginning, I love me some Ultra-Lounge! Now which volume should I listen to next?
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lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3453
From: "I've chopped my way through real jungle
| Posted: 2010-06-12 3:46 pm Permalink
They need to release the full David Rose STEREO album that contains the song "Gay Spirits".
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horsdumonde
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 17, 2010
Posts: 23 | Posted: 2010-06-20 2:31 pm Permalink
Mondo Exotica started it all for me, and it still remains one of the best exotica compilations out there. It has several excellent tracks that aren't available on CD elsewhere.
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skullisland
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 25, 2008
Posts: 15 | Posted: 2010-06-21 06:57 am Permalink
Mondo Exotica is an awesome comp! I preferred the "Cocktail Mix" series over the Ultra Lounge series though. It seemed to be a more interesting mix of tunes overall, especially the second one "Martini Madness". I was very disappointed that they didn't do an Exotica release.
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Potato.
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 09, 2010
Posts: 91
From: Lincoln, NE
| Posted: 2010-07-07 8:31 pm Permalink
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On 2007-05-26 14:27, OnyaBirri wrote:
It's worth noting that the people who produced the original Ultra Lounges are no longer involved in the project. Approach recent and future releases with trepidation...
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It's surprising to see that no one has yet noted that Ultra Lounge is offering new albums on iTunes. They are iTunes only, unfortunately (I am a CD buyer), but they're not bad little collections. I wouldn't say they're as good as the first set from '97, but it's good to see Capitol is still pushing out the genre for people like us. Oh, and they're cheaper than the CDs too.
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Rum Balls
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Oct 04, 2004
Posts: 829
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2010-07-08 07:42 am Permalink
Check out the digital releases here: http://www.ultralounge.com/ (Also available as Amazon mp3s)
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