 |
Sven's The SOUND of TIKI CD -preview and discussion |
nature boy
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 69
From: Timonium, Maryland
|  Posted: 2009-11-02 2:39 pm Permalink
Here are some other surf possibilities.
Paradise Cove - The Lively Ones
Intoxica - The Centurions or The Original Sufaris
Exotic - The Original Sufaris
Quiet Village - The Astronauts
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-11-02 2:50 pm Permalink
The master is already locked in, but these suggestions will be noted for future projects, thank you.
I have a request: Because of my lack of enthusiasm for and my classification of Don Ho and Hawaii 5.0 as post-Tiki (begging forgiveness again to all who feel differently), my archive is seriously devoid of visual references of the two, and I am still seeking. WHO here could e-mail me some high res ( around 2MB) scans of either Mister Ho or Jack Lord?
This one is my Ho favorite, albeit it is much too small:
|
A Frame
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 16, 2009
Posts: 208
From: Mr. C's on the Coast Highway
| Posted: 2009-11-02 2:57 pm Permalink
The CD is a great idea. Blending various artists and styles allows the listener hear and move all around TIKI.
I'm afraid more scholarly folks can speak to the "is or isn't" surf, but I've always felt it was OK to place both into any surf mix.
I guess if there was a borderline surf area, for me it would need be instrumental only. The Beach Boys had the surf vibe, but vocals definitely pushed them far away from the traditional instro surf bands.
BTW, the Beach Boys did have an unusual exotica/hapa haole sounding instrumental called Diamond Head on their Friends album.
Good luck on the project Sven!
|
bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8262
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2009-11-02 5:26 pm Permalink
1st.
the Shadows and Ventures are not surf,
the Shadows are Euro Instro,
and while the Ventures played some surf songs, they have done many non surf songs also.
see their Carpenters,Jim Croce, Classical and Country albums.
2nd, Hawaii 50 was not originally done by the Ventures,
it was done by an orchestra for the TV show, then they covered it after.
there are many many surf songs that have a Hawaiian or Exotic/Exotica vibe.
I wish you would have come to me earlier about this.
and are you only doing old bands, or will there be new bands in the mix?
ahhhh, there is so much I want to add, but I need to go.
Jeff(btd)
[ This Message was edited by: bigtikidude 2009-11-03 10:46 ]
|
Hangtentiki
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 27, 2009
Posts: 39 | Posted: 2009-11-02 6:12 pm Permalink
In 1961, at age 17, we started the Reptiles, the first surf/tiki band in cold snowy Detroit City. We played a butt load of Ventures, Shadows, and we were crazy nuts over California and anything Tiki. To mid-west teenagers of the 60's, Surf music was Tiki Music. Oh don't forget Dick Dale. Aloha, Hang Ten Tiki www.bedtimestoriesforsurfers.com
|
aquarj
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 02, 2002
Posts: 1040
From: SF bay area, CA
| Posted: 2009-11-02 7:33 pm Permalink
Interesting to see some comments on this thread. I know it comes up periodically on TC as to whether surf is tiki music. Hopefully without rehashing or sounding preachy, I think it boils down to perspective.
From a classic perspective, as in the original poly pop era, surf music really had little to do with tiki. Different sounds and different audiences. Painting with a broad brush, tiki and poly pop were in the realm of adult escapism, while surf music was a mainstream teenage pop phenomenon. A little overlap here and there, but not much. As Sabu suggested, pop vocals, easy listening, and maybe even jazz were probably much more common at backyard luaus than surf. Meanwhile, surf covers of exotica songs had an appeal for the teenage crowd, but actually the Latin oriented stuff was much more present in surf than anything tiki or polynesian. For that matter, I guess that'd be a whole separate topic, whether the Latin, Asian, and African influences in exotica are "tiki" either.
From our modern perspective though, many people who have a taste for exotica also like surf. I'm definitely one of them. But does that mean that surf has become tiki music in a way that it didn't use to be? Maybe these kind of definitions don't matter anyway?
-Randy
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-11-02 9:20 pm Permalink
Quote:
|
On 2009-11-02 17:26, bigtikidude wrote:
the Shadows and Ventures are not surf,
the Shadows are Euro Instro,
and while the Vetures played some surf songs, they have done many non surf songs also.
there are many many surf songs that have a Hawaiian or Exotic/Exotica vibe.
|
|
Jeff, as I said, I know that these bands are not Surf bands per se. But can those two songs maybe be remote examples of Surf?
And Hawaiian or Exotica VIBE alone ain't enough for this compilation, I wanted some clear ties to Tiki culture...even it was post-Tiki.
Hey, no one here has a picture of Don Ho or Jack Lord? My lord! Jeff Chenault, in a pinch I'd take a record cover, like that "DON HO and the Aliis Vol.2" you had in Tiki Magazine, do you still have a good scan of that? That's a good cheesy portrait.
|
nature boy
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 69
From: Timonium, Maryland
| Posted: 2009-11-03 05:11 am Permalink
Here is my question. Is ANY music 100% tiki? Let's look at the genres. This is my humble opinion and may be entirely wrong.
Surf. it is already been pointed out that surf music was teen music and not what the tiki crowd was listening to back in the day. There are some thematic connections but not enough. There is a stronger link at the present time than the past.
Hapa Haole. I love this music, and at first glance it fits the tiki style. It is westernized and romanticized polynesian just like tiki. However, the hayday of hapa haole was pre-tiki. During the 50s music became more sophisticated and hapa haole just isn't quite sophisticated enough for the sophisticated savage. (Please don't attack me. I love hapa haole and all hawaiian music. I play it all the time on my uke!)
Lounge. Right time frame. lot's of sophistication. Probably what most tiki goers in the 50's were listening to. However, not really many polynesian references. Just not enough poly-pop themes to call it tiki music, but connected yes.
Okay, the big one. Exotica. Sophisticated? Yes. Right time period? Yes. Polynesian themed? Yes. But wait!! Let's look closer at the top 3 leaders in exotica. Les Baxter. Amazing music, often credited with creating exotica. Can someone point out to me a Les Baxter song that has a polynesian title/theme?? I can't find one in my collection. There are plenty of South American, Asian and African themes, but where is the polynesian? and don't say Quiet Village because that quiet village could be anywhere! Martin Denny. Okay, the FATHER of exotica, the big name. He does have polynesian themed songs, but add them up. Really he has a lot of songs that are NOT polynesian, but Asian, African, etc. The Polynesians may be a minority. Arthur Lyman. He (and Denny) did put out some strictly Hawaiian and Polynesian records. So Those records are definately tiki. I just find it interesting that a big percentage of Exotica is NOT polynesian themed.
My only conclusion with this rant is that if the music fits the mood, and is part of the history of tiki, that is the defining criteria for tiki music. The food served in tiki restaurants was often Chinese or something other than polynesian, but it just fits and is part of the history. The same applies to the music.
|
Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2009-11-03 05:46 am Permalink
Nice analogy nature boy!! 
What a great discussion.
Look for some pics of Don Ho soon Sven.
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-11-03 06:30 am Permalink
Quote:
|
On 2009-11-03 05:11, nature boy wrote:
Can someone point out to me a Les Baxter song that has a polynesian title/theme?? I can't find one in my collection.
|
|
How about....."Tiki", composed by Les Baxter, and performed by Martin Denny on his "Exotica Suite" album. It'll be on my compilation. 
Quote:
|
I just find it interesting that a big percentage of Exotica is NOT polynesian themed.
|
|
I address that somewhat in my liner notes:
>>Just like a good Tiki Bar interior is built from the flotsam and jetsam of the Seven Seas, Denny’s modern piano jazz not only contained foreign notes such as Asian, African, and Latin stylings, but strange and exotic percussion instruments, and, most notably, jungle sound effects--bird calls and monkey chattering. It was the aural equivalent of the multi-layered taste sensations of tropical cocktails like the Zombie or the Navy Grog.
So what was Polynesian about this “Exotic Ports of Call” concept? Denny formed and premiered his combo and sound in Hawaii’s tourist havens, like Don The Beachcomber’s (at the International Marketplace), and the Hawaiian Village Hotel’s Shell Bar. By this time, Honolulu had become a polyglot melting pot of many Pacific cultures and races. While local Hapa Haole songs portrayed the romantic and ribald side of the Hawaiian people, Denny’s music spoke of the intriguing mysteries of yet unexplored tropical islands, misty jungles, and the “curious and colorful customs” of indigenous folk. <<
|
lucas vigor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 3453
From: "I've chopped my way through real jungle
| Posted: 2009-11-03 06:38 am Permalink
Quote:
|
On 2009-11-03 05:11, nature boy wrote:
Here is my question. Is ANY music 100% tiki? Let's look at the genres. This is my humble opinion and may be entirely wrong.
Surf. it is already been pointed out that surf music was teen music and not what the tiki crowd was listening to back in the day. There are some thematic connections but not enough. There is a stronger link at the present time than the past.
Hapa Haole. I love this music, and at first glance it fits the tiki style. It is westernized and romanticized polynesian just like tiki. However, the hayday of hapa haole was pre-tiki. During the 50s music became more sophisticated and hapa haole just isn't quite sophisticated enough for the sophisticated savage. (Please don't attack me. I love hapa haole and all hawaiian music. I play it all the time on my uke!)
Lounge. Right time frame. lot's of sophistication. Probably what most tiki goers in the 50's were listening to. However, not really many polynesian references. Just not enough poly-pop themes to call it tiki music, but connected yes.
Okay, the big one. Exotica. Sophisticated? Yes. Right time period? Yes. Polynesian themed? Yes. But wait!! Let's look closer at the top 3 leaders in exotica. Les Baxter. Amazing music, often credited with creating exotica. Can someone point out to me a Les Baxter song that has a polynesian title/theme?? I can't find one in my collection. There are plenty of South American, Asian and African themes, but where is the polynesian? and don't say Quiet Village because that quiet village could be anywhere! Martin Denny. Okay, the FATHER of exotica, the big name. He does have polynesian themed songs, but add them up. Really he has a lot of songs that are NOT polynesian, but Asian, African, etc. The Polynesians may be a minority. Arthur Lyman. He (and Denny) did put out some strictly Hawaiian and Polynesian records. So Those records are definately tiki. I just find it interesting that a big percentage of Exotica is NOT polynesian themed.
My only conclusion with this rant is that if the music fits the mood, and is part of the history of tiki, that is the defining criteria for tiki music. The food served in tiki restaurants was often Chinese or something other than polynesian, but it just fits and is part of the history. The same applies to the music.
|
|
I think you are right on the money with this. Especially when you consider that Les Baxter's earliest stuff was "space pop", not really "tiki" at all.
|
GROG
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Posts: 6185
From: Tujunga
| Posted: 2009-11-03 08:05 am Permalink
No MIKE HART on the CD Bigbro? ;P
|
LoungeShark
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 10, 2009
Posts: 144
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2009-11-03 08:10 am Permalink
Naw Grog, that's on his hippy compilation CD.
Was wondering if it'd come up in this thread. Funny.
|
bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-11-03 08:38 am Permalink
No, but an Eden Ahbez song, of course. And since I've had enough with this one-sided hippie-bashing here, here is an excerpt of my liner notes for the piece :
>>In the world of exotic romanticism, Eden Ahbez represents the missing link between the lounge generation and its children, the hippies. While his musical style was firmly lodged in a Martin Denny-esque sound, he was a hippie before there ever was the term....In “Full Moon” he essentially recites most of the clichés contained in Polynesian pop: “To surf and comb the beach…to hike over the island to the village…and do a little trading...”, yet he mixes them with a hippie philosophy, thus proving that the two generations which clashed so spectacularly in the late 60s were not so different after all. While the post-war veterans’ fantasies of the island lifestyle of free love and leisure lead to the fake recreations of urban Tiki havens, their descendants went about putting these tenets into action with love-ins, open air festivals and psychedelic drugs.<<
..and one of the illustrations for it:
...from a Trader Vic's invite card, no less.
|
GROG
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Posts: 6185
From: Tujunga
| Posted: 2009-11-03 08:48 am Permalink
GROG think it going to be an awesome CD and booklet.
|
|
