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Les Baxter - vinyl recommendations? |
rupe33
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 08, 2004
Posts: 328
From: DC Metro Area (MD)
|  Posted: 2005-05-24 12:23 pm Permalink
Greetings -
Since "The Exotic Moods of Les Baxter" cd is increasingly hard to come by, my conclusion is that I should perhaps start digging up some of the vinyl.
The problem? I don't know where to start!  Would any of you care to recommend some of the touchstones as far as his albums? Am inclined to start with "Ritual of the Savage," if only because of the cover...
Cheers,
Rupe
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vegasvic
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 17, 2003
Posts: 188 | Posted: 2005-05-24 5:58 pm Permalink
Here is an ordered list of my *personal* favorites:
1. Le Sacre du Savauge (Ritual of the Savage)
2. Tamboo!
3. African Jazz
4. Ports of Pleasure
5. Skins
6. Teen Drums
7. Sacred Idol
8. Primitive and Passionate
9. Soul of the Drums
10. Wild Guitars
Good luck!
_________________
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rupe33
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 08, 2004
Posts: 328
From: DC Metro Area (MD)
| Posted: 2005-05-24 7:25 pm Permalink
Thanks for the suggestions, Vic! I appreciate them - and discovering your site earlier today will prove a valuable resource: kudos, there's a ton of stuff there.
<br> If anyone else has some tips, I'm all ears... at least until the next vinyl comes my way!
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I, Zombie
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 14, 2003
Posts: 539
From: the Les Baxter Grotto (Minneapolis)
| Posted: 2005-05-24 8:24 pm Permalink
Well, I think the list above is pretty good. I might suggest that Sacred Idol should be closer to the top, but otherwise, pretty right on. To be honest, I might start with Tamboo. It is a very song oriented LP, and therefore covers a wider range of the Baxter sound. Ritual, overall, is better, but it is more like a suite than an album of songs. One thing I'll say about Ritual: it's impossible to get sick of that record. It is a beautiful recording, and I seem to discover new things everytime I listen to it. And I listen to it a lot!
A CD that doesn't get a lot of respect is Colors of Brazil, but it is better than what you might think.
Finally there's a double album that you might be able to still find in thrifts that covers a range of Les Baxter stuff called "Les Baxter The Sounds of Adventure." Looks like you can get a copy on Gemm for $10 or so.
Hope that helps and good luck!
[ This Message was edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-05-24 20:31 ]
[ This Message was edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-05-24 20:33 ]
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bellybongo
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Sep 04, 2004
Posts: 81
From: SWEDEN -+
| Posted: 2005-05-25 12:00 pm Permalink
You must have LPs of:
Ritual of the savage (is playing now in my home)
Caribean moonlight (not many L.B. tracks but masterful versions of exotica standards, one of my fave LPs, very atmospheric)
Music out of the moon (this is an early one, with Theremin, choose between a 3 78 rpm set, a 10" LP, 2 7" EPs in a box set, or a regular LP) very expensive some years ago, now often on ebay
Tamboo
Jungle Jazz (mostly expensive on ebay, but with patience and a little luck (I paid 10 dollar for a a NM copy))
This is my personal faves, I had the 2CD set, but sold it, it is excellent, many tracks from Jungle Jazz, but after a while it feels better to choose your own playlist
Hope this helps,
Magnus of Bellybongo.com
[ This Message was edited by: bellybongo on 2005-05-25 12:05 ]
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I, Zombie
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 14, 2003
Posts: 539
From: the Les Baxter Grotto (Minneapolis)
| Posted: 2005-05-25 7:20 pm Permalink
Bellybongo, I'm so glad you mentioned Caribbean Moonlight. I too think that is an excellent LP, but did not mention it because I'm always afraid people will be turned off by the empahsis on strings.
[ This Message was edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-05-25 19:21 ]
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1675
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2005-05-25 9:39 pm Permalink
As Les once said..."We will replace violence with violins."
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Manakoora
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Oct 20, 2004
Posts: 11 | Posted: 2005-05-31 9:43 pm Permalink
Bellybongo,
You mentioned "Music Out Of The Moon" -- I bought an excellent box set of three 45rpm records of this album at the Seattle Library book sale this last winter for $1.00!
I don't think the records have ever been on a turntable. - Well I played one to make sure it sounded as good as it looks. The records are in clear brittle plastic sleeves.
The box has the same graphics as the other formats and is exactly the same size as a 7" reel to reel tape box. The cat # is CCF2000.
I have never seen anything written about the 45rpm set and I wonder if any you out there have any knowledge about their release and value.
Thanks
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I, Zombie
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 14, 2003
Posts: 539
From: the Les Baxter Grotto (Minneapolis)
| Posted: 2005-06-02 11:13 am Permalink
Manakoora,
I just love those "$1" stories. It keeps me going to those garage sales and church basement rummages.
Great find!
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rupe33
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 08, 2004
Posts: 328
From: DC Metro Area (MD)
| Posted: 2005-06-08 09:07 am Permalink
Greetings again...
Well, my ebay win of "Ritual of the Savage" arrived today, yee-ha! The sleeve is not in great shape, but the record seems fine. I'm off & running down Les Baxter lane once home from work. Thanks very much to those of you who've chimed in with recommendations: they'll be hunted down like dogs as I proceed to build this collection.
In other recent news, some major finds include some Martin Denny - Exotica for $1 and a $1 pristine, near-mint Liberty "The Best of Martin Denny" as well from a recent estate sale.
MAHALO!
~Rupe
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naugatiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 02, 2004
Posts: 868
From: Port Angeles, Wa
| Posted: 2005-06-08 09:50 am Permalink
In other recent news, some major finds include some Martin Denny - Exotica for $1 and a $1 pristine, near-mint Liberty "The Best of Martin Denny" as well from a recent estate sale.
MAHALO!
~Rupe
That’s the beauty of "Tiki Music", while some folks will mortgage their house for the right mug, Denny, Lyman and to an extent Baxter music is readily available at most thrift stores or swap meets very cheaply. I haven't found Exotic Moog yet but I know one day I will.
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Digitiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 22, 2004
Posts: 756
From: L.A. baby!
| Posted: 2006-06-09 09:11 am Permalink
Does anyone have a track list for Baxter's Space Escapades?
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Blue Thunder
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 06, 2006
Posts: 115
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-06-09 1:37 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-06-09 09:11, Digitiki wrote:
Does anyone have a track list for Baxter's Space Escapades?
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Space Escapade (Capitol T968)
Shooting Star
Moonscape
Mr. Robot
The City
A Distant Star
The Commuter
Winds of Sirius
The Other Side of the Moon
A Look Back at Earth
Earth Light
The Lady Is Blue
Saturday Night on Saturn
Good Les Baxter Discography page http://www.tamboo.com/baxter/baxter2.1.html
http://www.spaceagepop.com/lpspace.htm
Great Resource for Lounge Space age pop etc..... http://www.spaceagepop.com/
Also searching posts/links here in this forum you can find posted albums people put up on the web as many have expired copyrights and are available only on hard to find vinyl many people are willing to share online.
[ This Message was edited by: Blue Thunder 2006-06-09 13:47 ]
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Digitiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 22, 2004
Posts: 756
From: L.A. baby!
| Posted: 2006-06-13 2:32 pm Permalink
Thanks Blue Thunder! I have a copy that was made from a reel-to-reel of Space Excapades and it shows "Somewhere In Space" as song #9 and not "A Look Back At Earth". Was that track renamed? All the other songs and song order are exactly the same. Strange.
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I, Zombie
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 14, 2003
Posts: 539
From: the Les Baxter Grotto (Minneapolis)
| Posted: 2006-06-14 8:23 pm Permalink
You know, this week I've been playing "African Blue" quite a lot. It's kind of a forgotten record by Baxter -- and a later one (70s I think). It's pretty great, though more jet setty then straight exotica. More like his stuff with the 101 Strings (Que Mango, for example) but with more emphasis on flute and percussion, giving it a stronger echo of his 50s Capitol LPs than the Alshire stuff usually does. A couple of songs are almost proto-Don Tiki too, that sets your mind spinning into some weird time-traveling paradoxes.
I think it's worth a listen. The CD from GNP is coupled with Colors of Brazil.
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