Peter Thomas Sound Orchester: "Der Gorilla von Soho"
album "Easy loungin'. Twenty easy listening classics"
CD, Polydor 529 491-2, Germany, 1995 | +++++
info: Readily available on a 1995 German CD, but I couldn't resist including this really wild and dangerous big band music. This ain't no "easy listening": this is the "hard rock" of EZ! Loud, fast and mean, with a screaming woman to start it off and electric bass mixed up front. "Woow-factor" 10! Tracks: "Space Patrol"; "Twiggy Beat"; "Der Hexer"; "Mister Unbekannt"; "Take It Jerry"; "Like To Get To Know You"; "Pardon Me Mrs. Carmen"; "Die Gruft mit dem Raetselschloss"; "Gente"; "Pizzicato-Leo"; "Mars Close Up" (from the "Raumpatrouille" soundtrack); "Verraeter"; "Monster"; "Der Gorilla von Soho"; "Landing On The Moon"; "Slimfinado"; "Andante Novembra"; "Big Boss"; "The World is Gone"; "Till The Blue Moon".
La Panthère Rose: "Le Panthère Rose"
single "La Panthère Rose"
7", Magical Ring/Pathé/EMI 2C 00873483, France, 1982 | ++++
info: French 1982 remake heavy on synths and zound effects.
Peter Romano: "Hava nagila"
album "Sexy piano"
LP, studio33 10 005, Netherlands | ++
info: This Dutch piano version starts in a cocktail mood, but promptly moves to finger snapping jazz.
Pierre Courbois & Jasper Van 't Hof: "Latinuoso"
album "Perpetuum mobile" (...and all that jazz vol.1)
LP, VARAJazz 201, Netherlands, 1981 | ++
info: Remarkably straight and melodic piece from these Dutch experimental jazzo's. (Courbois: drums and electronics, Van 't Hof: piano and synthesizer)
Vader Abraham: "Le Schtroumpfie-woogie cri inutile"
album "Vader Abraham au pays des Schtroumpfs"
LP, Fonior, France, 1978 | +
info: Mister Abraham (not heard in this track, and call yourself lucky ;-) is a horrible Dutch singer, who likes to exploit everything new and popular, like the "Chipmunks " voices heard here; Les Schtroumpfs made several rather silly records in tens of different languages, and you might know them better as "Smurfs".
John Woodhouse & Whistlmer Gerry: "Beautiful dreamer"
album "And his magic accordion vol 2"
LP, Philips 644068, Netherlands | ++
info: This magic accordion is a Cordovox type of thing, capable of producing any sound in an orchestra; here it sounds like a Hammond; I don't know who Gerry is, but he whistles and imitates birds as amazingly well as Ronny Ronalde or Muzzy Marcelino. (Netherlands)
Pierre Henry: "Too fortiche"
album "Messe pour le temps présent"
LP, Philips 6510 014, France, 196? | +++++
info: From the score to the 1963 Maurice Béjart ballet; groovy Moog instro-rock with mighty electronic outbursts. Exists on CD, see details in my "eXotica Releases Overview".
Michel Legrand: "Summertime"
album "Twenty songs of the century" (arranged, conducted and musically designed by Michel Legrand)
Double LP, Bell DUBL9004/5 | +++
info: Mr. Legrand re-arranges this Gershwin classic in such a way it sounds as new, with heavenly wordless vocals. From a double LP well worth finding.
info: The hip Dutch duo Richard Cameron & Gerry Arling, with their contemporary popcorn music, which is a nice mix of club sounds and easy melodies.
Heino: "Erzherzog-Johann-Jodler (edit)"
compil. "Yodelling Crazy"
CD, EMI CDP 79 8656 2, UK, 1992 | ++++
info: One of the rare yodel songs from Heino, and his low voice performs remarkably well in the higher registers! Originally released in 1968, reissued on this CD in 1992.
info: There are really only 2 groups on this compilation: Pop Concerto orchestra (very French Moogish pop with wordless "pababaaaaaa" vocals.) and Anarchic System (truly wonderful rocking French Moog pop, enhanced with brass and wordless vocals calling "wowo" or something).
France Gall: "Jazz à gogo"
album "France Gall"
LP, Polygram, France, 1989 | ++++
info: France Gall performed lots of Gainsbourg songs, but this isn't one of those, this is beautiful and hip, up-tempo, vocal jazz, partly scatting, partly with lyrics: "On va chanter ensemble, pourvue que ça balance!" From 1964. Exists on CD, see details in my "eXotica Releases Overview".
Five years old kid: "Guanita Banana"
home-recording "L'école des fans"
recorded from TV | not rated
info: The French TV show "L'école des fans" is kind of irresponsible, as it shows little kids aged 4 to 6 years who have to perform (butcher) a song or play (abuse) an instrument in front of a huge public, whether or not they like it (the kiddies, that is - the public loves it). This kid luckily loves his silly performance; if you're ever to visit France, be sure to watch "France 2" Television on Sunday afternoon, where this show is now running for over 20 years.
Patrick Husson: "Chasing sheep is best left to shepherds"
album "Le jardinier"
CD, Sony Columbia 478117-2, France, 1995 | +++++ Review
info: "Woow-factor" 10 once again! The other-wordly beauty of Husson's (super rare) male soprano voice is combined with the raw power of grunge guitars.
Review