Otto Cesana (and other pop-symphonic maestros) on CD and in stereo

So, Eric Records founder and owner Bill Buster told me all about what looks to be a fantastic CD compilation--one that's right up my collecting alley (and how often does that happen?), and perfect for anyone who (like me) loves the more "Pops"-sounding instrumental tracks. I.e., more Otto Cesana and less spectacular-ping-pong-stereo-in-space. Due Sep. 22, the double-length (29 selections!) Fabulous Fifties Instrumentals and More is a collection you will want. Trust me. Not only is the track line-up highly MY(P)WHAE in character, a good number of the sounds are completely new to CD.

Produced by Bill and released on the Canadian label Hit Parade (which Eric redistributes for the U.S.), this CD isn't listed yet at Bill's website, but it's coming. Bill mentioned a 10-day pre-order and (unless I misheard) free shipping in the U.S.!

Who's on it, you ask? Everyone from Steve Allen to Lawrence Welk to Helmut Zacharias to MY(P)WHAE favorite Otto Cesana. Specifically, two stereo Cesana tracks from the Audio Fidelity label. Here's a 30-sec. sample of Devotion (which you've heard here in an earlier mono version for the Columbia label):

Devotion--Otto Cesana (stereo excerpt; Audio Fidelity label)

Awesome, no?

Bill is thinking about doing CD releases of Otto Cesana's Sheer Ecstasy (Warner Bros., 1960) and The Sound of Rome (RCA Victor Living Stereo, 1962), and he'd like to get a feel for the size (and various ages) of the Cesana audience. I told him that, as far as I can tell, Cesana's fans run the gamut from younger than me (30's-40's) to beyond (60's-up). If you're a Cesana fan, please take a moment to sound off in the comments section. Anything to aid the cause of Cesana on CD!


Lee

Novel Novelties--Crazy Mixed Up Song, The Disorderly Orderly, Dragnet Polka, more!

We start with two sides by a pre-Peter-Paul-and-Mary Peter and Mary. (Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, that is.) No relation to Peter, Paul and Mary, but they were earlier. The songs, which consist of public-domain melodies fitted to clever lyrics (or vice versa?) were co-written by Charles (The Thing) Grean, who was also involved (as producer, arranger, and/or writer) with Merv Griffin's I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, House of Horrors, and Never Been Kissed, Betty Johnson's Little Blue Man and You Can't Get to Heaven on Roller Skates, and his own hit recording of Quentin's Theme from Dark Shadows. Important facts to remember while being kind to our web-footed friends.

As an alternative to the Woodstock-anniversary hype, we have Roy Clark's 1972 recording of Vaughn Horton's The Lawrence Welk--Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka. Then and Now, from nearly 20 years earlier, tells a similar tale of older sounds tossed under the bus to make way for new stars like Don Cornell and Eddie Fisher. (What do you mean, those guys were never new?) Check the songwriting credit on that one--Dick Jacobs, Paul Whiteman, and Bob (Honeycomb) Merrill!

Meanwhile, if you like The New Vinton County Frogwhompers' version of Mason Williams' Done Stomped on My Heart--and how could you not?--you might want to buy their 2007 "non-boxed" set and bonus CD: Frogwhompers CD.

Let's see--what else? Oh, yeah--Sammy Davis, Jr. with the theme from The Disorderly Orderly. I had low expectations for this one, but it turns out to be an expertly conceived trifle, and Sammy gives it way more than it's worth. And we have the Dragnet polka. And multi-tracked Barbershop singing by Jerry Colonna, Jerry Colonna, Jerry Colonna, and someone named Jerry Colonna. 2/3 of the grooves are missing on this one, but I somehow managed to make it sound like a record. I forgot how. Incantations were involved, but the rest is a blur.

John Standley's 1952 It's in the Book, which makes fun of revival-style preaching, was a big hit at the time. Remember that the next time someone complains that no one is allowed to make fun of religion--be sure to reply, "That's funny--it was okay when Truman was in office." The younger you are, the more confused the reaction. As a routine, the Mother Goose sermon goes back at least as far as 1929, when Charles "Chic" Sale used it in The Substitute Parson (Victor 22103), which I've featured a couple of times at this very blog.

Dick Feller's The Credit Card Song (1973) is one of my favorite records. Dated, yes, but topical humor gets that way pretty quickly. Around here, dated is good.

To the novel novelties: ZIP FILE NO LONGER AVAILABLE

PLAYLIST

CRAZY MIXED UP SONG (Grean-Javits)--Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Nealy, 1954. WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH A LONESOME LOVER (Grean-Ebb)--Same. THE CREDIT CARD SONG (D. Feller)--Dick Feller, 1973. TOP FORTY, NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS (Loudermilk)--Mark Dinning, 1961. THE LAWRENCE WELK--HEE HAW COUNTER-REVOLUTION POLKA (V. Horton)--Roy Clark, 1972. DRAGNET--POLKA (Walter Schumann)--Kenny Bass and His Polka Poppers, 1953. DONE STOMPED ON MY HEART (M. Williams)--New Vinton County Frogwhompers THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY--Sammy Davis, Jr.; Arr. and Cond. by Sonny Burke, 1964. I DREAMED OF A HILL-BILLY HEAVEN (Dean-Sothern)--Tex Ritter, 1961. THEN AND NOW (Jacobs-Whiteman-Merrill)--Paul Whiteman and His "New" Ambassador Orch. w. the "New" Rhythm Boys, 1954. IT'S IN THE BOOK, PTS. 1 and 2--John Standley w. Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights, 1952. MY SWEET ADELINE--Jerry Colonna X 4, with organ accompaniment, 1953.
Lee

Sunday morning gospel: Showers of Blessing--The Church of the Nazarene

An outstanding 1959 playlist featuring the Church of the Nazarene Choir, Male Quartet, and Ladies Sextet. Not so outstanding is the sound quality, which I had to rescue from its no-treble state by judiciously increasing the highs. Word label recordings usually sound much better than this--maybe something went wrong during the original taping. Anyway, I improved things to a solid mediocre.

I should (and will) note that the next to last tune, Sweeter Than All, is credited to "Entwhistle," who I assume is Howard Entwhistle, the man who also gave us the tune for Keep on the Sunny Side of Life. And who likely never imagined A.P. Carter would wind up getting the credit for the latter.

The tunes can't be beat, and the singers give strong and heartfelt performances. A+ recordings with C fidelity. To the tunes: ZIP FILE NO LONGER AVAILABLE

PLAYLIST

SHOWS OF BLESSING--Choir FOLLOW ME--Choir, Solo by Ray Moore VICTORY IN JESUS--Male Quartet THE LOVE OF GOD--Ladies Sextet HE HIDETH MY SOUL--Choir, Solo by Ray Moore JESUS SAVES--Choir THERE IS JOY IN THAT LAND (Spiritual)--Choir MY HOME SWEET HOME--Male Quartet A MIRACLE OF LOVE--Choir, Solo by Ray Moore GIVE HIM THE GLORY--Choir WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS--Choir

Showers of Blessing--Music of the Church of the Nazarene; Ray H. Moore, Director. (Word WST-8020; 1959)

Lee