Julie London - Sings Soft and Sweet

Hi there groovers...

Well, it took the fabulous Julie London to drag Mr Snookles out of retirement. The one lounge Diva that Mrs Snookles is jealous of - and with good reason - what lounge lover could resist those smoky, sultry tones?

Julie recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955 with a live performance at the 881 Club in Los Angeles. Billboard named her the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957. She was the subject of a 1957 Life cover article in which she was quoted as saying, "It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate."

Julie London - Sings Soft and Sweet

01 - Mad About The Boy
02 - I Must Have That Man
03 - Evenin'
04 - How Come You Like Me Like You Do
05 - Three O'clock In The Morning
06 - Nobody's Heart
07 - My Man's Gone Now
08 - Just The Way I Am
09 - I'm Glad There Is You
10 - Bewitched

Mr Snookles

Monty Python - Instant Record Collection

A best-of collection from previous records. May not be around too long, so get it while you can...

Monty Python - Instant Record Collection

Mr Snookles

Monty Python - Another Monty Python Record

Makes Ben Hur look like an epic....

Monty Python - Another Monty Python Record

Mr Snookles

Monty Python - Monty Python's Previous Record

Hand over all your lupins....

Monty Python - Monty Python's Previous Record

The Full Monty - Pt. 1

OK. Time for some more pythonesque humour with the chaps from the aerial circus. Coming your way over the next couple of weeks is the boxed set "All The Worst Of Monty Python", with all seven Monty Python records. Get em' while they're hot - they may not last...

First up, my personal favourite - "Matching Tie And Handkerchief". Enjoyable for the artwork alone...


Monty Python - Side 1
Monty Python - Side 2

Monty Python - Matching Tie And Handkerchief

Mr. Snookles

NB this is a new upload with side two fixed...

Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound Vol. 2

'Cause it's always nice to have the set...

01 - Listen To Your Heart
02 - Canadian Sunset
03 - Ukelele Talk
04 - The Touch Of Your Lips
05 - Jersey Bounce
06 - Sing For Your Supper
07 - Chattanooga Choo Choo
08 - Somewhere My Love
09 - My Foolish Heart
10 - Mame
11 - Emily
12 - The Breadfruit Tree

Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound Vol. 2

Mr Snookles

Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound Vol. 1

It's time to celebrate the weekend with some bombastic black plastic from Enoch Light and his various cronies. This album has appeared previously in this blog under the guise of the Kreisler Multi-Sonic Stereogram Demonstration Record. A pristine vinyl copy surfaced recently, so I took the opportunity to update my version.

As with most Project Three releases, it's designed to put your space-age bachelor pad stereo system through its paces. Turn it up. and let Enoch pin your ears back with 'Born Free', or groove with Tony Mottola's 'Tony's Tune'. Top stuff.

01 - April In Portugal
02 - Someone To Light Up My Life
03 - Tony's Tune
04 - Georgia On My Mind
05 - Hold Me
06 - A Tower Of Strength
07 - Theme From 'The Sand Pebbles'
08 - Born Free
09 - Blowin' In The Wind
10 - Pussyfoot
11 - Summer Samba
12 - Workin' In The Coal Mine

Enoch Light - Patterns In Sound Vol. 1

Mr Snookles

Klaus Wunderlich - Portrait in Gold

If you only get one Klaus Wunderlich album - this should be it. Released as a box-set double album in 1974 on the Telefunken label, it features a retrospective of Klaus' work from his cheesy polka days to his wide stereo multi-layered wall-of-hammond multi-tracked pop covers, to his progressive moog and electronic piano latter-day freakouts. Highlights include the opening rocker 'Amarillo', a dazzling rendition of 'Goldfinger' and the moog imitating a canary in 'Canari-Cha-Cha'.

Unfortunately the box set cover was to big and unwieldy to be scanned, but as it was a truly awful brown colour with a minuscule photo of Klaus on the front, perhaps it's just for the best. The eight page, three-language, record-cover-sized booklet is faithfully reproduced however, with a special large resolution scan of the uber-cool Klaus photo shown above. Print it out and put it on your bedroom wall, or use it for the ultimate computer desktop background.

01 - Amarillo-Sacramento-Don't Go Down To Reno
02 - Die Bouzouki-Eine Freude-Junger Tag
03 - Was Soil Ict Tun - Hello-A - Michaela
04 - I Get A Little Sentimental Over You - Juanita
05 - Grand Prix D'amour - Da Nahm Er Seine Gitarre - La Montanara
06 - Rusticanella - Perpetuum Mobile - Donkey-Serenade
07 - Junger Mann Aus Gutem Hause - Bel Ami
08 - Ein Mann Und Eine Frau - Goldfinger
09 - Under An Umbrella - Why, Oh Why - Wenn Ein Junger Mann Komnt
10 - Sassa - Ach, Ich Hab' Sie Ja Nur - Komm In Die Gondel - Komm Zigany
11 - Eloise
12 - Londonderry Air
13 - Julisca From Budapest
14 - El Condor Pasa
15 - Amorada
16 - Brotzeit-Polka - Hammerchen-Polka
17 - Salome
18 - The Mill In The Black Forest
19 - Happy Wienerwald
20 - Canari-Cha-Cha
21 - Lotto-Zahlen
22 - Dufter Zahn
23 - Cherokee
24 - Lover
25 - Krimoogulus

Klaus Wunderlich - Portrait in Gold

Mr Snookles

Stanley Black - Intimate Percussion

Our Third Island mini-renaissance continues with some delightful Latin Lounge from our man Stan. 'Intimate Percussion' sees Stanley toss aside his conductor's baton and sit down at his trusty grand piano, accompanied by some vibes, the occasional guitar, and the aforementioned percussion.

What is intimate percussion? It consists primarily of a collection of cabasas, maracas, and guiros being scraped, shaken and twirled to create what noted music critic Shadrak Blintz calls "shoosh factor".

Despite the faded colour, this vinyl was in pristine condition, and resulted in a sparkling, high-quality rip. Must-have Stan...

01 - Mr. Wonderful
02 - Petite Flueur
03 - Theme From 'A Summer Place'
04 - Mack The Knife
05 - Limelight
06 - Memories Are Made Of This
07 - The Poor People Of Paris
08 - On The Street Where You Live
09 - When I Fall In Love
10 - No Other Love
11 - Melodie D'amour
12 - When The Saints Go Marching In

Stanley Black - Intimate Percussion

Mr Snookles

Xavier Cugat - Bread, Love and Cha-Cha

Cugie's back on Third Island with some classic cha-cha from 1957. I know some of you will already have this fab slice of latin louge, but for those who missed it when it floated throught the blogosphere in the past - here's your chance.

From the liner notes:
Some years ago, Italian movie-makers initiated a cycle beginning with Bread, Love and Dreams, continuing with Bread, Love and Jealousy, which became Frisky in the United States, and finally dwindling down to Bread, Love and.... Now new impetus is being injected, with the title Xavier Cugat has selected for his newest collection of Latin American music, and, as man cannot live by bread alone, neither can he live by cha-cha-cha alone, so the canny Cugie has made room for a pair of calypsos, a mambo and a guaracha mambo to diversify his program.

The extraordinary loaf of bread on which Señor Cugat is leaning in the cover photograph was especially designed and baked for that purpose; its transportation to the photographer's studio was covered by national news magazines, as befits a veritable king of loaves. The extraordinary creature leaning on Senor Cugat is the talented and incendiary Mrs. Cugat, known professionally as singer Abbe Lane.


01 - Bread, Love And Cha-Cha
02 - Frenesi
03 - Suavecito
04 - Very, Very Satisfied
05 - Whatever Lola Wants
06 - Penthouse Mambo
07 - La Paloma
08 - Maria La O
09 - Coco Seco
10 - Banana Boat Song
11 - Mi Musica Es Para Ti
12 - April In Portugal

Xavier Cugat - Bread, Love and Cha-Cha

Mr Snookles

Young Winston

Surely every collection of music must have some marching band music in it. Stepping up with some military razamatazz are the Band Of H. M. Royal Marines, the Central Band Of The Royal Air Force, and the Band Of The Royal Military School Of Music. Stirring British patriotism that you can march to from the 1972 film 'Young Winston'.

01 - Pomp And Circumstance - March No. 4
02 - British Grenadiers
03 - Rule Britannia
04 - A Life On The Ocean Wave
05 - Sea Songs
06 - Royal Air-Force March Past
07 - Sarie Marais
08 - Evening Hymn And Last Post
09 - Imperial March
10 - March Of The Peers From 'Iolanthe'
11 - The Prince Of Denmark's March
12 - Queen Mary's Funeral March
13 - Scipio March
14 - Lilliburlero
15 - Colonel Bogey
16 - Pomp And Circumstance - March No. 1

Young Winston

Mr Snookles

Ivy Carey - A Toast To the Haggis

The middle of the last century saw Scotland's International singing star, Ivy Carey, tour the world entertaining.

Ivy, who lived at 48 Finsbay Street, Drumoyne was born on 18th February 1928, and started her career with the BBC Junior choir. She went on to scoop a series of awards including The Golden Voice of Britain and the Miss Radio Scotland at only 16 years of age.
Known as the Scottish Nightingale Ivy had appeared in sell-out shows at London's Albert Hall, Glasgow's St Andrew's Halls and Edinbugh's Usher Hall were common and she toured Los Angeles, Hollywood, America and Canada.
She sang on shows that included, among others, Kenneth McKellar, Robert Wilson, Lex MacLean, Andy Stewart, Jimmy Shand, Sydney Devine and another Govanite, Johnny Beattie.

In 1953, she entertained the troops serving in Korea with shows in Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea itself.
She enjoyed a 3-year run in a 1950's TV series and every Christmas day Ivy would visit the Elder Cottage Hospital to entertain staff & patients.
What's more, Ivy once shared a stage with Stanley Black and his orchestra.

That said, what we have here is Ivy's veneration in song, to that most Scottish of delicacies, the haggis.
An L.P. containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.
As Ivy asks poignantly 'Do ye slay it, or play it?'.
I suggest you play it and see how far you get.
Its a meal in its self.

01 - A Toast To The Haggis
02 - Come Along
03 - Tobermory
04 - The Hills And The Heather
05 - Old Scotch Mother Mine
06 - The Song Of The Clyde
07 - Bonnie Scotland
08 - Loch Lomond
09 - Shira Glen
10 - Hillside In Scotland
11 - Granny's Hielan' Hame
12 - The Hoosey Medley

Ivy Carey - A Toast To the Haggis

Shadrach McBlintz

Stanley Black - Peer Gynt

Here's the second of our Phase 4 concert series. Third Island MVP Stanley Back dons the tails and takes up the baton to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra. Legendary producer Tony D'Amato teams up with our Stan to serve up a refined version of this most popular of classics with the orchestral colours given full play. Stanley lets the orchestra do the talking as the tone colours blend seamlessly into one another to create a whole that is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. Enjoy.

01 - Morning
02 - Ase's Death
03 - Anitra's Dance
04 - Ingrid's Lament
05 - In The Hall Of The Mountain King
06 - Shepherd's Boy
07 - Norwegian Rustic March
08 - Nocturne
09 - March Of The Dwarves
10 - Norwegian Dance No. 2

Stanley Black - Peer Gynt

Mr Snookles

Albert Ketèlbey - The Immortal Works Of Ketèlbey

Hello, gentle reader. Time to cast aside that Martini, and pour yourself a Pimms as we delve into the delightful world of the Light Classics. Who better to start with than Albert Ketèlbey - the man who invented exotica 50 years before Les Baxter, Martin Denny and co. made it de rigeur for lounge lovers.

'In A Persian Market' has become a standard, 'In A Monastery Garden' complete with bird calls has also been recorded innumerable times. So sit back in your armchair and let the soothing sound of this beautifully recorded Phase 4 record dissolve your worries and cares...

01 - In A Monastery Garden
02 - Wedgewood Blue
03 - In The Mystic Land Of Egypt
04 - Bells Across The Meadows
05 - In A Chinese Temple Garden
06 - The Sanctuary Of The Heart
07 - 'Appy 'Ampstead
08 - The Phantom Melody
09 - In A Persian Market

Albert Ketèlbey - The Immortal Works Of Ketèlbey

Mr Snookles

Hugo Montenegro - Good Vibrations

From 1969, it's the Now Sound of Hugo Montenegro. Harpsichords, baroque trumpets and whistlers fill out the sound of these pop classics from the golden 60's. Check out the Space Age Pop site for a good overview of Hugo's career.

01 - Good Vibrations
02 - Classical Gas
03 - Another Time, Another Place
04 - Tony's Theme
05 - A Future Left Behind
06 - Lady In Cement
07 - Happy Together
08 - Lullaby From 'Rosemary's Baby'
09 - Knowing When To Leave
10 - Night Rider
11 - Love Is Blue

Hugo Montenegro - Good Vibrations

Mr Snookles

Ronnie Ronalde - The Yodelling Whistler

If there's one thing I love it's a good siffleur. Ronnie Ronalde (born Ronald Charles Waldron, 1923, London) is a British music hall singer and siffleur. Ronalde is famous for his voice, whistling, yodelling, imitations of bird song and stage personality.

Ronalde’s first recordings were with Decca Records, but his first major label contract came from EMI. Ronalde would also join Pye, Major Minor and Columbia records, becoming one of their biggest sellers. Ronalde was a million selling artiste in the pre-Beatles age.

“If I Were a Blackbird” (1950) is among Ronalde’s most famous songs. This rendering of Delia Murphy’s Irish folk song had him in the British top 20 for a record 6 months. She would later jovially express her thanks for boosting her income. Other songs include “Tritsch Tratsch Polka” (in which the speed of delivery illustrates Ronalde’s excellence in the art of whistling), “Bells Across the Meadow” (by Albert Ketèlbey), and many more. (Thanks Wikipedia)

While his vocal style is somewhat dated, his whistling ability is not to be missed - and, if like me, you like a good yodeller then this is a must have. There's some fab youtube vids if you're interested. The vinyl is showing some signs of wear but has scrubbed up pretty well overall...

01 - The Yodelling Whistler
02 - Bells Across The Meadow
03 - Macnamara's Band
04 - Dream Of Olwen
05 - If I Were A Blackbird
06 - On Wings Of Song
07 - The Skaters Waltz
08 - The Yodelling Boy
09 - Song Of The Mountains
10 - The Pleasant Peasant
11 - Sanctuary Of The Heart
12 - Tritsch Tratsch Polka
13 - When You Were Sweet Sixteen
14 - Ave Maria

Ronnie Ronalde - The Yodelling Whistler

Mr Snookles

Sarah Vaughn - Sings The Beatles

Hello good blogfolk. It's been a while hasn't it? First, a kind thank you to all the folk that have been leaving messages of support. Some links have expired, as someone has asked for them to be removed. Please note, if a link has disappeared because someone has objected, I will not be re-upping - sorry - you just had to be there at the time.

However, you patience has been rewarded, by our latest offering, the terminally cool jazz reworkings of the evergreen Beatles catalog, this time by Sarah Vaughn, with a host of jazz luminaries, including Lee Ritenour on guitar, Toots Thielmans on harmonica, Jeff Porcaro and Dave and Marty Paich.

From 1981, this is almost yesterday compared to the vintage of most offerings on this site. The 80's jazz fusion synth may sound a little unusual at first, but I know you will grow to love the album, and be amazed by the range and power of Sarah,s vocal delivery. At times it reminded of Yma Sumac herself.

This album was bought by Mr Snookles during a recent sojourn in Gay Paree, from the terminally hip CrocoJazz shop in the Rue de la Montagne in Paris...

Sarah Vaughn - Sings The Beatles

Enjoy - Mr Snookles Avec Shadrac Blintz.

Poss Miyazaki - Hawaiian Exotics

Time for some Japanese exotica with Poss Miyazaki and his Hawaiian All-Stars. Long time followers of the blog will remember some other postings from the Japanese King Records label. For the uninitiated SDS or Super Dynamic Sound was the Japanese answer to the Command Records Project 3 or Phase 4 hi-fi wonder-sound. As such you can read all about it (even which microphones were used) on the back cover.

As this is an Australian Festival pressing it's not the same as the original King vinyl, but nonetheless packs a fair audio punch. Lots of shimmering lap-steel guitar, some electone organ courtesy of Shiro Michi, a smattering of vibes and those Hawaiian all-stars singing some tasty choruses. Enjoy.

01 - Ta-Huwahuwai
02 - Sweet Leilani
03 - Love Song Of Kalua
04 - Little Grass Shack
05 - Hilawe
06 - Moon Of Manakoora
07 - Blue Hawaii
08 - Malihini Mele
09 - Hawaiian Wedding Song
10 - Mama Iti E Papa E
11 - Beyond The Reef
12 - Aloha Oe

Poss Miyazaki - Hawaiian Exotics

Mr Snookles

Bennelong Players - Baroque to Beatles

Co-conspirator Shadrack Blintz has been on the prowl for some new old vinyl, and has provided a fewq tasty titbits for your enjoyment. Today's bon-mot is an Australian rarity - the Bennelong Players serving up some popular tunes of the day in their chamber ensemble format.

(Historical note Bennelong was the name of a famous Australian Aboriginal - one of the first to learn about European ways, and to teach the new settlers about traditional culture. The Sydney Opera house is situated on Bennelong point.)

The fare wanders from light classics to Beatles covers and hits of the moment - Australian readers will be able to date the album to a nicety by the inclusion of the theme from 'Rush' - a hit TV series about the gold-rush days.

01 - Joy
02 - Greensleeves
03 - German Dance
04 - Eleanor Rigby
05 - Theme From Rush
06 - Bouree
07 - Scarborough Fair
08 - Nerini
09 - La Volta
10 - Bachianas Brazilleiras
11 - Yesterday
12 - Kemps Jig
13 - Ariosa
14 - The Entertainer

Bennelong Players - Baroque to Beatles
Mr Snookles

Readers Digest Boxed Set - Gay Festival of Light Classics

Ah the innocence of yesteryear - when was the last time you could talk about a "Gay Festival" and be thinking of music?

Anyway, for those of you who haven't got Readers Indigestion just yet, here's a bumper crop of 12 albums of the Light Classics we know and love at Third Island - All in one juicy post...

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 01

01 - Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien Op. 45
02 - Berlioz - Minuet Of The Will'o'the Wisps
03 - Berlioz - Ballet Of The Sylphs
04 - Berlioz - Rakoczy March
05 - J. Strauss Jnr. - Thunder And Lightening Polka
06 - Smetana - The Moldeau
07 - Tchaikovsky - Andante Cantabile
08 - Wagner - Ride Of The Valkyries

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 02

01 - Humperdinck - Hansel And Gretel Overture
02 - Franz Shubert - Rosamunde - Entr'acte
03 - Sarasate - Gypsy Airs
04 - Franz Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody
05 - Felix Mendelssohn - Midsummer Night's Dream
06 - Lehar - Gold And Silver Waltz

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 03

01 - Rossini - Semiramide Overture
02 - Tchaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty Ballet - Waltz
03 - Tchaikovsky - Marche Slave
04 - Herold - Zampa Overture
05 - Verdi - Aida - Grande Marche
06 - Handel - Xerxes - Largo
07 - Ponchielli - La Giaconda - Dance Of The Hours

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 04

01 - Bizet - Carmen Suite
02 - Offenbach - The Tales Of Hoffman - Barcarolle
03 - Ravel - Bolero
04 - Gounod - Faust - Ballet Music

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 05

01 - Suppe - Poet And Peasant Overture
02 - Weber - Invitation To The Dance
03 - Paganini - Moto Perpetuo
04 - J. Strauss Jnr. - Tritsch-Tratsch Polka
05 - Wagner - Lohengrin Act Iii - Prelude
06 - Greig - Norwegian Dance No.2
07 - Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 06

01 - Mozart - The Marriage Of Figaro - Overture
02 - Puccini - Manson Lescaut - Intermezzo
03 - Borodin - Prince Igor - Overture
04 - Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
05 - Debussy - Petite Suite
06 - Offenbach - Opheus In Hades - Overture

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 07

01 - Mendelssohn - Fingal's Cave Overture
02 - Liszt - Les Preludes
03 - Elgar - Pomp And Circumstance
04 - Moussorgsky - Night On Bare Bountain
05 - Sullivan - Overture Di Ballo

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 08

01 - Suppe - Light Cavalry Overture
02 - J. Straus Jnr. - Tales From The Vienna Woods
03 - Liszt - Liebestraum
04 - J. Straus Jnr. - Radetzky March
05 - Flotow - Martha - Overture
06 - J. Straus Jnr. - Artist's Life
07 - Schubert - Marche Militaire
08 - Waldteufel - Estudiantina Waltz

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 09

01 - Glinka - Russlan And Ludmilla Overture
02 - Rubinstein - Kamennoi-Ostrow
03 - Rossini - William Tell Overtue
04 - Verdi - La Traviata - Prelude To Act 1
05 - Verdi - La Traviata - Prelude To Act 3
06 - Verdi - Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo
07 - Wagner - Siegfried's Rhine Journey

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 10

01 - Mozart - Eine Kliene Nachtmusik - Allegro
02 - Mozart - Eine Kliene Nachtmusik - Andante
03 - Mozart - Eine Kliene Nachtmusik - Allegretto
04 - Mozart - Eine Kliene Nachtmusik - Allegro
05 - J. Strauss Jnr. - The Blue Danube
06 - Brahms - Academic Festival Overture
07 - Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 11

01 - Auber - The Crown Diamonds Overture
02 - Gounod - Funeral March Of A Marionette
03 - Pierne - March Of The Little Lead Soldiers
04 - Saint-Saens - Danse Macabre
05 - Ravel - La Valse
06 - Borodin - Polovetzian Dances

Gay Festival of Light Classics - Disc 12

01 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Overture Miniature
02 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Marche
03 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
04 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Trepak
05 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Arabian Dance
06 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Chinese Dance
07 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of The Reed Flutes
08 - Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - Waltz Of The Flowers
09 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 2, No. 10 - Scene
10 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 3, No 17 - Waltz
11 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 2, No 13 - Dance Of The Little Swans
12 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 1, No.2 - Waltz
13 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 2, No. 13 - Pas De Deux
14 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 3, No. 23 - Mazurka
15 - Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Act 3, No.15 - Wedding Dance

Mr Snookles