Listen Easy! - Various Artists (1998 BBC Compilation)

My apologies for the lack of activity here over the last month or so, I have had a few computer problems and been unable to upload for a while.

Here is a fine compilation of 70s pop, played by some big names in UK Easy Listening, such as Norrie Paramor, Neil Richardson, John Fox, Ronnie Aldrich and Johnny Douglas!

Featuring one or two songs seldom recorded by Easy orchestras such as Elton John's Daniel, Neil Young's Heart Of Gold and Don Mclean's Vincent, these are a rare Easy treat!

All recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 2 during the 1970s, many of these tracks would not have seen release to the public at the time. 

This was also one of the first CD compilations of Easy Listening I picked up in the late 90s as my introduction to the instrumental Easy genre.

Unavailable for many years, this album is a cracking good listen and I can heartily recommend it!

I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

Album Preview - Heart Of Gold

BBC presents The Northern Dance Orchestra (1972)

Another fine album from my series of classic Easy LP's from our BBC!

The BBC Northern Dance Orchestra were featured almost daily on many BBC Radio shows from their formation in 1956 until 1975 when it was re-named the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra, which was eventually disbanded by the corporation in 1985.

Many of its recordings were made at the Playhouse Theatre, here in Manchester, a fine old theatre which I had the pleasure of visiting with my mum and dad several times during the 1980's for recordings of Radio 2 comedy shows.

This record, however, was recorded at the famous Strawberry Studios in nearby Stockport due to the Playhouse not having stereo capability.

Their roots in Big Band music are very obvious, but do well the pop and latin tracks also featured here.

I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

Album Preview - How Insensitive

Johnny Edwards' Slightly Latin (1976)

We seem to be in the middle of a series of albums from the good old BBC at the moment!

Subtitled The Easy Listening Sounds Of Radio 2 Vol. 3, this is a fine selection of tracks, featuring contemporary pop songs such as Killing Me Softly, Without You and Tie A Yellow Ribbon, blended with original library tracks from Syd Dale, Tony Hatch and arranger and trombonist Johnny Edwards himself.

I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

Album Preview - All On A Summer's Day

S'Wonderful - Various Artists (1973)

 

 

 

A fine sampler album from the good old BBC!

 

I do have several of the featured albums, and have posted / are planning to post them, but this is a very good album by itself, featuring a blend of standards, pop songs and a couple of originals, too.

 

My picks are the tracks from Pete Winslow's Test Card album, along with the tracks from John Fox's Gershwin album.

 

 I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

 

Album Preview - S'Wonderful

 

By Request (Radio 2 Top Tunes, Vol. 4) - Norrie Paramor & The Midland Radio Orchestra (1978)

 

 

 

Fine collection of (mostly UK) pop hits of the late 1970's.

 

The tracks which will be known by fans outside the UK are Abba's Take A Chance On Me, The Carpenters' Sweet Sweet Smile, Wings' Mull Of Kintyre, Don't Cry For Me Argentina from Evita and possibly Walk In Love by The Manhattan Transfer, all of which are featured here in nice Easy pop arrangements which would have been originally featured on BBC Radio 2 programmes at the time.

 

I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

 

Album Preview - Take A Chance On Me

 

Mantovani - The Legend (1981)

 

 

Fine selection of 70's pop songs played by the Anglo-Italian "legend" of Easy Listening, Mantovani!

 

Surely one of the last recordings from the man himself; he passed away around that time, the orchestra continuing for some time without him.

 

From a batch of Easy LP's very generously given to me by a work colleague, I could not wait to get this one on the turntable!

 

I do wish they had employed an arranger with more knowledge of the modern rhythm section, however, but would still give this one five stars, though!

 

I hope you enjoy it and please comment if you do!

 

Album Preview - Copacabana