Les Baxter

Got your Les Baxter right here.

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Los Feliz

Here is my new album. It's got Sharon, my ex, on the cover. I took this shot in 1985 when she was going to college in Santa Cruz and we were about at the peak of our crazy love thing. After that, her mom committed suicide and, of course, she (and we) were never the same. She eventually had an affair, and then after we split she married the guy. She went on to become a therapist, and on her web site now she talks about the virtues of being kind and honest and authentic ... ironic, because those are all the things she denied me. She has kids who are in their 20s, and I'm guessing they don't know that she was ever married before or that I ever existed. Hell, I bet if you asked her, even she would say that I never existed and that our relationship never happened. This photograph is my proof. Look, see for yourself.

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Dick Campbell

Never was a Dylan rip-off so blatant. Doesn't hurt (or help) that Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield are on board.

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B.S. I Love You

By request, here's the soundtrack to "B.S. I Love You," featuring Stouffville Grit, whoever they were.

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Christopher Kearney

Once again, many thanks to bayouangel for fulfilling this request!

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Great Movie Themes

By request, here's a re-up of this sweet Colgems comp.

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Maxine Sellers

Thanks to bayouangel, here is Maxine Sellers' album, produced by Beach Boy associate Nick Venet and featuring a host of Wrecking Crew sessioners.

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Christopher Cloud

In 1973, Tommy Boyce (sans Bobby Hart) teamed up the the band Aim (see entry below) to record this glam-rock album. Perhaps he was trying to distance himself from his bubblegum past, because this record has a meatier edge to it, and Boyce billed himself merely as "Tomme."

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Aim

Here's an obscure '70s pop-rock record that features guitarist and singer Michael W. Overly who, along with Tommy Boyce, was part of the group Christopher Cloud (which I'll post soon).

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Nancy Michaels

Found this one at a crate dig yesterday. Nancy definitely sounds influenced by Joni Mitchell, which more than likely is why she was on Warners. Alas, "First Impressions" would be her last impression. The vinyl is pretty noisy, but I did my best to clean it up.

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Smokey and His Sister

Before White Stripes, there was this brother snd sister act.

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Dreamland

This was an attempt to make an album in singular style (in this case, a mostly acoustic record), rather than hopscotching all over the map stylistically, as I tend to do. I wouldn't exactly say that this is a mellow record; rather, like the title, it's more dream-like. A couple of the songs - "How Can Anybody Get Anything Done 'Round Here," "Late Night Companion" and the title track - are among my all-time personal favorites. I also like "Turtles All the Way Down," which came about after watching an episode of the long-ago cancelled series "Awake." If you are having trouble sleeping, I suggest putting this one on the ol' hi-fi.

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Spirit of Rock

Here's yet another choice sampler that was released on Probe, which was an offshoot of ABC/Dunhill.

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Jacob's Ladder

A mystery surrounds me
Like none I've ever known
And I don't know the meaning
As it spins 'round me like a cyclone
I have spent whole my life searching
Trying to figure out just why I'm here
But try as I may and try as I might
I don't think I've ever come near

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Friend & Lover

Music from a seemingly more innocent time.

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Don Kirshner

In which dandy Don lets his hair down (so to speak). A prime slice of exploito, from a guy who really knew how to cash in on the craze of the day.

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Michael McGinnis

Here's another wonderful record I picked up at In Your Ear. Check the comments for a link for Michael's third album, "Hobo's Holiday."

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The Bully Boys Band

Not sure who the Bully Boys really were, but since this was recorded in the late '60s and because it is on Dunhill, it likely has some of the Wrecking Crew on it. In any event, this is a minor treasure.

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The Aquarians

There's a breezy Latin vibe about this record that makes me think of spring. Hope it does the same for you.

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Original Caste

Update: Check the comments for a link of this obscure Original Caste album.

Spooner Oldham

Very obscure record from Muscle Shoals vet and Dan Penn partner. Some find his singing a little lacking. Me, I think it's part of the charm.

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Tartaglia

By request, here's a lushly orchestrated record by Tartaglia, whose arrangements remind me somewhat of David Axelrod. His other album, "Good Morning Starshine," is in the file as well.

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Muve

Here's an obscure spoken-word album from a guy named Richard Christensen, who sounds at times a little like Rod McKuen. The arrangements, by Tartaglia, are ornate and rather beautiful, and because it's on Capitol it sounds as though no small expense was made. But really, what were they thinking?

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6680 Lexington

Another one of those records full great songs and amazing players (including Darlene Love and Bill Medley) that came and went with little buzz. Very much worth hearing, nonetheless.

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The Groovin' Strings and Things

Groovin' ... on a snowy afternoon.

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Hey Baby!

From Allmusic: Nino Tempo & April Stevens (who were actually brother and sister, born Nino LoTempio and Carol LoTempio) bobbed up and down through the pop charts through much of the 1960s, enjoying only a couple of major successes ("Deep Purple" and "Whispering") but maintaining enough momentum to stay in the good graces of several major labels throughout the decade. Hey Baby! was recorded during the duo's tenure with Atco Records, and it's fairly typical of their work of the period, a polished set of well-known pop tunes ("Hey Baby," "Land of 1000 Dances," "These Arms of Mine") and some well-crafted originals ("Swing Me," "Tomorrow Is Soon a Memory," "Ooh La La") alongside a few genuine eccentricities ("Mohair Sam" is given a fairly improbable parody as "No Hair Sam" and an otherwise strong folk-rock arrangement of "I Love How You Love Me" is punctuated with a hyperactive bagpipe). While Nino & April's efforts to sound hip usually end in failure, they harmonize well and they were capable solo vocalists too, with April sounding sweetly seductive on a new recording of "Teach Me Tiger" and Nino handling his Otis Redding cover quite well indeed. Nino was a talented producer and sax player as well as a vocalist and songwriter, and if this isn't top-shelf mid-'60s pop, the craft is strong throughout and if he and April often sound as if they'd be more comfortable in a supper club than at a rock show, they avoid the suggestion that they're looking down on the material; Hey Baby! doesn't include any of their major hits, but it's certain to please completists.

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Rudy Ramos

Anyone remember "The High Chaparral"?

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Reuben Howell

Here are the two albums by Reuben Howell, the first white dude signed to Motown. A caveat: for reasons unknown, my frickin' iTunes won't let me tag the song titles of the first album.

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Richard Twice

A band so nice they named it ... Twice. Features Wrecking Crew back-up. 'Nuf said.

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Far Country

I see justice
Just out of view
Yeah, I see justice
Don't have much to do
But I got no worries
Why give a toss
I'm already long gone from here
And I don't feel a loss

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San Fernando Brass

Here's an interesting curio: a hits-of-the-day record produced in Quad by Capitol for Realistic, the company that owns Radio Shack. Don't know who plays on it, but the performances are first rate.

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Noel Harrison

From the boy behind the girl from U.N.C.L.E.

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Children of Prague

Thanks so much to Yahwehfrk, who supplied us with this sweet bubblegum rarity.

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Pete Jolly

By request, here's a sweet and mellow record by Pete Jolly.

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Country Coalition

Country Coalition were a pretty cool (mostly) country-rock act signed to ABC's Bluesway - one of the few non-blues artists on the label. The band is probably best known for the song "One Man Band," which was a hit for Three Dog Night. The album is a hodgepodge of styles, but I find that's part of its charm. I added some stray singles and non-album cuts here as bonus tracks.

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Les Crane

Go placidly amid the noise and haste ... and listen to this album. Stuck on an appropriate bonus track for you.

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The Original Hits of Right Now

Picked this one on a recent crate dig, and even though I have the songs on other LPs I dig these Dunhill comps. Et tu?

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Riot on Sunset Strip

A riotous record to kick-start your new year.

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Johnny Brower

Yet another classy record from the Guinness tax-scam label, this one in a country/swamp/lounge mode.

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Hell's Belles

Raunchy Les Baxter soundtrack to American International biker flick. This one has some nifty bonus tracks.

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Don Costa

Thanks to Steinar, here is "Days of Wine and Roses."

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Don Costa

Snagged this one in the Village on a recent trip to NYC. Paid too much, and the guy behind the counter was of kind of a dick. Was it worth it?

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Mark Turnbull

This one is a real curio. Couldn't find much out about young Mark, but he does sound a bit like Bob Dorough or maybe Tom Northcott. If either of those guys rings your bell, then this is for you. Update: check the comments for a link for current info about Mark.

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Scary Guy at the End of the Hall

This one channels the ghosts of Salinger, absent friends and, well, the scary guy at the end of the hall. Cover shot taken at our old apartment on Park Drive in Boston.

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Yours, Mine and Ours

Typically cool Fred Karlin soundtrack from typically silly '60s flick.

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Stoned Hair

With its canned audience sounds and songs that were not performed at Woodstock, this delicious slice of exploito pushes all the wrong buttons in just the right way. If anyone has any other Design Records titles they want to share, please put a link in the comments. They're all pretty bad in a good way.

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South Central Avenue Municipal Blues Band

In the late '60s, everyone was getting in on the Bonnie and Clyde craze, even if it made no sense at all. Still, this is pretty funky little album.

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Bobby Keys

In memory of Bobby Keys, here's his funky solo record featuring the talents of George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jack Bruce, Dave Mason, Nicky Hopkins, Leslie West, Klaus Voorman, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, Corky Laing and many others. We'll miss you, Bobby.

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The 5th Dimension

By request, here's the 5th Dimension "Live!" record. BTW, I've updated the link with the correct running order.

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Armistice Day

With all that's going on in the world right now from the Midwest to the Middle East, here's an album about human conflict. And, yeah, that's my mom and dad on the cover.

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