That 50's sound

[Bustercat]

Does anyone know any artists in the genre of light, 50s instrumental music — that really cliched stuff you hear in to accompany "Mrs. Housewife" in commercials and materials from the time, even ... think bubbly, upbeat, alot of plucked strings, xylophones?

 

[Java]

There's a great CD from 1997 featuring 50's production music and other "happy go lucky" tunes called "Music for TV Dinners." It's on Amazon, but it's not cheap. I'm looking at it now and used copy will run you $60.

You might also want try the Ultra-Lounge disc "Space Capades." It includes the old favorites "Gay Spirits," "Holiday For Strings," and "Sabre Dance." That one you can pick up for about $4.

Let me know how your hi-fi hunting goes.

 

[dhermann1]

Ray Coniff.
Art and Dotty Todd, one hit wonders with "Chanson d'Amour", 1959.
The Maguire Sisters
The Ames Brothers
Johnny Raye
Eddie Fisher

 

[Prairie Dog]

Ray Coniff, Art and Dotty Todd, one hit wonders with "Chanson d'Amour", 1959.
The McGuire Sisters, The Ames Brothers, Johnny Ray, Eddie Fisher

You can also add the likes of Rosemary Clooney, Teresa Brewer, Frankie Laine, Doris Day, Julius LaRosa, Jo Stafford, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Gordon MacRae, Patti Paige, Andy Williams, all the "4" groups and ole blue eyes Frank Sinatra to that list.

Al Albert, a member of The 4 Aces, died this past Saturday. Among the group's hits were "Three Coins in a Fountain,", "Stranger in Paradise," and the title song to the film "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing."

Does anyone know any artists in the genre of light, 50s instrumental music?

Mantovani was king of 50's instrumental music. Also the music of Dave Barbour, Dick Jacobs, Leroy Anderson, Enoch Light, and Les Baxter can be included.

You hardly ever hear pre-rock and roll oldies from the 50's anymore on the radio.

Of course, this time of the year you can catch a glimpse of this sort of music with an instrumental or singer from this era crooning a seasonal gem.

Nothing like hearing Perry Como's (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays and Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Riddle for the first time each year. Certainly puts me in the holiday mood.

 

[skyvue]

Don't forget to check out Esquivel.

Sounds like you would have enjoyed the lounge/exotica/bachelor pad revival of a few years back, Bustercat. That stuff was reissued in droves.

I'll bet it can be had pretty cheaply now on eBay and elsewhere. I know I've got tons of it.

 

[Bustercat]

Thanks guys, I plugged some of the names I wasn't familiar into slacker radio and found some great matches. Les Baxter is spot on.

You know what I found out that's interesting? So much of the sound of that era was about playing with the new medium of stereophonic sound. The orchestral percussion, those glittery rushing string sweeps -- all designed to play with audio space, moving from channel to channel. Neat stuff.

http://www.spaceagepop.com/whatis.htm

I'm going to be keeping an eye out for these at record stores:

* RCA's Stereo Action
* Command's Persuasive/Provocative Percussion albums
* London's early Phase 4 albums
* Mercury's Perfect Presence Sound albums

I've seen them around, always taken in by the great album art (they got some real talents, like Joseph Albers, to work on some).

 

[dhermann1]

OMG, speaking of Stereo. Check out the late great Les Paul. He was one of the inventors of the electric guitar (he started dabbling with it as a kid in the 1920's). He was an amazing combination of brilliant musician and brilliant inventor. He and his wife Mary Ford had a string of huge hits in the late 40's and early 50's.

 

[Talbot]

Thanks guys, I plugged some of the names I wasn't familiar into slacker radio and found some great matches. Les Baxter is spot on.

You know what I found out that's interesting? So much of the sound of that era was about playing with the new medium of stereophonic sound. The orchestral percussion, those glittery rushing string sweeps -- all designed to play with audio space, moving from channel to channel. Neat stuff.

http://www.spaceagepop.com/whatis.htm

I'm going to be keeping an eye out for these at record stores:

* RCA's Stereo Action
* Command's Persuasive/Provocative Percussion albums
* London's early Phase 4 albums
* Mercury's Perfect Presence Sound albums

I've seen them around, always taken in by the great album art (they got some real talents, like Joseph Albers, to work on some).

Buster, I love this stuff too. I have found a few sites handy in my quest for knowledge:

Xtabaysworld

The Retro Cocktail Hour on Kansas Public radio

and Java's Bachelor Pad Radio Show (I just noticed he is on the lounge! Love your work Javaman!)

I'm not sure he's what you are after, but I always think of Juan Garcia Esquivel when I hear talk of exploring the stereophonic medium.

Give him a try - zooo, zooo, zooo (you'll know what I mean).

Cheers

Talbot

 

[Talbot]

OMG, speaking of Stereo. Check out the late great Les Paul. He was one of the inventors of the electric guitar (he started dabbling with it as a kid in the 1920's). He was an amazing combination of brilliant musician and brilliant inventor. He and his wife Mary Ford had a string of huge hits in the late 40's and early 50's.

Can't fault anyone who built a turntable from a Cadillac flywheel because he wanted precision engineering