Exotic Moods

 

Behind the ‘soul/funk’, ‘rock/pop’, ‘jazz/fusion’, and ‘soundtracks/TV’, usually before you get to ‘classical’ and ‘spoken word/comedy’, there’s often a section in a record store labelled “exotica/space/lounge’ – in the UK this is sometimes lumped in with ‘easy listening’. It’s a niche genre from the 50s and 60s with a mixture of influences and percussive themes intended to conjure a mood of exotic destinations around the globe, far from the US and UK studios where it was recorded. Using orchestras rather than small groups, the composers created sounds intended to take the listener to the South Seas, Hawaii, the African jungle, Arabia, and the Far East. Much like some of the afro-rock of the 70s, there’s often not much of a connection with the actual music of those places and the images and titles can be a bit uncomfortable. A classic example is Les Baxter’s African Blue LP, which was released as a KPM library record as Bugaloo in Brazil. Rio and Copacabana transposed to the Kalahari and Uganda, so clearly the message was a mid-century western notion of “other” rather than a sound true to a specific place. Many of the tunes are nevertheless amazing and make me think of old movies, tiki bars, and daiquiris. Composers like Henry Mancini and Baxter blended the sound with latin music, and it’s a small step to many soundtracks from the same era.

The mix below crosses that bridge. It starts with some classic exotica from the 50s, then brings in TV and film themes from the 60s with a more latin feel and a bit of pop jazz. From an oasis in Egypt, we travel to Bolivia via Algeria and Morocco, picking up Stephanie Powers along the way. Back in the US, there’s polo in San Francisco with Thomas Crown, partying with Hrundi in LA, an encounter with Napoleon Solo’s nemesis, and an errand to run for Jim Phelps. Some of the tunes will sound familiar from popular culture. Lujon, for example, is frequently used as a romantic theme in TV shows, and everyone knows the motif from Francis Lai’s Un Homme Et Une Femme. Meanwhile, there are lots of versions of Taboo (a more uptempo version is here) and Dimitri From Paris fans will recognize his sample taken from The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.

1. Oasis Of Dahkla – Les Baxter, His Orchestra And Chorus
2. Chant Of The Moon – Robert Drasnin
3. Lujon – Henry Mancini
4. Quiet Village – Les Baxter And His Orchestra
5. The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. – Teddy Randazzo
6. Taboo – Arthur Lyman
7. Jalaba– Les Baxter, His Orchestra And Chorus
8. Algerian Fantasy – Gerald Wilson And His Orchestra
9. Dark River– Les Baxter, His Orchestra And Chorus
10. 124 Miles An Hour – Francis Lai
11. South American Getaway – Burt Bacharach
12. Playing The Field – Michel Legrand
13. Birdie Num Num – Henry Mancini
14. Chicken Little Was Right – Henry Mancini
15. The Man From THRUSH – Lalo Schifrin
16. Midnight Courier – Lalo Schifrin

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~ by ricardosevere on 02/10/2024.