Originally released in 1956, although this looks like a later re-issue. Wonderful ballads to croon you off to dreamland. Good night everyone.

Be Anything (But Be Mine):

Sleepy.zip (37MB)

Side One:
Be Anything (But Be Mine)
Mademoiselle
Call Me Darling, Call Me Sweetheart, Call Me Dear
I Don’t Know Any Better
Kentucky Babe

Side Two:
Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart
Street of Dreams
You’ve Got Me Cryin’ Again
What Will I Tell My Heart
Till We Two Are One

This cover makes me smile. I’m not sure whether it’s the sideways glances, casually strewn posters or lack of shoes, but it all adds up to a wonderful cheesy whole, which kind of strikes me in the same way as this cover. There is some great music inside as well. “Working with a guitar accompaniment Miss Meinert creates some sounds on these familiar melodies that spice them with an air of frivolity, sadness, deep romance and the pulse of life that course through the city as steadily as the Seine.”  Looks like this is a 1960 release.

Have a listen to April in Paris:

Meinert.zip (37MB)

Side One:
I Love Paris
La Vie en Rose
April in Paris
Under Paris Skies
The Poor People of Paris
Under the Bridges of Paris

Side Two:
Paree!
The River Seine
Paris in the Spring
The Last Time I Saw Paris
C’est Si Bon
Autumn Leaves

There’s so much here to enjoy, it’s hard to know where to start. There are rousing versions of  “I Got You” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” There’s “Quien Sera Ska,” which takes the Ruiz-penned hit “Sway” and re-envisions it as sort of a polka/ska/Mexicali Brass mashup…it all has to be heard to be believed. And before you ask, this album was released the week of August 13, 1966. There was a “Living Stereo” version of this release, and this ain’t it. Glorious Mono.

For your next musical chairs drinking game session, why not play “La Banda Borracha”:

Caliente.zip (40MB)

Side One:
Caliente, Caliente
Te Tengo (I Got You)
Llevame a La Luna (Fly me to the Moon)
Agua Miel
La Banda Borracha
Jamaica Ska

Side Two:
Sabado a las 5
La Sombra de tu Sonrisa (The Shadow of Your Smile)
Solo Para Dos
Quien Sera Ska
Picnic a Go-Go
Una Probada de Miel (A Taste of Honey)

“The Fabulous Fifties found RALPH MARTERIE coming into his own as America’s Number One orchestra and this well-deserved and hard-won accolade easily carried over into the Sensational Sixties. Now Ralph pioneers into still another phase of music — that of the Big Sound. The fantastic arrangements that made the Marterie Music so outstanding still remain, but something new has been added in the lush strings, the augmented brass and reed sections, and the use of the human voice as an integral part of the arrangement. Here is good music and musicianship, sans gimmicks and tricks, played and recorded in the new Big Sounds. Led by the Golden trumpet of Marterie, this album stresses listening enjoyment for one and all, no matter what their musical taste may be, played and reproduced in the Sensational Sixties Sound, with all its brilliance, color and musical excitement.”

If you liked the earlier Marterie post, you should also take a liking to this early 60s release — mellow, relaxing lounge of the highest caliber. And the record is in pretty great shape as well. Enjoy!

Take a walk down Green Dolphin Street:

Marterie88.zip (46MB)

Side One:
Truly
Sweet and Lovely
Someone Who Reminds Me of You
Moon Song
My Song
Looking for a Boy

Side Two:
Green Dolphin Street
Love Lies
Why Shouldn’t I
New Orleans
Try a Little Tenderness
Moonlight Becomes You

Federal regulations state that every LP record collection must have a Flamenco album. Well, they should anyway. I’ve been keeping my eye out for a high-quality Flamenco album for the site, but have not had much luck until now. You see, Federal regulations also state that certified Flamenco records must have at least one Flamenco dance performed ON the actual record itself.

Despite all that, I finally have one to present to you all. The performances here are top notch, and the record itself is in great shape. This is on the Montilla label, recorded in Spain and manufactured in NYC. If you listen to one Flamenco album this year, make it Fiesta Flamenca.

Have a listen to A La Feria de Grana:

Flamenca.zip (49MB)

Side One:
Bulerias
Alegrias
A La Feria De Grana
Sevillanas
Soleares
Aires De Huelva

Side Two:
Tango Gitano
Fandango
Ecos Gitanos
Ritmo De Soleares
Fandango De Huelva
Fiesta En Utrera

Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for all the kind comments this year. I’ve got lots of great stuff lined up for 2010, so hang around. In the meantime, pay a visit to some of my favorite blogs that feature Christmas music:

Music You (Possibly) Won’t Hear Anyplace Else

Bongobells

Jul Igen

And while you are here, why not add some “Jingo Jango” to your Christmas festivities? See you next year!

“Music is a necessity, but it is important that the music cover all categories so that whatever your company may be, you will have the ‘sound’ to make them happy, as well as yourself…Listen…and have the music fill your home with pleasure.” And so we are introduced to another in the International Award Series via Freeport, Long Island. Here we bring you Noro Morales, a great collection of tunes and a wonderful cover. May it bring you pleasure.

Give a listen to Norin-Noron:

Morales.zip (35MB)

Side One:
Who’s Sorry Now – Cha Cha
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love – Cha Cha
Dark Eyes – Pachanga
For Me and My Gal – Cha Cha
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – Cha Cha

Side Two:
Home – Cha Cha
The Children’s Merengue
Norin-Noron – Mambo
Rainbow Bolero
Mississippi Mambo

These gentlemen are the real deal — a “trio romantico” who appeared in over a dozen Mexican films in the 40s. This release captures them live at the “El Jorongo” bar, which the back cover assures us is “a wonderful place that is a must for every tourist that visits Mexico City because of it’s gay atmosphere.” If you’ve ever been to the El Jorongo bar, please leave a comment and let us know what it was/is like.

Every once and a while, you take a chance and find a real gem in the bins, and this is one of those gems. The first track unfortunately has a couple of skips, but the rest of the tracks are fine and there is relatively little surface noise, which is a miracle considering this came from the floor of a Goodwill in rural Ohio. The back cover is also signed by the trio, which is very cool, but a bit odd, taking into account the whole rural Ohio thing.

Check out El Soldado de Levita:

Calaveras.zip (51MB)

Side One:
Flor Silvestre
Amaneci en tus Brazos
La Malaguena
Sin Sangre en las Venas
El Coyote

Side Two:
Gota a Gota
El Soldado de Levita
Novia Envidiada
La Llorona
No Me Vuelvas a Ver
Besame Morenita

I think this is perhaps one of the strangest album covers ever — not sure what the bikini-clad dancer Dali painting is doing on a cover with the self-proclaimed “King of Organ” complete with crown and robe, but here we are, and I like it here! The music is top-notch with snappy arrangements of some standards of the day, pretty lively stuff.

Have a listen to Brazil:

KingOfOrgan.zip (37MB)

Side One
Sweet Georgia Brown
Tea for Two (Cha-Cha)
Moonglow and Theme (from “Picnic”)
Josephine
Jalousie (Tango)
Bye Bye Blues

Side Two
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue
Brazil
The Breeze and I
Happy Organ
The Shiek of Araby
Mighty Low

This one has been weeks in the making folks. To celebrate the two year anniversary of Thrift Store DJ this month, I give you … a complete box set! You know, normally when you run across box sets at the thrift store, they are usually missing records, or maybe they have some other records mixed in. And 95% of the time, they are of the Reader’s Digest variety. But recently I stumbled on this complete box set, and it’s one I’ve never actually seen before. The Latin Brass album was an early post on the site, so I figured this would be a great candidate for an anniversary post. There is something for everyone here, exotica, jazz, classical, honky-tonk piano. If you like the Command label records, these should be right up your alley as they are clearly aimed at that crowd. The records are split up below, so feel free to take what you want or grab it all. In-line samples also included (except for the classical album).

Complete Track Listing

BigBand.zip (41MB)

Peanut Vendor

BrassBand.zip (46MB)

Liberty Bell

Classics.zip (40MB)

Exotic.zip (45MB)

Mambo Italiano

HonkyTonk.zip (37MB)

Turkish Honky Tonk

Jazz.zip (44MB)

Old Devil Moon

Latin Brass (59MB)

Patricia

Passionate.zip (42MB)

Brazil

Potent.zip (42MB)

Glow Worm

SizzlingStrings.zip (43MB)

Solea Canastera Soleares