Charles Magnante and His Orchestra Carnival In Far Away Places [1967]

Command Records RS 907 SD

Charles Magnante was one of the most important accordion players in music history. If for nothing else, he would be honored for having first started the Magnante Quartet, the world's first "serious" accordion ensemble along the lines of a chamber quartet. This extremely successful ensemble accomplished much in its career but will be remembered forever by accordion lovers simply for setting foot on-stage at Carnegie Hall. It wasn't Magnante's feet that were important, it was his accordion, as this 1939 spring event was the first time the instrument had been played on the stage of this all-important venue. Lovers of the kazoo, the psaltry, the vina, or the amplified ringer-washer can all either dote on or look forward to their instrument's Carnegie Hall debut, but for Magnante it was particularly significant. The serious classical world's prejudice against the accordion and its traditional musical backgrounds represented one of the great obstacles Magnante had to overcome during his career. Thrice elected president of the American Accordion Association, it was Magnante among others who helped change the accordion's image from a corny instrument reeking of garlic to the serious axe associated with the works of composer Astor Piazzolla, for example.

Dominic Cortese, Angelo Di Pippo, Bob Creash, Billy Costa All Accordion Band [1965]

Time Records Series 2000 S/2172

Perhaps someone at Time felt there just was not enough accordion in the preceding Dominic Cortese solo LPs. All Accordion Band features Dom Cortese joined by Billy Costa, Bob Creash, and Angelo Di Pippo. Is it truly an all-accordion band? No. There also are guitar, bass, piano, celeste, drums, and other percussion. In addition to"Sabre Dance," "Tico Tico," and other standards, Creash and Cortese contribute "Bullfrog and the Grasshopper."Di Pippo wrote "Wrong Note Polka" and "Bajon"; all these are among the more successful compositions. 

Curiously, the liners promise subsequent All Accordion Band recordings. [AllMusic]

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade Command Performances Volume 2 [1967]

Command ‎Records RS 915 SD 

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade Command Performances [1964]

Command Records RS 868 SD

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade Big Band Hits of The 30's, 40's, and 50's Volume 2 [Double LP] [1975]

Project 3 Total Sound PR2 6013/14SD

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade Big Band Hits of The 30's, 40's and 50's [Double LP] [1974]

Project 3 Total Sound PR 2-6005/6006 SD 

As its title suggests, this is an album on which Enoch Light and the Light Brigade re-create some big band hits, note for note. Whether it's Artie Shaw's "Begin the Beguine," Glenn Miller's "A String of Pearls," or Tommy Dorsey's "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," to name only the first three of the 25 tracks, Light has copied the arrangements and, to a large extent, the solos, found on the original records.

Enoch Light and The Light Brigade Big Band Fever [1982]

Seagull Records LG 8205

If what you're looking for is a collection of really well-recorded clips of a single chorus of each of 48 great big band tunes - this is for you!  As always with Enoch Light, the quality of the performances and of the recording are exceptional. Unfortunately, there's only enough to whet your appetite.

André Kostelanetz Black Magic [1955]

Columbia Records CL 712

"André Kostelanetz and his Orchestra exercise a most persuasive magic in this record, bringing their enchanted audience no less than eight fine melodies most of which up to now have not been available in so sumptuous a musical dress.

In addition, the majority of these songs that Mr. Kostelanetz has selected have the delightful advantage of being relatively unfamiliar.  Undoubtedly some listeners, in hearing such attractive tunes as Our Waltz and Out of This World and Little Girl Blue, will experience a pleasure comparable to that of meeting for the first time a person destined to become a close friend." [Excerpt liner notes]

Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra With Leonid Hambro, Pianist The Romantic Music of Rachmaninoff [1957]

Columbia Records CL-1001

Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov (also spelled Rachmaninoff), born in Semyonovo, Russia, on April 1, 1873, is today remembered as one of the most formidable pianists of all time and the last truly great composer in the Russian Romantic tradition. Rachmaninov came from a music-loving, land-owning family; young Sergey's mother fostered the boy's innate talent by giving him his first piano lessons. After a decline in the family fortunes, the Rachmaninovs moved to St. Petersburg, where Sergey studied with Vladimir Delyansky at the Conservatory. As his star continued to rise, Sergey went to the Moscow Conservatory, where he received a sound musical training: piano lessons from the strict disciplinarian Nikolay Zverev and Alexander Siloti (Rachmaninov's cousin), counterpoint with Taneyev, and harmony with Arensky. During his time at the Conservatory, Rachmaninov boarded with Zverev, whose weekly musical Sundays provided the young musician the valuable opportunity to make important contacts and to hear a wide variety of music. 

André Kostelanetz and His Orchestra Lure of Paradise [1959]

Columbia ‎Records CS 8144 

André Kostelanetz provides the beautiful music and James A. Michener the liner notes; including brief excerpts from his books Tales of The South Pacific and Return to Paradise as well as an excerpt from Typee by Herman Melville.

André Kostelanetz and His Orchestra Calendar Girl [1956]

Columbia Records CL 811 

"Here are twelve lovely girls...one for each month of the calendar year...brought to glittering life in the magic of the music of Andre Kostelanetz. 

They are not alike, these twelve girls. Not at all. They are as different, one from another, as Liza is from Stella, by starlight. Who could dare to compare Diane to Ruby? But who would not pay a king's ransom to meet Ruby and Diane, and Mimi and Laura and all the others...by starlight, or candlelight, or by the light of the rising moon? 

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." 

Here, we count by names the ways of love - in music. You have twelve girls to choose from, out of your past. Or - perhaps - out of your future. Out of your memory, or out of your fate. 

Or you can listen, simply. And enjoy the music of Andre Kostelanetz, who this time chooses to make songs out of names...the names of twelve golden girls, one for each month of the year."  [Liner notes]

Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra Sexy Strings and Subtle Saxes [1962]

Decca Records DL 74215

"Here is a wonderful collection of ever-popular love songs - romantic favorites performed with the provocative blue light intimacy of Sammy Kaye's Sexy Strings and Subtle Saxes."[Excerpt liner notes]

Sam 'The Man' Taylor Mist of The Orient [1962]

MGM Records E 4066 

"The true cognoscenti long ago recognized Taylor's big tone, his style with a ballad and his general mastery of the tenor sax.

Taylor's newest album, recorded in Japan, is a valid measure of his fine talent.  The repertoire is made up of carefully chosen ballads for the most part, including several interesting Japanese compositions.  The mood is haunting and melodic, satisfying and soulful; and Taylor's technique is relaxed and fluid.

A chief element of this recorded production is taste.  On these performances, Sam's taste is impeccable and manifests itself not only in the tenor passages but also in the orchestral accompaniment - which is unobtrusive yet makes excellent use of organ, guitar, and strings." [Excerpt liner notes by Paul Ackerman]

Pete Kelly and His Big Seven Pete Kelly's Blues: Selections From The Picture "Pete Kelly's Blues" [1959]

RCA Victor LPM-2053

All of the musicians involved provided the small band scoring of the original soundtrack.......BUT this recording is a separate studio session (Oct. 19, 1955). The original liner notes make this fairly clear! The songs are taken from the movie...but not the original soundtrack.

Norrie Paramor Strings and Orchestra Warm and Willing [1965]

Columbia/EMI Records SCX 3556 Great Britain

"The lush, romantic sounds of the Paramor strings, highlighted by the beautiful soprano voice of Patricia Clark are featured on this fine package of modern standards…" [Billboard October 2, 1965]

At The Movies With The Ray Charles Singers [1967]

Command RS 923 SD 

The Ray Charles Singers — named so by Perry Como, with whom Charles had a close association — recorded some 30 vocal albums and appeared on Como’s albums, TV series and specials over a period of more than three decades starting in 1959.

Chorus Della Piazza and Orchestra Italian Festival Tonight! [1960]

Time Records S/2043  

Lew Davies and His Orchestra Two Pianos and Twenty Voices [1960]

Command Records RS 813 SD

There's almost no trace left of Lew Davies except for his arrangements on the "Persuasive Percussion" series and most of the rest of Command's records. Enoch Light certainly contributed the inspiration and technical genius behind the Command style, but Davies, not Light, receives the arranger credit on the majority of Command's releases. 

Douglas Gamley and Robert Docker With The Peter Knight Singers Twin Pianos [1960]

Diplomat Records DS 2286 

"The Excitement of Twin Pianos, Voices and Orchestra Recorded On 35 MM Film"