Paul Weston and His Orchestra Jerome Kern Volume II [1972]

Columbia Headliner Series Harmony KH 31603

Paul Weston and His Orchestra Jerome Kern [1972]

Columbia Headliner Series Harmony KH 31578 

101 Strings Orchestra A Waltz To Remember [1971]

Alshire International S-5219

Marty Gold and His Orchestra For Sound's Sake! [1964]

RCA Victor LSP-2787

Gold was one of the workhorses of RCA Victor's arranging staff through most of the 1950s and 1960s. He worked on hundreds of albums, backing acts ranging from the Rafael Hernandez to Peter Nero. A versatile stylist, he supplied whatever the setting called for: syrupy strings for a singer, rocking walls of sound for Top Ten covers, hale and hearty vocal choruses for his Kapp albums of college songs. [Space Age Pop]

Arthur Fiedler Conducting The Boston Pops Orchestra Concert In The Park [1963]

RCA Victor Red Seal LSC 2677

The Hollywood Brass Conducted By Jerry Fielding [1966]

ABC Paramount ABC 542 

An arranger/composer for Alvino Rey, Fielding had his television show and worked with many acts, including the Barry Sisters and Andrews Sisters. Hollywood Brass is in the mod, "now sound" style which followed Herb Alpert. "Yeh, Yeh" and "Satisfaction" display his talent for counterpoint. "You'd Better Come Home," "Cover Me," and "Spanish Flea" give the rhythm section a chance, but even here the chief problem is his brass sound. The trumpets dominate and overall, the brass section is just too high and thin. Production by Bob Thiele notwithstanding, one can not help but think Verve or even Command would have brought out everything between the trumpets and bass. The arrangements are the thing, however, and the original "Ka-Boom-Boom" shines above all else (mostly standard covers). With clunking percussion breaks and an infectious horn figure, this one easily could have been covered and made a mod standard; lyrics could have been added. In Hollywood jargon, it's a sleeper.  [AllMusic]

Hugo Montenegro and His Orchestra Black Velvet [1965]

Time Records Series 2000 S/2196 

Hugo Montenegro was born in New York City. He attended Manhattan College while studying composition and leading his own band for school dances. He was later hired by Time Records as a musical director producing a series of albums for the label, and moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s where he began working for RCA records, producing a series of albums and soundtracks for motion pictures and television themes, such as the second theme for “I Dream of Jeannie.” During the mid‑60’s he started producing some of the most renowned works from the space age pop era, featuring electronics and rock in albums such as Moog Power and Mammy Blue.

Montenegro’s electronic works were decisive and influential for the future generations of electronic musicians, giving a retro/futuristic edge by the use of the Moog synthesizer, and helped to push its popularity. He will be also remembered by his versions of classics such as Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

In the late 1970s, severe emphysema put an end to his musical career, and he died 6 February 1981, Palm Springs, California.

Paul Weston and His Music From Hollywood Solo Mood [1956]

Columbia Records CL-879

First, the pace. The entire album travels at the speed of your pulse, so it's wonderfully relaxing. Second, the sound. Recorded in 1955, the album not only captures the band era's grandeur but also fits snugly into the newly emerging period of wide-bodied voicing. And third, the material. All of the song choices are smart and framed perfectly, with fine work by trumpeter Ziggy Elman, alto saxophonist Ted Nash, clarinetist Matty Matlock, trombonist Bill Schaefer, guitarist George Van Eps, and pianist Paul Smith among others.

Solo Mood is the cousin of Mood for 12 (previously posted), with many of the same musicians. Here, Weston offers fabulous charts on A Hundred Years From Today, Dancing on the Ceiling and Autumn in New York, with guitarist Barney Kessel soloing with clarinet and flute backing his lines. And oh those Weston intros! He hit a sweet spot in the zone between mood music and jazz. No one could ace those like Weston.

Paul Weston and His Orchestra Mood For 12 [1955]

Columbia Records CL 693

From a memo by Paul Weston: "As you will notice the selection of music gives a line-up of real "American" tunes... most of them associated with the Hoagy Carmichael-midwestern school of music. The main difference between this mood music and the type currently being recorded is that these sides also feature improvisation by a soloist... This album is the warmest and most interesting I've ever had anything to do with - mostly because of the terrific solos by the guys." [Excerpt liner notes]