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Volume 6
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Good grief there's more!!!
It's not quite a year since we last attended
to our duties in bringing you the word on the planets' foremost chieftains
of cheesiness in the arena of groovy lounge music, and so fasten your
safety belts, 'cos here we go again and would you believe we're up to
Volume Six, with ten more magnificent maestros for you indulgence! Enjoy!
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| Chico Arnez |
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| Otherwise less exotically
known as a certain Mr. Jackie Davis, Chico Arnez was a discovery of the
legendary independent producer and amateur shotgun enthusiast Joe Meek,
and undoubtedly contributed to Meek's array of early groundbreaking 45's
in one capacity or another before heading forth down a pathway of Latin
America extravagance for the remainder of his career, most likely adopting
his shiny new moniker to avoid confusion with the US Hammond maestro of
the same name. A favourite on the cabaret circuit and on the airwaves
of BBC Radio throughout the 60's and early 70's, you'll always find an
array of session bigwigs tucked away on Chico's albums, which he put together
with the help of his right-hand man Ziggy Ludvigsen (a name that also
has the whiff of a pseudonym about it!). |
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Gather together more than a couple
of Chico Arnez LP's and you'll soon be familiar with the refrain
used to bookend his recordings, found in the brief title track
on 'This Is Chico' (Marble Arch, 1967). Originally put out on
Pye in 1959 its way too early to be of much interest to anyone
other than committed exotica enthusiasts as it features a huge
brassy band parping their way through lots of Latin favourites
of the day with much huffing and puffing over bongos and other
assorted percussion thingumybobs. Not much to write home about
yet then, but wait on...
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we're getting a bit more up to date; 'From Chico...With Love' (Columbia,
1968) features a studio band crammed with top session players like
Pete Winslow, Ronnie Price and Alf Bigden, not to mention the scatting
vocal talents of Barbara Moore, which proves to be a great move
on the part of old Chico, as she and the other girl singers really
steal the show. Its a mixed bag of slow paced and more fast and
fruity numbers all based around girls names (clearly a bit of a
lad then, our Jackie), with one absolutely smashing piano-led groover
tagged on at the end that kicks everything else right into touch;
'Pandora Jones II' swings along very nicely before banging into
life with brass, organ and those preening ladies once more...great
stuff! |
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| Hmmm...nice
maracas! 'Chico' (Studio2Stereo, 1969) is a follow-up to the previous
album in all senses; the same band line up is still in place, those
fine young ladies are at the microphones, and the man himself has
a score book crammed with Latinised lushness up his sleeve. Much
of this is highly disappointing, as regression to the old ways appears
to have set in and the modern elements become submerged. Virtually
the only indication that this was recorded on the cusp of the 70's
is present in only one track...but what a track! You will not hear
a better take on the Rudolph Toombs standard 'One Mint Julip' anywhere,
and that's a promise; killer Hammond, cheeky scatting and at least
two whopping drum breaks...where the hell did that spring from...who
cares, its a scorcher!! |
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| Clearly
a liberated chap our Chico, and it seems that, if the sleeve notes
to this next album are to be believed, he was made aware of the
demand for a more contemporary sound by his 'many one night stands
throughout the UK'...well, really matron! Thank the Lord for
a persuasive public, as this is his most all round satisfying LP,
although perhaps not achieving the individual highpoints of the
previous pair. On 'New Sounds Of...' (Contour, 1972) the tone is
set by the lustfully groovy opener 'Would I' and his trusty band
provide perky takes on 'Whole Lotta Love', 'Aquarius', 'Hawaii Five-O'
and even Fleetwood Mac's 'Oh Well', once more splattered in smashing
vocalisations courtesy of Sylvia King. Lovely stuff! |
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| Seems
like our Jackie was on a round-trip of all of the UK cheap'n'cheerful
labels, as he next crops up on 'Non-Stop Dance Party' (MFP, 1974),
and delivers what might be his funkiest, but perhaps not his most
enjoyable LP, it being of the dreaded non-stop variety. Its a big
shame, and so is the fact that the man himself decides to treat
us all to his larynx and smears the platter with his own dreadful
vocals. Ouch! Pity really, 'cos when its good, this album is very
good indeed, with a spanking 'Soul Finger' and 'In The Midnight
Hour' for a start. On top of those there is another clutch of otherwise
super cuts like 'Do The Funky Chicken' and 'The Beat Goes On' that
come over all duff as he rambles on all over them. Bah! |
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| Andre Brasseur
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The one and only Belgian to grace these
pages thus far, Brasseur was raised in the little town of Lustin, where
he showed much early talent sat at the piano stool. Classical training
soon followed for the young Andre, but his love of jazz shone through
and pretty soon his own trio were gracing the smoky jazz clubs of Paris
where his reputation at the Hammond began to grow. Catching on to the
R&B scene, he scored a monster worldwide hit with 'Early Bird'.
Such heights were never to be scaled again, but Andre released many
Hammond driven albums down the years, some produced under the wing of
Belgian uber-producer Roland Kluger, before enjoying a spell in Roland
Van Campenhout's band Bluesworkshop. Brasseur still tends his organ
to this very day and recently released some recordings where the knobs
were twiddled by a bunch of hip British likely lads...
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Andre's first British
release was 'Tasty' (CBS, 1966), a surprisingly listenable mixture
of mid-60's R'n'B organ textures gamely supported by a lively
combo of fellow countymen. For an album so early there are some
quality moments, such as the aptly titled 'Mad Train' that pounds
and pumps along very nicely indeed. Add to that at least a couple
of really topnotch dancehall groovers in 'Hold-Up' and 'Far-West',
all fierce Hammond, persistent beats and choppy guitar, and this
is all turning out rather nicely thank you very much!
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More of the same then
please Andre! Mais oui, mon brave! Looks like a bit of a rush
job though, as both sides of his fame-garnering 'Early Bird' 45
are tacked on here and sound rather dated amongst the other cuts.
Fortunately some of those are of the R'n'B mover variety and you'll
be getting on down to 'Ah! Ah! Baby', 'On The Spot' and 'Big Fat
Spiritual', as they all pack a nice bit of cheeky, cheesy punch.
Top pick has to be 'Taxco', even considering its end-of-the-pier
Hammond sound, for 'tis truly a catchy little critter!
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On we go then, and
'This is...' (CBS, 1968) has in store one of our favourite Belgian's
finest moments right for a kick off, for 'Pow Pow' is no mean
start to an album, all cheeky female vocals and brassy squeaks...a
cracker! There's another winner on side one, in the shape of 'Waiting
For You', and then its off back to a smoky Brussels jazz club
for some extended live work outs on side two. They are pretty
tasty too, and you get the idea when the first one is called 'Funky'.
Oh yes, Andre is starting to loosen up and those well-schooled
R'n'B chops are being let out to play and are really finding their
best platform.
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'The Best of No. 2'
(Palette, 1969) happens to be of Dutch origin, and pretty much
scoops up the best cuts from the first two CBS albums shown here.
So there's 'Mad Train', 'Taxco' and all the others to enjoy, but
perhaps just as interestingly, the rear sleeve advertises the
first Palette Andre comp, which boasts the same sleeve picture
as the above album...worth watching out for too, as you'll find
'Pow Pow' on that one...
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A few years pass before
we see 'The Fantastic Organ' (RCA, 1973), and a very different
Brasseur emerges. Gone are the 60's R'n'B stylings, and the mood
is more contemplative, with a few ponderous covers and equally
ponderous originals to brush past quickly before you hit pure
gold! Smack in the middle of side one we leap from the moody radiophonic
stylings of 'Persuit' to into the breezy 'Red Dust' and whallop,
up comes 'Speedy No. 1'; what a little belter! Twangy jaw's harp
mixes with big, beefy Hammond and chunky clavinet...an insane
and inspired mixture!
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Fancy a night out?
Then why not join our old friend Andre as he 'Goes Discotheque
At The Locomotive' (RCA, 1974). You'll be no wall flower as he
pumps his organ through the supercharged eleven minute long epic
'Saturnus'. Ohmygawd, this is fine, fine stuff indeed; it never
lets up on the groove for even a moment, laced with wah-guitar,
brassy moves and many, many extended solos from the man himself.
Wow! The rest of the album is pretty good too, but with this massive,
massive track as comparison, it all kind of falls away amid the
true wonder. Phew!
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The threats held within
the title of the previous album are very much carried out with
'On Fire' (RKM, 1977), as a thorough beating with the disco stick
is on the menu at Cafe Andre. Ouch! With the Belgian Pete Waterman,
Roland Kluger twiddling the knobs the sound is ultra-quirky and
a million miles away from his earlier material, but some entertaining
grooves are nevertheless to be had on 'My Alligator', which rises
ahead of the clutch of smooth glitterball-tastic tunes spread
across the rest of an album that is best approached with a little
caution.
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| Roberto
Delgado |
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| Plain old Horst
Wende became known as Roberto Delgado in the late 1950's when Polydor
launched his Latin big band stylings on an unsuspecting German public.
A big hit with his swinging accordion on the military base dance band
circuit, the young Wende moved easily into the producers chair in Polydor's
Hamburg studios, and whilst there also wrote and arranged many compositions
for other artists before stepping up to the plate as front man to his
own orchestra and churning out album after album of uber-kaas for the
length of the next decade. Fortunately for us, at the end of the 60's
Roberto teamed up with an up and coming young whippersnapper of a producer
names Uwe Bowien who added a much needed dose of the modern to the tired
Latin formula. Henceforth it was likely that you just might find a natty
little pop cover version or jazzy mover floating about on an otherwise
dreary Delgado album, and for this we are in his debt. |
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Well, it seems odd to start off with this one, but 'The Very Best
Of...' (Polydor, 1970) just proves that there is much more of this
chappie to track down. Is that our friend Roberto on the sleeve?
What a dude! And to cap it all he's been on a bit of a reggae tip,
as the best cuts on this selection attest; 'Liquidator' and 'Return
Of Django' are both done to a turn, demanding that you track down
the album on which they originally appeared. The same just about
goes for 'Soul Limbo', but its a fair bet that there wont be any
more Booker T tunes where that came from. The rest is fairly duff,
being mid-to-late 60's Latin fodder like 'Carioca', although 'Pata
Pata' ain't that bad, but there is obviously more to this old fella
than meets the eye... |
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as if to prove the point that things aren't always as lame and cheesy
as they might seem at first glance, Roberto returns swiftly with
'Latin Flutes' (Polydor, 1971) and serves up a right load of old
Latin rubbish topped off with one cracking little groover, the cheeky
little monkey! You wouldn't give tuppence for eleven of the twelve
tracks on show here, with offal like 'Love Story' and the like,
but then along comes Jorge Ben's 'Mocoto' to finish the album off
and it is priceless. And yes, there are indeed flutes involved,
but accompanied by a shuffling beat and some saucy Hammond, you
just can't complain at all. What other wicked little tricks will
Mr. Delgado be playing on us we wonder? |
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| Despite
being German, Delgado was clearly in possession of a very quirky
sense of humour, otherwise certain elements of 'Fiesta' (Polydor,
1973) must only be seen as sick and twisted! C'mon Roberto, let's
do a Doors song, his producer must have said...a stick-on for
'Light My Fire', you would have thought, but no...he only goes and
has a bash at 'The Mosquito' from their oft-forgotten 'Full Circle'
album! What a nutter! And, he proceeds to Moog it up to the max
doesn't he! A completely insane and beautiful three minutes or so
that will make you laugh your ass off and no mistake! Oh Roberto,
you are a little tinker... |
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| Bert Kaempfert |
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Bert Kaempfert can be said to have a very
checkered past, musically speaking, to say the least. Despite being
viewed as an ultra-cheesy proposition with staples like 'Swinging Safari'
to his name, he also wrote 'Wooden Heart' for The Burger King, had a
hand in The Beatles first Hamburg recordings, and penned 'Strangers
In The Night' for big Frank. Now, that's a pedigree for you! After learning
his craft on piano in his native Hamburg, Bert sat out most of the war
in a prisoner of war camp in Denmark before embarking on his career
as bandleader, touring the many postwar military bases throughout Germany
with his orchestra. Things got very big for Kaempfert when he made the
move to the USA in the late 1950's, and he subsequently worked with
just about every big name on the cabaret circuit, right up until his
death in 1980. The Kaempfert legacy lives on for the faithful though,
with UK session trumpet player Tony Fisher currently leading the Kaempfert
Orchestra through their paces worldwide, which often boasts the likes
of Don Lusher in its ranks.
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Not the most auspicious
start with this one, but if your gran gives you a copy of 'Traces
Of Love' (Decca, 196?) for free you could do worse than to drop
the needle down onto a reasonable version of 'Games People Play'
for a couple of minutes of cheesy fun...but probably not much
more than that as it doesn't really require repeated attention...
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This is a bit more
like it! You'll often see a few quid demanded of 'Now!' (Polydor,
1971) in the shops, as 'Put Your Hand In The Hand' kicks off with
a drum break, as it usually does, but the rest of the album is
not to be overlooked either. There's a decent crack at 'Proud
Mary', but the two loveliest moments are drawn from the pen of
one Herbert Rehbein, who seems to have a bit of a thing for slow-burning
orchestral grooves of the Axelrod variety! Both 'In Our Time'
and 'Falling Free' really tug at the heart strings as they progress,
all liquid bass, fuzz guitar and coo-ing vocals over the usual
string ensemble. Blimey Bert; what was that all about!!!
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Well, it wasn't just
a one-off, as the mood is maintained on the follow-up, '6 Plus
6' (Polydor, 1972). Head straight for 'A Tune For Tony' and you
will be rewarded with more grand orchestral grooves from Mr. Rehbein,
with Bert chipping in his tuppence as well this time...very fine
indeed! Again, not a one-trick-pony this album, as they is a nice'n'parpy
take on 'Stoney End', plus a rather excellent little bash at 'Shaft'
to keep you going too! Probably a few more nuggets out there this
fella, so best keep 'em peeled!
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