Post #292140 by DJ Terence Gunn on Thu, Mar 15, 2007 2:10 PM

On 2007-03-15 09:12, I, Zombie wrote:
Hi DJ,

But I still also find it to be exotica. Though I'll concede that after reading your response, I feel like I'm on shakier ground than I was before!!! (But then again, if it ain't exotica, how can it be the most irritating exotica LP?!? -- I think I'm confusing myself...)

I tend to like the creepier, foreboding tracks in the Exotica canon. Sometimes by creepy I probably should just say that I like the more "mysterious" tracks. But I also love exotica that has screeching and/or spooky voices and crazed instrumentation. So that's why I like Magne, regardless that it may have been written as a "joke." DJ what is your take on Stanley Black's Exotic Percussion or Johnny Richards The Rites of Diablo? I'd be curious of what you think of those albums.

I'm still struggling with your original question. Funny you mention Auletta. I almost was going to offer up his LP Exotica as worst in my original post, but I'm on the fence. It's very dull in spots but does it reach a level of irritation? I guess until I think of something else, I'm going to go with Auletta because of the dullness factor in many of the tracks.

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-15 10:04 ]

Yes, 'Tropical Fantasy' -- despite the fact that some of the sound effects are not at all exotic -- is, indeed, Exotica. It could be nothing else (except Incredibly Strange Music); and it's more than obvious what the music is attempting to emulate.

I, too, like some of the creepier Exotica music (Denny's 'Jungle Madness' being one of the ultimate in this regard). But perhaps what I think of creepy is a bit different from you. For instance, the non-lyrical vocals in Exotica can be right on (Frank Hunter's 'White Goddess' and The Surfmen's 'Exotic Island' -- both featuring quite possibly the same female vocalist) or way off the mark, sounding too stiff, too Glee Club (I'm not even going to go there).

Stanley Black's 'Exotic Percussion' is for the most part very good. It isn't jungle jazz or exotic jazz, though. It almost verges on being a square easy listening orchestra experience, like Morton Gould's 'Jungle Drums', Alfred Newman's 'Ports Of Paradise' (and there ARE 3 songs off this album I think are fantastic, so don't think I'm slamming it entirely), Ray Conniff's Hawaiian album, or some syrupy selection served up by Frank Chacksfield. It seems from what you've indicated, Glen, that you have a preference towards the larger, orchestrated Exotica music. In this pool, Les Baxter and Alex Stordahl are plenty for me. Exotica to me should sound like a sound(e)scape, not a soundtrack. And I prefer mine with jazz elements, even if subtley included.

I am very curious about Johhny Richards' 'Rites Of Diablo', but have never heard it. However, knowing he did arrangements for Stan Kenton, I'm imagining this album to be totally bombastic. Still, I'm interested. Know where I can hear samples of it? I've looked online but to no avail. I'll probably have to resort to file sharing.

Auletta's album is everything but irritating, and doesn't qualify for such. In fact, it is quite the opposite; it's soothing. But, yes, Auletta's album is rather dull -- which is strange, as musically it isn't that far off from Arthur Lyman, but lacks the energy, spirit, and mood that Lyman's Exotica recordings have. Basically, it's too posed, and verging on cocktail jazz ala George Shearing (whom I love -- don't mistake me!), Frankie Carle, etc., rather than Exotica. Nevertheless it will find a higher spot within my ranking than Michel Magne's offering.

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn 2007-03-15 14:11 ]