Post #360534 by David Smay on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 10:49 AM

Hi, I'm David Smay. You may know me from such exotic projects as the Tiki Noir column in Tiki News, my Spy Jazz article for Scram way back in the nineteen nineties, or my Lost Voodoo Episode.

Sorry, couldn't resist the Troy McClure imitation.

Anyway, I co-wrote the liner notes for these reissues with Kim Cooper.

I can't tell you about the sound quality on the reissues, however, because we were working off of rips from the original LPs. Those sounded fantastic, though, so I really have high hopes for the reissues.

As you all probably know Bahia and B'wana are the most classically tiki of the reissues. Listening to everything, though, I really got to like Lyman's mid-sixties work which had some pretty hot go-go grooves. Lyman '66 was a particular favorite with tracks like "The (Jungle) Cat," "The Boy From Laupahoehoe," "Bird Train" (which really should be used as an animation score by Spumco), and the groovy Mary Poppins medley.

I also really liked Afrodesia and Illikai, though they each have their high points.

Because I suspect there's some crossover between Tikiphiles and Tom Waits fans (based on...marimba abuse? That cool cover of "Jockey Full of Bourbon" by the Blue Hawaiians?) I'll note that I also have a new book out on Swordfishtrombones in the 33 1/3 series. A very astute fellow reviews it here.