Post #471940 by OnyaBirri on Sun, Jul 26, 2009 7:56 PM

Most of the regulars here know that Les Baxter did a few albums with 101 Strings circa 1970.

The best of these, by general consensus, is the amazing "Que Mango," which was reissued on CD courtesy of Scamp Records.

The others, most of us might agree, are more generic easy listening records.

Here is the challenge:

Around this time, 101 Strings released an erotica album. Three tunes from this album showed up as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of "Astro Sounds from the Year 2000."

One of these tunes, "Whiplash," sounds suspiciously like Les Baxter. It almost sounds like a "Que Mango" outtake with overdubbed female orgasm sounds.

As someone who has listened to and analyzed a lot of Les Baxter music for a long time, this track sounds like either a Les Baxter arrangement; or an accurate approximation of Les Baxter by a very skilled arranger.

Does anyone have any information or opinions on this?

Not to sidetrack my own post, but tangentially related to this topic:

Anyone who loves "Que Mango" really needs to seek out the Nelson Riddle/101 Strings album. It conveys that very same air of international 1970s jet-set decadence that "Que Mango" so perfectly delivers.

I really hope that Jack, Jeff, and Randy weigh in on this one.