TM
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 4094
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TM
On 2009-11-03 05:11, nature boy wrote:
Here is my question. Is ANY music 100% tiki? Let's look at the genres. This is my humble opinion and may be entirely wrong.
Surf. it is already been pointed out that surf music was teen music and not what the tiki crowd was listening to back in the day. There are some thematic connections but not enough. There is a stronger link at the present time than the past.
Hapa Haole. I love this music, and at first glance it fits the tiki style. It is westernized and romanticized polynesian just like tiki. However, the hayday of hapa haole was pre-tiki. During the 50s music became more sophisticated and hapa haole just isn't quite sophisticated enough for the sophisticated savage. (Please don't attack me. I love hapa haole and all hawaiian music. I play it all the time on my uke!)
Lounge. Right time frame. lot's of sophistication. Probably what most tiki goers in the 50's were listening to. However, not really many polynesian references. Just not enough poly-pop themes to call it tiki music, but connected yes.
Okay, the big one. Exotica. Sophisticated? Yes. Right time period? Yes. Polynesian themed? Yes. But wait!! Let's look closer at the top 3 leaders in exotica. Les Baxter. Amazing music, often credited with creating exotica. Can someone point out to me a Les Baxter song that has a polynesian title/theme?? I can't find one in my collection. There are plenty of South American, Asian and African themes, but where is the polynesian? and don't say Quiet Village because that quiet village could be anywhere! Martin Denny. Okay, the FATHER of exotica, the big name. He does have polynesian themed songs, but add them up. Really he has a lot of songs that are NOT polynesian, but Asian, African, etc. The Polynesians may be a minority. Arthur Lyman. He (and Denny) did put out some strictly Hawaiian and Polynesian records. So Those records are definately tiki. I just find it interesting that a big percentage of Exotica is NOT polynesian themed.
My only conclusion with this rant is that if the music fits the mood, and is part of the history of tiki, that is the defining criteria for tiki music. The food served in tiki restaurants was often Chinese or something other than polynesian, but it just fits and is part of the history. The same applies to the music.
I think you are right on the money with this. Especially when you consider that Les Baxter's earliest stuff was "space pop", not really "tiki" at all.
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