1960 HiFi / Stereo Review 5-page article on Exotica (scanned) - Tiki Music

T tabuzak Tiki Socialite New York City Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 314	T tabuzak Posted posted on Wed, Jan 27, 2010 6:45 AM I somewhat agree with thejab on this one. Exotica by the likes of Les Baxter (the originator?), Robert Drasnin, and Milt Raskin took a Hollywood view of Orientalism with it's compositions and sat it in front of top notch players, who probably had no more committment to this musical style than any other. This is great stuff. On the other hand, Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman got their inspiration along the same lines, but being musicians that played out regularly as quartets and quintets, started to take the style more seriously. I see the musicians in Waitiki, The Stolen Idols, and The Orchestrotica Mini, following suit more in this tradition - but possibly even more seriously. Exotica is (or was?) a sub-genre of Easy Listening. It's fun. It's got variety. Fortunately these serious guys seem to be keeping the fun in there too.

I somewhat agree with thejab on this one. Exotica by the likes of Les Baxter (the originator?), Robert Drasnin, and Milt Raskin took a Hollywood view of Orientalism with it's compositions and sat it in front of top notch players, who probably had no more committment to this musical style than any other. This is great stuff.

On the other hand, Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman got their inspiration along the same lines, but being musicians that played out regularly as quartets and quintets, started to take the style more seriously. I see the musicians in Waitiki, The Stolen Idols, and The Orchestrotica Mini, following suit more in this tradition - but possibly even more seriously.

Exotica is (or was?) a sub-genre of Easy Listening. It's fun. It's got variety. Fortunately these serious guys seem to be keeping the fun in there too.

Post #507288 by tabuzak on Wed, Jan 27, 2010 6:45 AM