Post #521548 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Apr 2, 2010 12:48 AM

Just as there were no "Tiki cocktails" in the heyday of Tiki, there was no "Tiki music". The term to me clearly denotes TODAY'S Tiki soundscape, old and new together. So my choice of words for the music of Tiki's heyday was calling my CD compilation "The Sound" of Tiki. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxX-Sfu-I_0
(The heavy use of "Surf" on this trailer is slightly misleading)

In its booklet, I describe my personal take on the genre, here are some relevant excerpts:

"Polynesian supper clubs used a variety of musical styles to support the escapist atmosphere of their establishments, but vinyl archaeologists have since discovered and defined the musical category of “Exotica” as the perfect complementary soundscape to the layered environs of a Tiki bar."

"When we travel through the archipelago of the Tiki Sound, the trade winds will lead us to the isle of EXOTICA as its heartland, with HAPA HAOLE, SURF and LOUNGE forming the outlying islets of this Polynesian pop triangle."

"Just like a good Tiki Bar interior is built from the flotsam and jetsam of the Seven Seas, Denny’s modern piano jazz not only contained foreign notes such as Asian, African, and Latin stylings, but strange and exotic percussion instruments, and, most notably, jungle sound effects--bird calls and monkey chattering. It was the aural equivalent of the multi-layered taste sensations of tropical cocktails like the Zombie or the Navy Grog.

So what was Polynesian about this “Exotic Ports of Call” concept? Denny formed and premiered his combo and sound in Hawaii’s tourist havens, like Don The Beachcomber’s (at the International Marketplace), and the Hawaiian Village Hotel’s Shell Bar. By this time, Honolulu had become a polyglot melting pot of many Pacific cultures and races. While local Hapa Haole songs portrayed the romantic and ribald side of the Hawaiian people, Denny’s music spoke of the intriguing mysteries of yet unexplored tropical islands, misty jungles, and the “curious and colorful customs” of indigenous folk."

So to me, Exotica clearly is THE "Tiki music" --with the other genres playing their parts in it. Just like RUM being the heart of a Tiki cocktail. You take that out, and it's not Tiki.