Exotica finds in different places

Aloha
I live in Sweden where exotica records are rare, if even existing. I have managed to find a Sonet (ABBA label) Swe-released Arthur Lyman EP (with Taboo). My first exotica find were Martin Denny's "Another taste of honey" (quite common here) and a Danish Yma Sumac EP (Xtabay). When I started getting obsessed with this music around 1996 I started to frequent fleamarkets a lot more, now the exotica LP I have found at least 7-8 copies of is "Rainy Night in Shangri-La" on Viva label (USA). This is by Jonathan Knight "The lonely Harpsichord", exotica standards like Quiet Village done with environmental sounds: rain and thunder throughout, quite nice and unusual but you must go to the bathroom after a couple of tracks :)

What is the most common exotica record in your neighbourhood?

[ Edited by: bellybongo on 2004-12-13 08:42 ]

Judging from what I find strictly at garage sales, I'd have to say that Arthur Lyman's "Taboo" (with the lava cover) is the most common lp in this part of Southern California. I have eight of those, followed by 5 copies of Martin Denny's "Exotica 1", then 4 copies each of Arthur Lyman's "Bahia" and Les Baxter's "Ports of Paradise", followed by 3 copies of "Ritual of the Savage".

Exotica records in general seem to be fairly common at Southern California garage and estate sales. Just about every title you can think of has shown up at least once in my hunting. Arthur Lyman is by far the most common, followed by Martin Denny. Also, if I didn't live in Southern Cal I don't think I'd have such good luck finding Korla Pandit records, since he was a Los Angeles phenomenom. I love collecting his albums.

The album that has eluded me the longest is Arthur Lyman's "Taboo 2", with the shrunken head on the cover. But luckilly one of those turned up just a few months ago.
Happy Day!

Bellybongo - I'd love to see the labels on those Danish and Swedish versions of yours. Also, I'm still hunting for that "Rainy Night in Shangri-La" lp myself. I've got one other Lonely Harpsichord lp and while researching it, saw a review of the "Rainy Night in Shangri-La" which said it was quite a good Exotica album. I may have to bite the bullet and buy it on Ebay, as no one seems to be bidding on these yet. Happy Hunting in Sweden!

Sabu

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-12-14 11:05 ]

Sorry Sabu, added those EPs as gifts in trades with different US collectors.

It was very interesting reading your report!

I would gladly trade for a spare of yours if you want the Lonely Harpsichord LP, I lack for example a decent Exotic Percussion & Forbidden Island (M Denny). Let me know

Magnus at bellybongo.com