New to Tiki Music...what do I buy?

I want to create that tiki lounge sound in my tiki room what woul dbe a good first tiki music purchase?

Thanks

PS...I am lovin' TC!!!

King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis.
Haole Kats.
Mai Kai Gents.

You can buy those out of this forum.
Check for links.

There are multiple links within this forum for free downloads of exotica.

I suggest a bit of true Hawai'ian music.
Braddah Iz, Ohta San, Makana, Jimmy Buffett (just kidding on the last one)

Some Surf.
Blue Hawaiians, et al

Martin Denny
Don Tiki
Martin Denny

If I was limited to just one exotica purchase - it would be this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002U5U/qid=1114703206/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0415554-3126352

The music on this double CD (it's packed!) is all remastered and sounds great!

You might addd this one, too....it's a great compilation:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000063BPQ/qid=1114703439/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0415554-3126352

Enjoy....and welcome!

I think one of the best places to start is the Ultra-Lounge's "Mondo Exotica" compilation. That way you can listen to a few varied artists and decide what you'd like to acquire more of and what you could do without. It's a good introduction to exotica for those who are unaccustomed.

On 2005-04-28 11:43, johntiki wrote:
I think one of the best places to start is the Ultra-Lounge's "Mondo Exotica" compilation. That way you can listen to a few varied artists and decide what you'd like to acquire more of and what you could do without. It's a good introduction to exotica for those who are unaccustomed.

I totally agree. Finding that CD at a flea market a few years back was a significant boost to my interest in tiki and Exotica music in general. A really great listen.
KG

Ultra Lounge's "Mondo Exotica" is a great start but definitely buy as much Martin Denny as you can. That to me is exotica in it's truest form. Next I'd buy "Voodoo" by Robert Drasnin, then hit the Arthur Lyman catalog.

On 2005-04-28 07:12, finkdaddy wrote:
Martin Denny
Don Tiki
Martin Denny

Dan Martini

The Smokin' Menehunes

I highly recommend Robert Drasnin Voodoo! CD

Get a nice Alfred Apaka compilation CD.

A must!

And peek at my site, link below

Some people don't consider him tiki, but I like Don Ho as well.

On 2005-04-29 10:42, Digitiki wrote:
I highly recommend Robert Drasnin Voodoo! CD

YEAH!!! What he said!!!! Four stars!!

The Ultra Lounge idea is a good one. And as strange as this may sound, check your library to see if they have it! Probably depends where you live but I'm in the Minneapolis area (which has a great county library system) and they had all sorts of Ultra-Lounge. I picked up one I didn't have -- Mondo Hollywood - and, accendently of course, burned a copy while playing it on my computer.

BUT a better idea is to listen to the Retro Cocktail Hour online at http://www.kpr.ku.edu/retro/. Darrell Brogdon plays a great assortment of exotica. And, with a little computer savvy, you can record the programs for play in your tiki lounge.

Then later on, after you get a feel for the genre, you'll know what to buy!

[ Edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-05-25 19:32 ]

[ Edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-05-25 19:36 ]

Aloha! For that old-time Hawaiian vibe, complete with uke strumming, crooning and steel guitar, The Maikai Gents' "Wiki Wiki Grog Shop" is a sure bet. How's that for a plug? Enjoy: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=14350&forum=11&10

http://www.mkgents.com

-Iuka

Don Ho Rules! I love his music and I'm certainly a "traditional" tiki music fan.

A few years back, I saw Don live in Tacoma, Washington. The show was fun, but Don has a rather odd (and sometimes annoying) habit of stopping in the middle of songs to engage in all forms of banter. While at times this stage spiel was full of great humor, it can be really aggravating to die-hard concert goers.

I got Don’s autograph on an 8 x 10 glossy photo and on a cheap toy ukulele. My wife and I were also lucky enough to have had our picture taken with Don and his daughter, Hoku:

http://labyrinth13.com/Sailor%20Curt/PP_Surfing_Photos_027.htm

On 2005-04-29 13:14, Kailuageoff wrote:
Some people don't consider him tiki, but I like Don Ho as well.

I found this great vinyl Hawaii music store:
http://www.hakushouse.com
Would anyone know who might sell some of these burned on CDs?

[ Edited by: RemyC on 2005-06-17 22:38 ]

The Blue Hawaiians "Sway" CD is a perfect album in my opinion. They are a surf band, but their music is defintely perfect for any tiki room. I took it on my trip to the Big Island last year and it wa the perfect accompaniment. Find this CD. Their other 2 CD's are good, but this one is AMAZING.

it's not all tiki music, buit there is ukulele on every track on the Flaming Ukulele Radio Hour. It streams for free on http://www.wnti.org

Scroll down to the Flaming Uke logo, click it, then click the mp3 button on the next screen.

On 2005-06-21 19:24, uke jackson wrote:
it's not all tiki music, buit there is ukulele on every track on the Flaming Ukulele Radio Hour. It streams for free on http://www.wnti.org

Scroll down to the Flaming Uke logo, click it, then click the mp3 button on the next screen.

Hey Uke. Welcome to Tiki Central.

Based on your playlists it looks like you play a lot of good stuff. I did see one glaring omission though and that would be King Kukulele. Maybe I just didn't go back far enough in your playlists?

If not you must add him to some future broadcasts:
http://www.kingkukulele.com/

Welcome to TC Uke Jackson! We're glad you're here. There's no such thing as too many ukuleles!

Josh
http://www.whollycatsband.com

Too bad Les Baxter's double CD "The Exotic Moods of Les Baxter" is no longer being produced. That's pretty classic Exotica. The collection is now insanely priced, if you can find it, and I can only recommend it for the true fanatic willing to pay the price.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002U3G/002-2794697-7252040?v=glance

"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere!"

[ Edited by: Trader Rick on 2005-06-22 08:43 ]

On 2005-06-21 23:35, Hakalugi wrote:

On 2005-06-21 19:24, uke jackson wrote:
it's not all tiki music, buit there is ukulele on every track on the Flaming Ukulele Radio Hour. It streams for free on http://www.wnti.org

Scroll down to the Flaming Uke logo, click it, then click the mp3 button on the next screen.

Hey Uke. Welcome to Tiki Central.

Based on your playlists it looks like you play a lot of good stuff. I did see one glaring omission though and that would be King Kukulele. Maybe I just didn't go back far enough in your playlists?

If not you must add him to some future broadcasts:
http://www.kingkukulele.com/

i jst spoke with the king, and a copy of his cd is on its way. so, soon the omission will be rectified.

On 2005-06-22 10:19, uke jackson wrote:
i jst spoke with the king, and a copy of his cd is on its way. so, soon the omission will be rectified.

Cool! I raise my Mai Tai to you! :drink:

Just a thought-
When I was getting into exotica music, I listened to Live365 radio stations that played it. I think there are really only 2 exotica stations "Vegas Vic's Tiki lounge" & "Exotica Tiki Lounge". Those were really big helps because the song title, artist and album name are displayed in the player window. Not only did it help me to know what to look for, but it cost me a ton of money cuase I made a huge list of LPs and CD's I wanted to collect!! But that's a good thing!

Hey TIKI friend - I thought you might like to hear about the coolest new TIKI song going. The song is called The Desert Luau and it is on the new David Ball CD called "Freewheeler". David is best known for his hits " Thinkin' Problem" and "Riding With Private Malone" - which were country music hits - but he captures true TIKI style as envisioned by urban archaeologist Sven Kartsten. The song was written by Danny Baker better known as Unkown Hinson. The hybrid country/ ploynesian sound is something I call KUN - TIKI
I highly recommend it! My personal favorite exotica artist is Korla Pandit ( now deceased ) - the guy who played the organ in the cast party of the movie " Ed Wood "

Happy listening -

" There'll be good music and good chow
At the Desert Luau "

I was wondering why no one had mentioned the Les Baxter set until I got to Trader Rick's post. Who knew I had such a collector's item? Baxter's stuff is pretty lush, sounds like it belongs in a romantic 1950's film.

Did anyone mention APE?

As far as Exotica music on CD, by far the best is the double-disc Les Baxter compilation set, 'The Exotic Moods Of Les Baxter'. Another great Baxter album is 'African Blue'.

I will also put in my vote for Robert Drasnin's 'Exotic Exursion' CD. If it is still for sale you more than likely won't have to pay more than $5-8 for it. I paid $5 for my copy in 1996, and it was brand new and sealed.

The Ultra Lounge compilation 'Mondo Exotica' is superb, as well, and the artists varied.

One of my favourite Exotica compilations was put out by DCC in 1995 and is simply called, 'Exotica'. It is a 14 track compilation of varied artists and songs, and the compilation is one of the best examples of varied styles in the vintage Exotica genre.

If you're going to buy a Martin Denny CD or Arthur Lyman CD, I would recommend a compilation rather than original albums (of which there are usually 2 on one disc). The reason for this is both artists' Exotica music can really start getting on your nerves after a while, and a lot of their albums are filled with...well, filler. The double-disc Martin Denny compilation on Capitol is a great choice for his Exotica music; and for Arthur Lyman I would recommend 'More Of The Best Of Arthur Lyman' on DCC, or 'Pearly Shells' (my personal favourite) on Crescendo.

If you're looking for something on vinyl, and can actually find and afford a good copy, I would highly recommend Henry Mancini's 'The Versatile Henry Mancini', one of Exotica music's best and rarely-mentioned albums.

Happy hunting and shopping! A word of warning, though; once you buy a little Exotica music, expect to buy more; then more; then more...You'll be bitten by the bug!

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn on 2005-07-02 19:01 ]

A bit of a departure from the tiki-classics, but still spellbinding and thirsty listening are Esquovel, and Raymond Scott. Both have been used in wierd cartoony things you already know (but maybe didn't know the composers)

Interesting charachters too.

I bell Di Wikiwiki are amuzing as well.

http://freeweb.supereva.com/ibellidiwaikiki/index.htm?p

Good luck finding what suites you.

I haven't seen much if any mention of the old school Hawaiian music guys. Anything by these guys is appropriate; TRUST ME on this--

Sol Hoopii (Master of the Hawaiian guitar!)
Andy Iona
Felix Mendelssohn and His Hawaiian Serenaders

enjoy!

Les Baxter
Martin Denny
Arthur Lyman
Eden Ahbez
Korla Pandit
Joey Altruda
Combustible Edison
Tipsy
Don Tiki

[ Edited by: BC-Da-Da 2005-07-08 15:51 ]

for chillin' - esquivel, john buzon trio, ernie freeman, martin denny

if you're trippin' - bazooka

if you're really trippin' - crash worship

Just got Mondo Exotica, which is my first exposure to Les Baxter. Wow! Thanks for the great recommendation, but I gotta have more! Would anybody be able to burn me a CD? I'd be more than happy to pay for all costs, or burn some CD's in trade. I've been mostly a blues based listener for the last couple years, along with Surf music. I'd be happy to send some great blues stuff along.

Try Wiki Waki Woo ("Souvenirs") at CDbaby.com. Samples there too.

I don't know what to expect, but I just bought 3 arthur lyman records on ebay Australia for AUS $10.

Description: 3 Hawaiian themed albums from the great Arthur Lyman, as follows:

"Call of the Midnight Sun", with Lyman's special tropical arrangements of Hello Dolly, Black Orchid and Girl from Ipanema.

"The Many Moods of Arthur Lyman", with native Hawaiian instruments, Latin and pop tunes.

"Bwana A"- Very moody, featuring tone pictures of Hawaii and a traditional Chinese bamboo flute.

What do you reckon? Is this a good score? Now I can find out what the hell tiki exotica is! I'm still clueless so far.

If the records are in good shape then I'd say you got a good score for the money. Bwana A is the earliest and probably the best of the three.

On 2005-04-28 08:51, PapeToaTane wrote:
If I was limited to just one exotica purchase - it would be this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002U5U/qid=1114703206/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0415554-3126352

The music on this double CD (it's packed!) is all remastered and sounds great!

You might addd this one, too....it's a great compilation:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000063BPQ/qid=1114703439/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-0415554-3126352

Enjoy....and welcome!

PapeToaTane has spoken for me here. Funny that these are the only two Exotica/Hawaiina I have in my collection so far :) Mind you its a collection that has just started. Next up - some Les Baxter.

A glaring omission to this thread thus far (IMHO) is Yma Sumac. I also highly recommend the Mondo Exotica compilation. I think it has an Yma Sumac tune, if I recall correctly. There is a great Sumac compelation "The Ultimat Yma Sumac Collection".

The Surfmen.

The Mai Kai Gents featuring The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa's New CD! The Wiki Wiki Grog shop!
Most excellent!
Aloha

On 2005-07-31 03:40, hewey wrote:
I don't know what to expect, but I just bought 3 arthur lyman records on ebay Australia for AUS $10.

Well, I now know what tiki exotica is. Not real sure if it is my bag to be honest. The records are in good (not excellent) condition. I will keep em for a while and see if they grow on me. Otherwise, I might put em up for a swap.