Ultra lounge

i managed to get the whole set of (original) ultralounge cds pretty cheap eventually... they definitely whetted my appetite to hunt down more exotica etc starting a good few years back now...

...the festive season wouldn't be the same in our house now without the christmas compilations... Christmas Island by Bob Atcher and the Dinning Sisters is possibly my all time favourite festive tune! :)

I ran across the "Ultra Lounge - Tiki Sampler" CD and then looked up this thread (I actually used the Search function :) ) So how does this get to be Tiki music? No, I don't want to start a "that's not tiki argument". Released in 2000, has our perception of what Tiki music is changed in 10 years?

Here's the song list:

1. Munsters Theme - Jack Marshall
2. My Three Sons - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra
3. So Danço Samba [Jazz 'n' Samba] - Wanda de Sah, Wanda Sá
4. Look of Love
5. Boy from Ipanema - Peggy Lee
6. Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody - Louis Prima
7. Theme from the Apartment - Tito Rodriguez
8. Moon River - Henry Jerome
9. Inchworm - Jack Costanzo
10. Brazil - Tino Contreras
11. Oh, Honey - Gloria Wood
12. Guys and Dolls - Terry Snyder
13. Light My Fire - Zacharias
14. Happy Together - Mel Tormé
15. Go Chango - Les Baxter & His Orchestra
16. Cubano Chant - Martin Denny
17. Taste of Honey - Jackie Gleason
18. Come On-A My House [*] - Julie London
19. Wives and Lovers [*] - Lena Horne
20. Wave [*] - Nancy Wilson
21. My Baby Just Cares for Me [*] - June Hutton
22. I Dig Chicks! [*] - Jonah Jones
23. Get Smart/Casino Royale [*] - Agents of Good Roots, Franck Pourcel
24. Bongo Lesson - Jack Costanzo

On 2010-06-11 23:32, MadDogMike wrote:
Released in 2000, has our perception of what Tiki music is changed in 10 years?

Now WHY would that be? :D

What that sampler simply proves is that back then there were (as there always will be) folks in the media that did not have a clear concept of what constitutes "Tiki" as a genre, and who were not aware of my age-old motto of "If it says Tiki on it, it better have Tiki in it!"
The ever so wonderful Tiki packaging here (it really is!) does not make up for the lack of Tiki content. This discrepancy luckily has now been corrected by the "Sound of Tiki" CD, where every song is specifically selected and explained and illustrated in its context to Tiki culture.

In defense of Capitol art direction boss Tommy Steele at the time (author of the 1984 "Hawaiian Shirt Book") and Brad Benedict, who ran the wonderful Ultra Lounge series at Capitol back then, the CD came out in the "Dark Ages" of Tiki, before the Book of Tiki was published --so how were they to know? :) But -Sigh!-, people never believe me when I say that there virtually was no Tiki "out" before the BOT.

And to the credit of the album, the squishy cover of the CD is what inspired my publisher to give the BOT its unique "pillow cover" .....or let's admit that it is what was left of a much grander, similarly molded cover concept -which unfortunately would have made the book too expensive.

Thank you Sven, I knew I could count on you to enlighten me.

Did you know that this Ultra Lounge Collection was edited in Spain as "Musica para solteros"? (Music for bachelors)

'Gotta bunch of Ultra Lounge, and the "Tiki Sampler" is lounge but not necessarily Tiki.

Give them credit tho for doing a wee bit to keep the genre alive. And the illustrations on the disk cover are rather hip.

I routinely spin the Tiki Sampler in my home tiki bar, so it's tiki now!

I don't think so. Of course I would never say that one cannot play Lounge music in ones Tiki bar, in fact:

So you invite your grandmother to your Tiki haunt, and she sits down at the bar -is she TIKI now?

Please play all the Lounge music you want, but it still remains just that: Lounge

Hmm according to iTunes The Sound of Tiki is categorized as the dreaded "Easy Listening" :o

Shout out to Tony Marsico and the Plugz! :wink:

So is the Ultra Lounge series. :) Does the category "Lounge" exist on I-Tunes? Or do they just throw it in with Easy Listening like all the big box electronic stores?

the tiki sampler is actually 2 songs from each of the series of cds.
the Martin Denny and Les Baxter songs are taken from the very good Mondo Exotica comp.

there is 2 other samplers.
1 has fuzzy leopard marterial,
and 1 has a Roulette wheel on the cover.

Jeff(btd)

On 2010-06-12 11:59, bigbrotiki wrote:
So is the Ultra Lounge series. :) Does the category "Lounge" exist on I-Tunes? Or do they just throw it in with Easy Listening like all the big box electronic stores?

The "Lounge" category is there as is "Exotica" and "Exotica Lounge" and you can always add your own categories.

And yeah the "Mondo Exotica" comp is very good.

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2010-06-12 12:40 ]

Did anybody ever frequent the "Ultra Lounge" store? It was in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square Mall. I can't remember how they were affiliated with Capitol. They used the same logos and of course sold the cd's.

Yes! Tiny store with Leopard print pillows.

On 2010-06-11 23:32, MadDogMike wrote:
...has our perception of what Tiki music is changed in 10 years?

I think the perception of Tiki Music may evolve further right along with the Tiki Revival, after all the genre was defined well after classic Tiki-style ended.

An example I'm thinking of is Yma Sumac. Today she's considered a pillar of Exotica (or maybe that's just my wishful thinking). Based on a vintage stereo magazine article that the Jab posted, she wasn't mentioned at all. With the Lounge/Exotica Revival of the 1990's however I think she's clearly associated with that camp.

Current bands of today like the Ding Dong Devils and the Hula Girls wouldn't fall into the classic Tiki Music definition but maybe 20 years from now that classification will be broader.

Also as newer Tikiphiles embrace other types of mid-century music (that can have a Poly-Pop connection) not really popular here (Rockabilly, Honky Tonk Country, Annette, Elvis etc), we might see additional sub-categories of Tiki Music being defined.

On 2010-06-12 11:05, bigbrotiki wrote:
So you invite your grandmother to your Tiki haunt, and she sits down at the bar -is she TIKI now?

That depends on the grandmother...

On 2010-06-12 12:59, JOHN-O wrote:
I think the perception of Tiki Music may evolve further right along with the Tiki Revival, after all the genre was defined well after classic Tiki-style ended.
Also as newer Tikiphiles embrace other types of mid-century music (that can have a Poly-Pop connection) not really popular here (Rockabilly, Honky Tonk Country, Annette, Elvis etc), we might see additional sub-categories of Tiki Music being defined.

Well, question is will the definition evolve or devolve, as in get watered down? Just because Rockabilly and some Honky Tonk happened in the same time period is not enough reason for it to ever being called Tiki music. And because Elvis and Annette did a relatively small percentage of their tunes in the Polynesian pop style they are not Tiki Music artists. Elvis' Blue Hawaii/Paradise Hawaiian Style and Annette's Hawaiianette are pure Poly pop fitting in fine at any Tiki Lounge, but it's these albums, not their general oeuvre.

On 2010-06-12 12:59, JOHN-O wrote:
Current bands of today like the Ding Dong Devils and the Hula Girls wouldn't fall into the classic Tiki Music definition but maybe 20 years from now that classification will be broader.

Those would be Tiki REVIVAL bands in the Surf and Hapa Haole tradition, really.

I know that this kind of differentiation will mean jack s#%t out in the real world, where everything in a ten mile radius of Tiki gets called that, but on TC I think we can be more specific and see the difference between being merely related, being part of, and being IT.

I LOVE me some Ultra-Lounge! :) I have the whole series and was really into them about 6 or 7 years ago, long after the height of their popularity. I may have discovered them late, but I'm so glad I found them at all! I think the "Christmas Cocktails" comps were my gateway Ultra-Lounge, and lounge/easy listening, CDs. Once I caught the sickness, there was no cure in sight! Still isn't, sometimes! :)

If I'm not mistaken, the Leopard skin sampler uh...samples two tracks from roughly the first half of the series, and the Tiki sampler does the same for the last half of the series, including the few in-depth single artist compilations released after the initial 18 volumes. So, it most certainly is NOT Tiki music. Any association that comp has with Tiki and Polynesian Pop ends with the artwork and packaging. In this case, don't judge a book by its cover! You'll be sorely disappointed if you do! LOL!

I am glad that since the initial release of the Ultra-Lounge series, quite a few full albums by the included artists have trickled out of the vaults over the years...on CD, no less! Namely:

*"Warm Brandy" by Dolores Gray (her song, "You're My Thrill" is featured on "UL Vol. 6: Rhapsodesia" and was reissued by DRG records.)

*"Christmas Favorites" by The Hollyridge Strings (a bunch of their syrupy, reverb laden easy listening orchestral takes on holiday standards were featured on the "UL: Christmas Cocktails parts 1 & 2" and the full album was reissued by Collectors' Choice Music.)

*"Softly" by Wanda De Sah (a slew of her songs wound up on "UL Vol. 14: Bossa Novaville" and the full album was reissued TWICE, first by Rev-Ola in the UK and then as a twofer with a Brasil '65 album on DRG records)

*"Cha Cha De Amor" by Dean Martin (yep, the title song was apparently the inspiration for "UL Vol. 9: Cha-Cha De Amor" and thanks to Collectors' Choice Music, you can own the full album WITH bonus tracks!)

There are probably a ton more, as this is by no means a definitive list! I just mentioned the ones I was most interested in seeking out.

Most all of the Julie London and Jackie Gleason UL tracks can be found on their respective albums reissued on CD either as imports or domestic releases. Half the fun, frustrating as it may be, is tracking this stuff down! Nine times out of ten, though, the full album CDs are out of print. :( However, every once in a while you get lucky, like I did with Jimmy McGriff's "Christmas With McGriff." Those "dirty" organ renditions of Christmas songs on the "Christmas Cocktails" comps are mostly played by Mr. McGriff and can be found on the full album released on CD by Collectables Records.

Ah, what a thread! Like I said at the beginning, I love me some Ultra-Lounge! Now which volume should I listen to next? :)

They need to release the full David Rose STEREO album that contains the song "Gay Spirits".

Mondo Exotica started it all for me, and it still remains one of the best exotica compilations out there. It has several excellent tracks that aren't available on CD elsewhere.

Mondo Exotica is an awesome comp! I preferred the "Cocktail Mix" series over the Ultra Lounge series though. It seemed to be a more interesting mix of tunes overall, especially the second one "Martini Madness". I was very disappointed that they didn't do an Exotica release.

On 2007-05-26 14:27, OnyaBirri wrote:
It's worth noting that the people who produced the original Ultra Lounges are no longer involved in the project. Approach recent and future releases with trepidation...

It's surprising to see that no one has yet noted that Ultra Lounge is offering new albums on iTunes. They are iTunes only, unfortunately (I am a CD buyer), but they're not bad little collections. I wouldn't say they're as good as the first set from '97, but it's good to see Capitol is still pushing out the genre for people like us. Oh, and they're cheaper than the CDs too.

Check out the digital releases here: http://www.ultralounge.com/ (Also available as Amazon mp3s)