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What's your favorite Exotica Album ?

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Q

I know everyone here (including me) have the usual favs like Lyman, Baxter, Denny, Stanley Black, Gene Rains, Jerry Byrd, Surfmen, etc., but recently I've discovered Robert Maxwell's Shangri-La and can't get it out of my head.

It may be more Space Age than Exotica, but the weird arrangements of popular songs featuring harp, oboe, saxophone and peppy organ (to mention a few) is so goofy and infectious, that I would be proud to spin it in any tiki bar setting! It's exotic alright, but not in the jungle-exotica sense that most people associate with the genre.

BTW, the title track "Shangri-La" was written by him and adopted by Jackie Gleason as the closing number for his variety show, for those of you old enough to remember it. More info available at the fabulous Space Age Pop Music website.

I picked up Robert Drasnin's Voodoo II recently, and have really gotten into it. It has more of a loungey, low-key feel to it that is the perfect musical complement to a mai tai nightcap.

Pages: 1 2 49 replies