I'm Making A Tiki Compilation For Summer...Please Help!

I'm making a Tiki compilation for Summer filled with Hawaiian and Exotica music however, I'm having a tough time paring down the list of albums I want to include. If anyone can help narrow down my choices, it's you guys!

First off, let me say this compilation will be an MP3 data CD containing FULL ALBUMS, mostly for mobile listening on the go in my car. Nevermind that the often relaxing sounds of Tiki are less than conducive to driving, it's just something I've wanted to put together for a long time. I'm thinking of the compilation as a sort of traveling Tiki bar on wheels. Of course, that concept will be all about the mood these songs evoke and not the cocktail culture associated with Tiki. Drinking and driving is, of course, forbidden, and rightly so! There's nothing even remotely funny about it! That being said, here's what I've got so far:

ANDY WILLIAMS "To You Sweetheart, Aloha"
BENNY KALAMA "Around The Island In 80 Shakes"
BING CROSBY "Return To Paradise Islands"
EDEN AHBEZ "Eden's Island"
HAL ALOMA "Lure Of The Islands"
JOHNNY COCO "The Exotic Sounds Of The Hawaii Kai"
JOHNNY UKULELE "Favorite Selections By Johnny Ukulele"
KEN DARBY & ALFRED NEWMAN "Ports Of Paradise"
THE KING SISTERS "Aloha"
LES BAXTER "The Exotic Moods Of Les Baxter"
MARTIN DENNY "The Exotic Sounds Of Martin Denny
ROBERT DRASNIN "Voodoo"

Here's the rub. At it stands now, all twelve albums add up to 726MB, way too much for a 700MB CD-R. I can expand the collection to include two discs worth of albums, but frankly, that would be a bit of data CD bloat. I seriously think that a more focused/edited collection of albums would yield a more enjoyable listening experience, so I'm going to do my darndest to keep this compilation concept as a single CD-R. But what should stay and what should go?

What really sent this compilation over the edge was wanting to include my recent Les Baxter and Martin Denny aquisitions. I felt the compilation was leaning too heavily to the Hawaiian side and so I wanted to get more Exotica music on it. Rather than pick and choose which single albums of Mr. Baxter and Mr. Denny to feature (how could I choose?!), I thought it best to use "The Exotic Moods Of Les Baxter" and "The Exotic Sounds Of Martin Denny." However, at forty tracks each, they just take up too much space! ARGH!

I do have the single CD compilation, "The Best of Martin Denny's Exotica," which might help free up some valuable space, but then which Les Baxter album should I include alongside it to round out the Exotica void? "Ritual Of The Savage"? The "Tamboo!/Skins!" twofer?

Please chime in and help out a fellow Tiki Centralite!

I haven't heard it, but I say nix the Andy Williams cd.
:wink:
:o

Jeff(btd)

Ditto. Nix the Andy Williams.

Agreed...leave off Mr. Papa Loves Mambo.

Hmmm...

Why no love for Andy Williams' "To You Sweetheart, Aloha"? What makes that album inferior to Bing Crosby's "Return To Paradise Islands"?

While I may not understand the reasoning, I like the suggestion. It helps even out the male/female vocals on the comp. Now instead of having two albums by a man (Andy and Bing) and one by a woman (The King Sisters), it'll just be Bing and The King Sisters.

While not a definitive assemblage of Tiki tunes, I take it everyone else agrees with my other album inclusions?

Well, I really enjoy Williams' "House of Bamboo." I have the 45 on my jukebox.

I don't have most of these albums, but have you checked to see if there's an album here that duplicates songs from others? In other words, if you have one CD that has four or more songs done by other artists in this collection, maybe that's the one to jettison.

Why complete albums for a compilation? Especially if you're limited for space. Go through all the albums you have and just put the best tracks on the compilation.

I think you have some odd choices, in my opinion. Most of the "Hawaiian" stuff you picked is really not all that Hawaiian. Except for the Denny, Baxter and Lyman, I would start from scratch and look for more authentic Hapa Haole. I always say the album "Hukilau Hulas" is just about the best Hawaiian out there. It's something the Brady Bunch would have listened to when they were in Waikiki!!

And the most fun of compilations is indeed the hunting and selection of songs, not whole albums, as was just pointed out by hakalugi.

The best compilation I have ever heard was created by Monkeman, who posts on this forum. it had a little bit of everything, and all of it was great!

http://www.myspace.com/lucasvigor
http://www.myspace.com/thesmokinmenehunes
http://www.myspace.com/thehulagirlsband

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2010-04-08 09:49 ]

Sorry..I LOVE the Andy Williams Hawaiian music. :)

Wonderful suggestions all around. Thank you!

Methinks I need to go back to square one with my compilation concept and start with "The Exotic Moods Of Les Baxter," "The Exotic Sounds Of Martin Denny," and the forthcoming "The Sound Of Tiki" as my cornerstones. Once I see how much space I have to work with after those full albums are in place, I can fill in the gaps with some of the albums, or tracks from the albums, I mentioned above. It's not gonna be easy to pick and choose, though!

"Papa Loves Mambo" was Perry Como, not Andy Williams.

I noticed you don't have any Arthur Lyman to complete the holy trinity of exotica.

"Papa Loves Mambo" was Perry Como, not Andy Williams

D'oh! I stand corrected!

On 2010-04-09 06:55, nature boy wrote:
I noticed you don't have any Arthur Lyman to complete the holy trinity of exotica.

No I don't, and I didn't intentionally leave him out. I just couldn't decide which album(s) of his to include.

If I'm representing Les Baxter and Martin Denny each by a 2-disc compilation album, then not owning any Arthur Lyman comps, what two standalone studio albums would more or less exemplify his sound in the holy trinity of Exotica? I own most of the RykoDisc reissues as well as all of the semi-recent Collectors' Choice Music twofer reissues and would probably be inclined to pick from that pool rather than purchase something new, although there are a number of Arthur Lyman comps on the market. Is one of those better than the others? Hmmm...

Get an IPOD!

DejaVoodoo - I really appreciate your desire to be a purist with this project. That is, selecting original recordings versus remastered compilations. But, don't stray away from a compilation, if it holds all of the treasures you desire.

With that said, you can pretty much reach into a stack of Arthur Lyman recordings and the one you grab will be a perfect inclusion into this project. Plus, despite the theme of each individual album, many have origins on Hawaiian soil. I have to throw out a few nominations, all of which are available as CD's if you do not yet own them.

Taboo (1958) His vibe playing is superb on this recording (which climbed all the way to #4 on the Billboard charts and hung around on the charts for a very solid 62-weeks. So, this recording defintiely gets solid props.

Legend of Pele (1958) Just for the opening song, "Pele" and the soundscapes it so vividly creates...as ode to the fire goddess. My first, Lyman acquisition!

Hawaiian Sunset (1959) Simply put, this album is as beautiful as the very islands to which it pays such reverential tribute! A relaxing dreamscape with the sound of rolling surf. Put this recording on and climb into your hammock. I guarantee you will be transported to the islands.

Pearly Shells (1964) The "Maori Farwell Song," "South Sea Island Magic," "Song of DeLilah," "Waltz Latino," "Aloha Oe"... I love this album's ability to seduce a listener into complete relaxation. I love this CD!

I kinda like the full album concept you originally had. It's a unique approach. And sometimes, with compilations of just the "best" tunes, you lose out on that contextual experience an entire LP (that was conceived of as a totality) can give you.

btw take a look at http://higherthanfi.blogspot.com/ There are a couple of out-of-print LPs that you can snag that might fit your needs.

I,Z