Search - Various Artists :: Vintage Instrumentals, Vol. 2

Part 2 In A Six-Volume Compendium On The Instrumental

08/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Bill Doggett came out with his impelling Honky Tonk Parts 1 and 2 in 1956 (# 1 R&B for 13 weeks and # 2 Billboard Pop Top 100) he added the next step to a genre that had been around since the days of the Big Bands - the pure instrumental.



It was only natural that, following the development of the electric guitar by pioneers such as Les Paul, R&B and R&R would take up the approach with their own unique blend of guitars, drums, bass, and wailing saxophones to bring us some of the most memorable tunes of the mid-1950s to the late 1960s, when it began to fade away. And, not to be outdone, others continued with the pure pop instrumental in that same period.



As I indicate in my review of Volume 1, each edition of this 6-volume set from Stardust of Canada [who also brings you the series Treasured Tunes among others] covers both a wide time-frame [1956 to 1968], as well as a mix of:



the pure jazz instrumental - Swingin' Shepherd Blues by The Moe Koffman Quartette (# 23 Top 100 in March 1958); Midnight In Moscow by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen (# 2 Hot 100 in April 1962);



the pure pop instrumental - Apache by Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar (# 2 Hot 100/# 9 R&B in April 1961); Wonderland By Night by Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra (# 1 Hot 100/# 5 R&B in December 1960); Baby Elephant Walk by Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra (# 10 AC/# 48 Hot 100 in July 1962 from the film Hatari); Swingin' Safari by Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra (5 AC/# 13 Hot 100 in August 1962); the smash hit Mexico by Bob Moore & His Orchestra (# 1 AC/# 7 Hot 100 AND # 22 R&B in September 1961); More by Kai Winding (# 2 AC/# 8 Hot 100 from the film Mondo Cane in August 1963); A Walk In The Black Forest by Horst Jankowski (# 1 AC/# 12 Hot 100 in June 1965); Love Is Blue by Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra (# 1 AC for 11 weeks/# 1 Hot for 5 weeks in late 1967/early 1968); The Stripper by Davis Rose & His Orchestra (# 1 AC/ # 1 Hot 100/# 12 R&B in August 1962;



the pure Rock instrumental - Slow Walk by Sil Austin (# 3 R&B/# 17 Top 100 in late 1956; Raunchy by Ernie Freeman (# 1 R&B/# 4 Hot 100 in late 1957); Walkin' With Mr. Lee by Lee Allen & His Band (a suprisingly-low # 54 Top 100 in March 1958); Gazachstahagen by The Wild-Cats (# 59 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in January 1959); the surfing tune Penetration by The Pyramids (# 18 Hot 100 in March 1964); Straight Flush by The Frantics (# 91 Hot 100 in June 1959); Teen Beat '65 by Sandy Nelson (# 44 Hot 100 in October 1964); and last, but not least, Rockin' Crickets by The Rockin' Rebels.



There is a story behind that last tune. In early 1959 it was released as by The Hot-Toddys featuring Bill Pennell on the Shann-Todd label, and it went to # 57 Hot 100 in April/May. Later, when the group had signed with Swan Records, the same song was re-released as by The Rockin' Rebels, this time going to # 87 Hot 100 in May 1963.



All tracks are original renditions, the sound reproduction is excellent, and there are liner notes in the form of track-by-track comments."