Monday, September 29, 2014

Bernie Green Plays More Than You Can Stand In Hi-Fi

Hey, it's this blogs' 10th anniversary in a couple of weeks! What are we doing? Where's the party at? I have no time to plan anything, but I'll show up. Heck, I'll bring the beer.

By request I've re-upped lots more Zoogz Rift than you can stand, not necessarily in hi-fi.



Bernie Green only made a few albums as bandleader, but they are eccentric indeed. The fact that one of them was done in association with "Mad" magazine should tell you something. This release isn't really Space-Age Pop, swing, or exotica, nor are we exactly in Spike Jones novelty territory either. I don't know what to call it - big-band circus music, maybe? RIYL: orchestral Raymond Scott, or Carl Stalling. 

The exciting percussion-fest  "Railroad Train Samba" shares album space with the self-explanatory "Saxophobia," the ambitious (and quite insane) "Concerto For Calliope," and a cartoonish version of the Cuban standard "The Peanut Vendor." Perhaps fearing that this was indeed more than his listeners could stand, Green cools out with some low-key easy-listeners ("Summer," "Idyl") that aren't at all funny or eccentric, tho I do dig the noir mood of "Caesar's Soliloquy."

Big thanks to windy for this one!

Bernie Green Plays More Than You Can Stand In Hi-Fi (1957)




A1La Sorella
A2Mister Peepers Theme
A3Ragging The Scale
A4Railroad Train Samba
A5The Virtuous Orchestra Suite
A6Caesar's Soliloquy
A7National Emblem March
B1A Frangesa
B2Saxophobia
B3Concerto For Calliope
B4Summer
B5Double Blues
B6Idyl
B7The Peanut Vendor

5 comments:

Jordan Baker said...

Great Article, Bernie Green is brilliant!

Anonymous said...

gone from zippy !!

oh please re-up. thanks in advance.

Steve Ray said...

This music has been acclaimed by all who hear it! Peppy, accessible, yet deranged, with distinct klezmer overtones.

IMPROVES EVERY PARTY GUARANTEED!!!!

Swank Daddy said...

What Green lacked in quantity he made up for in quality. Many thanks for sharing this one.

Baron said...

Thank you