In eigener Sache!

My computer doesn't work at the time. Therefore I'm not able to post any albums. Hope, it will work soon. Please bear with me!

Regards, Ralf

Johnny Richards - The Arrangers Touch

Richards was one of the most skilful and technically proficient orchestrators to work in jazz. His scores featured unusual instrumantation (he favoured Frech horns, tuba, piccolo, bass saxophone and latin percussion), and odd time-signature (he was a pioneer in this now popular area). He was also greatly interested in non-Western musics, and drew on Latin American, African, Arabian, Hindu and Oriental sources for harmonic, thematic and rhythmic inspiration.
Born in Mexico on November 2, 1911 Richards began his musical training at home in Schenectady, New York, where his family had moved in 1912. By the age of 17 John was proficient on violin, banjo, trumpet and saxophone. From 1940 to 1945 he led his own dance band, playing trumpet, tenor sax and clarinet. In 1946 he embarked on a career as freelance arranger. He wrote Soliloquy at the beginning of 1950 for Kenton's "Innovations" orchestra and set Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet against strings and woodwinds later on the year for a successful record album. He maintained his connexions with Kenton for several years, writing the arrangements for the "West Side Story" album and composing all the music for "Cuban Fire" and "Adventures in Time" LPs. As often as time and financial considerations allowed he put together a band., commencing in 1956, to play his music. Johnny Richards died of cancer on October 7, 1968.

Johnny Richards - The Arrangers Touch

My Fair Lady - My Way
The Rites of Diablo

Double Album

vogue VJD 566

Side 1

01 Get Me To The Church On Time (e)
02 On The Street Where you Live (e)
03 I Could Have Danced All Night (e)
04 Wouldn't It Be Loverly (e)

Side 2

05 Show Me (e)
06 The Rain In Spain (e)
07 I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (e)
08 With A Little Bit Of Luck (e)

Side 3

09 Omo Ado (c)
10 Kele Kele (b)
11 La Pecadora (d)

Side 4

12 Ochun (b)
13 Oluo Anu (a)
14 Ofo (d)


a) recorded in NYC March 25, 1958
b) recorded in NYC March 28, 1958
c) recorded in NYC March 31, 1958
d) recorded in NYC April 17, 1958
e) recorded in NYC 1965

Martin Böttcher - Wonderful World

Who don't know Martin Böttcher's music to the movie Winnetou. Böttcher rather prefer a dark and soft sound. So strings rarely have to play in higher register and trombones or harmonica often play the main themes. In doing so his arrangements sound very decent, as if his music has to stay in the background. From time to time you desire more contours, you are longing to the orchestra should escape. Anyway he got his place in my blog, cause the Böttcher-Sound is quite interesting, all the more if Böttcher paraphrases songs like "What A Wonderful World", "Love Is Blue" or "This Guy's In Love With You".

(I hope you can understand my english. Sometimes it is very difficult for me to describe my thoughts in a foreign language.)

Martin Böttcher - Wonderful World
Welt-Erfolge im Martin-Böttcher-Sound

Stereo SLE 14 534-P

Royalsound 1969

Titel:

01 Love Is Blue
02 Those Were The Days
03 This Guy's In Love With You
04 Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
05 Schwarze Augen
06 Hey Jude
07 Canzone d'amore (Una canzone)
08 Guantanamera
09 Oh My Darling Caroline
10 Bonanza
11 Avant de mourir
12 What A Wonderful World

Martin Böttcher und sein Orchester

Chor und Orchester Harry Pleva - Traummelodie

Harry Pleva has been the conductor of the Montanara-Chor from 1972 until 2001. Born in 1929 he also conducted orchestras. On this album he produced classic-hits in swinging sound. Who do you thing is the real creator of swinging classical music? James Last? I know Glenn Miller already plays music of classical composer. However I like classical tunes with swinging rythm. But the originals will be unreachable.

Chor und Orchester Harry Pleva

Traummelodie - Musik zum Verlieben und Tanzen

22 Swinging Classic-Hits


Stereo 27 832-5

Intercord 1977

Titel:

01 Poém / Menuett / Largo
02 Mondscheinsonate / Ich liebe Dich / Treulich geführt
03 Romanze / Die Macht des Schicksals / Mondlied
04 Etüde E-Dur / Ave Maria
05 Habanera / La Traviata / Die Moldau
06 Romanze / Gebet der Jungfrau / Melodie in F
07 Dream-Concerto / Abendsegen
08 Serenade / Reich mir die Hand, mein Leben / Sonate A-Dur

Bearbeitungen: Udo Unger und Wilhelm F. Schmid

James Last - Berlin Konzert '87

In autumn of 1987 I visited my first James Last Concert. This was in Utrecht - Neatherlands.
Unvorgettable for me. In the same year following album has been produced - two years before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Sensational Derek Watkins soli in Alfie and Mc Arthur Park and Günter Platzeks piano-solo in Missing. It's a pitty that he died too early in 1991. Beeing a teenager I prefer the instrumentals less the vocals music. But listening to "That's what friends are for" now, I'm very touched. But principally delighted at Hansi's sensitive arrangements.

James Last - Berlin Konzert '87

Live im Palast der Republik

Ausschnitte aus den Konzerten August '87

Stereo 883 683-1

Polydor 1987

Titel:

01 Fanfare
02 Alfie (Flügelhorn: Derek Watkins)
03 Wien bleibt Wien
04 Eine kleine Nachtmusik
05 Rosen aus dem Süden
06 Broken Wings
07 Praterleben
08 Hamburger Veermaster
09 Mac Arthur Park (Flügelhorn + Trompete: Derek Watkins)
10 That's What Friends Are For
11 Missing (Piano: Günter Platzek)
12 Star Wars

Produzent: James Last

James Last - Classics Up To Date 4

For me one of his best Classics Up To Date - albums. I did not see it in any blog, so I decided to make it public.

James Last - Classics Up To Date 4

Stereo 2371 711

Polydor 1976


Titel:

01 Eines Tages seh'n wir (Madame Butterfly)
02 Die Moldau
03 Summchor aus "Madame Butterfly"
04 Danse Espagnole
05 Frühlingslied
06 Rodrigos Concerto
07 Zigeunerweisen
08 Adagio in g-moll
09 Romance G-Dur
10 Berceuse
11 Pavane

Produktion und Arrangements: James Last
Ton-Ing.: Peter Klemt

James Last im Allgäu

In 1984 James Last did a television show in Allgäu. The music of this show has been released on the following album. It is not Polka Party Sound as usual. Because of strings this album sounds romantically very often. Original performers of Allgäu (a bavarian region) provide authenticity to this production. The special guests Vicky Leandros and Karel Gott appear a bit misplaced. I hope this comment is permitted.

James Last im Allgäu

Stereo 821 995-1

Polydor 1984

Titel:

01 Polka Party
02 Schnackl Polka (mit Alfons Bauer, Zither)
03 Ich spiel für mich (Westallgäuer)
04 Der Lumpersammler (mit Friedrich Finkel, Akkordeon)
05 Auf dem höchsten Berge (mit Karel Gott)
06 Frisch vom Fass (mit F. Finkel)
07 Jodler (mit 3 Tölzer Knaben)
08 Wo der Auerhahn balzt (mit Alfons Bauer)
09 De Schean
10 Im Schweinsgalopp (mit F. Finkel)
11 Schottisch (mit Prof. Schickhaus, Hackbrett)
12 Frieden in den Bergen (mit Vicky Leandros)
13 Der lustige Fritz (mit F. Finkel)
14 Fesche Jugend (mit Blasorchester Fischen)

Arrangements: James Last