Carousel Memories

Replica Wurlitzer Band Organ (Artist), Verbeeck Band Organ (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Verbeeck Band Organ
• Audio CD (January 1, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dynamic Recording
• ASIN: B00005V7GA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,656 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #20 in Music > Miscellaneous > Polka
  • #46 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Easy Listening
  • #47 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Songs & Lieder > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ideal Merry-Go-Round, July 18, 2005

By 

James Yelvington "Professor" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Carousel Memories (Audio CD)

This is a recording by and for merry-go-round lovers. It assembles 23 tracks of mostly characteristic carousel music, played upon a newly constructed band organ handmade by Belgian Johnny Verbeeck to replicate the old Wurlitzer 165 destroyed by a fire around 1995. The fire also claimed most of the carousel itself, which was rebuilt using some restored parts from the original (PTC#36). The recording site is Seabreeze Park on Lake Ontario in upper New York.

In another review I mentioned that that CD offered a partial and rather idealized carousel experience, for it could only provide the sound, and that sound was much more refined and free of ambient noise than would be encountered during an actual carousel ride. That comment applies as well to this recording, and perhaps more so, for the band organ in a typical operating carousel never sounded so good as the one here. This instrument has a remarkably lovely, sweet tone and, being brand new, is in perfect condition. The rolls used were obtained from no less a source than the Library of Congress, and represent a very choice selection.

The music itself includes mostly waltzes, marches, polkas, and one-time popular songs, such as Beer Barrel Polka, Sweet Rosie O'Grady, Liberty Bell, and Scatter-Brain. Less to be expected, but supremely apt, is the fine waltz from Richard Rodger's overture to the musical show Carousel. This last was experimentally recorded on the moving carousel, and thus provides an especially realistic auditory image.

For merry-go-round and band organ enthusiasts this recording might well occupy a place of honor in their CD collection. For those who desire a more realistic, though less ideal, recording I would recommend the old 1973 Takoma Records release "Last Chance on the Merry-Go-Round" (# A 1038), which I believe is no longer in the catalog. (Takoma Records was acquired in 1995 by Fantasy Records.) My personal copy of A 1038 is an LP, and I suspect no CD version was ever released. That recording was made at the carousel on the pier at Santa Monica, California, shortly before the pier was to be demolished. (Thus the title of the recording.) Since it was made while the carousel was actually in operation, the sounds of bystanders and children, along with the carousel drive motor are included. I don't know what ever became of that carousel or its band organ, but would guess they were moved to some collection somewhere. In any case, I have fond memories of wandering along the pier on a fine Saturday afternoon and watching and listening to the carousel and its excited young customers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carousel Memories, October 3, 2007

By 

Kay Abell (Artesia, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Carousel Memories (Audio CD)

A beautiful CD of the most popular carousel music. It evokes wonderful childhood memories with the atmosphere of a true carnival setting.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Is this a home brewed recording or what??, July 1, 2008

By 

Bill D. (Stockton, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Carousel Memories (Audio CD)

I recently purchased this CD on Amazon and was initially shocked at the shoddy packaging quality of this title. The inserts in the case were literally printed off of a pretty bad ink jet printer (at low resolution, I might add) and the CD itself was burned off of a computer with a stomper-type label affixed to it. The recording itself was just okay, but easily gets muddy in musical segments with strong percussion. Sound definition and overall mixing is weak to say the least (perhaps the instrument wasn't mic'd properly). Too bad, because considering the esoteric nature of the subject matter, it makes this disk the only real choice available.

Let's face it, for kiddy parties and circus type events, it's probably fine. It's a historically interesting recording, but I cannot recommend it for people with just a passing interest in carousel music. I also can't justify a $13.99 price tag for something that looks and sounds like it was created on a pitiful 10 year old home PC. I think the subject matter is extremely cool and has the potential of being not only special, but truly great in the right hands. It's a shame this CD comes off like a bad bootleg that you'd find on a blanket at the local flea market.