Customer Reviews

Music for a Bachelor's Den

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In the '90's when lounge music suddenly became a musical fad, the marketplace was flooded with CD's trying to exploit the new-found popularity of the genre. Many of these CD's were a mish-mosh of anything that could vaguely be deemed "lounge" or easy listening and might bring in a few bucks to the owners.

Here, in this volume from Steve Hoffman and the now defunct DCC Compact Classics, the genre gets an intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable treatment. Not only are some of these tunes representative of the "best" of the lounge tunes of the era but half of them are charting singles that will be recognized and immediately appreciated by the listener. Among the quintessential favorites here are the exotic sounding "Quiet Village" from Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman's ethereal "Yellow Bird". Other tunes spanning the diverse nature of the genre included here are Victor Young's "Around The World" from the movie and Jimmy Dorsey's big band last hurrah, "So Rare". While the track count (15) leans to the meager side, this collection has more great "lounge" music then many similarly-themed collections with twice the running time.

Considering the vintage of the sources, production is first-rate with all but three tracks (12-14) in wide stereo and full-spectrum sound. Liner notes, while brief, pretty well tie up the package with backround notes and a bit of nostalgic rumination. If you need only a single sample of what this music encompassed both then and now, this is the one to get. An absolutely superb little package.

This cd takes me back to a time when my friends dad had an actual Hi Fi player. They were just new at the time, but did they ever sound great. The type of music during this era was exactly as it is on this cd. First off this has a great sound. The songs are very exotic, early 60s type lounge. "Route 66" takes me right out on the highway and into the desert. "Once in a While" really expoits the stereo picture as it was definitely just coming out at that time. The theme from the Honeymooners, Sunset Strip, Wow...... Martinis and early 60s furniture, bamboo chairs, and wall lamps all come to mind when listening to this cd. Definitely an odd, likeable collection of rare gems. It will standout in your collection.

This CD entitled Music For A Bachelor's Den contains excellent numbers from the late 1950s and early 1960s when Latin dance crazes were taking the country by storm, Cadillacs had fins and milk came in bottles. Men loved the new "Hi-Fi" records and record players; they entertained and romanced their women to many of these tunes.

The CD opens with "Once In A While" performed by Terry Snyder and his band. The musical arrangement makes excellent use of the percussion and some sounds come out the left speaker while others come out the right--this took advantage of the new stereophonic record players of the day. The xylophone adds a lot to the arrangement; too. The Latin beat is blended with the sound of a big band to produce a very special, memorable effect. Impressive!

"Love For Sale" by The Arthur Lyman Group follows and this number does not disappoint. The percussion, drums and xylophone carry the tune as the piano playing enhances the beauty of this track. This may be from the 1950s but it still sounds great to me today! Romantic, seductive and engaging all at once, "Love For Sale" is a highlight of this CD.

The George Shearing Quintet makes a contribution to the CD with their medley number entitled "Medley: As Long As I Live/Let's Live Again." The two numbers are joined together quite smoothly and the piano shines in the arrangement. "Like Young" by Linda Lawson provides a non-instrumental track for this CD; Linda's voice is rich, warm and vibrant. The arrangement with its use of the percussion and horn enhances the seductive and romantic flavor of this song. Excellent!

Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra perform the "Theme From 'Route 66;'" and the California based John Buzon Trio masterfully perform "Ill Wind" with the organ and the horns carrying most of the melody. The Arthur Lyman Group performs a second number on this CD with a heavenly version of "Yellow Bird." The xylophone, guitar and Latin beat give "Yellow Bird" an unforgettable quality. "Yellow Bird" enjoyed great popularity when it was released; and now you have a chance to see why! Moreover, The Dick Hyman Trio performs "Moritat (A Theme From The Threepenny Opera);" you just might recognize this as the melody for "Mack The Knife!"

One reviewer writes that the "Theme From 'The Honeymooners' (Melancholy Serenade)" does not match the melody used by The Honeymooners television show--and they are right. The version on this CD uses much more of an orchestral approach to this ballad; but I believe it remains beautiful nonetheless.

The CD ends fittingly with "Around The World (From 'Around The World In 80 Days).'" This ballad gets the orchestral treatment complete with a large strings section, flutes, piano and harp. You will enjoy the beauty of this final track.

The liner notes offer an essay by Paul Phillips and you get the song credits, too. The art work for the CD reflects forethought as well.

I highly recommend this CD for people who enjoyed this music when it first came out on record albums; and people who enjoy "lounge music" will thrill to every minute of this CD. The romantic flavor of each track is greatly enhanced by the often simultaneous Latin beat to produce a very exceptional effect that I rarely enjoy these days.

May you get this CD and enjoy it as much as I do. ¡Viva música!

Compared to the other Ultra Lounge CDs in the series, "Music for a Bachelor's Den" is likely more what people were listening to @ the time, rather than the uniquely unusual pieces found on the other ones. The album starts, though, with a few "cool" versions of "Once In a While" (a bongo variation by Terry Snyder) & Arthur Lyman's take on "Love for Sale" (xylophone-lounge). One mistake here, though, is Jackie Gleason's "Melancholy Serenade" mistakenly titled 'Theme from the Honeymooners'. As another reviewer pointed out, this may be possibly more melodic but is no 'Honeymooners'. It is actually Gleason's theme for his live self-titled variety show of the early 50s, where the 'The Honeymooners' was popularized. But it's David Rose's "Sunset Strip" and Jimmy Dorsey's "So Rare" that really tear it up on this album, both very hot, hot, hot! The 50s standards adapted from film and TV, "Moonglow and Love Theme from 'Picnic'", "Around the World in 80 Days", & "Theme from 'Route 66'" not only push you right into that period, giving one a taste of what was actually popular at the time, but are probably some of the most entertaining and listenable pieces from these mediums. I, myself, have always had a big thing for all three. "Like Young", a bit of a "beat" tune, is possibly best sung, as it is here by Linda Lawson. "Moritat(A Theme from The Threepenny Opera)" is one of my favorites, though(popularly known as "Mack the Knife"), here an instrumental piece. This really illustrates the resurgence of the old music hall rag-piano sound of the late 50s-60s, perfectly complimenting this version.

Beautifully remastered by Steve Hoffman, the DCC version of this CD offers an easy-listening picture into what swinging bachelors listened to during one of America's halcyon decades.

It was the theme to the Jackie Gleason show. Similar but not the same...

Family member suggested this CD for a family reunion. It's great! Great gift for the parents; brings back old memories; great to dance to as well.