Customer Reviews

Musichound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide to Martini Music and Easy Listening with CD (Audio)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Despite the years-old bust in the lounge music boom, this is a fun and informative volume. My instincts tell me to check all critical thinking at the door, but I just can't help myself. Written by many of the same folks who valiantly strove to make easy listening a "thing," this book is pretty footloose and fancy free with what it chooses to call lounge ("... whatever sounds good when you're drinking a martini...") Latin dance music is sampled (Perez Prado, Desi Arnez, Mario Bauza) as are some relatively haphazard additions from the world of soul music (Isaac Hayes? sure, I guess... but Erykah Badu??). Of course, anything croony or well-known from the big band era is up for grabs (but why no Glen Gray, Ruth Etting or Paul Whiteman, if you're going to include all those other old-timers?)... There are all sorts of questionable entries form the world of rock ("... but why Morrissey, the Beautiful South, Pizzicato Five and the Beach Boys and not so-and-so... ???") -- and practically *nothing* by John Zorn or the Boredoms (what's up with that???). Despite the perversity of presentation, this book is pretty groovy: who else is going to steer you towards Blossom Dearie or Dinah Washington these days? The companion CD is one of the better freebies in the MusicHound series, a sampler of the last six volumes in Capitol's exhaustive Ultra-Lounge series, and one of the very few such MusicHound discs to include an adequate number of tracks. Recommended for the kitsch-conscious reader.

While I enjoyed renewing my memory of several of the albums and artists listed here, the criteria for inclusion is insanely schizophrenic. How do Ellington, Goodman, Prima and Woody Herman all make the grade while Count Basie does not? Morrissey over Van Morrison? Al Jarreau over Mark Murphey? ABBA and the Carpenters but no Turtles?

Stil, if this volume points anyone in the direction of Julie London it can't be a bad thing.

While many like myself will have a definite need for a book of this genre, I found it most dissapointing. It is badly researched and wildly inaccurate, and therefore self-defeating. There is more Fantasy than fact which is not a good thing for a reference source.

This was one of the first Musichound guides I bought. I found it at a Hastings Book/Media store, at very low cost, along with the guide on soundtracks. Both have been great guides that I have used often. However, this one, unlike the swing, jazz, et al. is a little bit more schizo(as one reviewer commented). What it includes as lounge is often more country or rock. A better title for this guide would be "Easy Listening". Actually, I think a lot of these odd inclusions do nothing for the guide's popularity. If such artists took part in the lounge style(and it's pretty obvious that many wouldn't be "martini music"), then include them. Sure, there's even a number of contemporary performers who either offer or dabble in this genre. Just remove ABBA, Peter Allen, The Carpenters, Richard Harris(?), Captain & Tennille, Olivia Newton-John, etc. Where groups like The Cardigans, Combustible Edison, Everything But the Girl, Joe Jackson, Billy Joel, K.D. Lang, and Dimitri from Paris have definitely offered the lounge sound-even if sometimes updated a bit. Even Neil Diamond translates into this area, just not John Denver and Kenny Rogers(I mean, is this REALLY lounge???) Where Elvis Presley, well, he did a little of everything. Now, I just wish Musichound would consider a guide on Electronic. I guess this really isn't one of the BIG genres though.

Although the artist bios were generally good and informative (though frequently brief), I was disappointed that the only material covered in the album reviews ("what to buy", "best of the rest", etc.) was that which can be found on CD. Many serious lounge fanatics find most of their material on vinyl. For this omission, I was quite disappointed. Other things that stood out were the very questionable inclusion of artists such as the Carpenters, ABBA, John Denver, and Kathie Lee Gifford (the Hee Haw Honey - snicker). This struck me as filler material necessary to make the book a hefty 1+" thick. I would have much prefered additional effort be given to such epic artists as Yma Sumac (a single short paragraph ... <sigh>) or David Carroll (not even mentioned!).

However, in sum, I do not regret that I own the book. It is a reasonable book for $25. Just be aware that it encompasses much more than lounge music. It is also heavily biased toward recent musicians (e.g., Bjork! ) rather than the classic artists from the 50s and 60s.

This self-described "Essential Guide" was apparently thrown together after one too many of the martinis which it celebrates. It is filled with inaccuracies and unsupportable opinions. The grating attempts at cynical humor makes the reader wonder if the authors bothered to listen to artist's albums. One example of their work should make the point; the Four Freshmen entry.

"Formed 1947, in Chicago, IL."...not quite. Ross Barbour's own book on the Freshmen, "Now You Know", details their genesis at Butler University in Indianapolis in 1948. If Knopper can demonstrate otherwise, he'd best notify the very active Four Freshmen Society (check their website) quickly because some 700 members plan to descend on Las Vegas in September 1998 to help the all the living members of the quartet celebrate 50 years of continuous performances.

"From the start, the Four Freshmen proudly positioned themselves a step or two behind everyone else...Th! ! e big hits came...Respect was more elusive." Oh, really! This must be a shock to the tens of thousands of voters who consistently chose the Freshmen as the #1 Vocal Group in the Playboy JAZZ polls throughout the late '50s and early '60s. Since most musicians continue to laud the unique Freshmen sound as a creative addition to the jazz genre, one wonders why they've even been "honored" by inclusion in an Easy Listening compendium.

"The Freshmen are still around today, sort of... (bouncing) from Ramada Inn to Red Lion with none of the original members on stage. In other words, stay away." Clearly, the authors might hold a different opinion if they would cancel their Ramada reservations and head for one of the many university music halls where the current group continues to expand their book to '90s standards with the Freshmen touch sprinkled with the favorites which started it all. Ranging in age from their mid-40s to early 20's, today's Freshmen ! ! are no nostalgia act as demonstrated by the standing O's at! a recent appearance with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Check out their latest CD when Amazon.com adds it to their catalog in 3Q98.

The reader may then decide to "stay away" from this outrageous Essential Guide and head for the nearest live Freshman performance instead.

As an acknowledged novice in the whole Lounge/Easy Listening Jazz genre, I found this to be a very handy reference tool. It's well organized and the writing is light and informative.

However, I am a little dismayed at the author's definition of Lounge. Why is it that Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Dizzy Gillespie are lounge, and yet Sonny Rollins, Lester Young, and Jimmy Smith are not? For example, Lester Young influenced Stan Getz and yet, the former is not included in this volume. And Charlie Parker, who is a little difficult musically, is also in this book? I don't get it.

The book will open a whole new world to you. Very entertaining to read and informative. Lets you know what's available on CD for the artists, gives cross-references on their movies, LP's, etc. A great purchase you won't regret. Keep it on the coffee table. I've had mine for 6 months and still read the book. The CD is swingin'. Buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

(Sorry, no comments about the Four Freshmen.)

This is a helpful book for the novice interested in Lounge stylings, but don't count on it for a comprehensive (or fully accurate) detailed account of any particular artist.

Mr. Knopper covers a wide range of artists, but misses some key artists when it comes to niches such as polka and acappella jazz. Also, basic facts included in several musicians' biographies are just plain incorrect.

Still, this is a blast to peruse, and you may find yourself caught up for hours using the great cross-reference charts. The beginner will learn a lot. And the music aficionado will enjoy having all these artists referenced together in one volume.

as a novice to exotica, easylistening/martini buff, i looked forward to seeing this book. i came across it at a bookstore and was very disappointed in its descriptions of some well known music. how could someone "knowledgeable" disregard all the amazing things that people like 'dick hyman and the lowery organ' to mere mention as just jazzy. i wanted to by a book to tell me stuff. it appeared very pedestrian in its approach to 'cool'. and thats a no-no in cool swinging music and lifestyle.