Customer Reviews

Taboo

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How ignorant and provincial I have been! Until Arthur Lyman's music was highlighted in a spot on NPR's Morning Edition (10/4/03), I had not the slightest clue that anyone on earth other than my family had ever heard of him and his audio-licious TABOO. We received it in the late 50s from a family friend when he unloaded his entire record collection on my parents before shipping overseas. I was smitten with it from the ripe old age of 5!!! The acoustics of the Kaiser Dome and all those exotic animal noises and percussion instruments absolutely transported me. By the time I was 12 or 13, I had worn the grooves down to dust. It was only in the 90s that I dug it out of an ancient cabinet and queued it up again. It brought back miles of memories, but I also came to realize that, while all of the cuts had marvelous mood and execution as well as terrific production values (TUBE GEAR/ANALOG/VINYL RULE!!!), I kept waiting for Lyman to DO SOMETHING with the music, TAKE IT SOMEWHERE. So many themes, not nearly enough development. Still, I am absolutely thrilled to have discovered, albeit late, that this man had a long career, and that millions of other people know who he is. And despite arrangement limitations, TABOO is still an acoustic and instrumental tour de force. BUY THIS ALBUM!

I just recently started enjoying exotica music. I primarily have been focusing on Martin Denny and Les Baxter, but recently i have been branching out with some new artists. One of them being Arthur Lyman. His music is different then Denny and Baxter. It has a smoother more melodic approach and yet it has good rhythms. Although most of the music has a Polynesian feel to it he does mix in a good amount of jazz stylings. I personally have recommended this CD to a couple of friends who are Vibe players because they can learn from Arthur's technique. He is a fantastic musician and even if the style of music is not in your taste, the performance by the gifted musician is well worth the listen.

In the dawn of 90s cocktail culture, Arthur Lyman often stands in the shadow of his former bandleader, Martin Denny. Denny is celebrated for his seminal late-50s version of "Quiet Village" and his string of influential exotica LPs. Lyman, a charter member of Denny's combo, is often lost, despite having pioneered a unique blend of jazz and exotica on dozens of his own releases.

While Scamp Records was busy reissuing Denny's original catalog, Rykodisc took their own plunge into the warm Pacific waters with reissues of several pivotal Lyman LPsand compilations.

As a vibe player and arranger, Lyman has a relaxed West Coast sound, his band playing in a tranquil tropical style. The arrangements feature the essential exotica elements: mainland and island standards, smoothly flowing melodies, human-voiced bird calls, and a globe-trotting collection of percussion instruments.

Lyman's solo debut, "Taboo," has been remastered from the original 3-track recordings. It's perhaps the clearest statement of his musical mood: cool jazz infused with the rhythms and sounds of his native Hawaii. The differences from Denny's work of the same period are subtle, often hinging on the arrangement, or the slight swing to Lyman's beats. Chances are if you like Denny's seminal early LP's (Exotica, et al.), you'll like Lyman's, as well.

This music has exotic campiness and I enjoyed this blast from the past. I like the Matin Denny stuff a little better, but this is still an entertaining album. A Hollywood/white guy's version of the exotic tropics, but it's fun. Play it for the luau with the neighbors and bring me a Mai Tai.

Okay, I like Mancini-inspired lounge, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole, etc. I even have an import CD of the Rat Pack(the best one available on CD). However, I'm not a huge exotica freak. I can take or leave Martin Denny and the bunch. Nevertheless, I was looking for a birthday gift for a friend, who's into tiki, and I came across this CD. Now, again, I've looked for Les Baxter before, but the "Best of..." compilation(more lounge than exotica). Arthur Lyman, on the other hand, really merges the two styles of lounge and exotica on this album, one of the original exotica albums of the period. My friend really likes it. It's got a couple so-so pieces, too, but for the most part it's pretty fun. This one's definitely for the lounge lover who secretly likes mai-tais. If exotica isn't your thing, check it out. You may be surprised on this one. My friend has the soundtrack to the film "2046" and I knew he'd go for this.

Along with Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman created a luscious, sensual, and totally FAKE tropical soundscape..... But so what? The music is enchanting, and all you need is a tequila sunrise, (OK so its not a Mai Tai, but hey I'm Chicano!) you hammock, and a glorious Saturday summer afternoon, next to your significant other.... and voila!

YOU are "lost" in your own tropical eden. Not to bad for the price of a CD.....

This gentleman never made anything less than a great LP. His music selections are really varied (sometimes to the edge) but he & his group ALWAYS played with a passion. If you never had the opportunity to watch Arthur Lyman perform in person, you have missed a defining moment in exotica music. It will be a crying shame if Lyman isn't elevated to a spot on the pedestal of GREAT exotica musicians. This was/is a flat out fantastic album.

Things to be aware of about this release:

CD Label: RYKODISC
Release # Rykodisc/hifi RCD 50364
RYKODISC CD Release: September 24, 1996
UPC: 014431036422
Other details...

The "ORIGINAL" Ryko release was available in
a signature "GREEN TINTED" CD "Jewel Case"
that has the Ryko logotype molded into the
lower right corner of the exterior surface
of the bottom "tray".
The original "tray liner" does not have the
manufactured for Ryko by BMG notice near the
rightmost edge.

If you are interested in this item, you may
want to ask sellers to verify these aspects
it they are important to you.

Arthur Lyman is undoubtedly one of the best artists of the exotica/cocktail music genre. If you like this kind of music, then you can't miss with this CD.

This is one of the earliest albums that I can recall from my youth. Arthur Lyman was definetly a fixture in my house, and listening to his music always transports me back to my youth. This album is highly recommended; the sounds are very lovely, and beautiful to the ears. I have actually fallen asleep putting this album on the stereo. If you like to be mentally transported to a distant land, then this album will do the trick. The gentle melodies of Arthur Lyman's music are soothing and will put you in a state of total relaxation.

Arthur Lyman started out as a vibraphonist in Martin Denny's band in Hawaii back in the 1950s. [Martin Denny was also great]. When Lyman left the band to form his own, he created a very unique musical style which would result in several albums. [I have them all, thanks to my Mom]. Lyman combined different sounds in his music through the use of a tropical style infused with a jazz sound. The recording of his music was done in the late Henry Kaiser's Shell Bar in Honolulu, which created a unique sound due to the fact that the auditorium was aluminum. This is a highly recommended CD, enjoy the beautiful sound of one of the great instrumentalists of his time.