Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The strangest & silliest entry in the Ultra-Lounge series, January 7, 2005
I own every volume in the "Ultra-Lounge" compilation series, so I offer my opinion as nothing short of a very enthusiastic fan. Of the two dozen issues in this series, this remains a personal favorite. This album is clearly not the ideal introduction to lounge music, but you'll be surprised that (despite its laughable title) this is also extremely fun. This actually holds up incredibly well, partly because the album's overall pace is moderate to fast. There are very few ballads to slow things down. I still love this album after so many listens because the Hammond organ can sound soothing and spooky at the same time. If you're not partial to lounge music or the sounds of the organ, a lot of this is going to seem like baseball park music. Still, it's a lot of fun.
One wise thing the folks at Capitol Records did when compiling tracks for this album was leaving out any hardcore swing music. Hearing a Hammond organ over a hyperactive big band doesn't work. Although moving fast & funky, none of these tracks are loaded with heavy instrumentation, so there's nothing too loud coming through your speakers when you cue this up. On "Comin' Home Babay," you find yourself cruising through a 60s spy movie, while the relaxing "Enchanted Farm" makes use of birdcalls and sci-fi sound effects. Martin Denny has the best song on this issue with "Song of the Bayou" where bongos create a gentle stomp in the background while a dueling piano and flute alternate off a wah-wah sounding organ - it sounds like a downright eerie journey into swamp lounge.
Other reviewers are correct in illustrating that the songs on this compilation are very rare. While you can order a Billy May album anywhere online, the recordings of master organists John Buzon, Jackie Davis and Denny McClain are not available outside of this album. You'll be surprised by how this album exceeds your expectations, despite its cheesy title. I wouldn't recommend this album for lounge beginners (buy volumes 4 & 8 instead), but I'm sure lounge fans or anyone who loves the organ will definitely find plenty to smile when hearing this.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rare, Swanky, Greasy Hammond B-3 Cuts, May 7, 2000
Late last year, Jackie Davis passed away. Jackie, along with Milt Buckner and Wild Bill Davis were really the pioneers of the Jazz organ sound, long before Jimmy Smith. - - Although he passed in November, I didn't find out until two days after I received the call that Charles Earland had passed. - - Now while plenty Post Jimmy Smith Players (like Earland, Groove Holmes, John Patton) are on the shelves, you try finding Denny McClain, Jackie Davis, Richie Varola or any of those others on the shelf at your record store. - - and if you do (most likely with disappointing results), you'll appreciate this album all the more. Consistently The Ultra Lounge has presented the swanky pop side of lounge music. Organs in Orbit is a fantastic addition to the series... Ernie Freeman rock's the house with the appropriately titled Ray Charles' groover ROCK HOUSE... Denny McClain, Milt Buckner and others keep the party surprisingly "happy" but soulful and swinging. And while you're at it... check out these Jazz organ laden CDs... Arnette Cobb : Smooth Sailing, Wild Bill Davis (Live in Atlantic City), Babyface Cortez (Anything), Bill Dogett (Greatest Hits) and Freddie Roach (Mocha Motion) !
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some Hot Tracks, Some Heavy As Lead, February 1, 2006
While there are some superb tracks here, namely "Rockhouse," "Movin' At Midnight," "Li'l Darlin'," "Fever," "Song Of The Bayou," and a few others, overall "Organs In Orbit" can be a bit tedious. While a few other tracks are somewhat amusing, there is a lot of cheesy old movie-theater style organ here that is not as magical, fun, or invigorating as a lot of the other music in the Ultra Lounge series. The organ really does dominate these tracks, and that's fine, but often there are players who don't make the instrument move, swing, or jump, which I'll admit IS quite a challenge. The resulting heavy blanket of purely chordal organ can really smother and overwhelm a track, and that happens multiple times on this set, bringing about feelings of dreary cheesiness, as opposed to the fun cheesiness that we expect from some of the best Ultra Lounge tracks.
I'm a fan of Ultra Lounge, and I don't think the music in the series is merely fun; I think there is a lot of real creativity, imagination and genuine musicianship represented on sets like "Mondo Exotica," "Bongo Land," and "Bachelor Pad Royale." For me, "Organs In Orbit" doesn't quite live up to the greatness of those titles. Personally, I'd recommend the titles I just mentioned over "Organs In Orbit," and gladly mention that there is some swanky organ playing on all of those sets.
Some great, groovy organ music from the same time period as "Organs In Orbit" can be found on the Blue Note compilation "So Blue, So Funky" and its sequel. Those Blue Note cuts are fun, snazzy, greasy, lively, and, in my humble opinion, superior to many of the selections here. A really amazing and hugely important musician to check out is Jackie Mittoo. Collections of the Jamaican Mr. Mittoo's brillant Hammond b3 organ playing such as "The Keyboard King At Studio One" and "Macka Fat" will open up the listener to a snazzy new world of jazz-based groove, deeply infused with funk and soul, and spiced with fascinating island rhythms and percollating percussion.
As for "Organs In Orbit", overall I'm left with about five selections which I really, really like, so for me it's just an OK set, but far short of great, especially in light of what else is out there.
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is mainly Lounge, quite Cabaret, with hints of Easy Listening”
