http://www.ultraswank.net Retro Living and Design from the 50s, 60s and 70s Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:59:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/an-audible-smorgasbord-of-luxuria-music/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/an-audible-smorgasbord-of-luxuria-music/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:33:44 +0000 Katharine Miller http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3544 Tired of spinning the same old Esquivel and Les Baxter on the hi-fi? First, make sure you’ve given a listen to the fabulous Ultra Swank compilations curated by our own Chris. Then feast your ears on Luxuriamusic.com. And what a feast it is! Luxuria is an audible smorgasbord of tiki, exotica, and lounge music of [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/an-audible-smorgasbord-of-luxuria-music/feed/ 4 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/exotica-for-modern-living/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/exotica-for-modern-living/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:20:27 +0000 Amy Thyr http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3332 Exotica music began to take its roots as early as the 1930′s, but after WWII this romanticized version of Polynesia, far-away places, and tropical islands was clearly permeating its way into the American culture, transporting the listener with distinctive sounds like jungle drums, idiophones, Indonesian and Burmese gongs, Tahitian logs and the exotic sounds of [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/exotica-for-modern-living/feed/ 3 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-sound-of-italian-film-scores/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-sound-of-italian-film-scores/#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 05:58:26 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3294 Ever wonder what an Italian film score sounds like? Yeah? Well how about Italian scores from erotic films? Even if you haven’t seen an Italian erotica, these scores are great for every lounge music lover (pun intended). “Beat At Cinecitta” is a music score compilation from, you guessed it, raunchy and erotic Italian films from [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-sound-of-italian-film-scores/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/jazz-for-the-jet-set/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/jazz-for-the-jet-set/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:42:01 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3175 Dave Pike has created this swell recording for all those swingin’ bachelors. Herbie Hancock plays the keyboard along side Dave Pike’s vibraphone. Bobby Hebb had wrote “Sunny” and introduced it in this album, which was later released for hundreds of additional recordings. This album reminds me a little of Cal Tjader, who was the creator [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/jazz-for-the-jet-set/feed/ 4 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:23:14 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3053 One of my absolutely favorite composers of all time has passed away. John Barry, winner of five academy awards and numerous other awards. Many will remember him for his tremendous work of scoring 11 of the James Bond movies and co-authoring the famous 007 gun barrel theme, but that’s only part of his career. He [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/feed/ 5 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-tribute-to-elis-regina/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-tribute-to-elis-regina/#comments Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:21:18 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3018 A well known Brazilian singer, Elis Regina, born on March 17, 1945 would have been 65. She unfortunately died very young at the age of 36 on January 19, 1982.  Regina is most notable for singing Bossa Nova music. Elis Regina began her singing career at the age of 11 and released her first album when she was [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-tribute-to-elis-regina/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/electrified-christmas/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/electrified-christmas/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 06:50:01 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2894 Electrify your Christmas music mix with some Hammond organ sounds! Jimmy Smith originally was a pianist and later became an organist in the early 50’s. Smith signed on with Verve Records in the 60’s and had the opportunity to collaborate with the great Lalo Schifrin and Wes Montgomery. Don’t be mistaken; Jimmy Smith’s style is [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/electrified-christmas/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/ultra-swank-featured-on-the-cocktail-nation-show/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/ultra-swank-featured-on-the-cocktail-nation-show/#comments Sun, 28 Nov 2010 06:20:58 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2858 Pour yourself a drink and make yourself comfortable for your introduction to the silken-voiced Mr. Koop Kooper. This swank gentleman is the host of the Cocktail Nation – a lounge and exotica podcast out of the Sydney penthouse. Each week Kooper talks to the movers and shakers of the lounge and Tiki scene and plays [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/ultra-swank-featured-on-the-cocktail-nation-show/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/charade-%e2%80%93-romance-comedy-and-suspense/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/charade-%e2%80%93-romance-comedy-and-suspense/#comments Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:15:41 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2830 Romance, comedy and suspense are what you experience when watching the movie Charade (1963). Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn take you through a cat and mouse chase, running through the streets of Paris, as they try to find out where stolen money is located. The soundtrack to Charade was created by Henri Mancini and complements [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/charade-%e2%80%93-romance-comedy-and-suspense/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/karminsky-experience-goes-retro-lounge/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/karminsky-experience-goes-retro-lounge/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:42:13 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2749 Karminsky Experience Inc. is best known for creating middle eastern influenced Electronica music. But his more recent album, Snapshot (2007), has a radical retro lounge theme. While listening to Snapshot, a mixture of library, beach, and jazz music transforms into wonderful melodies. The album begins with Summer Song, which is happy and inviting – it [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/karminsky-experience-goes-retro-lounge/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lambert-hendricks-ross-three-jazz-vocalists/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lambert-hendricks-ross-three-jazz-vocalists/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2010 05:09:38 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2704 Lady’s and gentlemen, grab your partner, cause it’s time for some be-boppin’! Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross are three jazz vocalists that formed in 1957. The trio unfortunately were not active for many years and ended their trio in 1962. Though, Ross was replaced Yolande Bavan in 1962 and continued through 1964. The [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lambert-hendricks-ross-three-jazz-vocalists/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/isabel-rose-salutes-the-1960s/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/isabel-rose-salutes-the-1960s/#comments Thu, 16 Sep 2010 05:41:39 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2683 Isabel Rose, comedienne and performer salutes 1960s aviation among many things in her first ever music video. If you are a fan of Ann-Margret, Doris Day or movies such as Catch Me If You Can you will surely be entertained and impressed with both Isabel and her music. Her album “Swingin’ From the Hip” blends [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/isabel-rose-salutes-the-1960s/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:52:34 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2636 I love seeing modern music videos that carry a retro twist. The artists always seem to have so much fun and introducing new audiences to retro fashion and culture is never a bad thing.Those of us interested in dressing up in retro fashions might find it too expensive or too difficult to locate the items [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lalo-schifrin/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lalo-schifrin/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:10:38 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2623 Lalo Schifrin is by far one of the most talented and sophisticated musical artists of our time. Not only is Schifrin well known for composing the theme to “Mission Impossible,” he is also a pianist, conductor and performer of jazz, bossa nova, and classical music. Schifrin began his musical journey in Argentina, his native country, [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/lalo-schifrin/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:54:52 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2565 Need a compilation of some catchy tunes? Well, you’ve come to the right diner! I was hungry for more lounge music and found “Music for TV Dinners: The Sixties.” For those that don’t know many lounge artists, this is a great compilation with a tasty mix of library music. The album includes artists such as [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/feed/ 2 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/awesome-alan/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/awesome-alan/#comments Fri, 28 May 2010 05:41:34 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2492 Alan Hawkshaw has been known for composing music for many movies and television shows in the 1960s and ’70s. Listening to an organ sometimes gives people the feeling they’re in a funeral or church – not when you listen to Hawkshaw! Hawkshaw’s Mo’Hawk album has the right grooves that offers a spectacular mix of organ, [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/awesome-alan/feed/ 7 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/swingin-basie-beats/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/swingin-basie-beats/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 05:14:01 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2443 Count Basie had been performing different jazz styles from the early 30’s to the late 70’s. There were many performances that included vocalists during the early 60’s to gain more attraction. But it was in the late 60’s when Basie returned to a more standard jazz format. After 30 years, he created two great recording [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/swingin-basie-beats/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-man-from-organ/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-man-from-organ/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 05:12:27 +0000 James Vaughan http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2438 Originally developed in the 1930′s as a cheap alternative for small churches that could not afford a pipe organ, the electric organ became a fixture in millions of suburban homes during the 1950′s and 60′s. Along the way this all purpose instrument produced the melancholy soundtrack for countless soap operas, kept the beat at roller [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/the-man-from-organ/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/nicola-conte-presents-viagem/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/nicola-conte-presents-viagem/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:07:06 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2100 During the late 50′s, a new jazz style and genre evolved from Brazil. Bossa Nova became a mixture of cool jazz and samba, which was particular to Brazilian culture, dance and music. Musical artists such as Antonio Carlo Jobim and Joan Gilberto were known for creating this new style. The 60′s became a catapult for [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/nicola-conte-presents-viagem/feed/ 4 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/haunting-halloween-mood-sounds-with-doctor-druid/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/haunting-halloween-mood-sounds-with-doctor-druid/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:03:44 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1499 Halloween is just a few days away and to kick things off in a ghoulish way, this old piece of 1973 wax will most likely do the trick (…or treat). This record is sure to scare and entertain everyone in the family, especially if used with one speaker hidden in the ceiling for the proper [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/haunting-halloween-mood-sounds-with-doctor-druid/feed/ 0