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Where did our sense of dressing well go

As promised here is my first of (hopefully) many more vinyl shares. First up is a real classic by Les Baxter. Found it on a auction site here in Sweden for about $6 – what a bargain! Although this isn’t a exotica record per se, it is still very recognizable if you have heard Les Baxter’s work before. Most of the songs on it are loungy and soft – perfect for a rainy night in front of the fire place.

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This Les Baxter piece was released circa 1966-1967 around the same time as the press book for the movie “The Sand Pebbles” was published. Although it isn’t a official song from the soundtrack (which Jerry Goldsmith produced), it was released as a promo 45 RPM vinyl by Crescendo (GNP Crescendo 382) with Balan Samba (Bandeira) from Brazil Now (GNP Crescendo 2036) on the back side, and it seams to me that it is a quite rare record to come over. Les version of the love theme from the movie is a beautifully orchestrated piece with playful flutes, a semi-latin beat and of course Baxter’s excellent chorus. Originally released in mono, I decided to clean up the song and remaster it in stereo for your enjoyment.

Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more

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