VA - Technicolor Paradise: Rhum Rhapsodies And Other Exotic Delights (2018)

It was a musical cocktail born in a marketing meeting: Two parts easy listening, one part jazz, a healthy dollop of conga drums, a sprinkling of bird calls, and a pinch of textless choir. Serve garnished with an alluring female on the album jacket for best results. Exotica! The soundtrack for a mythical air conditioned Eden, packaged for mid-century, tiki torch-wielding armchair safariers. Be it mosquito-bitten torch singers, landlocked surf quartets, fad-chasing jazz combos, mad genius band leaders, D-list actors, or a middle aged loner programming bird calls into a Hammond, Exotica was always more concerned with what geography might sound like over who was conducting. Captured across three albums are 48 (54 on the CD) curious examples of the short-lived genre's reach, each summoning their own sonic visions of Shangri La, bringing their versions of the Pacific, Africa, and the Orient to the hinterlands of America. Technicolour Paradise is where one makes it, after all.

Track List:

1. Chuck “Big Guitar” Ernest with – Blue Oasis
2. The Sound Breakers – Marooned
3. The Wailers – Driftwood
4. Lenny & the Thundertones – The Moon of Manakoora
5. Biscaynes with Co-Encidentals – Midnight in Montevideo
6. Red Harrison & His Zodiacs – Chant of the Jungle
7. The Palatons – Jungle Guitar
8. Chayns – Live with the Moon
9. Bailey’s Nervous Kats feat. Ja – Cobra
10. The Blazers – Sound of Mecca
11. The Crew – The Jaguar Hunt
12. The Gems – Slave Girl
13. Jerry & the Catalinas – The Arabian Knight
14. The Jaguars – Night Walker
15. The Voodoos – The Voodoo Walk
16. The Shelltones – Blue Castaway
17. The Blue Bells – Atlantis
18. Bill & Jean Bradway – Paradise Isle
19. The Melody Mates – Enchantment
20. Don Reed feat. the Voice of Lo – Nature Boy
21. The Baton of Andre Brummer – Tumba
22. Darla Hood – Silent Island
23. Martha Raye with Phil Moore Or – Lotus Land
24. Baha’i Victory Chorus – Nightengale of Paradise
25. Carmen – Isle of Love
26. The Monzas – Forever Walks a Drifter
27. Akim – Voodoo Drums
28. Fred Darian with Bill Loose Or – Magic Voodoo Moon
29. Don Sargent & his Buddies – Voodoo Kiss
30. Joan Joyce Trio – Captured
31. Pony Sherrell – Tobago
32. Darla Hood – My Quiet Village
33. Jerry Warren & the Valids – Enchantress
34. The Centuries – Polynesian Paradise
35. The Potted Palm – My House of Grass
36. The Castiles – Enchantment
37. Five Glow Tones – Quiet Village
38. Modesto Duran & Orchestra – Silent Island
39. Ross Anderson Chorus & Orchest – Tam-bu Theme
40. Bobby Christian – Caravan
41. Bruce Norman Quintet – Arabian Rhythm
42. The Slaves – Hari’s Harem
43. Arnie Derksen & Chise – Similou
44. Three Bars feat. Nicky Roberts – Caribbean Cruise
45. Robert Drasnin – Chant of the Moon
46. Blue Jeans – Moon Mist
47. Artie Barsamian – The Enchanting Melody
48. Eddie Kochak & Hakki Obidia – Jazz in Port Said
49. Gene Sikora & the Irrationals – Tanganyika
50. Bobby Paris – Dark Continent
51. Walter Bolen – Lion Hunt
52. Jimmy McGriff – Jungle Cat
53. Chico Jose – Locura (Madness)
54. Clyde Derby – Lost Island