Slim Aarons Mix, Volume 3

The third installment is complete. This ongoing series of musical homages to the photography of Slim Aarons is always one of my favorites. A mix of lounge, exotica, Latin, African and jazz, among other sounds, from the mid-50s up through the mid-70s, just like much of Aarons' best work. Grab a cocktail and a seat by a pool for this one.

Tracklist: 

1. Elisabeth Waldo Group – Malaguena
2. Joseph Mattera & His Orchestra – Say Si Si

3. Los Indios Trabajaras – Maria

4. Puanani Alama – Keep Your Eyes on the Hands

5. Andiamo – Jerry Vale

6. Eloise and her Goombay Trio – Similau

7. Sarah Vaughn – East of the Sun

8. Martin Denny – Paradise Found

9. Les Baxter – The Left Arm of Buddha

10. Ken Griffin – Marea Baja

11. 101 Strings Orchestra – Tropicana

12. Boogaloo Joe Jones – The Mindbenders

13. Yvonne Baker – Eyes

14. Los Hacheros – Desastre

15. Los Indios Trabajaras – Maran Cariva

16. Miriam Makeba – Hamba Naye

17. Ely Camargo – Taieiras

18. Segun Bucknor – Smoke

19. Enoch Light – Hushabye Mountain

Download a copy of the mix  (media fire)

Go back for Volume 1 and Volume 2 as well. 

"Ruby Dime"

This new Rumtum tune is a prime example of post-Dilla lounge exotica. Space to it on your commute, or in the leisure of your own home. Denver's got a lot of musical talent bubbling right now. 

Song of India

Found this video thanks to Thrift Store DJ. Such a lovely piece of music.


One of the highlights, besides the organ playing, is about a minute in, when there's an extreme closeup on Pandit's eyes. It reminds of a line from The 40 Year Old Virgin: "I'm very discreet, but I'll haunt your dreams."

Joe Meek and the Blue Men

If you're not familiar with Joe Meek, then you should take a moment to read this well-written capsule.

He was an outsider musical innovator who made some pretty revolutionary advances in FX and recording technique while blazing trails with electronic music in the early 60s in England. He went on to score a big hit with "Telstar", which is in my wife's top 5 or 10 songs of all time, and which is how I first came to know about Meek.



The album that this track "Love Dance of the Saroos" originated from is a concept album, Joe Meek and the Blue Men's I Hear a New World - what Meek thinks music will sound like in space. It ranges from oddball to brilliant.



Its aesthetic definitely went on to inspire stuff like Luke Vibert and BJ Cole's "Fly Hawaii", which sounds like a cross between Meek, exotica, and the opening moments of Pee Wee's Playhouse.



Listen to the first 20 seconds of Pee Wee's opening credits as a point of comparison.



There's a movie about Meek screening at the Savannah Film Festival next week. It's gotten mixed rewiews.