You're probably looking at this and thinking ... Hmmm ... Is this something I really want to hear?
Don't be put off by the geeky looking cover or the wimpy title. Inside is a wonderful LP of down-to-earth organ and sax R&B grooves courtesy of Merlin and His Trio, whoever they might have been. I believe this came out in 1959 or 1960 and was probably recorded several years earlier.
Think Wild Bill Davis or Bill Doggett and you'll have a pretty good idea of what you'll hear. To whet your appetite check out the sample track.
Bluer Than Blue
The Swinging Hi-Fi Organ was issued on the bargain basement Bravo! label, put out by Pickwick Sales, a company that was originally headquartered in Freeport, Long Island, N.Y. Many of the Bravo releases -- there were about 60 of them -- were reissued several years later on Grand Prix, another Pickwick imprint, with the same catalogue numbers and identical front covers. Some of these albums, on both labels, were in mono only.
The Swinging Hi-Fi Organ still turns up in thrift stores, so grab it if you see it. However, there are several other LPs sporting the Merlin name that, unless you're a fan of roller-rink style organ music, you can safely ignore.
What a shame it was on Pickwick/Bravo [K 126] LP 1960 yes indeed that was a label that did not give artists credits with there bargain discounted LP's this being apart of The Grand Prix Series by Pickwick International Inc. Long Island City NY but plenty of soul jazz combo heart on "Bluer Than Blue" thanks ☮ldhíppíèЯíck
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteI just picked this up album up at the Salvation Army for .49 cents - along with some Ferrante & Teicher, and the soundtrack to A Man And A Woman. The Swinging Organ sounds like a good buy. I have a small, but growing record collection - but no record player yet. So thank you for this sample... I wish I had known about Guitars & All That Jazz when they were on the air. I would have been all over it.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could help lead you to some great music. If you click on the Guitars & All That Jazz Music Stream link on the right hand side of any page on this blog you will hear a five-hour playlist of the same music that played on Guitars & All That Jazz radio. The selections change regularly. Enjoy.
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