Listen To:


Selected MP3s of guitar instrumentals, jazz, big band, and classic easy listening from the original vinyl.

Welcome to Guitars & All That Jazz

Welcome to Guitars & All That Jazz

Guitars & All That Jazz was a radio station that webcast via Live365 for 11 years, ending in June 2011. The playlist consisted of guitar instrumentals, jazz, big band, early rock 'n' roll, lounge music and classic easy listening.

I hope to share some of this music with you via this blog. Most of it will be taken from the original vinyl (LPs and 45s) , cassettes and the occasional commercially unavailable CD.

Here's hoping you'll find something to enjoy. Please note files are available only for a limited time.

I urge you to purchase the digital version of the albums featured, either on CD or via download, wherever possible.

Listen to the Music
There are now two music streams. Click the appropriate player to the right.
1. Guitars & All That Jazz: Five hours of the best in jazz, guitars and other instrumental gems. New songs are added weekly.
2. Tiki Shores: Music to sweep you away to a tropical isle, a South American dance floor or a bossa nova on the beach at Rio. About 4.5 hours of classic exotica music, Latin rhythms and bossa nova.
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Thursday, June 05, 2014

The Monte Carlo Strings - Music for Moonlight Madness


Music for Moonlight Madness (1959) by the Monte Carlo Strings is a first-rate LP of orchestral easy listening produced by Enoch Light for his Grand Award label. Light would go on to delight early stereo enthusiasts with his high quality releases for Command Records.

No musicians are credited on Music for Moonlight Madness, but the arrangements are by Lew Davies who would continue to work with Light at Command.

This record seems to attract the attention of a fair number of collectors, probably due in large part to the cover art. It's done by Tracy Sugarman (1921-2013), who illustrated hundreds of books and LP covers during his 50-year career. Most of his album cover work was done for Grand Award and its predecessor, Waldorf Music Hall, a label formed by Light and two partners in 1954. Waldorf's 10- and 12-inch albums were sold exclusively in Woolworth stores until the label ceased operation in 1959.

Among the tunes on Music for Moonlight Madness is These Foolish Things. This standard dates from 1936 when there were no less than five hit recordings of it. Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (with vocalist Helen Ward) had the most success, holding down the No. 1 spot on the charts for two weeks.

These Foolish Things



Music for Moonlight Madness was the only release credited to the Monte Carlo Strings and it has not been released on CD. A download version, which is more than likely taken from a vinyl LP, is available in the U.K. but not in North America.

Here's another sample tune.


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