Robert Maxwell - Shangri-La

If anyone had predicted that harpist Robert Maxwell (1921-2012) would have a Top 10 hit at the height of the British invasion most people probably would have snickered, or at least raised their eyebrows. But that's precisely what happened with Maxwell's Decca recording of Shangri-La. The tune, which the harpist composed, became an exotica standard, along with another of his compositions, Ebb Tide.

Both Shangri-La and Ebb Tide had made their debuts on Maxwell's 1956 Mercury LP, The Harp in Hi-Fi. As you can see from the LP cover his billing at the time was somewhat more informal.

At any rate Shangri-La did not become popular until some 18 years later after Jackie Gleason began using it regularly on his show.

As well as the hit single there was also a Shangri-La LP that sold very well. The album was also released under the title Bewitched. I believe the latter title came first but I'm not absolutely sure of that. In any case both had exactly the same cover art. Here's Bewitched from that album.

Bewitched



There is a limited number of Robert Maxwell recordings available for download, including Shangri-La and Ebb Tide, but since he recorded those tunes tunes several times over his career it's debatable what version(s) you'd be getting. Both have also been available on CD compilations over the years.

It's also worth noting that a Maxwell recording of Shangri-La appeared in recent years on the soundtrack of the hit TV series Mad Men.

Here's Shangri-La, the Decca hit version I believe.

As a final note -- if you own records by Mickey Mozart (Little Dipper), the Nairobi Trio (Song of the Nairobi Trio) or the Fortune Tellers, those are all pseudonyms for Robert Maxwell.

Joy to the World - Bianco

Harpist Gene Bianco (1927-2007) abandoned the fields of classical and jazz for easy listening in 1962 when he signed a contract with RCA Victor. Under the deal his records were sold exclusively by a record club formed by RCA and Reader's Digest.

He was billed as "The Rainbow Sound of Bianco" and was backed by a full orchestra for half a dozen high quality albums. The first of these was a holiday LP released for Christmas of '62. Below is a link to a sample track from Joy to the World.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Silent Night

Joy to the World appears to be the only Bianco album to appear in a digital format. Amazon is selling it as a download under the title The Rainbow Sound of Gene Bianco. Listen before buying as this may have been dubbed from vinyl.

If you own only one Gene Bianco album it probably should be Harp, Skip and Jump (1958), one of two early jazz efforts for RCA's budget Camden label. His musical partner in this swinging affair is guitarist Mundell Lowe.

American Folk Blues Festival - 1962-1965

Some of the most influential American blues musicians, including harp player Big Walter Horton, were introduced to European audiences through the American Folk Blues Festival, a 10-year series of events that began in 1962. The festival's early years were documented in a five-CD set issued by Evidence in 1995. Many of the selections had been previously issued on vinyl but there were also plenty of unreleased gems in the CD release.

The All Music Guide describes Horton (1918-1981) as "one of the most influential blues harmonica players of all time, and a particular pioneer in the field of amplified harmonica." But Horton, a shy man, was never as popular as other harp greats like Little Walter or Sonny Boy Williamson II, preferring the more anonymous life of a sideman. He played on classic Chess recordings by the likes of Muddy Waters, Johnny Shines and Otis Rush, as well as recording some sides of his own for producer Willie Dixon.

I remember seeing Horton perform with Dixon at a college in Nelson, British Columbia, in the early 1970s, a show that also included pianist Lafayette Leake and other musicians from the Chess studios. Seating was on a concrete floor, no chairs, and the opening act was a horrible white blues-rock band. The main attraction was worth the discomfort, however.

Four of the discs in the American Folk Blues Festival set are live recordings, but the fifth is a studio session. From it comes Blues Harp Shuffle by Horton.

Blues Harp Shuffle



The box set of the festival's first years is still available from various sources. Expect to pay about $60; not bad for a five-disc set. As well some tracks from festival performances are available as downloads from the usual places. And there are DVDs of many of the concerts. A Google search will give you all the information you need.

Here's a great YouTube video of Big Walter Horton playing at an American Folk Blues Festival concert in Copenhagen in 1970.