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Monday, February 4, 2013

Dynamic Adventures In Sound - Mel Henke

Adventure In Steaming Tropics (Mel Henke)
Dynamic Adventures In Sound
Exploring Uncharted Patterns Of Sound
A Spectacular Musical Extravaganza
Architecturally Constructed To Induce The Maximum In Audio Sensation
Arranged And Conducted By Mel Henke
Warner Bros. BS 1447
1962

From the back cover: Recording companies are always on the lookout for new and exciting artists with exceptional creative talents. This is a perfect description of arranger-composer Mel Henke, who is being presented by Warner Bros. Records for the first time. Henke has been known to a select group of fans who have followed his work as a pianist in Chicago and Los Angeles for the past 25 years. This album will be a showcase for Henke's dynamic and humorous approach to orchestral arranging. He calls upon his background as a jazz and classical pianist who was featured in the past on many of our leading radio and television shows. The Henke style of piano was exhibited on the George Gobel TV shows, the Bing Crosby radio show, and in Europe with Garry Moore's "Take In Or Leave It" programs. In recent years, he has become the leading composer-arranger for exciting new concepts in musical TV commercials that have stormed the country.

I've got several albums in The Stereo Workshop Series. Jackets feature the same basic cover design that promises (based on period design trends) a sound more akin to progressive electronic or avant grade. However, Warner Bros. delivers straight forward light pop, more like a Command offering (which this book-fold seems to take after). The concept really, is to market Warner Bros. stereo engineering to buyers, rather than any type of real experimental sound. The engineering is good with a full rich bass low end.

Adventures With A TV Western – William Tell On The Hoof
Adventures On The Vadeville Stage – Me And My Shadow
Adventure At The Circus – Flying Trapeze
Adventure In The Alps – Little Sir Echo
Adventure On The Carnival Midway – Every Little Movement & Streets Of Cairo
Adventure On The Lake – Row, Go, Go, Your Boat
Adventure In The Back Forty – Old MacDonald Had A Girl
Adventure In The Steaming Tropics – Exotic Adventure
Adventure On The Mason-Dixion Line – South Meets North
Adventure On The Rails – Sentimental Journey
Adventure Of Two Swinging Kids – Jack And Jill Went Over The Hill
Adventure On The Highway – See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet

2 comments:

  1. I love this record! It's one of my favorites.
    You picked out the best song from here too.
    Are the other Stereo Workshop Series as good as this one? I heard Shorty Rogers made one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. It took me a moment to find the blog post of the other album Shorty Rogers LP. I didn't post a sample, because at the time, I must have found the material online somewhere for purchase/CD or download.

      As I remember, the record was formatted and marketed very much like this album.

      http://artworkbymanicmark.blogspot.com/2011/07/fourth-dimension-in-sound.html

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