Ray Conniff Exitos Latinos

From its title, one might reasonably expect that this Australian compilation would contain some of the Ray Conniff Singers' best-known recordings, such as "Invisible Tears" and "Somewhere, My Love." It doesn't, but it what it does contain is even more surprising. Put simply, this 14-track album consists of seven songs each from two of the Conniff Singers' albums of 1968: the first half from Honey and the second half from Turn Around Look at Me. Versions of many of the big hits of the era – "Love Is Blue," "This Guy's in Love with You," "Mrs. Robinson," etc. – are included and performed with the choral group's usual earnestness as Conniff recreates the arrangements used on the original hit recordings. But the album title is confusing, to put it mildly.

Between 1957 and 1968, Ray Conniff had 28 albums in the American Top 40. He started out at Columbia Records as their home arranger, backing artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mathis, and Johnnie Ray, with his orchestra and was eventually offered the chance to do his own record. We Wish You a Merry Christmas is packed with traditional holiday tunes that Conniff and his (25) Singers wove into a series of medleys. This album has a retro studio sound, which, upon listening, may conjure up images of Lawrence Welk singers strolling the stage, dressed in matching holiday garb. Sometimes melodramatic ("Ring Christmas Bells"), other times, bright and exuberant ("Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"), it's good, clean fun for the whole family and a solid addition to any Christmas catalog.

Christmas with Conniff is Ray Conniff's first holiday record, and it remains one of his very best efforts in that genre. His light, pretty, signature touch is perfectly suited to Christmas music, and he and his singers make such carols and holiday songs as "Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," and "Silver Bells" irresistible easy listening. Perfect background music for any holiday event.

I never imagined this would come true: A CD with a good selection of Ray Conniff's unique singles. I had all these tunes in vynil, most of them in hissy mono. Now, Collectables gives us this present, a wonderful newly remastered Stereo CD.

The Real… Ray Conniff is an exhaustive three-disc collection from Columbia Records celebrating the smooth and joyful sounds of the king of 1960s easy listening. Ray Conniff debuted as a trombonist for several prominent big bands before becoming a staff arranger at Columbia in the '50s.