Arthur Lyman

Arthur Lyman (February 2, 1932 – February 24, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. His group popularized a style of faux-Polynesian music during the 1950s and 1960s which later became known as exotica. His albums became favorite stereo-effect demonstration discs during the early days of the stereophonic LP album for their elaborate and colorful percussion, deep bass and 3-dimensional recording soundstage. Lyman was known as "the King of Lounge music.

The Exotic Sound Of The Arthur Lyman Group is a 1991 CD by Arthur Lyman. Released by DCC, it combines two of his albums on the Hi-Fi label, Taboo and Yellow Bird and was remastered by Steve Hoffman.

Vol. 3 in acclaimed instrumental series finds Duane Eddy and his guitar Moovin' 'N' Groovin' and the Phil Upchurch Combo steppin' to the dancefloor with their fantastic, double-sided single You Can't Sit Down (Parts 1 & 2) (incidentally, this has, for its time - 1961, a floor-shaking, rootsy bass-guitar solo that predicts the later stylings of bassists like Willie Weeks). Here are UK Pop chart hits Perfidia by The Ventures (#4), Wipe Out by The Surfaris (#5), (Ghost) Riders In The Sky by The Ramrods (#8), Pipeline by The Chantays (#16), Quite A Party by The Fireballs (#29) and the afore-mentioned You Can't Sit Down (#39). Lesser known items by The Teen Beats (The Slop Beat) and Buddy Lucas (I Want To Know) help present a more complete picture of these instrumental years from the late 1950s to early 1960s (but are also included because they are so damn good!). The detailed sleevenotes are by Stuart Colman.

Jamaica's national motto, 'Out Of Many One People', could well be applied to the music that shaped the island's national sound, with modern reggae the result of many different musical forms coalescing to form a wonderfully unique 'one'. Fantastic Voyage's highly popular Sound System Classics series has already celebrated the American jump blues favoured at Jamaican dances in the pre-ska era, but contrary to widespread belief, US rhythm & blues and the indigenous style of mento were not the only types of music enjoyed across the island prior to the development of Shuffle Blues and Ska. In fact, the diversity of sounds that exerted a direct influence on popular Jamaican music throughout the 20th Century is astonishing, taking in gospel, blues, jazz, vocal groups, country, pop, film music and exotica, hailing from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Southern Africa and the British Isles, as well as America.

The idea of remaking the Rat Pack's infamous shaggy-dog story cum Vegas heist thriller may have seemed ludicrous without a Rat Pack. But that didn't deter ever-inventive director Steven Soderbergh, who's again wisely teamed with not only Out of Sight star George Clooney, but that underrated project's Irish-born club mixer turned scorer David Holmes, as well. The resulting soundtrack is a spunky, cross-cultural joyride that careens from Perry Como's "Papa Loves Mambo" to the loopy hip-hop of Handsome Boy Modeling School's "The Projects," while paying some gratifying visits to Percy Faith, Arthur Lyman, Quincy Jones, the terminally cool Claude Debussy, and, of course, King Elvis along the way. Holmes's own concoctions are as smartly retro-hip and seamless, slyly intertwining cool jazz-funk and smoky cine-Muzak with some dance-floor grooves that keep the musical tension boiling. The sharp dialogue snippets that bubble throughout seem a quirky throwback to soundtracks gone by, a sometimes oversized olive in Holmes's inviting musical cocktail. –Jerry McCulley

Our mission at Complete 60s Records to collect every U.S. pop instrumental hit of the 1960s produced three spectacular box sets, but when we found it impossible to go forward past 1962, collectors demanded we turn back the clock to 1959, another great year for instrumentals. So now, on two jam-packed CDs, we have collected every charting U.S. pop hit from 1959 in sparkling fidelity, all 66 of them! Nearly a third of these (21) are CD debuts, tracks that appear on CD for the first time ever.Even more exciting, Complete Pop Instrumental Hits of 1959 sports EIGHT iconic 1959 songs in real STEREO for the first time. These aren't just minor hits, but the biggest hits of the year in spectacular new STEREO that will knock your socks off. Check out the sound samples available elsewhere (search for CD Title + Listen). You won't believe your ears!

Jazz is a divisive art-form. For those who are part of the 20th century music and popular culture.