BUILDING A BETTER WAY - CHEVROLET LIBRARY MUSIC

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Track 1 - Opening
Track 2 - Designing
Track 3 - Corvette
Track 4 - Cameo
Track 5 - Vega
Track 6 - Proving
Track 7 - Monte Carlo
Track 8 - Nova
Track 9 - Chevelle
Track 10 - Building
Track 11 - Trucks
Track 12 - Caprice
Track 13 - Impala
Track 14 - Selling It's A Better Way

Being New Year's Eve and my 365th post for 2011 I thought I would pull something out of the top draw. I found this wonderful record at the non-library music blog Franklin Mint late last year and have been sitting on it ever since in the knowledge that many of you would be blown away. To be honest I don't think the guy who runs FM quite realised just how desirable this music would be to library fanatics like us ( he could probably sell it for, well, a mint ).

The album is a collection of music that featured in the promotional film "Building A Better Way" which was used to launch the 1974 Chevy product line. Having long since fallen in love with "Ford Taunus" by Christian Bruhn ( see "Popshopping Vol.1" ) I was well aware of just how funky auto related library music could get and these 14 tracks do not disappoint. Having said that, there is a heavy dose of orchestral easy listening and even a few electronic touches here and there but when things get funky they get SERIOUSLY funky! "Designing" and "Building" are mind boggling in their cinematic lushness with wah wah and blasting horns that rival anything that blaxploitation has thrown up. "Corvette" is a more straight ahead 60 seconds of blissful, pure funk while "Proving" evokes images of a high performance Chevy blasting around the race track.

On the easy side of things, "Impala" sounds like an off cut from "The Sound Gallery Vol.2", "Vega" and "Nova" both have irresistible pop charms and "Caprice" speaks for itself. The collection is wrapped up with a wonderfully corny vocal number espousing the qualities of Chevrolet. I have no idea who composed this music but they certainly knew what they were doing, every note is purposeful and self assured.

As you can tell, I absolutely love this record and I have no doubt you will too. It's been a fun and funky year, play safe tonight and I hope to see you all on the other side. Cheers!

MIDAS TOUCH - EARTH SHAKER

http://www.mediafire.com/?u0w5yvqhkqm

Track 1 - Earth Shaker

Track 2 - Country Matters

Track 3 - Aqua Perambulator

Track 4 - Black Bison

Track 5 - Intimations

Track 6 - Path Of Love

Track 7 - Blazing Banjoes

Track 8 - Full Time

Track 9 - Blabber Mouth

Track 10 - Osprey

Track 11 - Brandy Snap

Track 12 - Melancholy Madness

Track 13 - Crazy Paving

Track 14 - Hard Rider

Track 15 - Sexibition

Track 16 - Half Time

Sometimes it's good to be reminded that library music records were never produced with the intention of being heard from start to finish. Take for example "Earth Shaker" which jerks wildly from track to track between funk, easy listening, quirky electronics, pop and a whole lot more. It certainly presents a challenging journey for the listener but there are plenty of rewards along the way. I tend to gravitate more towards the harder / funky side of things so "Black Bison", "Earth Shaker", "Aqua Perambulator" and the wickedly fun "Sexibition" ( go the cowbell! ) all rate highly with me. "Intimations" is also quite an interesting track and some of you might recognise it from "Nuggets: Luke Vibert's Selection".  Due to the wide range of styles on offer this album almost serves as a library compilation and I'm sure you will find music of interest somewhere within its 16 tracks.

JAMES SAUNDERS - TELETEXT

http://uploading.com/files/6m369558/Teletext.rar/

Track 1 - Spectra
Track 2 - Teletext
Track 3 - Pathfinder
Track 4 - Over The Top
Track 5 - G-Force
Track 6 - Star Curve
Track 7 - Factors
Track 8 - Axial
Track 9 - Challenger
Track 10 - Terminator
Track 11 - Metropolis
Track 12 - Aerospace
Track 13 - Mission Controller
Track 14 - Modulation
Track 15 - Microchip
Track 16 - Switch
Track 17 - Decoder

There's some very satisfying electronic moods and grooves on this 1981 release from the Rouge library. Sure, there are a few instances when things get a little cheesy ( it was the early 80's after all ) but for the most part the listener is treated to pop-tastic melodies and foot tapping drum beats. I particularly like the slightly more serious compositions such as "Factors", "Spectra" and the rather funky "Axial". It's not hard to picture this music as the soundtrack to a really cool retro computer game ( "Modulation" being the most glaring example ). While James Saunders' work here doesn't quite reach the same heights as Perraudin, Gonet or Fevre it still contains plenty of enjoyable elements that make this record a rewarding listening experience. Credit goes to Bazounga for the original upload.

MANU DIBANGO - AFRICAN VOODOO

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Track 1 - Groovy Flute

Track 2 - Soul Saxes Meeting

Track 3 - African Pop Session

Track 4 - Walking To Waza

Track 5 - Out Of Score

Track 6 - Ba-Kuba

Track 7 - Zoom 2000

Track 8 - Aphrodite Shake

Track 9 - Wilderness

Track 10 - Jungle Riders

Track 11 - Iron Wood
Track 12 - Coconut

A Cameroonian music legend, Manu Dibango turned out this sensationally good library record in 1972 through the French label PSI. It takes all the best bits from afro-beat and funk then compresses them into 3 to 4 minute nuggets that are perfect for use in television or advertising. These days however it has more appeal to groove merchants, DJ's and lovers of fine music like you or me. It's always nice when a composer performs on an album and here you will find some top notch sax and vibes from Dibango with "Iron Wood", "Soul Saxes Meeting" and "Coconut" being fine examples of his talents. The level of funkiness on these tracks is just off the charts and that is one of the reasons why original copies of "African Voodoo" sell for hundreds of dollars. This is required listening.

I should also mention that there is a compilation of Manu's library work called "African Woodoo" which features a few of the above tracks. I haven't given it a listen yet but I'm sure it's great. You can check it out here - http://www.mediafire.com/?kjmphi84h3dipua.

MONTPARNASSE 2000 CLASSICS - VARIOUS ARTISTS

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZWYH8VD0

Track 1 - Call Me Africadelic / Gerard Levecque & Claude Romat

Track 2 - Catalepsy / Eric Framond

Track 3 - Ghetto / Eric Framond

Track 4 - Murder In Chicago / Cecil Wary

Track 5 - Love Call / J.J Robert & J.M Guise

Track 6 - Vision Pop / J.J Robert & J.M Guise

Track 7 - Grand Roque / Maurice Vander

Track 8 - Danger / Rene Costy

Track 9 - Don't Be Cool / Jacky Giordano

Track 10 - Ok Richard / Sylvano Santorio

Track 11 - Violence / Caiage

Track 12 - SOS 17 / Guy Pederson

Track 13 - Turn In Around / Willy Albimoor

Track 14 - Xenos Cosmos / Janko Nilovic

Janko Nilovic wasn't the only one turning out funky grooves on the Montparnasse 2000 label as evident on this killer compilation. Most of the music falls under the label of jazz but it's all kept pretty tight with only a couple of tracks missing the mark. The absolute standout in my opinion is "Ghetto" which is a thoroughly compelling slab of afro funk goodness. Meanwhile Jacky Giordano and Rene Costy infuse some nice crime jazz into the proceedings which is more than welcome. "Ok Richard" has been comped before on "La Guepe Vol.2" but the majority of the other tracks are unfamiliar to me. Montparnasse is a library that I only have a passing knowledge about and this compilation certainly puts into perspective how good the composers were who graced their releases.

ACHTUNG! GERMAN GROOVES - VARIOUS ARTISTS

http://www.mediafire.com/?5h49ifq7u70sn02

 

Track 1 - Mabusso / Ambros Seelos

Track 2 - Guitar Shower / Don Kelly Band

Track 3 - UFO-Invasion / Gerhard Narholz

Track 4 - U Humbah / James Last

Track 5 - On The Way To Philadelphia / Kai Warner & His Orchestra

Track 6 - Hackepeter / Theo Schumann Combo

Track 7 - Mamy Blue / Henry Arland

Track 8 - Chariots Of The Gods / Peter Thomas Sound Orchester

Track 9 - Orbiter / Heinz Kiessling

Track 10 - Easter Afternoon / Ady Zehnpfennig

Track 11 - Soul Breeze / Max Greger & His Orchestra

Track 12 - Es Steht Ein Haus In New Orleans / Orchseter Gunther Gollasch

Track 13 - Hard Work / Pete Jacques

Track 14 - One For You, One For Me / Hans Ehrlinger And His Orchestra

Track 15 - Catch Up / Catch Up

Track 16 - The House That Jack Built / Helmut Zacharias

Track 17 - Mocoto / Roberto Delgado

Track 18 - BL Special / Berry Lipman

Track 19 - Sport Extra / Hans Haider

Track 20 - Tigerauge / Walter Kubiczek

German-grade rare groove is a unique creature. Sure there are elements of funk, jazz and go-go but many of the tracks found on this compilation have a really strong psychedelic flavour that makes them stand out. It's true that some French artists were on a similar trajectory during the same period but there is a certain manic sleaziness that pervades the likes of "Orbiter", "Mabusso", "Hackepeter" etc. that stamps this music as distinctly German. Outside of Berry Lipman, Pete Thomas and Gerhard Narholz I've never heard of any of these artists before which makes this collection all the more exciting. Clearly it is the tip of a very funky iceberg!

THE MUSIC LIBRARY BONUS DISC - VARIOUS ARTISTS

https://rs310tl5.rapidshare.com/#!download|310l34|45606848|The_Music_Library.zip|77256|R~5CDFEDAA113A000F08D2C237DEF1B497|0|0

Track 1 - Broad Highway / Basil Kirchin

Track 2 - Sun-Kissed Chicks / Jean-Jacques Debout

Track 3 - Spring Leitmotiv / Herve Roy

Track 4 - Flutes Ad Libitum / Raymond Guiot & Guy Pedersen

Track 5 - Delia's Psychadelian Waltz / Li de la Russe (Delia Derbyshire)

Track 6 - The Loner / Nick Harrison

Track 7 - Zapata / Luis Conti

Track 8 - Pop Bazaar / Jean-Jacques Debout

Track 9 - Suspense No.1 / P.A. Dahan & M. Camison

Track 10 - Wild Trumpets / Pierre Dutour

Track 11 - Kermesse Non Heroique / Guy Pedersen

Track 12 - Chantelle's Party / Yanko Nilovic

Track 13 - Bass In Love / Guy Pederson

Track 14 - Piano + Piano / P.A. Dahan & M. Camison

Track 15 - Super Carrousel /  P.A. Dahan & M. Camison

Track 16 - Synthetic Neutron / Sauveur Mallia

Track 17 - First Step (b) / Basil Kirchin & Roy Neave 

Several years ago Jonny Trunk put out an excellent book of library music cover art which also came with a very tasty compilation of rare library tracks. Long time Funky Frolicker Tex sent me a message that he'd bought the book but it arrived minus the bonus CD. They must have sold out or something. Whatever the reason, I just happen to have a digital copy of the collection so here it is for your listening pleasure...

Those of you familiar with Trunk's taste will know what to expect, it's a diverse set of music in the same mould as "The Super Sounds Of Bosworth". One track in particular that should be highlighted is the hypnotic afro / jazz rhythms of "Kermesse Non Heroique" by Guy Pedersen which clocks in at a truly epic 13 mins. 18 secs. Janko Nilovic also makes an appearence under the rather unimaginative alias of Yanko Nilovic along with Sauveur Mallia, Basil Kirchin, Delia Derbyshire and Pierre Dutour. With a line up like that it's no wonder this collection is a winner.

BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB PRESENTS - THE STRANGE NEW WORLD OF BERNARD FEVRE

http://rapidshare.com/files/336365128/BDDC_-_The_Strange_New_World_of_Bernard_Fevre.rar

Track 1 - Dali

Track 2 - Dangerous Mixture

Track 3 - Cosmic Rays

Track 4 - Stay On Grey

Track 5 - Polyster

Track 6 - Pendulum

Track 7 - Misererum

Track 8 - Fantasm

Track 9 - Sandobu

Track 10 - Savana Melody

Track 11 - Stress On Pluton

Track 12 - Molecule Dance

Track 13 - Co-lateral

Track 14 - Subconscient Lamentation

Certainly an apt album title if ever there was one, these 14 tracks have their origins in the 1975 release on L'Illustration Musicale "The Strange World Of Bernard Fevre". Far from a reissue though, the tracks here have been extended and reworked by the man himself which gives the already fascinating compositions a new lease on life. Here is an excerpt from a write up by The Milk Factory which I think provides an excellent summation -

"Fevre works with only a few sounds at a time, arranging them into extremely tight nuggets and applying them to playful little melodies. Following one of the principles of library music, none of these tracks go much over three minutes, their respective themes kept to recurring little patterns that seem repeated at various points throughout but never actually ever appear more than once. The music is deceptively simple and stripped down, especially on pieces like Cosmic Rays, Pendulum or Savana Melody, and while these were all featured on the original record, they ultimately remain here pretty bare. Despite this, the whole album sparkles with exquisite sonic components and rich arrangements, and while his sound pools are restricted, Fevre assembles them in such way that they take on a much bigger dimension."

This really should be considered required listening for all up and coming electronic artists. For the rest of us it provides a rare opportunity to hear 1970's library music reconfigured in a much more satisfying way than the hip hop samples and remixes that currently exist. It's only a recent release so I urge you to join me in grabbing a copy for yourself after giving this download a listen. You can also find "Pendulum" on "Luke Vibert's Further Nuggets"

I just wanted to add a little Funky Frolic news. The Stumbled Upon gadget seems to have gone missing in action so I've removed it for now and have added the option to follow my blog by email. You can do that by submitting your details below "Popular Posts This Week".

Speaking of popular posts, I woke up this morning to find that WFMU's Beware Of The Blog had given my Jimi Hendrix Christmas album post a mention and the impact was swift with Jimi now finding himself inside my Top 10 Popular Posts Of All Time. Hopefully these visitors like what they see and check out some of the other content that I have up.

I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas, thanks for all the support as always and hopefully I will check in again on New Years Eve. Cheers from Mr.Craig.

MISSUS BEASTLY - SPACE GUERILLA

 

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Track 1 - Space Guerilla

Track 2 - Guitar For Sale

Track 3 - Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Track 4 - Fuzzy, Don't Go To The Disco

Track 5 - Hoffmannstropfen

Track 6 - Cose Dola

Track 7 - For Flu

Track 8 - King Garlic

Maybe this LP should have been called "Space Gorilla" because it is an absolute monster! The title track has been sampled by at least one hip hop act that I know of and it appears in a shortened form on the "Dusty Fingers Vol.10" ( under the name "K.G Intro" ) and "Rare Funk Vol.1" compilations but here it is presented in all it's 10 min 48 sec glory. Whether you enjoy tight breakbeats ( "Hoffmannstropfen" ), chunky guitar riffs ( "Guitar For Sale" ), esoteric jazz ( "For Flu" ) or disco funk ( "Fuzzy, Don't Go To The Disco" ) you will find it all and much more on these 8 tracks. It is a wonderful melting pot of European prog rock and Blue Note-esque jazz that demands the listener's attention from start to finish.

BERNARD ESTARDY - LA FORMULE DU BARON

https://rs946l34.rapidshare.com/#!download|946dt|393315459|bernard_estardy_-_la_formule_du_baron.rar|53391|R~EA1B8E7346EF4ADC30B90FFF24D79E49|0|0

Track 1 - Monsieur Dutour

Track 2 - Cha Tatch Ka

Track 3 - Ala Mia Thra

Track 4 - Autoscopie

Track 5 - La Gigouille

Track 6 - Le Pain, Le Vin

Track 7 - La Valse Du Vepar

Track 8 - Les Lahoutes

Track 9 - Meut's Boogie

Track 10 - De Temps En Temps

Track 11 - Bave A Roi

Track 12 - Sister Charlotte Abbaye

Until I checked out this album I had pigeon holed Bernard Estardy as being mostly an electronic music composer ( see "Electronics" by Estardy and Alain Poinsot ) but this is a completely different beast! Don't let the pensive cover art fool you there are some unbelievably groovy nuggets contained within, the production values are just out of this world for a 1967 release and the whole record has a fresh sound that belies it's age. In terms of genres I guess it has a french soundtrack / jazz vibe but tracks like the circus evoking "Bave A Roi" and the slamming "Cha Tatch Ka" defy any existing labels. Some of songs also have vocals with the best probably being "Sister Charlotte Abbaye". My only criticism would be that some of the tracks fade out leaving the listener begging for more. This is definitely one to check out! Thanks to the uploader.

GODCHILD - SELF TITLED

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/11KKOCMQ/Godchild_-_Self_Titled.zip_links

Track 1 - Koun'Toupack

Track 2 - Chut Bebe Dort

Track 3 - Dans C'cas La Oui

Track 4 - Retour De Flamme

Track 5 - Ne Parlons Pas De Rien

Track 6 - Reveil Matin

Track 7 - In Ne S'est Rien Passe

Track 8 - Pas Un Brin De Vent

Track 9 - 4 Pas Et Demi

Track 10 - Ne Le Refait Jamais Plus

Track 11 - Perdigouna

Track 12 - Un Bouquet De Cerises

Track 13 - Pastagam

Track 14 - La Tete Qui Bout

I first came into contact with Godchild through the excellent "La Tete Qui Bout" which features on the "La Guepe Vol.4" compilation. Here is the original album from which that track was sourced and I am happy to report that the rest of the music is of a similarly high quality. The words "holy grail" are thrown around quite a bit in library music / rare groove circles but it's fair to say that "Godchild" qualifies for this compliment alongside other classics such as "Under Pompelmo" by Giuliano Sorgini and "Accadde A" by Arawak. Released in 1972 or 1975 depending on who you ask, it contains some thrilling breakbeats, jazzy horns and plenty of well executed electric piano along with a couple of vocal numbers. There are numerous tempo changes that keep the listener on their toes while still maintaining a consistently cool vibe throughout.

This record was re-released in 2002 by Kid Loco, or at the very least it contains three remixes by him. You can download those remixes here. Thankfully that re-release exists because otherwise you would need to shell out hundreds of dollars for an original copy ( I saw one on the internet go for $685 U.S ). Or of course you can download it here right now!

JANKO NILOVIC - POP SHOPIN

http://www.mediafire.com/?4bjoctwg2vz

Track 1 - Peter Out
Track 2 - Cross Rolls
Track 3 - The Sun Is Rising
Track 4 - Sometime Ago
Track 5 - Pogo Logo
Track 6 - Turn In Around
Track 7 - Pop Shopin
Track 8 - Today's Paper
Track 9 - Hocus Pocus
Track 10 - Leap In The Dark
Track 11 - Summer Summer

Everything that is good about Janko Nilovic is contained within this wonderful record from the Montparnasse 2000 library. You never quite know where he will take a composition and as with much of his work there is a sexual undercurrent that at times borders on porn groove. Most of the tracks are up tempo with wah wah and horns playing a major part, a prime example being the tour de force that is "Hocus Pocus". Even on a more laid back number like "Summer Summer" Janko can't help himself, launching into some slammin' funk at the 1 min 17 sec mark. The rip I have contains some pops here and there but really, who cares when you are faced with such musical perfection!?

TREVOR AND GEOFF BASTOW - DOUBLE EXPOSURE

http://www.mediafire.com/?nvetzytntbm

Track 1 - Raunchy

Track 2 - White Lightning

Track 3 - Airedale (Curry)

Track 4 - One More Time

Track 5 - Funky Monkey

Track 6 - Winds Of Change

Track 7 - Look Before You Leap

Track 8 - Over Easy

Track 9 - Spring Loaded

Track 10 - Run For Cover

Track 11 - Chopping Block

Track 12 - Broken Bossa

This album from the Programme Music library presents the Bastow brothers in a slightly different light to much of the work they did for Bruton. It's straight up jazz/funk with plenty of satisfying guitar, piano, organ and vibes on show. Despite the lack of a prominent bass sound the grooves are fairly chunky with the best tracks displaying a blaxploitation style vibe. There are highlights all over the place and any record with track titles like "Funky Monkey" and "Raunchy" is just fine with me!

SAINTS ROW EZZZY 105 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

http://www.mediafire.com/?887v6iw1zetb05c

Track 1 - Bachelor Samba / Marc Durst

Track 2 - Berg Und Tal / Gerhard Narholz

Track 3 - Bossa Cubana / Gerhard Narholz

Track 4 - Chanson Pour Toi / Alfred Jack

Track 5 - A Cielito Lindo / Carlos Periguez

Track 6 - Coconuts / Gerhard Narholz

Track 7 - Colonie Celeste / Jean-Jacques Perrey

Track 8 - Dancing On The Avenue / John Cacavas

Track 9 - Dolce Vita / Bruno Bertolli

Track 10 - Face To Face / Sammy Burdson

Track 11 - A Girl Like You / Norman Candler

Track 12 - Jarabe Tapatio / Carlos Periguez

Track 13 - Just Strolling Along / Sammy Burdson & John Fiddy

Track 14 - Kalamazoo Style / Olivier Andres & Christian Seguret

Track 15 - Love For Life / Sammy Burdson & John Fiddy

Track 16 - Marvellous Singers Remix / Marc Durst & Laurent Lombard

Track 17 - Naughty But Nice / Walt Rockman

Track 18 - Stereo Cha Cha / Umberto Pagnini

Track 19 - A Sunny Day In Heidelberg / Horst Jankowski

Track 20 - Swing Paname / Angel Debarre

Track 21 - Tchopa Twist / Nicholas Folmer

Track 22 - Tooba Boogie / Otto Sieben

Track 23 - Walkie Talkie / Gerhard Narholz

Track 24 - Whistle Happy / Colin Baldry & Tom Kane

This is a collection of music contained on EZZZY 105, a mock radio station featured in the video game Saints Row 2. There's a lot of South American and easy listening grooves with a few quirky little nuggets thrown in for good measure. The general mood is lighthearted and fun ( "Jarabe Tapatio" and "Coconuts" being prime examples ), some of my personal favourites would be the lush strings and breathless vocals on "Just Strolling Around", the big band sounds of "Bossa Cubana" and the begging-to-be-sampled "Colonie Celeste" by Jean-Jacques Perrey.

If you are looking for the funkier side of computer game soundtracks I'd probably recommend you download "Bully OST" or "GTA IF 99" but if you're even remotely interested in lounge / easy music then you should definitely give this a go. Thanks to Bret for giving me the heads up on this collection.

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS - SEASONINGS

http://www.mediafire.com/?0965dlxbxnjjvbs

Track 1 - Jamie's Letter

Track 2 - Santa & Bobby

Track 3 - Papa & Tony

Track 4 - Neighbors

Track 5 - Warm Hugs

Track 6 - Holiday Salute

Track 7 - Mistletoe

Track 8 - Runaway

Track 9 - Worried Helen

Track 10 - The Christmas Story

Track 11 - Grandma's Gift

Track 12 - The Bell Ringer

Now don't get me wrong, I haven't got anything against religion but there is something unnerving and a little creepy about these Christmas themed PSA's put out by the Seventh Day Adventists. There is some exceptional overacting on the likes of "Runaway", "Worried Helen" and "Papa & Tony" which pushes this record over the edge from quirky to kitsch. Check it out and let me know what you think!

SVEN LIBAEK AND HIS ORCHESTRA - MY THING

http://www.mediafire.com/?qawa6b9wekjha9s

Track 1 - My Thing

Track 2 - Misty Canyon

Track 3 - Sydney Revisited

Track 4 - Kangarootine

Track 5 - Groove

Track 6 - Soul Thing

Track 7 - Flight To The World

Track 8 - Winds On Falls Creek

Track 9 - Indian Pacific

Track 10 - Highway No.1

Track 11 - Expectations

Track 12 - Go, Girl, Go

After a little bit of searching I have located the Sven Libaek album that contains "Misty Canyon". Released through the Peer International Library this is slightly more laid back than "Solar Flares", most of the tracks having a guitar base with horns, vibes and/or flute layered over the top. The music is great and the Australian references in the song titles certainly add to the appeal for me ( "Indian Pacific" I presume refers to the train which travels between Sydney and Perth, a journey of 4,352 kilometres. Also, "Highway No.1" is the road that circuits the entire coastline of Australia making it the longest highway in the world. )

It's probably wrong of me to make comparisons but some of this work reminds me of the great James Clarke, the music is probably best described as easy listening but there is so much going on beneath the surface. Please note - sadly "Sydney Revisited" cuts off at 1:15, Broshing has kindly supplied a link to the full track and you can access it by clicking on "Comments" below. Thanks to the original uploader.

SVEN LIBAEK - SOLAR FLARES

http://www.mediafire.com/?vzmgmnzmmoj

Track 1 - Solar Flares

Track 2 - Stella Maris

Track 3 - Lift Off

Track 4 - Destination Omega 3

Track 5 - Conversations With Hal

Track 6 - No Flowers On Venus

Track 7 - Quasars

Track 8 - Meteoric Rain

Track 9 - Space Walk

Track 10 - Infinite Journey

Track 11 - In Nebular Orbit
Track 12 - ...And Beyond

Being an Aussie I couldn't resist posting this rare and wonderful example of 1970's Australian library music. The unique sounds heard on this recording can be attributed in part to the Qasar II synthesizer which was invented by Sydney resident Tony Furse. However, at its heart this is a jazz / funk album and a very good one at that. I suspect that the High Llamas have heard of Sven because "Stella Maris" is incredibly similar to the style of music they play.

While writing this post I thought to myself "Haven't I heard of that name before?" and sure enough Sven is responsible for one of my favourite library music tracks of all time - "Misty Canyon" so I will have to hunt around and see if I can find some more albums by him. The only criticism I would give to "Solar Flares" is that without the track titles you wouldn't have a clue this was space themed. So, in that respect it fails but purely as a listening experience it's an epic piece of funkiness!

Credit goes to the I Flips Me Lid blog for the photo and background info.

PAC-MAN - THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JENKLET3

Track 1 - The Magic Christmas

Track 2 - Snowflakes And Frozen Lakes

Track 3 - Under The Tree

Track 4 - Deck The Halls

Track 5 - An Old Fashioned Christmas

Track 6 - Somedays Are More Important

Track 7 - Friends Again

Track 8 - We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Here's another 1980's pop culture cash-in from Kid Stuff Records. The basic plot involves Pac-Man and Miss Pac-Man inviting a bunch of ghosts to spend Christmas with them. Interwoven between this "story" are a couple of well know Christmas jingles and some truly awful original songs. This album is utterly horrific but if I was eight years old again then I might have enjoyed it...maybe.

JEAN-JACQUES PERREY - MUSIQUE ELECTRONIQUE DU COSMOS

http://www.mediafire.com/?jmy4mjv2szf

Track 1 - The Alien Planet

Track 2 - In First Orbit

Track 3 - Music Of The Planets

Track 4 - Space Light

Track 5 - Intercelestial Tabulator

Track 6 - Mars Reflector

Track 7 - Aqua Density

Track 8 - Caverns In Deep Sea

Track 9 - Cybernauts

Track 10 - Saturnian Bird

Track 11 - Andromeda Calling

Track 12 - The Saturn Ambassador

Track 13 - Spatial Blues

Track 14 - Barnyard In Orbit

Track 15 - Chicken On The Rocks

What starts off as a fairly standard collection of space soundscapes ( if there is such a thing ) gets progressively weirder and weirder with "Saturnian Bird" and "Barnyard In Orbit" in particular raising eyebrows. Being a Jean-Jacques record there is plenty of electronic experimentation underpinning all the quirkiness and the tracks are kept nice and tight with the longest one clocking in at 2 mins 22 secs. While there isn't anything especially groundbreaking on this 1962 release, I'm sure it will please the fans along with anyone who enjoys a bit of space themed music.

CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS VOL.1 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

http://www.filesonic.com/file/3610637564/Ultra

Track 1 -  Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer Mambo / Billy May

Track 2 - Winter Wonderland / Peggy Lee

Track 3 - Christmas Trumpets, We Wish You A Merry Christmas / Ray Anthony

Track 4 - Christmas Is / Lou Rawls

Track 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, White Christmas / Jimmy McGriff

Track 6 - I'd Like You For Christmas / Julie London

Track 7 - Holiday On Skis / Al Caiola

Track 8 - (Everybody's Waiting For) The Man With The Bag / Kay Starr

Track 9 - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Rock / Hollyridge Strings

Track 10 - I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm / Dean Martin

Track 11 - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Jingle Bells Bossa / Eddie Dunstedter

Track 12 - Christmas Kisses / Ray Anthony & His Bookends

Track 13 - I'll Be Home For Christmas, It's Cold Outside / Jackie Gleeson & Jack

                 Marshall

Track 14 - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? / Nancy Wilson

Track 15 - Cha-Cha All The Way / Capitol Studio Orchestra

Track 16 - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) / Nat King Cole

Track 17 - The Nutcracker Suite / Les Brown & His Band Of Renown

Track 18 - Ring Those Christmas Bells / Fred Warning & The Pennsylvanians

Track 19 - Violets For You Furs / The Continental

Track 20 - Toys For Tots / Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole & Nancy Wilson

Track 21 - Jingle Bells / Johnny Mercer

Here are 21 swinging Christmas tunes care of the Ultra Lounge series. There's plenty of big band, bossa grooves, smooth easy listening and a few obscurities. The album is cool enough ( at least as far as Xmas music goes ) to please the likes of us funky types while still appealing to any older relatives that might be visiting you this holidays. If you like what you hear then you'll want to check out volumes 2 and 3 aswell. Please note - I think Track 3 is missing from this rip.



THE BIGROUP - BIG HAMMER

https://rs746dt.rapidshare.com/#!download|746l33|4809332|BIGROUP_-_Big_Hammer__UK_1971_.rar|81091|R~0F62C82AEB97CB193FC3B0DFFB89A0BD

Track 1 - Big Hammer

Track 2 - Anna Purna

Track 3 - Devil's Stronghold

Track 4 - Rolling

Track 5 - Beat Norm

Track 6 - Heavy Lift

Track 7 - What's Coming

Track 8 - Blow Suck Blues

Track 9 - Gentle Swell

Track 10 - Bombilation

While "Big Hammer" doesn't quite hit as hard as it could have, this 1971 release from the Peer Music Library still contains some truly outstanding beats and grooves. The drums stand out as the glue that holds this record together with subtle guitar or flute accenting on the likes of  "Devil's Stronghold", "Gentle Swell", "Rolling" etc. As lovely as those tracks are I think the real highlights come in the form of the psych-rock infused "What's Coming", "Bombilation" and "Beat Norm". The breakbeats are electrifying, the organ playing out of control, the guitar licks irrepressible. It's no surprise that this record has become a favourite with library fans and beat junkies alike, so much so that it was re-released in 2005 with a limited edition of 500 copies ( some of which appear to still be available for a reasonable 25 Euros ). Check it out, you wont be disappointed!

JIMI HENDRIX - MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

http://www.mediafire.com/?2rnbor6rt6jomzo

Track 1 - The Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne

Track 2 - Three Little Bears

Track 3 - The Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne (Extended Version)

To be honest I didn't know this record existed before today but I'm glad I know about it now. Jimi puts his unique spin on some Xmas classics and while I'm not sure "Three Little Bears" has any relevance to the holidays, it's a very good track aswell. Well worth checking out and I'm sure you'll agree this single also has a cool cover.

FF014 - POLITICKING VOLUME 1

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/04RKOTFV/FF014_-_Politicking_Vol.1.zip_links


Track 1 - JFK Vintage Commercial
Track 2 - Richard Nixon's The One
Track 3 - Nixon Commercial
Track 4 - Harold Fold...Call Me
Track 5 - Jimmy Carter 4 President
Track 6 - LBJ Daisy
Track 7 - Ed Broadbent Rap
Track 8 - George Bush Snr. Revolving Door
Track 9 - Ronald Reagan It's Morning In America Again
Track 10 - Ronald Reagan The Bear
Track 11 - Willie Horton Attack Ad
Track 12 - Perot Campaign Commercial
Track 13 - George W. Bush Commercial
Track 14 - Hillary Clinton 3 a.m
Track 15 - Barack Obama What If?

This compilation of campaign advertising features the good, the bad and the downright ugly side of political life in the United States. Whether these candidates are trying to glorify themselves or ruin the reputation of their competitors, it all sounds a bit silly now. Silliest of all would probably be "The Bear" by Ronald Reagan closely followed by Ed Broadbent's rap. If you would like a good giggle or just some strange ipod / mixtape filler then I think you'll enjoy this.

BRUTON BRG 11 - WAY AHEAD

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/YPFKDLJL/Bruton_BRG_11_-_Way_Ahead.zip_links

Track 1 - Scenic Route / Trevor Bastow

Track 2 - Spotlight / Trevor Bastow

Track 3 - Spotlight Link / Trevor Bastow

Track 4 - Disco Data / Trevor Bastow

Track 5 - Disco Data Link 1 / Trevor Bastow

Track 6 - Disco Data Link 2 / Trevor Bastow

Track 7 - Rundown / Trevor Bastow

Track 8 - Rundown Link 1 / Trevor Bastow

Track 9 - Rundown Link 2 / Trevor Bastow

Track 10 - Happy Heart / Trevor Bastow

Track 11 - Happy Heart Link 1 / Trevor Bastow

Track 12 - Full Frontal Funk / Trevor Bastow

Track 13 - Full Frontal Funk Link 1 / Trevor Bastow

Track 14 - Pathway / Brian Wade

Track 15 - Pathfinder / Brian Wade

Track 16 - Way Ahead / Brian Bennett

Track 17 - The World Today / Brian Bennett

Track 18 - Let's Go / Dave Gold

Track 19 - Let's Go Link / Dave Gold

Track 20 - Let's Get Success / Dave Gold

Track 21 - Let's Get Success Link / Dave Gold

As per the request from Lord Summerisle I have tracked down a copy of this 1979 Bruton release. There are a range of genres featured on the album from jazz / funk to disco and pop. Trevor Bastow composed the first 13 tracks and the highlights include the upbeat and very danceable "Spotlight", "Happy Heart" which evokes images of cruising through the English countryside in a sportscar and the aptly named "Full Frontal Funk" with it's 70's cop show vibe. The two Brian Bennett numbers are typically assured and the record finishes with some nice pop from Dave Gold. If you are familiar with late 70's Brutons then you'll have a fair idea what to expect, it's pretty lightweight but there is plenty of fun to be had aswell. Please note - "Let's Get Success" has some technical issues. Credit goes to the Vintage Library Emporium for the original upload.

A LITTLE FUNKY FROLIC UPDATE

Recently I was approached by Clement from French website One Shot Music to do an interview regarding Funky Frolic. It was humbling to receive this request and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss blogging and my love of music. The interview was posted today and I'm really happy with how it came out. You can check it out here.

In other news I am in the process of gathering a bunch of obscure / funky Christmas albums and will start posting them in the next week or so. I'm also in the early phases of putting together an advertising / production themed mix which should be ready around New Year's.

As always I'd like to say thanks to those of you who have left kind messages, it's always nice to log in for the day and find some words of support. It makes it all worthwhile. I know there are plenty of you who visit and don't leave messages but considering the amount of pageviews and downloads I get it's clear that many of you find the blog enjoyable and continue to return, so thank you one and all.

Funky Frolic out.

ROGER ROGER & NINO NARDINI - AFRO SPOOKY RHYTHM PERCUSSION

http://www.mediafire.com/?rexwiyzevd2

Track 1 - Afro-Beat

Track 2 - Afro-Syn

Track 3 - Bossa-Rhythm

Track 4 - House Of Echoes

Track 5 - Ectoplasm

Track 6 - Poltergeist

Track 7 - Spook Train

Track 8 - Roger Rhythm 1

Track 9 - Roger Rhythm 2

Track 10 - Roger Rhythm 3

Track 11 - Power Source

Track 12 - Timp Easy

Track 13 - Drum City

Released through the Southern music library this record presents a very French interpretation of African beats and rhythms. Unsurprisingly given that Nardini and Roger Roger were involved, there is an element of electronic experimentation within some of the tracks along with a quirkiness that they both possessed in spades. "Bossa Rhythm" seems a bit out of place on this record both musically and thematically but it's a lovely song none the less. The last three tracks are credited to John Matthews and Peter Dennis, "Power Source" features some nice elements and "Timp Easy" sounds like the theme to an elephant herd on the move.

GETTING OFF! THE SEDUCTIVE SOUNDS OF 70'S ADULT CINEMA

http://www.mediafire.com/?m05mjrj4mtz

Track 1 - Move On / L.Hurdle & F.Ricotti
Track 2 - J.P Walk / Anton Scott
Track 3 - Gentle In The Night / Alan Tew
Track 4 - Power Play / Ray Davies
Track 5 - Nude Interlude No.1 / Unknown
Track 6 - Hawkwind And Fire / Alan Hawkshaw
Track 7 - Disco Fever / Brian Bennett
Track 8 - The Bends / Roger Webb & Keith Grant
Track 9 - The Heist / Alan Tew
Track 10 - Nude Interlude No.2 / Unknown
Track 11 - Carl's Cabana / Unknown
Track 12 - Fernando's Blues / Unknown
Track 13 - Nude Interlude No.3 / Unknown
Track 14 - Bang'em Hard / Unknown

While it's probably not the best representation of 1970's porn groove, this compilation does include some big names from the world of library music. Mixed in with the standard bass / drum / horn funk numbers are pieces of dialogue from some of the featured porn films. It's a very solid record but I have a particular soft spot for the slow burning "Gentle In The Night" by Alan Tew. I should have given this collection more of a chance when I first heard it because it's actually packed with quality and deserves repeated listens. Check it out for yourself and get your groove on!

KPM 1091 - VIBRAPHONE JAZZ QUARTET

http://www.mediafire.com/?aiyvg5dju2j

Track 1 - Vibes In Counterpoint

Track 2 - Vibes In Counterpoint (Short)

Track 3 - Vibes In Waltz Time

Track 4 - Vibes Abstraction

Track 5 - Vibes Invention

Track 6 - Air For Vibraphone

Track 7 - Bossa Noches

Track 8 - Detour

Track 9 - Douglas Dilemma

Track 10 - Factory Fresh

Track 11 - Light Manufacturing

Track 12 - Sales Appeal

Track 13 - Consumer Goods

Track 14 - Market Research
Track 15 - Day By Day
Track 16 - Industrial Environment

This KPM by Bill Le Sage and Tony Kinsey provides a heavy dose of vibraphone vibes over the course of it's 16 tracks. There is a mixture of moods with some of the songs displaying a 1950's advertising / shopping muzak feel while "Industrial Environment" and others are more pared back and mysterious. One of the standout tracks is "Day By Day" which also appears on the "Setting The Scene: From The Vaults Of KPM" compilation. If you are searching for a cool album for your next swinging cocktail party or maybe just something different to put on over Christmas then this should suit the bill. Many thanks to the Vintage Library Emporium for the link.

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE - HERITAGE EP

http://www.4shared.com/file/UykfgLFm/Hypnotic_Brass_Ensemble_-_The_.html?aff=7637829

Track 1 - Prelude

Track 2 - Moments

Track 3 - Spottie

Track 4 - Rainbows

Track 5 - Water

Here is some cool modern music for your listening enjoyment. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble hail from Chicago and comprise 8 brothers ( yes that's right, 8! ). They play a restained but incedibly groovy style of funk which has seen them perform on the same bill as artists like Blur, De La Soul and Mos Def. This EP is just one example of how funk music continues to flourish in the 21st century and I would encourage you to seek out and buy their past releases along with the most recent EP - "Bulletproof Brass".