Claudius Alzner - Funny Party (1969)

Über Claudius Alzner weiß ich fast nichts. Außer, dass er hervorragende Barmusik macht, ganz im Stil von Fritz Schulz-Reichel. Aus dem Jahre 1964 ist diese "Funny Party", in die Sie auch mal kurz hineinschnuppern können...

Claudius Alzner - Pretty Belinda / A Banda / If My Friends Could See Me Now!

Liberace - Rhapsody in Blue (1967)

Nun ja, das Auftreten von Wladziu Valentino Liberace, der 1919 geboren wurde, war reine Geschmackssache. Wir kennen ihn im Grunde nur mit Chinchilla-Pelz und Riesenklunkern an den Fingern. Anders als sein ebenso schriller Pop-Piano-Kollege Elton John war Liberace eher in der Klassik zu Hause. Gesungen hat er auch nicht, daran hätte sich Elton ein Beispiel nehmen können... Liberaces Mutter stammte aus Polen, sein Vater aus Italien. Gefeiert als Wunderkind, der schon mit sechs Jahren stundenlang klassische Stücke auswendig spielen konnte, entwickelte er sich in den 60ern und 70ern zu einem wahren Showtalent. Mit zwölf war er Solist beim Chicago Symphony Orchestra und spielte unter riesigem Presserummel exzellente Klavierkonzerte. Er war in der Lage, bis zu 6.000 Noten in nur zwei Minuten korrekt wiederzugeben und galt deswegen als schnellster Pianist der Welt. Der Klassik blieb er aber auch in seinen schrillen Las-Vegas-Shows verbunden. Einen seiner schönsten Auftritte hatte er in der Muppet-Show, die ich mir vor kurzem erst wieder angesehen habe. Hier können Sie nun einer Speed-Version von "El Cumbanchero" lauschen. Klassik zum Füßehochlegen ist das allerdings nicht, da habe ich demnächst noch etwas anderes für Sie...

Liberace - El Cumbanchero

Omar Lamparter - Tanz im Hilton (1972)

Professor Omar Lamparter, geboren 1917 in Stuttgart, studierte an der Musikhochschule Berlin. Er komponiert Tanz- und Unterhaltungsmusik und leitete als Saxophonist eigene Instrumentalensembles bei Rundfunk, Film und Fernsehen. Seit 1970 lehrte er an der Musikhochschule Berlin, später Hochschule der Künste, 1979 wurde er dort zum Professor ernannt. Hier kommt also nun erstmals "professionelle" Tanzmusik im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes, wenn wir bei Paris´ Papi im Hotel absteigen und uns in die Bar begeben... Allerdings werden Sie feststellen, dass Akademiker in der Theorie oft besser ausgebildet sind als in der Praxis, und dass sich in der Umsetzung der ein oder andere Holperer einschleicht. Aber hören Sie selbst, wie Professor Lamparter Gershon Kingsleys Popcorn zubereitet...

Omar Lamparter mit Popcorn, Gezwitscher und Rose

Bob Thompson - On the Rocks (1960)

Ebenfalls ein kleines Juwel habe ich hier, eines vom legendären Bob Thompson. Bereits letztes Jahr habe ich diese Platte erwerben können, und allein das Cover ist es schon wert, diese Scheibe zu besitzen. Ich habe allerdings seinem Sohn Spencer versprochen, dass ich Mr. Thompsons Musik nicht über´s Netz verbreite, aus diesem Grunde müssen Sie sich mit dem großartigen Cover zufriedengeben... Sie sehen, dass die Wünsche der Künstler bzw. deren Nachlassverwalter von mir respektiert werden. Sie können Mr. Thompsons Webauftritt übrigens hier besuchen:

Bob Thompsons Seite im Netz

Klaus Wunderlich - Barmusik (1967)

Sorry for the mess with the "Last of Old England" file, I have to re-up it. My fault... Instead of that, I´ll present you a full album again, as an easter egg. To get some more cocktail music to you, here´s an early work of our beloved Klaus. This one is a barmusic classic, and it´s titled: Barmusik. You can´t get much closer to the point. So, fill up your glasses again and again and relax with Klaus´ wonderful Hammond organ and a piano...

Helmut Zacharias - Wenn der weiße Flieder wieder blüht (1962)

Helmut Zacharias. Everybody knows this man, so I don´t have to tell you much about him, right? But I have a few words for you: Helmut Zacharias was one of the greatest violinists in the world and was also known as "Der Zaubergeiger" (The Magic Violinist). He starred as a sideshow-actor in many 60´s movies, playing his violin (in Bars and Cafés in the background etc). From this famous record I´ll bring you the title track, which is one of his most famous tunes. Since I´m not a botanist, I don´t know if this plant on the cover is known to you as "White Lilac", but let´s call it so. Spring is coming soon, and so will the white lilac blossom soon. This will attract butterflies, and me and my children love to watch them in our garden. So, if you love butterflies and lilac, here´s the right tune to enjoy them. Helmut Zacharias died in 2002, but his violins will live on...

Joe Goods - Hammond Party (1966)

I spent my weekend uploading various stuff to my filehoster to fulfill some requests. This time I present a full album again. I do this just for YOU, so I hope that you´ll appreciate that... This one goes out especially to all those Hammond-lovers, who wrote me to post more Hammond-stuff. Well, I must admit, that I don´t know anything about Joe Goods at all, except that he plays the Hammond and that he likes a lot of drinks to go with it, according to the cover. That can´t be so bad at all, and it really isn´t. So you should grab your favorite bottle and join Joe´s party...

Fritz Schulz-Reichel - Crazy Otto´s Hitparade (1970)

Here´s a nice record from Fritz Schulz-Reichel, better known as "Crazy Otto" or in German "Der schräge Otto" (mit seiner beschwipsten Drahtkommode). The Hitparade of 1970 had many beautiful titles on it, all played in his unique style on a mistuned piano. And if you always wanted to know what "El Condor Pasa" sounds like when it´s been played without those annoying Inca-flutes, here´s your chance...

Paul Kuhn - Happy Berlin (1972)

Paul Kuhn will turn 75 years old this year. He is THE musical icon of Germany´s capital Berlin, although he was born in Wiesbaden. He learned accordion, clarinet and piano and later on he became one of Germany´s leading jazz-pianists. To Schlager-fans he will always be known as the man who wrote and performed "Es gibt kein Bier auf Hawaii" (There´s no beer in Hawaii) in 1963, a sad story about a man, whose wife wants to spend their vacation in Hawaii, but he wants to stay home. His arguments are that there´s no beer and no cool place, and Hula-Hula only will not quench his thirst. Right on, Paul! Beer´s important to us Germans!

The connection to Berlin came 1968, when Paul became the leader of the SFB-Big-Band (Sender Freies Berlin). Right now he´s touring again with his famous collegues Max Greger and Hugo Strasser. I will introduce those two guys someday too. But first, here´s Paul Kuhn with his hommage to his beloved city of Berlin from the year 1972...

Das "Charly-Bar" Trio - Charly´s Piano-Cocktail (1963)

Well, here you have all the favorites from the German charts of the year 1962. Played by the "Charly-Bar Trio", I guess they were the house-combo of "Charly´s Bar", where ever that may have been. But if you´re about to sip a cocktail at Charly´s, please say Hello to the music-trio there and tell them that I really liked their record. Man, this is such a great bar-music sound! Now! Get me my favorite Whisky! I must play this record over and over again and again...

Fritz Schulz-Reichel - Man müßte Klavier spielen können (1964)

First I want to draw your attention to the post on top of my page, called "My lacking lasts". I added a link which leads you straight to my wishlist on "RateYourMusic". I would be glad, if you happen to have one or the other record and consider uploading it. Thanks, and now on with the music:

Fritz Schulz-Reichel was one of Germany´s best piano players. He was born in 1912 and played so called "bar-music", for sitting in a small bar, sipping your Martini, nibbling some peanuts and making your move on the lady next to you. He also was a great composer, most Germans will know his tunes, like "Bon Soir, Herr Kommissar", "Im Café de la Paix in Paris" or "The Man with the Banjo". But the success came with playing songs on a mistuned piano and calling himself "Der schräge Otto", to the rest of the world: "Crazy Otto".
The title of this LP means something like "you should be able to play the piano", to score with women, that is... He also had a TV-show with the same title.
This little gem is real bar-music from 1964, and now you can order a Martini or a Creole´s Cream with 1 or 2 olives, depends on your style. Fritz died in 1990, to salute him, you should order a beer for the piano man...

Paul Weston - The Sweet and the Swingin´ (1960)

Another album from 1960 is Paul Weston´s "The Sweet and the Swingin´". A great record which is very hard to find these days. But now you´re lucky, ´cause you´ve found my website, right? Here it is, some more Mood-music from the master himself...

Paul Weston - Mood For 12 (1955)

Paul Weston, born in 1912 as Paul Weststein, was one of the most diverse and talented arrangers and conductors of the '40s and '50s, moving from mainstream swing and jazz to instrumental easy listening pop in the course of his career. Though he began his career playing hard swing, Weston is considered to be the father of mood music. He worked as an arranger for Tommy Dorsey and was married to Jo Stafford. He also wrote arrangements and conduct sessions for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Shore, and Doris Day. During this time, he and Jo Stafford recorded a handful of albums as "Jonathan & Darlene Edwards". The "Jonathan & Darlene"-albums were comedy records that parodied nightclub acts. On each record Stafford sang offkey and Weston horridly played out of time and out of key. This album contains lush arrangements and is a perfect example for his so called "mood music". Paul Weston died in 1996...

James Last - Hammond à Gogo 3 (1969)

I know, that you´ve been waiting for this one. But now the waiting has ended. Here´s the third part of the cool Hammond-Sound of James Last from the year 1969. It´s an all-time favorite and not only for dancing...
And here´s the tracklist:

1. Volare * You Do Something To Me * Calcutta
2. Dance Ballerina Dance * Strawberry Cha-Cha-Cha * If I Were A Rich Man
3. Ich hätt' getanzt heut' Nacht * When You're Smiling * Isabell
4. The Impossible Dream * Autumn
5. Salome * Sweet Sue * The Way You Look Tonight
6. Tequila * Papa Loves Mambo * Oh, Lonesome Me
7. It Had To Be You * Roses From Picardy * Half As Much
8. The Wedding Samba * El Cumbanchero * La Pachanga
9. September Song * Serenata
10. Mame * 'S Wonderful * Cherokee

Have fun with this grooooovy stuff! :o)

James Last - Hammond à Gogo Vol. 2 (1966)

Allright, I´ll leave you for the weekend with a request. It´s the second part of the great James Last (born 1929 as Hans Last in Bremen, Germany) Hammond-works. So, let´s all celebrate the German National Holiday (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) on Monday, the Third of October with german music from a time when the world was still o.k.! I´ll be back on Tuesday and I hope, I can find some more gems of music for you on the weekend.
And here´s the tracklist:

1. On The Street Where You Live / I Love Paris / Bye Bye Blues
2. Patricia / Sweet And Gentle / Managua Nicaragua
3. Lights Out / Vier Worte möcht´ ich dir jetzt sagen / You Are My Sunshine
4. Bist du einsam heut´ Nacht / Candlelight-Waltz
5. Skokiaan / Stars in Your Eyes / Das Leben ist wunderbar
6. Singin' In The Rain/ Bell Bottom Trousers / Das gibt es nur in Texas
7. Estrellita / In Portugal
8. You're Driving Me Crazy
9. Sweet Georgia Brown
10. Danke schön / No Can Do
11. Samba Estrella / Baiao Cacula / The Peanut Vendor / La Bostela

Have fun! :o)

James Last - Hammond à Gogo (1965)

Jahaaa! Endlich einmal groovige Sounds aus deutschen Landen. FRÜHER! Ja, früher war der alte Rochen mal richtig gut, auch wenn er bei den "Party"-Alben dieses furchtbare synthetische Publikumsgejohle drin hatte. Hier ein besonders schönes Exemplar aus dem Jahre 1965: Hammond, Hammond, Hammond bis zum Abwinken. Also: Ab an die Hausbar, Whisky, Martini und Persico auf den Tresen und Auf Last geht´s Los! (für alle, die diesen Witz verstehen...)

Hier noch die Tracklist:

1. Hello, Dolly * Milord * C'est magnifique
2. In A Little Spanish Town * Benita * Wheels
3. Sole, Sole, Sole * Ich möcht' so gern mit dir nach Hause geh'n * Goody-Goody
4. True Love * Moon River
5. Letkiss * Norskejenka
6. America * If I Had A Hammer * Lucky Lips
7. Du, Du, Du * Blue Moon * Makin' Whoopee
8. Cavaquinho * Cumana * Sambarita
9. Melancholie * La Mamma
10. Red Roses For A Blue Lady * Bye, Bye Blackbird * Auf Wiederseh'n bei dir