Two fisted tough guy Robert Mitchum has a side you may not know. When he was sent to Trinidad for two feature films, he fell in love with the island sound and learned by listening to the likes of Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow. Returning to the States, he was convinced by friends to record this 1957 classic. Scamp takes the original "Calypso...Is Like So" and adds two bonus track ("Ballad of Thunder Road" and "My Honey's Lovin' Arms") to present a beautifully re-mastered treasure. Calypso fans may remember this album as being available as a French vinyl release years ago, but it possessed a less than stellar sound quality. Add to this a re-print of the original liner notes and new notes by Nick Tosches, and you have wonderful testament to the vocal stylings of the one and only Robert Mitchum.
Maya Angelou "Miss Calypso"
Maya Angelou is best known as a poet and writer. Less known is her early career as a calypso singer. This re-issue will change all that. With liner notes by Chuck Foster as well as a re-print of the original 1957 notes by Hal Spector, Scamp is once again proving it's attention to re-issue detail. Sultry tropical rhythms and a smooth vocal style combine to bring the Carribean into your living room. The Beat magazine said:"...as fresh as the day it was recorded and entirely captivating...a taste of what the gone cats of bygone days must have grooved to."
Jackie Gleason "And Awaaay We Go!"And Awaaay We Go!, a reissue of Jackie Gleason's "lost" vocal album together with nine added tracks highlighting the best loved music from his television years.
Released in 1954, And Awaaay We Go was originally an eight song, 10" album featuring Jackie Gleason's only vocal performances. On it he took the half dozen characters made famous on his long running variety show and captured them in humorous songs. They're all here : Ralph Kramden, Joe the Bartender, Reggie Van Gleason the Third, loudmouth Charlie Bratton, mild-mannered Fenwick Babbit, the Poor Soul, as well as two spirited audience vamp tunes Gleason sang at the top of the show and in-between sketches.
The 9 additional tracks feature seven of the most requested instrumentals in the Gleason catalog. Included is the opening music to the Jackie Gleason Show ("Melancholy Serenade"), the theme from the Honeymooners ("You're My Greatest Love") and one of the most formidable themes from the Golden Age of Television - Reggie Van Gleason the Third's entrance music ("Shangri-la").
The two non-musical tracks come from Jackie Gleason's very rare, spoken word single - a recitation in true Reggie Van Gleason style of the famous poem "Casey At The Bat", and the humorous tale "I Had But Fifty Cents."
Until now, no album has ever combined both the comic personality and the composing/arranging talents that have made Gleason one of the top
performers of our time. All together, And Awaaay We Go comprises 17 tracks, 13 of which appear for the first time on CD, plus a 12 page illustrated booklet featuring never-before published photos and liner notes by James Bacon - Gleason's biographer and close friend for over 40 years.
Melancholy Serenade (Theme from The Jackie Gleason Show) - And Away We Go! - The Poor Soul - You're A Dan-Dan-Dandy - Reggie Van Gleason III - Hy'a Mister Dennehy (Joe The Bartender) - One Of These Days...Pow! (Ralph Kramden) - Here's Charlie (Charlie Bratton) - You're A Nice Man (Fenwick Babbit) - La La La La La La La La (Sketch music) - Shangri La (Reggie Van Gleason III's entrance music) - Casey At The Bat (recitation by Reggie Van Gleason III) - I Had But Fifty Cents (recitation by Reggie Van Gleason III) - Tenderly (Theme from The Poor Soul) - Our Love Is Here To Stay (Ralph Kramden's apology to Alice music) - You're My Greatest Love (Love theme from The Honeymooners)
