Edmundo Ros, again! a Hi-Fi-esta!

I did a later Edmundo Ros a few posts ago, but there are these two wonderful Decca stereo LPs I got in this current bunch that are really nice examples of Edmundo's work and arrangements, so I'm gonna post 'em.

An interesting story with these... when I got them in the thrift store about a year ago, there was this other really hyped up collector pawing through the bins looking for London 'blue-back' LPs. London stereo LPs sold in the US in the late 50s and early 60s, and are considered to be some of the best recordings out there for their time, and are quite sought after by audiophiles. The reason they are called 'blue-backs' are that the back side of the LP jacket was not off-white, but a very light, robin's egg blue, on which was printed the usual information.

So this guy was chucking all of these Decca Stereo LPs in his 'reject' pile... not realizing that these would be the EXACT SAME LPs, only they were the ones sold in the UK! He thought that only the London ones were the primo stuff... I quickly snatched up all of his rejects (he had bought a couple of London 'blue-backs' but they were in very very ratty condition...), took them up front to pay for them, and as I was finishing with the cashier, I mentioned that these were exactly the same as the London LPs he so furiously sought out. You should have seen his face go white, then red, then green... he stomped off to his car, enraged.

My point: if it has to be 'just-so', be prepared for some disappointments, especially when you go into the stores not knowing what to look for. This guy hopefully has learned his lesson, that not all things are as USA-centric as he wised, I guess.

Anyway, I got the LPs, and here I share them with all you kind folk out there.

This one, is interesting. Edmundo kind of transposed rhythmic ideas and songs with an interesting result. There are a couple of very hot tangoes in here, and even a popular march done in a samba feel. Edmindo's club in London was still the going thing, even more so when this was recorded (ca. 1958) as opposed to the later Phase 4 that I posted a while back. Personally, I think the arrangements and performances are snappier with this one than with the later one, but I'll leave it for you to decide.

This would be, probably, a good LP to dance off the dinner that you had with the Melachrino Strings, it certainly is peppy enough!

Dance the night away to a Hi-Fi-esta!