Baja Marimba Band's Back lp

[audiofile]

I was just wondering about the Baja Marimba Band's Back lp on Bell Records. Why was it called Baja Marimba Band's Back when their last record was in 1971. Why a so called "reunion" after two years! Maybe the original band didn't record on As Time Goes By in 1971 and was back to record this 1973 release. I'm in the dark. Any ideas?

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Since the band was now on Bell Records after their long stint on A&M, the label was trying to re-launch the band into the public awareness, hence that title. To the public, the band had been "gone" for a long time (no hit albums for awhile) so, hopefully they were "back" on the charts.

Of course there's also the album cover which shows the band's back, literally.

There are also many people who feel that the BMB itself did not record the ATGY album (maybe a lot of studio pros, or maybe some of the members were featured but not all), so the "band's back" might have meant the original group getting back together. So I guess you can take just about any meaning you want for that title and they all make sense in one way or another.

 

[Dave]

Too bad, that also, The BMB were doing EZ List'ning Fare which sounded a bit like Hagood Hardy...

--Just with the way Commercial Success eluded them, in contrast to their A&M Days...



Dave

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Why a so called "reunion" after two years!

Another thought: In the early '70s, two years was an unusually long time between albums, so it looked as if they'd been off the scene for a while.

Keep in mind that in the mid 60s, artists would put out two or three albums a year! The longer gaps (18 months and more) didn't start happening until '73 and later, in general.

 

[Dave]

I really thought among MOR Artists like Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Wayne Newton, Billy Vaughn, Ray Conniff and Percy Faith that these were ones putting out one or even more than one every year, especially in the '70's...

There was a boom in Songwriting and Songs and a lot of covering versions of peoples songs in a MOR/EZ List'ning format meant a lot of albums coming out more consistently by these artists/groups...



Dave

 

[Dave]

For the record, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 left A&M for Bell, too; having more success with the label putting out Two Albums vs. BMB's One (and their Promo '45' of "Theme From DEEP THROAT")...

Punch, also had a stint at Bell after their A&M LP and two Non-LP A&M Singles, though it only amounted to a couple o' Promo '45's (though also available as a Picture Sleeve)...

Wonder also what tracks Wechter and Company recorded on this "Back" album, seeing as how it may not be featured here as any AOTW... Songwriter/Arranger credits would be nice, too; can't find ANY info on the Web...!!!



Dave

 

[Harry]

I don't own the album, but according to an eBay ad:

SIDE 1

1. Tomatoes / Small World
2. Do You Want to Dance?
3. Taco Belle
4. If
5. Pa
6. Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree

SIDE 2
1. Anytime of the Year
2. Here's That Rainy Day
3. My Love
4. Ventura
5. Just an Old Fashioned Love Song

Harry

 

[audiofile]

Pa was written for Julius's father who had passed away sometime before the 1973 release. I have read some disappointing reviews of this album. There are many slow songs in a row which may be a turn off to some, but the melodies and arrangements are well done. All the musicians played great. Except for a couple of up-beat numbers, most of the tracks have a "sad" and melancholy feel which was sort of a left turn for the group.

Still, a nice album to play every once in a while.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I remember that about it. It doesn't have that happy-go-lucky feel that marked the best BMB albums.

 

[Rudy]

I remember that about it. It doesn't have that happy-go-lucky feel that marked the best BMB albums.

To me, it sounded tired. I've owned it practically since it came out, and never really warmed to it beyond the first track. It sounds like a good marimba player with a lukewarm backing behind him--not that it suffered instrumentally, but the arrangements and the mix sort of glossed everything over, giving it a somewhat generic MOR sound.

 

[Mr Bill]

As with most A&M LPs from most A&M artists, on this Bell Records release, the first and last tracks on both sides were the best. And "It's a Small World" is the Sherman Brothers Disney ride song... A song I could easily live without ever hearing again...

(Dave -- stay focused)

--Mr Bill

 

[Dave]

..."It's a Small World" is the Sherman Brothers Disney Ride song...

--Mr Bill

--Actually "Tomatoes" is written by the '50's Jazz Artist/Composer, Neal Hefti...



Dave

 

[JMK]

"Small World" (not the Sherman Bros. "It's a...") is from "Gypsy," music by Jule Styne and lyric by Stephen Sondheim. It was a big hit for Vic Damone, IIRC. As a huge fan of Percy Faith's (did I just admit that? ), I can tell you he regularly put out 3 albums a year until the end of his career (and life). You Angelinos may be interested to know that the musical co-written by David Wechter and my friend Bruce Kimmel, "The Brain from Planet X," will on the boards there in 2008 (it played at LACC and recently at the New York Musicals Festival).

 

[Mr Bill]

Bottom line here: on The Baja Marimba Band's Back LP the first cut on side one is a two song Medley of the Sherman Brother's Disney Song and the tune "Tomatoes" (which may or may not be the Hefti one)...

--Mr Bill

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Okay, here's the list of song credits:

Side 1:

1. Tomatoes/Small World (Neal Hefti/Richard M. Sherman/Robert B. Sherman) - 2:28
2. Do You Want To Dance? (Bobby Freeman) - 2:24
3. Taco Belle (Julius Wechter) - 2:07
4. If (David Gates) - 2:15
5. Pa (Julius Wechter) - 2:23
6. Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree (Irvine Levine/L. Russell Brown) - 2:33

Side 2:

1. Anytime Of The Year (Bashana Haba'ah) (Robert Brittan/Nurit Hirsch/Ehud Manor) - 2:32
2. Here's That Rainy Day (Jimmy Van Huesen/Johnny Burke) - 2:19
3. My Love (Paul McCartney) - 2:50
4. Ventura (Julius Wechter) - 2:51
5. Just An Old Fashioned Love Song (Paul Williams) - 4:48

Produced and Arranged by Julius Wechter
String Arrangements by Bob Florence
Vocals on "Tomatoes/Small World" by Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir
Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood
Engineer: Stan Ross
Photographed at Plaza De Oro, Encino, California
Photography: Joel Brodsky
Art Direction: Beverly Weinstein


And don't forget that "Ventura" is the same song as "Rosemary", which is a bonus track on the TJB's Whipped Cream & Other Delights reissue.




Capt. Bacardi
...hoping this answers all questions about this LP online...

 

[audiofile]

No it doesn't. Who plays on it?

 

[Rudy]

No it doesn't. Who plays on it?

Short answer #1: Julius!

I have this LP also, and it has no musician credits on it unfortunately. (At least my copy doesn't.) Other than Julius, I don't have a clue. One guess I could make is that possibly Jules Greenberg might have been a "second marimba" player, as he worked with Julius in later years on his New Deal album as well as playing as part of the Baja Marimba/Wechter tribute concert a few years ago. I don't know if any of his BMB regulars from the A&M years played on it. (And in fact, the final A&M album, As Time Goes By, sounds so different from the others, I would bet most of the personnel is changed on that album as well.)

Sorry for the non-answer.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

There's no personnel listed on my copy, either, and no one's face is shown other than Julius.




Capt. Bacardi

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Back to why the BMB was back...it's true...two and even three LPs a year was the norm for most artists up until the 70s.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[Dave]

...--Hoping this answers all questions about this LP online...

Yes, it did, Capt. --Thanks!

Dave

 

[Dave]

Some "Remembered Highlights", when I sampled this Album:​

In my opinion there are usually "two styles" in which "Just An Old Fashioned Love Song" is done:

1. -- A "Big Band Version", as done by The Sandpipers, Andy Williams and the composer himself, Paul Willliams...

2. -- A "Phased Guitar-driven Rock 'N' Roll version" as done by Three Dog Night and The Lettermen...

The version you'll hear by Julius Wechter and the Baja Marimba Band is actually a banjo-driven "Ragtime version"...

"My Love" sports a guitar solo, (like the original and a few remakes, such as Wayne Newton and Percy Faith, have) though the player is uncredited...

No need to really explain much about "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" covered here; Tony Orlando & Dawn had a hit with it on Bell Records, no less... Also covered by The Ray Conniff Singers and Country Artist, Johnny Carver, as well!

Bob Florence was also the Music Arranger for a lot of Folks on Bell Records, including the 5th Dimension...



Dave

 

[Mr Bill]

Some "Remembered Highlights", when I sampled this Album:​

Whatever the heck that means...

--Mr Bill

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Bob Florence was also the Music Arranger for a lot of Folks on Bell Records, including the 5th Dimension...

Florence later went on to do some terrific big band albums under the name of the Bob Florence Limited Edition on several labels (Bosco Records and Trend Records, among others) that featured Nick Ceroli on drums.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

I had Pet Project, an "all Petula Clark covers" album, on World Pacific "credited" to Bob Florence Big Band, on which there was one "written-number", by it's leader, "Pet"...



Dave