Baxter,Les Collection 1943-62 CD

This is the latest in Acrobat's series featuring the great arranger/conductor/composers of the 'golden era' of popular music during the 1940s and '50s, which so far encompassed the likes of Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Hugo Winterhalter, Ray Conniff and others. Les Baxter began his career arranging for swing orchestras in the early '40s, but made his name both as an arranger/conductor accompanying some the noted vocalists of the day, primarily during his time with Capitol Records, and achieved high-profile chart success in his own name with easy listening orchestral and choral chart entries, scoring No. 1 hits with "Unchained Melody" and "The Poor People Of Paris", and a No. 2 with "April In Portugal", plus around a dozen others. With the dawn of the LP era in the '50s he became famous for pioneering the recording of the style of easy listening orchestral music known as exotica. This great value 107-track 4CD set, which, like our other arranger/conductor collections, has been researched, compiled and annotated by former national newspaper showbiz journalist and photographer Geoff Wilding, traces his career during these two key decades, with examples of his work in all these sectors during that time. It features recordings by some of the noted artists with whom he worked, including Nat King Cole, Margaret Whiting, Freddie Slack, Bing Crosby, Al Martino, Yma Sumac, Jimmy Wakely, Ella Mae Morse and others. It's a fascinating profile of Baxter's multi-faceted talents and career

1. Small Batch O' Nod - Freddie Slack ; His Orch 2. Furlough Fling - Freddie Slack ; His Orch 3. Ain't That Just Like a Man - Margaret Whiting with Freddie Slack ; His Orch 4. The Gee Chee Love Song - Freddie Slack ; His Orch 5. Cuban Sugar Mill - Freddie Slack ; His Orch 6. Bashful Baby Blues - Freddie Slack ; His Orch 7. Am I Blue - Eugenie Baird with the Mel 8. Day By Day - Bing Crosby with the Mel 9. I Got the Sun in the Morning - the Mel 10. Try a Little Tenderness - the Mel 11. What Is This Thing Called Love - the Mel 12. Don't You Believe It Dear - the Mel 13. Lunar Rhapsody - Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman with Les Baxter ; His Orch 14. Possession - Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman with Les Baxter ; His Orch 15. Dance of the Winds - Yma Sumac with Les Baxter ; His Orch 16. Virgin of the Sun God - Yma Sumac with Les Baxter ; His Orch 17. Lure of the Unknown Lvoe - Yma Sumac with Les Baxter ; His Orch 18. Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole with Les Baxter ; His Orch 19. The Greatest Inventor of Them All - Nat King Cole with Les Baxter ; His Orch 20. My Heart Cries for You - Jimmy Wakely with Les Baxter ; His Orch 21. Music By the Angels - Jimmy Wakely with Les Baxter ; His Orch 22. Zing Zing - Les Baxter ; His Orch. ; Chorus 23. The Roving Kind - Les Baxter ; His Orch. ; Chorus 24. Beautiful Brown Eyes - Jimmy Wakely with Les Baxter's Orch. ; Chorus 25. At the Close of a Long Long Day - Jimmy Wakely with Les Baxter's Orch. ; Chorus 26. Too Young - Nat King Cole, with Les Baxter ; His Orch 27. Because of You - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 28. Unless - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 29. Quiet Village - Les Baxter ; His Orch 30. Quiet Village - Martin Denny ; His Orch.. Featuring Arthur Lyman (Vibraphone) 31. A Weaver of Dreams - Nat King Cole with Les Baxter ; His Orch 32. The Story of My Wife - Nat King Cole with Les Baxter ; His Orch 33. Shrimp Boats Are a Comin', (There's Dancin' Tonight) - Dick Beavers with Les Baxter, His Orch. ; Chorus 34. As Long As the River Flows on - Tex Ritter with Les Baxter ; His Orch 35. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again - Tex Ritter with Les Baxter ; His Orch 36. Blue Tango - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 37. I'm Yours - Dick Beavers with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 38. Kiss of Fire Dick - Beavers with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 39. Lonely Wine - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 40. Auf Wiedersehn Sweetheart - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 41. Indian Summer - Sue Allen with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 42. Suddenly - Bill Kennedy with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 43. April in Portugal - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 44. Romantic Rio - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 45. When You're Mine - Al Martino with Orch. Conducted By Les Baxter 46. All I Want Is a Chance - Al Martino with Orch. Conducted By Les Baxter 47. Ruby - Les Baxter ; His Orch 48. I Love Paris - Les Baxter with His Chorus ; Orch 49. Gigi - Les Baxter with His Chorus ; Orch 50. Tropicana - Les Baxter with His Chorus ; Orch 51. Julie - Les Baxter with His Chorus ; Orch 52. Elaine (Gitane) - Les Baxter with His Chorus ; Orch 53. Cornflakes - Les Baxter ; His Orch 54. Lust Bas - Sheva with Les Baxter ; His Orch 55. If You Were Mine - Les Baxter ; His Orch. ; Chorus 56. Atlantis - Les Baxter ; His Orch 57. Wake the Town and Tell the People - Les Baxter with His Orch. Featuring the Notables 58. Midnight on the Cliffs - Leonard Pennario (Piano) with Les Baxter ; His Orch 59. Dream Rhapsody - Leonard Pennario (Piano) with Les Baxter ; His Orch 60. Venezuela - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 61. Besame Mucho - Betty Reilly with Les Baxter ; His Orch 62. Blues in the Night - Betty Reilly with Les Baxter ; His Orch 63. The High and the Mighty - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 64. When You're in Love - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 65. I Ain't Mad at You Honey Baby - the Bombers with Les Baxter and Hisorch 66. Blue Mirage - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 67. Unchained Melody - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 68. Blue Star (The Medic Theme) - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 69. If I Love Line Renaud - with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 70. I'll Never Stop Loving You - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 71. The Shrike - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 72. The Poor People of Paris (Jean's Song) - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 73. Simba - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 74. The Trouble with Harry - Les Baxter His Chorus ; Orch 75. Down in Mexico - Ella Mae Morse, with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 76. I'm Gonna Walk - Ella Mae Morse with Les Baxter ; His Orch 77. Tango of the Drums Les Baxter ; His Orch 78. Melodia Loca - Les Baxter ; His Orch 79. Sinner Man - Will Holt with Les Baxter's Orch. ; Chorus 80. The Left Arm of Buddha - Les Baxter ; His Orch 81. Taboo - Les Baxter ; His Orch 82. Deep Night - Les Baxter ; His Orch 83. The Breeze and I - Les Baxter ; His Orch 84. Nightingale - Les Baxter ; His Orch 85. Temptation - Les Baxter ; His Orch 86. Afro Deesia - Les Baxter ; His Orch 87. Brazilian Bash - Les Baxter ; His Orch 88. Bustin' the Bongoes - Les Baxter ; His Orch 89. Poppin' Panderos - Les Baxter ; His Orch 90. Gringo - Les Baxter ; His Orch 91. Tahiti (A Summer Night at Sea) - Les Baxter ; His Orch 92. Shanghai Rickshaw - Les Baxter ; His Orch 93. City of Veils - Les Baxter ; His Orch 94. Hong Kong Cable Car - Les Baxter ; His Orch 95. Tramp Steamer to Singapore - Les Baxter ; His Orch 96. Monika - Les Baxter ; His Orch 97. La Panse (Little Flower) - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 98. Love Theme from a Farewell to Arms - Les Baxter ; His Orch 99. Dance from Bonjour Tristesse - Les Baxter ; His Orch 100. Dance Everyone Dance - Salli Terri with Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 101. Picolissima Serenate - Les Baxter ; His Orch 102. Milord - Les Baxter ; His Orch 103. Voodoo Dreams - Les Baxter ; His Orch 104. Pyramid of the Sun - Les Baxter ; His Orch 105. Pepe - Les Baxter His Orch. ; Chorus 106. Theme from Manchurian Candidate - Les Baxter ; His Orch 107. Manchurian Beat - Les Baxter ; His Orch