Exotica
Exotica | |
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Stylistic origins |
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Derivative forms | Lounge music |
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"Quiet Village," by Martin Denny |
Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957
History
In 1957, Martin Denny covered Les Baxter's "Quiet Village", with exotic bird calls and a vibraphone instead of strings, which established the sound of the
The distinctive sound of exotica relies on a variety of instruments:
The music of American composer Raymond Scott is sometimes recognized as a precursor to exotica, as several of his songs were written with the intent of transporting the listener to exotic locations via novelty instruments and sound effects.
As a result of the popularity of exotica during the late 1950s, a large number of records were released that featured covers of recently released exotica songs (mainly by Les Baxter) and Hawaiian and easy-listening standards. These recordings include "Exotica" by Ted Auletta, "Exotic Percussion" by Stanley Black and his Orchestra, "Orienta" by Gerald Fried, "Taboo" and "Taboo 2" by Arthur Lyman and "The Sounds of Exotic Island" by The Surfmen. Some composers pushed the bounds of the genre by producing albums of original content, often with unusual instrumentation. These recordings include Voodoo by Robert Drasnin, Africana by Chaino, Pagan Festival by Dominic Frontiere And His Orchestra, and White Goddess by Frank Hunter. By 1959, the majority of American record labels had released at least one exotica-themed album, usually utilizing composers and musicians that produced jazz, classical or easy listening recordings.
After several years of rising excitement leading up to Hawaii becoming a state in 1959, the Hawaiiana fad waned in the United States and so did exotica's commercial appeal. CD re-issues ignited a revival in the early 1990s.
Revival
In 1971 Roger Roger and Nino Nardini released the album Jungle Obsession on the French Neuilly record label.[10][11] Intended as a sound library recording, it soon took on a life of its own. Although clearly influenced by the exotica arrangements of Baxter, Martin Denny, Frank Hunter and Dick Hyman, it went beyond the simpler themes used by those composers to employ "a series of motifs, leitmotifs, and modes that were out of the musical sphere at the time: they took rock and classical and bossa and jazz and easy listening, wove them together with polyrhythmic invention and a boatload of sound effects".[12]
In the 1990s exotica resurfaced more generally, along with a new category in which to place the genre:
The early 2000s saw additional exotica revival efforts, such as Hawaii-based Don Tiki, the comeback of 1960s composer Robert Drasnin, Waitiki, The Martini Kings, Kava Kon, and Hawaii Music Award winning Tiki Joe's Ocean, formed by multi-instrumentalist/composer Andy Nazzal. Several podcasts broadcast classic and new exotica and tiki revival music.[citation needed]
See also
References
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- ^ "TECHNICOLOR PARADISE: RHUM RHAPSODIES & OTHER EXOTIC DELIGHTS". Americanstandardtime.com. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ a b c "Exotica". Hipwax.com. 1997. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ISBN 978-1-86462-047-4.
- doi:10.1525/rep.2008.103.1.107. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2010-07-09. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- OCLC 179838406.
- ^ Adinolfi 2008, p. 54.
- ^ "Skip Heller on LES BAXTER". ultramodern.org. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ a b Sisario, Ben (2005-03-05). "Martin Denny, Maestro of Tiki Sound, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Nino Nardini - Jungle Obsession". Discogs. 1971. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ Strap, Flash (2 April 2012). "FLASH STRAP: Flash Strap Presents: Roger Roger & Nino Nardini- Obsession Exotique". Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ Allmusic review by Thom Jurek