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Doing Business As

October 13th, 2012 in Guitars, Illustration, Superheroes by lpcoverlover | 4 Comments

In 1966, a toy company in Newark, New Jersey released a children’s record called Batman and Robin to cash in on the popular TV series . The music on the LP was credited to “The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale,” but in fact the band was one of the greatest uncredited session combos of all time, including the core of Sun Ra’s Arkestra and Al Kooper’s Blues Project. ‘Dan and Dale’ were actually blues guitarist Danny Kalb and Steve Katz (later of Blood, Sweat & Tears) on dueling guitars, while Sun Ra and Al Kooper take over organ duties (a Hammond B-3) and members of Ra’s Arkestra play sax. To keep the music licensing fees to a minimum, all the tracks were based on public domain items like Chopin’s Polonaise Op. 53, the horn theme from Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and the love theme from Romeo and Juliet, and generic rock riffs. It’s all instrumental, with the exception of the very funky Robin’s Theme, featuring an uncredited vocalist.  Other titles include:  ‘The Batman Theme Song’, ‘The Penguin Chase’, and ‘The Batcave’.  (via WMFU.com)

Members:  Bass – Andy Kulberg, Pat Patrick; Drums – Bob Blumenfeld: Guitar – Danny Kalb, Steve Katz; Hammond Organ – Sun Ra; Organ – Al Kooper; Saxophone – John Gilmore, Marshall Allen; Trumpet – Jimmy Owens, Tom McIntosh; Producer – Tom Wilson

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4 Comments

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  1. #1 Roy says:
    October 13th, 2012 at 7:56 am

    And I found the whole thing here.

    http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/02/sun_ra_and_the_.html

    Well worth a listen.

  2. #2 Brian Phillips says:
    October 13th, 2012 at 6:12 pm

    “Zap Pow Ee Yow” by the Lu Parks Singers features the same backing track as “Robln’s Theme” and has more words, too.

    This version of the Batman theme and the Marketts are certainly different versions but the are very close in arrangement.

    My brother had the single from this album. Imagine my surprise and letdown when I bought a “Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale” album on Diplomat and heard just how unhip it was!

  3. #3 Mike C. says:
    October 15th, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Oh, wow. I had this LP as a kid in the late ’70s. I have no idea where it came from but it was always in our collection. The cover was pretty well worn but I loved listening to this album. It may still buried in a box of old LPs, actually.

  4. #4 Scotty G. says:
    October 19th, 2012 at 9:05 am

    Sun Ra meets The Blues Project meets Batman and Robin? You can NOT make this stuff up!

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