Richard Hayman and His Orchestra  “Voodoo!”  Mercury Records  UK (1959)  From the liner notes “This record, with its pulsating drum beats, summons you to the dark of the jungle, to the deepest interior of the worlds of fearsome fire and the brewing pot , surrounded by the weird frightening shadows of masks and men.   (Here) are the weird rhythms and sound of a music that is more than just music for it is a brimful of a secret life, distilled in ritual, reflecting its powers of magic that takes hold on its native hearers”

Here’s the American LP cover:

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hayman when he sold me his personal record collection.  His apartment was beautiful – on Park Avenue – and was filled with photos, memorabilia, awards and art from a long career in music.   Known for his prolific output of classical pops, harmonica, lounge, exotica and bachelor pad records, the most valuable LPs in his collection were the ones he never played on or played – a stash of sealed Mainstream psych titles that he had because of his position as Music Director at the label throughout the sixties.

“Au Pays du Cafe”   Trio Math Samba   Decca Records (France)

More Echoes of Japan (1961)   (King Records Japan)   Tadaaki Misago And His Tokyo Cuban Boys   The Japanese are masters at recreating and imitating foreign art forms and cultures.   Formed in 1949, The Tokyo Cuban Boys were the first Japanese group to seriously play Latin music. They were all outstanding musicians with a tight brass section backed up by some funky percussion.   Here’s a taste of “Yagi Bushi” –

“Music From a Millionaires’ Playground”   EMI Records

The Mating Urge   Original Soundtrack composed and conducted by Stanley Wilson (1959)

“The Rites of Diablo”   Johnny Richards Orchestra with the Dave Lambert Singers   Esquire Records (UK)   Cool English cover variation on this classic US jazz exotica record from 1958.   Here’s that original:

Johnny Richards put together this lp after studying the rituals of the Bantu,the family of tribes which inhabits southern Africa. Intrigued by the rhythmic possibilities he composed the six part Rites of Diablo which has been described as a sort of Black Mass during which the participants vilify, insult and by every means possible degrade the gods of evil. Augmenting his regular orchestra with SEVEN percussionists, including Sabu Martinez ,Potato Valdez and Jose Mangual, brought in to to emulate the sounds of the authentic drums used in the genuine ritual, plus the eight voiced Dave Lambert Singers, Richards took over New York’s Webster Hall for four sessions in march and april 1958. The flaring excitement of the band ,the superlative solo work of men such as Gene Quill, Seldon Powell and Jimmy Cleveland and the meshing of the huge percussion section gives the music a unique quality.   This is another great example of jazz exotica which had been long deleted until recently when it was reissued as part of the wonderful Mosaic Select series. — this from a great site called Orgy In Rhythm

Voodoo in Haiti

“Pa’que pa’ que” and “Sombrero Sao”   Lyra Records from Bolivia     These are beautiful little covers with bright, rich saturated colors.   I don’t know how these were printed, but the ink is thick and textured to the touch.

The World’s Greatest Flutist Esy Morales   “Jungle Fantasy”   Rainbow Records

“Jungla”   by Leo Soto on Musart.

Thanks to everyone that joined in the fun and suggested titles.     Lots of funny ones, but we liked this one best that came in from Lp cover lover Christian, who’s won an Lp Cover Lover T-shirt courtesy of The Vinyl District!

(Our friends at The Vinyl District are sponsoring today’s search for the best caption to the above album cover. Win a men’s or woman’s LP Cover Lover T-shirt courtesy of The Vinyl District, an awesome site for music lovers and record afficiandos like you and me!   Send in your best caption to the “comments” section.   We’ll be posting the winning title here and at http://vinyldistrict.blogspot.com/ on Friday,     And yes, that’s a little monkey in the bushes.)