
Albums by artists whose names start with H

- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "Dance Sing And Listen"
- cassette, Dimension 5 D701 ISBN 0-9451110-03-0, USA, 1989
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5. Originally from 1963. A participation cassette for children. Write for catalog to: Box 403, Kingsbridge Station, Bronx, New York, NY 10463, USA.
- G.R.Reader: The feel on this tape is somewhere between Dick Hymans Eclectic Electric's and Kraftwerk, with a teacher being bossy over the top, some odd versions of folk songs in there too.
- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "Dance Sing And Listen Again"
- LP, Dimension 5, 1963
cassette, Dimension 5 ISBN 0-9451110-04-9, USA, 1989 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Originally from 1964.
- Jack Diamond Music: Bruce Haack and Miss Nelson's 2nd LP. Taken from the back liner notes: "THIS RECORDING IS A TOTAL EXPERIENCE. It exposes your child to controlled body movement, provides a stimulus for imagination and creativity and presents a range of thought, music and sound from things medievil through today's electronics. NOTHING LIKE IT EXISTED BEFORE !" This is yet another result of the unlimited genius of Miss Nelson and Bruce. Dimension 5 commissioned Leon Sokolsky to create the cover art drawing of a Thoughtful Child. All material recorded on a "Viking 86" Stereo tape recorder. This, as with all the Dimension 5 recording's from Miss Nelson and Bruce Haack do NOT get ANY more BIZARRE than this. Bizarre genius yet completely enjoyable.
- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "Dance Sing & Listen Again & Again"
- LP, Dimension 5, circa 1963
cassette, Dimension 5 ISBN 0-9451110-05-7, USA, 1989 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Originally from 1965.
- Jack Diamond Music: 1 of the sickest most insanely brilliant screwed up (major electronic's included) children's records ever released. I'd have to probably say that ALL of the other records Bruce Haack made with his cohort in crime Miss Nelson, on his Dimensions 5 label, are all the rest of the sickest children's records ever put to wax, bar none. Back cover makes a special point of talking up "the most revolutionary Electro-Mechanical keyboard of our time called the CEMBALET as the featured instrument for the recording" It is the primary instrument used on "Coco Bouzoukee", "Pots and Pans" and "Clocks" and it used on all of the other titles as well. SICKNESS LIKE YOU COULD NEVER IMAGINE. Bruce Haack was not an electronics guy, but he built machines from parts that he got in wierd places and created electronic music and they are f***ed up sounds ! BUT THESE ARE FOR CHILDREN ! LIKE YOU ! You sample freak you. You lover of Incredibly Strange Music, you, you, you lover of Cool and Strange Music. Integrated into weird bizarre songs with spoken word and it's just toooooooo much to believe.
- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "Dance To The Music"
- cassette, Dimension 5 D 706 ISBN 0-9451110-10-3, USA, 1989
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Originally from 1972.
- Reviewed in "_Cool And Strange Music Magazine_" issue 11
- Bruce Haack: "The Electric Lucifer"
- CD/LP?, Q.D.K. Media, Germany, 1998
LP, Columbia CS 991, USA, 1998 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5. On (or over?) the edge of my perception of the "exotica" meta-genre. More like weird electronic psych-progrock -- not unlike White Noise -- than Incredibly Strange Music. I only liked 5 out of the 13 tracks, especially because most of the others have vocals.
- Charles Moseley: Wierdness abounds in this hippy fest with underlying electronics and overly-heavy reverbed voices, chanting, vocoded voices, noise and general chaos. This reminds me of Timothy Leary's Tune In Turn On Drop Out LP which I got a couple of weeks ago. Both are trippy to the point of stupidity but still cool with it. If you like your folk music with a dose of brown acid and religous overtones, Bruce is perfect for you.
- G.R.Reader :Its a great LP, strangely not as noisy and harsh as the kids stuff I have on D5, but quite odd, I don't think the psychedelic filing was too far off, it's more West Coast Pop Art Experimental band, folky harmonies, funny electronic noises. Wonderful, very much occupying an area of its own, one of those records where you can compare it to stuff, but not really describe it.
- Bruce Haack: "Electric Lucifer Book Two"
- CD/LP?, Q.D.K. Media, Germany, 2001
- comment:
- Reviewed in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 20
- Stefan Kéry: The amazing part 2 of Bruce Haack's classic 70s electronica masterpiece that has remained unreleased until now. It's much darker as the first part. Fantastic and scary mad house of early synthesizers with Bruce Haack's lovely voice. Great packaging. Vintage electronica at it's best.
- Jonathan Richardson: the music is way crazy, lots of vocoder and no real instruments, only electronics. not as good as the first one, but is definitely worth having.
- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "The Electronic Cassette For Children"
- cassette, Dimension 5 D 705 ISBN 0-9451110-07-3, USA, 1987
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Originally from 1969.
- G.R.Reader: This is more bizarre, being a concept tape taking children on a journey through space, more spacey synths, speeded up and slowed down voices. Some of it is very minimalist and generally there is a lot of all round weirdness.
- Bruce Haack: "Hush Little Robot"
- CD/Double LP, Q.D.K. Media 032, Germany, 1998
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Some of it is really cool-weird primitive electronics, but some other tracks are rather boring. Has 2 tracks from Esther Nelson & Bruce's "The Way Out Cassette for Children", and from Bruce's solo LPs: 6 from "The Electric Lucifer" and 7 from "This Old Man". I would really recommend buying all the 6 Dimension 5 cassettes by Bruce Haack and Esther Nelson instead!
- Bruce Haack featuring Miss Nelson: "Listen Compute Rock Home" (The Best of Dimension 5)
- LP/CD, Emperor Norton, USA, 1999
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. tracks: Way Out There; Motorcycle Ride; Jelly Dancers; Abracadabra; Mudra; American Eagle; OK Robot; Coco The Coconut; Hand Jive; Army Ants In Your Pants; Clocks; Popcorn;Squarefinger; Upside Down; Funky Little Song.
- citizen kafka: an excellent selection of some of the very wacky material on this independent "children's" label. It is not deeply musical in a straight sense, but has a very wonderful flavor of fun and strangeness, and is also catchy (the tunes stick in your mind long after most other music has fled).
- Stefan Kéry: Great new Bruce Haack comp that does not overlap the one put out last year. Bruce Haack was one of the most musically and lyrically inventive children's song writer of the 60s and 70s. Most of his recordings were sold to and used in schools and that's why their so hard to turn up in decent shape. Despite or because of his intended audience, his music was unusually expressive, combining homemade analog synthesizers, classical, pop, rock, psych elements and surreal, idealistic lyrics, one of a kind musical visions. His original LP recordings, which have been basically unknown for 20-30 years, are now very rare. Music enthusiasts are desperately trying to find these lost works of art. Even more so now when musicians like Beck are working on tribute recordings and spreading the word of his sounds. Here's a unique chance to here some.
- Jack Diamond: More insane 1960's electronic and beyond brilliance from Bruce Haack and his all time assistant, Miss Nelson. More weird pop fun "songs", originally released on the Dimension 5 label and explicitly made for children. Kinda like "home made recordings and records", but quite great and original art. You can read all about Bruce Haack on my site. They are more like talking exclamatory, than singing. They don't sing, but the ever present sounds of electronics are zipping and zapping and whooshing all around and make "statements" with their sounds that Bruce and Miss N are trying to convey. There are no repeated tracks from any other Bruce Haack collection, to my knowledge. Quirky flowing pop genius. LOTS of weird stuff too.
- Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson: "The Way-Out Cassette For Children"
- cassette, Dimension 5 D 704 ISBN 0-9451110-06-5, USA, 1987
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Originally from 1968.
- George Hadjinassios: "Greek Cinema 2" (early 70s instrumental themes by George Hadjinassios)
- CD, Potfleur POT 002, Greece, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Only 15 tracks: crime jazz, Bond spy music, EZ funk. Better than vol.1. available from: Sonic Rendezvous (Netherlands) and Dionysus (USA)
- Potfleur: tracks from four early 70s movies: Sinners (1971), Captives Of Odium (1971), With Fear And Passion (1972) and The Ultimate Double Cross (1972). ... The music is dramatic, erotic and mysterious. The composer's arrangements on the 25-piece orchestras unveil his talent to create descriptive themes with passion and skilfulness. He also uses jazz sextets to fashion a cosmopolitan atmosphere with easy and groovy tracks.
- The Hammertoes: "I Too Have Sinned"
- CD, Tortuga Records 0361, USA, 1999
- comment:
- Reviewed in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 15
- The Hamsterdamned: "Christmas With The Hamsterdamned"
- CD, ?, USA, 2000
- comment:
- Hanna-Barbera: "Cartoon Sound FX"
- CD, Rhino R2 71828, USA, 1994
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5.
- Hanna-Barbera: "Tunes From The Toons - The Best Of Hanna-Barbera"
- CD, Music Club MMCD 279, UK, 1996
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Although 21 of the 48 tracks here duplicate with Rhino's "Hanna-Barbera Classics", The rest is worth it! Many cartoon themes I've never heard of before, like Penelope Pitstop, Hair Bear Bunvh, Secret Squirrel, Hong Kong Phooey, Josie & Pussycats, Touché Turtle, Hokey Wolf, Augie Doggie, Yakky Doodle, Lippy the Lion, Wacky Races... Nice price too! (EURO 10)
- The Happy Hour: "The Happy Hour"
- CD, ?, USA, 2000
- comment:
- Johan: Available from Hepcat. Mention their ad in "Cool And Strange Music Magazine" issue 17 and get 5% off!
- Françoise Hardy: "Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles"
- CD, Duchesse, France, 199?
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5.
- Jerry Murad's Harmonicats: "Greatest/ Chery Pink & Apple Blossom White"
- The Harmonicats: "The Harmonicats"
- CD, Varèse Sarabande VSD-5812, USA, 199?
- comment:
- Joe Harriott and John Mayer Double Quintet: "Indo Jazz Fusions 1 and 2"
- CD, Polygram/Redial, ?, ?
- comment:
- M H Jemmeson: East/West crossover albums, for fans of Anandar Shankar and the like. I am enjoying it, although the first minute or two was a little shaky it develops very nicely. Shake Keane (a Phase 4 regular IIRC) is part of the group.
- Johnny Harris: "Movements"
- LP, Warner Bros WS 3002 stereo (reissue), USA, 1999
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. originally issued as K 46054 in 1970
- Ravi Harris & The Prophets: "Funky Sitar Man"
- LP, Barely Breaking Even BBELP002, distrib. Beechwood, UK, 1997
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Sitar funk, influenced by Ananda Shankar, Dave Pike
- Gionni Paloodi: a real gem: the idea itself, of playin' James Brown-ed funk on sitar, is brilliant, and much curiosity and appeal was added by knowing from the notes that the man recorded the disc in 4-day long continuous session, after closing his combo (wife playing organ) in studio and stuffin' himself with LSD. Play "Path of Blazing Sarong", open your mind and your ears will follow.
- Charlie Moseley: This is one of those albums that I really hated. Boring non-funky funk, played by poor musicians in an average at best set. The drummer IMO is really awful - they could have recruited someone with a little more skill. As a concept it sounds great - James Brown and Meters covers with a sitar but its just crap. And its new, not old and I hate the cover.
- Rolf Harris: "The Best Of" (Didgereely Doo All That)
- CD, EMI UK 8 29509 2, UK, 1994
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5.
- Rolf Harris: "Can You Tell What It Is Yet?"
- CD, EMI UK 8 21780, UK, 1997
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5. Covers of "One hand in my pocket", "Bad moon rising", "Ob-la-di ob-la-da", "A girl like you", "Hey bulldog", "Dedicated follower of fashion","Perfect day"... Not really funny or silly (like his previous cover CD, "Rolf rules OK"), a bit exotic here and there.
- Rolf Harris: "Rolf Harris"
- CD, EMI UK CDP 7 95371 2, UK, 1991
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5. Uneven compilation, most of it is Harris the comedy songwriter. "Sun arise" is a classic; very hypnotic with primitive percussion, repetitive theme, and a vocal imitation of the didgeridoo sound.
- Rolf Harris: "Rolf Rules OK!"
- CD, Music Club ROLFCD 001, UK, 1995
CD, Phonogram 514850, Australia, 1995 - comment:
- Jimmie Haskell: "Countdown"
- LP, Imperial LP-9068 limited edition, Germany, 2000
CD-R, Zippy CD Company, Taiwan, 2001 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Electronic space rock 'n roll, quite rare, and groovy/funny/way out there! originally issued on Imperial in 1959.
- Jack Diamond Music: remains as one of the most obscure "outer space" records made in the US in the late 50s. Seek-out by exotica and rock n roll collectors alike, it is best described as "instrumental rock n roll from outer space".Track titles like "Blast Off", "Rockin In The Orbit", "Asteroid Hop" or "Weightless Blues" give you an idea of what we re talking about... tunes that range from the truly rocking to the moody drifting. Musically, it can be compared to such all-time classics as Love Machine s "Electronic Music To Blow Your Mind By" or Joe Meek s intergalactic masterpiece "I Hear A New World". As usual you ll find lots of sound gimmicks: electronic effects, speed-up voices (in the best "Chipmunks/Nutty Squirrel" tradition as well as them talking backwards) and a good deal of echo & reverb. A truly astonishing record that has remained largely unknown until now.
- Tony Hatch: "The Best Of Tony Hatch & His Orchestra"
- CD, Sequel NEM CD 920, UK, 1996
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. The Easy Project volume 3. "Maori" is by far the best and most interesting track on this cd: combining traditional Maori male voice chorus singing with a rock rhythm section and 40 piece orchestra backing: very impressive! The rest of this cd is rather EZ lounge, mostly instrumental.
- Tony Hatch: "Hatchback"
- CD, Sequel NEM CD 951, UK, 1997
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. The Easy Project volume 6.
- Reviewed in "_Cool & Strange Music_" issue 9 page 45.
- Reviewed in the "Record Collector" issue 226
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Alligator Wine"
- CD, ? MC 322, 199?
- comment:
- Johan: recordings from 1972 & 1983
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "At Last"
- CD, ? 8210, ?, 1998
- comment:
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Best Of The Bizarre Sessions: 1990-1994"
- CD, Manifesto Records, USA, 2000
- comment:
- Reviewed in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 18
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Cow Fingers And Mosquito Pie"
- CD, Sony/ Legacy/ Epic EK 47933, 1991, deleted?
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. reissue of "At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins" plus his Okeh singles (previously reissued on "Frenzy" LP on Edsel minus "if you are but a dream"), plus some alternate takes, and 1 previously unreleased track, "you ain't foolin' me".
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "I Shake My Stick At You"
- CD, AIM 1031, Australia, 199?
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Live"
- CD, ? FA 435, 199?
- comment:
- Johan: live in paris 1988
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Portrait Of A Man"
- CD, ? ED 414, ?, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: rare & obscure tracks, add comment, item #8161
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Rated X" (Live At The Cafe Wha In New York City, July 1970)
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Spellbound! 1955-1974"
- Double CD, Bear family BCD 15530, Germany, 1990
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5.
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins: "Voodoo Jive" (Best Of)
- CD, Rhino? 70947, USA, 199?
- comment:
- Johan: There are more CD's by this artists than listed here...
- Alan Hawkshaw / Brian Fahey and His Orchestra: "27 Top TV Themes And Commercials / Time For T.V."
- Double CD, EMI 7243 4 98171 2, UK, 1999
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5.
- Alan Hawkshaw: "Girl In A Sportscar"
- CD, ?, UK?/Japan?, 1997?
- comment:
- Alan Hawkshaw: "Mo' Hawk: The Essential Vibes & Grooves 1967-1975" (Mood Mosaic Vol. 7)
- CD, RPM, UK, 2003
- comment:
- Johan: easy and funk for sound libraries KPM and Bruton from the years 1967-1975.
- Richard Hayman: "Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine" (+ Enoch Light's "Spaced Out")
- CD, Electronic Command (bootleg), UK, 1998
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. "Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine" is generally considered to be one of the greatest Moog LPs of all times. Incredibly funky drum section too!
- Edjunkita : My most favourite Latin crossover album is "Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine, Persuasive Electronics By Richard Hayman". The electronics is extremely wild proto-techno but with happy bouncy Latin rhythms. All your favourites are there: "Girl from Ipanema", "Windmills of your Mind", "Hare Krishna", but "The Peanut Vendor" is by far the best track.
- Hayseed Dixie: "Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC"
- Lee Hazlewood: "Lounge Legends"
- CD, Germany, Universal 559 882, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. Tracks taken from 3 MGM LP's from 1966 - '68. Includes 2 well-known duets (Summerwine, and sand) recorded with Suzy jane Hokom instead of Nancy Sinatra. check out www.loungelegends.de
- Mo: ... you'll find Lee's own version of Boots, which I have never heard before - believe it or not!
- Lee Hazlewood: "These Boots, The Complete MGM Recordings"
- Double CD, Ace Records CHM2, UK?, 2002
- There's more by Lee Hazlewood than listed here: search elsewhere
- HC Andersen: "Eventyr"
- CD, Humppa 003, Finnland/ Germany
- Ted Heath: "Big Band Percussion/ Big Band Bash"
- CD, Collector's Choice Music CCM 0085, USA, 1999
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Originally released as London SP 44017 & London SP 44002. Although this is quite an expensive cd to US measurements, the packaging looks like a cheap, quick & dirty job - miniature cover repro's and scans of the original back covers with liners with a resolution so low that they're impossible to read. The music is great though, at least on "Big Band Percussion"; the other LP sounds a bit dated. All very Enoch Light-like, playful percussive space age big band pop, with several Latin touches.
- Ted Heath and His Music: "Fever!"
- LP, Decca PFS 4082 stereo, UK, 1965
CD, London, USA, 199? - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Highlights include a killer version of "fever", action big band jazz version of "more", and "moon river" with odd rhythm structure. Other tracks include "Misty", "Girl from Ipanema", "Fly me to the moon"...
- Ted Heath: "The Instruments Of The Dance Orchestra/ Olde Englyshe..."
- CD, ? LK 4106, UK, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: "The Instruments Of The Dance Orchestra" is a fun & educational LP, on which Ted Heath introduces all instruments of a jazz dance band, with lots of musical pieces.
- There's more by Ted Heath than listed here: search elsewhere
- Neal Hefti : "Batman"
- CD, RCA, USA, 199?
- comment:
- Michael David Toth: I wonder if this is the blandly text-only-packaged reissue of "Batman Theme + 11 Hefti Bat Tunes" that RCA/BMG rushed out in the late 80s to cash in on the Batman movie craze at the last minute (although my copy is merely titled "Neal Hefti" on the spine). The Razor & Tie CD makes this one useless.
- Neal Hefti - His Orchestra & Chorus: "Batman Theme And 19 Hefti Bat Songs"
- CD, Razor & Tie 314, USA, 1997
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Combines "Batman Theme And 11 Hefti Bat Songs" (RCA LP 3573, from 1966) with "Hefti in Gotham City" (RCA LP 3621)
- Gerhard Heinz: "Melodies In Love. The Erotic World Of Gerhard Heinz"
- CD/Double LP, Diggler, Germany, 2003
- comment:
- www.diggler.de: first time release with 19 tunes from the 1970's by the John Barry of Austria. double vinyl includes 2 bonus tracks.
- Skip Heller: "Career Suicide: The Skip Heller Anthology: 1994-2001"
- CD, Dionysus 123397, USA, 2002
- comment:
- Dionysus: collection of unreleased material from compact discs, live shows, cartoon and film score... Put this disc in and you'll swear it's a soundtrack from your favorite movie! File under jazz, lounge, rockabilly, pop or incredibly strange collections of incredibly great music!
- Skip Heller: "Couch"
- CD, ?, USA, 2000
- comment:
- Johan: Mentioned in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 18 as "crime jazz, TV theme-type stuff, bossa nova..."
- Skip Heller & John Gilmore: "Laid Bare"
- CD, Amok Books, USA, 2001
- comment:
- Phil Ford: new crime jazz-ish album, which I don't think has been released quite yet. (January 2001, maybe?) This one consists of John Gilmore's readings from his seedy-underside-of-Hollywood confessional writings underlaid with Heller's own take on crime jazz. It is extremely cool and worth checking out.
- Stefan Kéry: The perfect soundtrack to L.A.´s seamy underside! Combining critically acclaimed true crime author John Gilmore´s riveting and amazing spoken word accounts about Hollywood's famous and doomed icons (The Black Dahlia, James Dean, Janis Joplin, Lenny Bruce, Manson, and more) with SKIP HELLER's hip, breezy jazz score, ´Laid Bare´ is the next best thing to being thrown headfirst into L.A.´s underbelly.
- Jack Diamond Music: super cool beatnik jazz noir spoken word jazz noir/crime jazz music by John Gilmore and Skip Heller, respectively Dirty like the grime in the gutter. The tracks run VERY long, like you would want and expect. There are only a couple that are 2 minutes, the main theme and the closing theme in reprise. The rest range from 4-6 minutes, some 5’s and a 3 with 1 at 7 and 1 at 8. One that crosses all boundaries, hard to pin down. Crime Jazz, Jazz Noir, Spoken, Beatnik. All apply. A fantastic 1st release for Amok Books, Los Angeles-CA Please support your local independent book seller.
- The Hellers: "Singers... Talkers... Swingers... & Doers"
- LP, Command, USA, early 1960's
LP, Command repro (no label) bootleg, Europe, 2002, deleted - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5.
- Jack Diamond Music: The Hellers, led by Hugh Heller and Dick Hamilton. The Hellers themselves were these guys and all the sounds and stuff they created. Heller-Ferguson led an advertising agency out of Los Angeles, in I guess the early/mid 60's. They released records but only to way inside the industry. They made these records and used their clients as part of the story. Their stories were like plays or theatre on LP. I am the incredibly lucky owner of 3 Hellers Industrial records and a 45 with them singing their wonderful Heller sound with Jazzbo Collins as THE VOICE telling us all that TODAY is the day to buy a new car! this record was originally released on Command in circa 1968, just before it was about to become the PROJECT 3 Total Sound Stereo label. Also created and led by Enoch Light, as was Command, the Project 3 label was way out "pseudo psychedelic" Now Go Go Sounds and the Hellers implemented a Hamilton/Heller invention in the music, as part of the music a thing called The Heliocentric Sounds, which was some sort of "extension of the Moog" and it's used to a good degree. The Vocals that make up The Hellers were and created commercial jingles. They were Jingle Singers, but generally ALL of their stuff is insanely rare as Heller-Ferguson pressed these records in very very low pressing's, as I am almost sure positive, they were only given out to the clients that were on the actual recording. This is their only commercial releease, and it's a sophisticated piece o' wax!
- Stefan Kéry: Super cool 60s concept album from the people at Heller-Ferguson Advertising Company. Those guys were weird to begin with but when ENOCH LIGHT signed them up for a full length album they got even weirder! Cool collage of spoken word, music, and effects with scripted skits, electronic freak-outs and strange musical interludes.
- Jon Hendricks: "Salud Joao Gilberto"
- Jon Hendricks: "¡ Salud! João Gilberto" (originator of the bossa nova)
- CD, Warner/ Reprise93624 8245, Germany, 2002
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Reissue of a 1961 album; Hendricks really shows through his singing that his heart is with the bossa nova spirit, with a warm & soft voice, and no pretences; no voice acrobatics either, as in his famous vocalese collaborations with Lambert & Ross; on the contrary: he sings like a Brazilian bossa nova singer would: no vibrato at all. The slight rasp in his voice gives the album an extra special touch. The arrangements too are very much "Brazilian" (no Ogerman string sirup here!) they're light, never overwhelming, and often 1 song features parts with just voice, guitar and percussion, followed by sections with a small brass section added. Highly recommended.
- Mel Henke: "La Dolce Henke"
- CD, Scamp SCP 9716, USA, 1997
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. "The Mad Musical World Of Mel Henke Explodes". One of the major rereleases of 1997! "Walkin' my baby back home" has the same slow and gently rhythm sounds made by someones walking feet as Les Paul's "Walkin' and whistlin' blues"
- Pierre Henry: "Messe Pour Le Temps Présent"
- LP, Philips 6510 014, France, 1967
CD/Double LP, Phillips 456293, UK & France, 1997 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Pierre Henry's score to the Maurice Béjart ballet is groovy Moog instro-rock with mighty electronic outbursts. Too bad it's so short: 1 LP side only, as side B contains nothing but musique concrète, so be prepared! I have no idea what else is included on the CD/Double LP reissue
- Pierre Henry/ Michel Colombier : "Messe Pour Le Temps Présent"
-
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Pierre Henry's score to the 1963 Maurice Béjart ballet is groovy Moog instro-rock with mighty electronic outbursts. Originally released on LP in 1967. too bad it's so short: 1 LP side only, and I have no idea though what's on the other 3 sides of vinyl...
- Bernard Herrmann: "The Fantasy Film World Of Bernard Herrmann"
- CD/LP, Mobile Fidelity, USA, 1996
- comment:
- Reviewed in "Exotica/Etc" issue 9
- Bernard Herrmann: "The Mysterious Film World Of Bernard Herrmann"
- CD/LP, Mobile Fidelity, USA, 1996
- comment:
- Reviewed in "Exotica/Etc" issue 9
- Bernard Herrmann: "Music From The Great Movie Thrillers"
- CD, ?, ?, 1996
- comment:
- Reviewed in "Exotica/Etc" issue 9
- The Hi-Lo's: "The Hi-lo's Happen To Bossa Nova/ The Hi-lo's Happen To Folk Songs"
- CD, DRG, USA, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: "Bossa Nova" is wonderful! haven't heard the "Folk Songs" yet...
- The Hi-Lo's: "Nice Work If You Can Get It... The Best Of"
- CD, Varèse Sarabande Vintage 3020 5694 2, USA, 1996
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5.
- There's more by The Hi-Lo's than listed here: search elsewhere
- the High Llamas: "Cold And Bouncy"
- CD, V2/Alpaca, UK?, 1998
- comment:
- Robbie Baldock: bubbly moog meets orchestrated Beach Boys
- Gillian Hills: "Twistin' The Rock" (vol.9)
- Double CD, Barclay 549 905, France, 2002
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5. 33 tracks, but not all of 'm are great. Still worth getting (only ¤12) for the latin-esque and funny tracks.
- Okazaki Hiroshi And His Stargazers: "A Compilation"
- CD, Readymade Records, Japan, 2000?, deleted
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Wonderful collection of sunshine pop, wordless "pabadabada" pop and jazz. Lots of covers.
- William: supervised by konishi yasuharu (of p5). the cd booklet is embossed and contains 26 tracks. seems heavily EZ in my book. unfortunately the liner notes are all in japanese so i have no idea the history of this group. but the disc contains a version of "quiet village" with vocals (!), born free, and i love her among others.
- Taro Hoshijima: In short, Okazaki has been the man behind most of "dabadabada" choruses in Japan since around 1960. His wife has also been famous in the world of dabadabada. The stargazers were one of a few efforts Okazaki himself stepped forward from the background to see the spotlight. Otherwise, he has been behind the mist of dabadabada for other singers.
- Mark Head: the O Pato version on my Hiroshi CD is the *exact* same song/version as from "The Hi-Lo's Happen to Bossa Nova," so I've wondered for some time whether Hiroshi was aka the Hi-Lo's repackaged for Japan...
- Al Hirt: "Music To Watch Girls By"
- CD, RCA Victor, USA, January 2000
- comment:
- Dr. Samuel Hoffman: "The Theremin Project" (Perfume Set To Music/ Music Out Of The Moon/ Piece Of Mind)
- Bruno Hofmann: "Music For Glass Harmonica"
- CD, Vox Allegretto 0 47163 81742 7, USA, 1987
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 2 points on 5.
- Holden: "Pedrolira"
- CD, Sony/ le Village Vert, France, 2002
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Wonderful French "pop nouveau", with lots of influences -- Latin, Calypso, cocktail jazz, yéye chanson -- with a sophisticated, warm sound that is very retro and modern at the same time. produced by Uwe Schmidt aka Senior Coconut.
- Joe Holiday: "Mambo Jazz"
- CD, ?, ?, ?
- comment:
- Mark Head: this is an album that, apparently, compiles tracks from several Holiday releases; had never heard of him before, and by far "I don't want to walk without you" & 1 more, that include the organ, are the best on the album; best memory is that it was recorded in the mid-50's.
- Hollyridge Strings: "The Best Of The Beatles Songbook"
- CD, Varèse Sarabande VSD 3020 5690 2, USA, 1996
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5.
- Richard "Groove" Holmes: "Legends Of Acid Jazz"
- CD, Ace/ Prestige PRCD 24187, UK, 1998
- comment:
- Johan: Two original 1968 Prestige albums: "The groove" plus "That heelin' feelin'".
- Reviewed in the "Record Collector" issue 228
- Hong Kong Dragon Club: "Take Out"
- CD, Xien Records XNC2 44031, USA, 2000
- comment:
- Reviewed in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 17
- Haruoumi Hosono: "Harry Up Hosono" (Best Selection)
- CD, ?, Japan, ?
- comment:
- William: hosono was one of the founding members of ymo (and i think responsible for their martin denny cover of "firecracker"). this selection is from his days before ymo. maybe not heavily EXOTICA but nice and jazzy and mellow. included here is a cover of "chattanooga choo choo".
- Hot Butter: "Popcorn"
- CD/LP, Castle/ Essential ESMCD 907, UK, 2000
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Nutty Moog! this one combines their 2 Musicor LP albums: "Hot Butter" and "Popcorn with Hot Butter". a must, especially since this is a mid-price CD!
- Allan Telstar: This cd contains both of Hot Butter's early seventies moog lps "Hot Butter" & "Popcorn". Despite the unenthusiastic liner notes ("...they appear to be inconsequential affairs...), I completely enjoy the studio group's light and cheery pop music. There are a few original numbers, but the bulk of the twenty-two tracks are cover versions of pop standards like Telstar, Mah-Na-Mah-Na, Skokiaan, Apache and of course, Gershon Kingsley's Popcorn. Recommended if moog-pop appeals and at a budget price, cheaper than buying the originals on eBay.
- Reviewed in _Cool And Strange Music Magazine_ issue 1900000000000000000000000000000000000
- Hot Club Of America: "Hot Club Of America In Hi-fi"
- CDR, Zippy, USA, 2001
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5.
- Jack Diamond Music: steel guitar and electric lead Telecaster guitar instrumentals, but kind of Exotica and it is BRILLIANT!
- Louise Huebner: "Louise Huebner's Seduction Through Witchcraft"
- CD, Infinity Zero Archive 9362 43088, American Recordings, USA, 1996
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Spooky and ridiculous.
- The Hula Hawaiians: "Hilo March"
- CD, Bear Family, Germany, 200?
- comment:
- Martin Hämmel: I prefer more the american and hawaiian groups, but for boogie dancers it has a rare cut called chimpanzee rock and a cover from never on a tuesday...
- Hungry March Band: "On The Waterfront"
- CD, HMB CD, 2003
- comment:
- www.cdbaby.com: This 20 piece brass band from New York City mixes up Balkan, New Orleans, Indian, Mingus, and NYC punk elements & grooves to create a unique cacophony of sound that is sure to delight.
- Frank Hunter & Orchestra: "White Goddess"
- LP, Kapp Ks-3019 stereo, USA
CD-R, Zippy, USA, 2003 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. As featured on DCC's "Music for a bachelor's den vol. 2: exotica".
- Jonathan: Very exotic. Not with moog, but with ondioline. Very otherworldly. Not big rockin' party tunes, but really beautiful and spacey.
- James Brouwer: one of the best exotica albums ever made. Beautiful and spooky at the same time. It's right up there with 'Ports of Pleasure' and the like. 5 stars.
- The Huntington Cads: "Go Exotic!!"
- CD, Dr. Dream/Mai Tai DD0122, USA, 1995
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 3 points on 5.
- The Huntington Cads: "Introducing The New Sound"
- CD, Dr. Dream/Mai Tai DD01132, USA, 1999
- comment:
- Reviewed in "_Cool And Strange Music Magazine_" issue 12
- Husikesque: "Green Blue Fire"
- CD, Astralwerks 6149, USA, 1997
- comment:
- (unknown)?: Dreamy vocals ride a bubbling musical bed both danceable and relaxing.
- Patrick Husson: "Le Jardinier"
- CD, Sony Columbia 478117-2, France, 1995
- comment:
- Huun-Huur-Tu: "The Orphan's Lament"
- CD, Shanachie 64058, USA, 1994
- comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. The incredible vocal stylings of throat singing. Ethnic exotica?
- There's more by Huun-Huur-Tu than listed here: search elsewhere
- Dick Hyman: "Moog. The Electric Eclectics Of Dick Hyman"
- LP, Command 938-S stereo, USA
CD, Varèse Sarabande VSD-5788, USA, 1997 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Contains some killer Moog tracks, but also several boring noodling pieces.
- Dick Hyman & Mary Mayo: "Moon Gas"
- LP, MGM SE 4119, USA, mid 1960's
LP, SE4119 MGM (exact repro), Spain, 1998
CD, label?, paper sleeve edition, Japan, 2003 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 5 points on 5. Sampled by Tipsy. There are some truely strange and outer space organ sounds happening here; originally recorded in 1962!
- Stefan/Subliminal Sounds: Most certainly a boot. It's beautifully done. Exact sleeve, thick vinyl, sounds like music was taken from master-tapes as it is clear, clean and fat. Inner groove pressing plant info is erased which indicate some one who's trying to be secrative. Probably pressed in Spain.
- Peter Risser: I love good ol' Dick Hyman. This one's pretty good, with Dick doing the keyboard (piano and organ) backed (or forwarded) by Mary's spacy vocals. Not a bad turn. He's in his noodling period, where he did a lot of experimentation, but for the most part this one holds together. I can't remember any Highlights: as I've only listened to it once.
- Hypnomen: "Watusi"
- CD, MuSick Recordings MU 0014, USA, 2000
CD, Humppa 017, Germany, 2000 - comment:
- Johan: My rating: 4 points on 5. Great, though maybe these guys should decide what kind of music they want to make: Davie Allan imitations (like at least 5 out of the 14 tracks), or more adventurous cocktails, like on the other tracks: funky breakbeat-boogaloo, powerpop-surf, exotic twang...
- Reviewed in "_Cool And Strange Music Magazine_" issue 16

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