Arthur Lyman - The Very Best of Arthur Lyman

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Music reviews of The Very Best of Arthur Lyman

Music Review: Fine introduction to an Exotica master's work
Rating: 4 Stars

Beginning with "Taboo" in 1958 (represented here by the title track, along with two pillars of the exotica ouvre, "Misirlou" and "Caravan") and carrying through to 1965's "Hawaiian Sunset Vol. 2" (represented here by a superbly relaxed rendition of "Beyond the Reef"), Varese presents eighteen well selected sides, taken from twelve of the artist's key LPs for Hi-Fi Records. Lyman's signature tune (and only chart hit), "Yellow Bird," opens the disc with his vibraphone providing the gentle breeze on which the track floats, and his version of the exotica national anthem, "Quiet Village," though not the icon Martin Denny's interpretation has become, shows off his group's powerful side.

The vibrancy of Lyman's music was enhanced by the unusual stage on which it was recorded. After splitting with Denny, Lyman signed on for a regular gig at Henry J. Kaiser's Shell Bar in Honolulu. In turn, this led to recording in Kaiser's aluminum domed auditorium. The acoustics of the dome provided a perfect setting for Lyman's multi-instrumentalists, capturing the warmth and invention of the group's sound. Denny and Lyman's early records were often used to demonstrate hi-fi systems in the late '50s, and though the transfers here and generally quite crisp and provide a wide stereo image, there if some minor tape hiss evident on a few tracks. (To be fair to Varese, this is true of all of Lyman's CD reissues, no doubt prompted by a desire to leave intact as much of the music as possible).

These eighteen tracks provide a fine introduction to Lyman's music, covering his first seven years as a recording artist. Those wanting to hear more from this essential era can find CD reissues of Lyman original LPs, "Taboo," "Taboo 2" "Hawaiian Sunset," "Yellow Bird," "The Legend of Pele," and "Leis of Jazz." Catch them now, though, as they have a habit of going out of print!

4-1/2 stars, if Amazon allowed fractional reviews.

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