BOB THOMPSON — Mmm, Nice! (review)

Album · 1960 · Exotica

4/5 · 2011-09-11
Matt

Lounge music, Space Age Music, Bachelor Pad Music or just plain old Exotica, they are many names for this style of music which was originally created for all those new stereos with this album actually recommending on the back you get an RCA Victrola with even a little picture of one of these space age stereo creations. Another two points about the cover for Bob Thompson's 2nd album "Mmm Nice" is that the lovely looking girl on the cover is Sandra Warner who was on many of Martin Denny's album covers and also was an accomplished actress and the other point the original cover review was written by the assistant editor at Playboy, Don Gold for all those batchelors to digest whilst looking for some classy music to impress their next lucky date. Only during this time from roughly the mid fifties to the mid sixties was this style of music created in its best form with some of the best album covers just being an added addition. Bob Thompson with all his experience as band leader, arranger, pianist and composer was extremely good at it with his own distinct touch. Bob Thompson played with many greats from the past with Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, Andrew Sisters, Bing Crosby , Julie London with still more extremly well known artists that could be included and there are some big names as well in the Orchestra that particapated throughout this album with Shelley Manne and Larry Bunker on drums, Bud Shank on saxophone and Red Callender doing horns. The chorus consisted of three girls being total professionals which is apparent as the album spins along with Marni Nixon and accomplished stage and opera singer, Peggy Clark who had been in the group the Sentimentalists accompanying the Tommy Dorsey Band and Sally Sweetland who had been working with Eddie Fisher and doing plenty of Soundtrack work.

Light stuff but something that is one of its own as the title track "Mmm Nice" written by Bob Thompson is first with the girls singing "Doo doo wee doo wee di doo , mmm nice" in chorus with the band providing that sixties big band sound with trumpet and flute providing high points in amongst the girls chorus which creeps up a note as a great little swing punch gets injected from the band and there is more swing with an almost summery Sergio Mendes sound which continues with "The Song Is You" being an Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern composition with another three included in the album but they are Rodgers and Hammerstein compositions with not a Hart in sight but all the same we get three Hammerstein's in a row with the classic "Younger Than Springtime" with a great light feel provided by the girls vocals with a really nice bob in the music with all the doo doos and ooohhhs but the girls do sing the chorus and verse correctly. More great swing continues with the next having a great kick from the band in "People Will Say Were In Love" with sax and trumpet doing a call and response solo and of course more fabulous vocals from the girls which just keeps coming with another all time classic from the Gershwins, "They Can't Take That Away from Me" given that distinct sixties touch. Thirteen tracks all up with three by Bob Thompson with all the others being extremely well known songs with a myriad of instruments used throughout for solos, trumpet, flute,saxophone, vibes, piano etc with the band usually in full swing right behind. The tune that signifies this time back then the most is last to finish of the album being a Bob Thompson composition named "Playboy" with great drive throughout, this being the most up-tempo number on the album and one of the girls provides one great little quick scream with one smoker of a trumpet solo over this great little sixties swinging finisher.

Wonderful album simply because it is so different with its own formula and what about the cover. The girls looked better then. After something different and nothing else like it, well here it is. This music has come and gone and although there are a few modern attempts it just ain't the same. Highly recommend when you are driving the James Bond, Aston Martin but even if you are not you will still have that feel.