Still working on this Torch app, and ran across this album. I know you jazz hounds will be familiar with it, but it was new to me, and I can't quit listening to it.

Helen Merrill's voice is perfect for it, as is the trumpet of Clifford Brown. The super-mega-bonus is that it was arranged and produced by 21-year-old Quincy Jones and is so subtle and deftly put together that it's a National Treasure.

For the inside story NPR's Piano Jazz podcast has an interview with Helen from 1995 in which she describes how Quincy stayed up all night before the session writing the arrangments.

This story and others coming, even sooner than the last time I said that, in the new app, Classic Torch Singers.

I feel like a promotion machine for The Tikiyaki Orchestra lately. I swear I don't even know these people, but when they combine Christmas with Exotica, two of my favorite things. I gotta let you know about it.

Checkout this instrumental version of Paul McCartney's Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time done Exotica-Style..

There's a great article in Apple News right now, courtesy of Vine Pair, that talks with Jim Bacchi of The Tikiyaki Orchestra about the resurgence happening today in Exotica Music.

After being influenced by the late 90's band The Blue Hawaiians, Jim founded The Tikiyaki Orchestra with the creation of 2007's StereoExotique. This fed into the mini-resurgence of Exotica music of the early 2000's that's sometimes referred to as Neo-Exotica, and featured such bands as, Don Tiki, Kenny Sasaki and The Tiki Boys, and The Hulu Girls. Even the infamous Martini Kings got in on the action with their 2007 release Dance of the Virgins.

If you're looking for Classic Exotica we've got you covered with our app Classic Exotica Albums, but maybe an update is in order to include some of this very cool Neo-Exotica music. Food for thought!

We like to think that cream rises to the top and great talent will always be discovered because it's too remarkable to be hidden away. But sometimes life is more complicated than that, and such is the story of Beverly Kenney.

Give this album a (metaphorical) spin and instantly you'll wonder how it's possible you've never heard the name of the woman that possesed this impeccible voice (hint). One of my all-time favorites, and in my opinion, within this genre, as good as anyone, ever.

This story and more coming soon in a new app that's in the works called, Classic Torch Singers.

Up until now, I've been thinking of Mid-Century Modern Music as music of the 50's and 60's, but if the 50's is the decade in the middle of the century, it makes sense that music from either side of that decade should be included. So how far back should we go? Where should it start?

I believe I may have found the source, and her name is Mildred Bailey.

There's a really interesting documentary available on Netflix right now called Rumble and it's about the musical contributions and pop culture influence of Indigenous artists. Bailey grew up on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in Idaho, where she learned a distinctive style of singing that involved gliding in and out of notes.

When she was 13, she moved to Spokane Washington and eventually found work singing in an orchestra with another young singer named Bing Crosby. They would become life-long friends. And Bing took notice of the distinctive way in which she sang, as she became more popular others did too.

Tony Bennett had this to say.

...from sixteen to twenty years old, I was working as a singing waiter in Astoria, Long Island here and that's the only thing I listened to, was Mildred Bailey. I was completely influenced by Mildred Bailey.

Frank Sinatra once told her niece, Julia Rinker.

I knew your aunt, and she is one of the most significant people in terms of how I learned to sing and who I emulate to this day.

Charles Phoenix takes you on a tour of Emily Twirls (and her husband Fernado's) unbelieveable Mid-Century Modern home for Christmas. This home tour is an education in Mid-Century Modern furnishings.

If you look close, at 16:15 there's a quick cameo of Martin Denny's Exotic Percusson in their record stack. To learn more about Martin Denny and listen to 17 of his other albums, check out Classic Exotica Albums.

For more of Charles Phoenix check out his YouTube channel, especially if you're into cars, he does alot of MCM car stuff, or go straight to the source at his website.

In 1953 Peggy Lee recorded her first album, Black Coffee in the 10-inch format. This album features the eight songs from that album, and adds four more from a session in 1956. Released that same year in the 12-inch format, it's one of the best examples of Lee's slow, smokey style. Sparse, intimate, and not in a hurry to get anywhere, it induces a state of instant relaxation.

The small group sessions in 1953 utilized the talents of a drummer named Ed Shaughnessy, who played with Doc Severinsen for years, including in The Tonight Show Band.

Find more information about Peggy Lee, this album, and 17 of her other albums in Classic Christmas Albums.

Christmas is over, but that doesn't mean it's time to put away the Classic Christmas Albums app. This year we added Artist pages to the app, and these pages include a curated collection of non-Christmas albums for you to enjoy all year round.

While the app contains four great Ella Fitzgerald Christmas albums, it also includes sixteen non-Christmas albums, including my favorite, Ella Sings Gershwin. Her first album from 1950, it's the simplicty of this recording that makes it remarkable. This is Ella, in a room, with a microphone, accompanied by pianist Ellis Larkins. Close your eyes and you'll feel like you're discovering one of the greatest singers of all-time in some tucked-away club on a slow weekday evening.

This year, Classic Christmas Albums got a facelift, and now it looks more like Exotica Music Albums, including the edition of an Artists section. Use the Artists section to dive even deeper into a particular artist, for compliation albums, non-Christmas albums of interest, biographical information, and video links.

This summer Exotica Music Albums comes to macOS, so whether it's an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, we've got you covered. Fire up the tiki torches, mix up a big tub of Beachcombers's Punch and invite those crazy neighbors over. With this app, Martin Denny, Lex Baxter and a whole host of other great Exotica artists are going to show up and ask where to set up the vibraphone.

With Let’s Walk There! you can take an audio tour through Athens Greece, without even stepping outside.

Your audio tour guide, Lydia, will describe Greece & the Olympics long history. Natural street sounds will make you feel like you're actually walking through Athens with her.

All of this action is powered by you! You'll progress along your path through Athens by walking around the room, or on a treadmill, or even by riding a stationary bike. Of course a walk around your neighborhood will also do the trick, as will any sort of movement detected by your phone's built-in pedometer.