It was 50 years ago today...

martin denny taught the band to play. will they surpass him? dunno. but they're doing a mighty fine job of trying. Waitiki 7's Adventures in Paradise greets you with the howls and bird calls of Lopaka Colon (son of Augie Colon who did bird calls for Martin Denny). How good are they? They were good enough to perk up the local fauna when I busted the album on me stereo. Birds outside started chiming in. That says something right there. This here album does two things that the albums by Waitiki (another incarnation of Randy Wong and his troupe of flying rum-drinkin' cohorts) didn't do. One. The vocal mixing is downright perfect, no claustrophobias, it sounds like they're doin' their number in a jungle clearing. Two. They've begun to swing. Not that they weren't totally groovy before... but now its something not just to listen to... but to dance to. Just in time too, Hawaii's 50th anniversary of statehood is coming up in August, 3 days after the release of Adventures in Paradise on August 18, which should give you some time after purchasing the album to fly to Hawaii and get a stinkin' good lost weekend on. Lots of sweet lounge jazz/exotica tunes to bust while you're getting there on this album; some by Martin Denny, one by Duke Ellington, others by Les Baxter and Waitiki 7's Tim Mayer and Randy Wong. Smokin' hot album, pour yourself something with all kinds of crazy plastic stuff stickin' out of it and lay back to a marvelous vibe.

For more on Waitiki 7 (including bios of the band members, performance videos and drink recipes). www.waitiki7.com