Archive for April, 2020
The Man From Uncle
This is my cover of the theme from “The Man From Uncle”, a tongue-in-cheek spy-fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret international counterespionage and law-enforcement agency called U.N.C.L.E. The series ran from September 22, 1964 until January 15, 1968. The theme was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
Interstellar
“Interstellar” is an original instrumental intended to be similar to the style of the Ventures’ “The Ventures in Space” album, though updated a bit to include some aspects of their 1965-66 material. This particular sub-genre was kicked off by the Tornadoes hit “Telstar” in 1962. Quite a few copycats quickly followed.
The Ventures released “The Ventures in Space” in 1964, and was reportedly the first one which featured their use of Mosrite guitars.
Theme from “The Proud Ones”
This is my cover of the theme from “The Proud Ones”, which was a 1956 Western film starring Robert Ryan, Virginia Mayo and Jeffrey Hunter. The theme was composed by Lionel Newman. A recording by the Nelson Riddle Orchestra was a top-40 hit in the summer of 1956.
Like many western movie themes, it fits into an instrumental guitar format quite naturally. However, I could find no instrumental guitar group recordings at all.
Kimi To Itsumademo 君といつまでも
This is my instrumental cover of “Kimi To Itsumademo (君といつまでも )” – in English, “Forever with You”, a song written by Japanese composer, musician and actor Kayama Yuzo in 1965.
As a guitarist, he took inspiration from the The Ventures, and performed surf music in the 1960s on a Mosrite guitar. “Kimi to Itsumademo” is one of his best known compositions, selling over two million copies.
Both the Ventures and the Shadows recorded this song. In my arrangement I tried to incorporate aspects of both versions.
The Last Flowers of Autumn ( 秋の最後の花 )
“The Last Flowers of Autumn ( 秋の最後の花 )” is an original instrumental intended to be similar to the style of the material the Ventures wrote and recorded in the early 1970s primarily for the Japanese market.
The Ventures were enormously popular in Japan in the 1960s and 70s, outselling all other foreign artists there, including the Beatles.
The Ventures current line-up still tours Japan annually.
Even More Alone
“Even More Alone” is an original instrumental intended to be in the early 1960s style of the Shadows. The title and somber feel are the result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on so many. In particular I feel very sad for those who live alone and have to “socially distance” all by themselves.
Hot Line
This is my cover of “Hot Line”, which was a “filler” track on the Ventures 1966 album, “The Ventures Play the Batman Theme”.
Besides the theme from the Batman TV show, the album also included the themes from “The Green Hornet” TV show, “The Man from Uncle”, and “Secret Agent.”
“Hot Line” was another “spy”-oriented number; songwriting is credited to Bob Bogle, Mel Taylor, and Don Wilson.
Love Story
This is my instrumental cover of the theme from the 1970 film, “Love Story”, which was written and directed by Arthur Hiller. The theme was composed by Francis Lai, who also composed the well-known theme from the 1966 French movie, “A Man and a Woman”.
Rōnin ( 浪人 )
“Rōnin ( 浪人 )” is an original instrumental intended to be similar to the style of the material the Ventures wrote and recorded in the early 1970s primarily for the Japanese market.
The Ventures were enormously popular in Japan in the 1960s and 70s, outselling all other foreign artists there, including the Beatles.
The Ventures current line-up still tours Japan annually.
Once Upon a Time in the West
This is my cover of the main theme from “Once Upon a Time in the West”, an epic 1968 “Spaghetti Western” film directed by Sergio Leone. The music was written by composer Ennio Morricone, Leone’s regular collaborator, who wrote the score under Leone’s direction before filming began. As in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the haunting music contributes to the film’s grandeur and, like the music for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, is considered one of Morricone’s greatest compositions.
Pagoda Blossom
“Pagoda Blossom” is an original instrumental intended to be similar to the style of the material the Ventures wrote and recorded in the early 1970s primarily for the Japanese market.
The Ventures were enormously popular in Japan in the 1960s and 70s, outselling all other foreign artists there, including the Beatles.
The Ventures current line-up still tours Japan annually.
Never the Same Again
“Never the Same Again” is an original instrumental intended to be in the early 1960s style of the Shadows. The title and somber feel are the result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on so many.
Black Sand Beach
This is my cover of “Black Sand Beach”, an instrumental originally a released by the Ventures in 1967 on an album for the Japanese market entitled “Pops in Japan”. The song was composed by “Dan Kosaku”, whose real name was Yuzo Kayama — a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor.
As a guitarist, he took inspiration from the The Ventures, and performed in the 1960s with using a Mosrite guitar.
The Ventures re-did the song in 1981 as the “B-side” to the single “Surfin’ and Spyin'” and called it “Showdown at Newport”.
Jazz and Classic Pop Music 
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