JAMES LAST Ein Musikalische Traumreise (a Journey
of Musical Dreams) – a Triple CD set from Universal Music Group Germany
In 2007, Universal Music Strategic Marketing produced this
quirky compilation which simply escaped many easy listeners’ attention. Maybe
it was underpublicized, or just maybe the digital download channels did not
feature it prominently. One will never know. Now, slightly over 10 years later,
I have discovered it.
James Last Orchestra and Dreams – how strong is this
association? Since the Maestro passed away in 2015, this compilation serves as a
retrospective on the dream theme animating his music. Instead of focussing
album by album – there is another album themed mini-LP box set for this – this
compilation draws on tracks that match three global dreams. Disc One centres
around the European dreamscape, Disc Two – the American dream, and Disc Three
simply translates as ‘In the South: Dreaming under the Palms’.
Having listened to selections from his LP/CDs TRAUMSCHIFF
MELODIEN and GAMES THAT LOVERS PLAY spanning his late 1960s and mid-1980s
output, one hankers after more of that soft hued, musical travelling vibe. For
instance, it was only recently that I discovered that he recorded a choral interpretation
of the Carpenters’ signature hit ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ from a 1972
LP LOVE MUST BE THE REASON that also gave us ‘The Wedding Song’, ‘Speak Softly Love’
and ‘The Summer Knows’. CD One delivers all of this wrapped around a European
ambiance. There are choral voices, accordion solos, the famous collaboration
with Gheorghe Zamfir, and swinging trumpets on occasional tracks. But by and
large, Disc One is slow tempo and sets you down on a comfortable leather cushioned
journey.
Disc Two however celebrates the popular music America that we know and
love with some ‘attitude’. The version of ‘My Way’ features a midsection that
improvises – ala Frank Sinatra’s style – a soulful jazzy trumpet that evokes
the Big Band era that Sinatra was associated with. Some may find it jarring but
Last intended it in good fun! Then there are plenty of happy travelling and
restful spots across picturesque American harbours – ‘Sittin on the dock of the
Bay’ – airports (‘Leavin’ on a Jet Plane’, ‘Let the Sunshine in’) and even
country travelling via Last’s salute to John Denver’s ‘Take me Home Country
Roads’ and Willie Nelson’s ‘Always on my Mind’. There is more than a hint of
the music associated with touristy Manhattan and Broadway in James Last’s
arrangements of ‘I’ve Got You Under my Skin’ and ‘Moonlight Serenade’.
Finally,
CD Three takes you to the tropical dream with plenty of ‘beach party’ vibes and
the slightly slowed down sassy Cuban and Brazilian rhythms on ‘Amor’ and ‘The
Girl from Ipanema’, the latter featuring another favourite collaborator,
flutist Berdien Steinberg. Those of you looking for samples of funky ‘Disco
Last’ will find it on ‘Feel So Good’ which is as good as Chuck Mangione’s
original and the hip-swaying ‘Copacabana’ and ‘Coco Jamboo’.
Indeed, this compilation serves as a fitting tribute to
James Last as that indubitable dream maker on some mythical ‘moon river’ somewhere
in our memories…
TRACKS [CD1]
Traumschiff Thema
Biscaya
La Vie en Rose
La Mer
Moulin Rouge
Ballade Pour Adeline
Der Einsame Hirte
Endless Journey
Close to You
Schiwago Melodie
Amboß-Polka
Granada
Arrivederci Roma
Wien Bleibt Wien
Viva España
TRACKS [CD2]
My Way
Moonlight Serenade
The Sounds of Silence
The Dock of the Bay
Singin in the Rain
I've Got You Under My Skin
Let the Sunshine In
Love for Sale
Aquarius
Love Theme from the Godfather
Take Me Home Country Roads
Always on My Mind
Leaving on a Jetplane
Tennessee Waltz
Stand by Your Man
I Just Called to Say I Love You
Love Story
The Last Waltz
TRACKS [CD3]
El Condor Pasa
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Guantanamera
Blue Tango
Oye Mi Canto
Happy Brasilia
Bamboleo
Copacabana
Amor Amor Amor
Besame Mucho
La Bamba
Siesta
Feels So Good
The Girl from Ipanema
La Cucaracha
Coco Jamboo
Sunshine Reggae
Seasons in the Sun
ALAN
July 2019
