“Instro-Hipsters A Go Go 2” – the title says it all really, another collection of incidental tunes from the sixties thrown together as a soundtrack to an era that probably didn't exist for most (if any) of sixties London.

That's what you might think…except this album is far from that. Firstly, it's a collection by Past Present – known for quality above quantity (and indeed for their loving reissues of garage/psych via the “Rubbles” series). A good sign straight away. Indeed it’s the follow up to the (out of print) first volume, which was reviewed very favourably last year.

Yes, it does cover some of those instrumental pieces that scream “Swinging London” at you, but the music on offer is, in the main, genuine pieces from the 60’s (well, from '63 to '71, certainly not tunes taken from a film library archive from 1975!), and most (if not all) are extremely good, with a few real “finds” and many on CD (I believe) for the first time. And there's a good deal of variety amongst the tracks too.

The opener sets the scene well, The Excursion's “Switched On”, a “big” Hammond tune with a thumping drum beat to help it along the way. Sadly this is followed up by one of the weaker tunes on the album – Joe Loss' “Warpaint” – from 1963, and it sounds it.

I mention that because it's an exception rather than a rule, the majority of tracks on here are well worth owning – just check out the driving beat of The Midnight Shift's “Saturday Jump”, and the wonderful Ray King Soul Band (whose album I have been seeking out for a long time) with “Dupy/Mercy” – the kind of soul/jazz you can imagine pounding out of a basement club. Want some ska? Try The Voomins' “March Of The Voomins”, who give you ska and Hammond in equal measures. “Wah wah” guitar? Bring on Ole Jensen & His Music with “Railroader”. Not forgetting the “wannabe film music” that is “The Gun” by Rupert's Travels.

There's the obligatory Hammond tunes too, with standouts from St Louis Union (“English Tea”), Earl Guest (“Foxy”), Julian Covey (“Sweet Bacon”) and Zoot Money (”Zoot’s Suite”). Some excellent covers as well – a wonderful latin tinged “I'm Coming Home” courtesy of Trendsetters Limited, a “similar but better” version of “Peter Gunn” by Roland Shaw & His Orchestra

One track really jumps from the tracklisting - the wonderful dancefloor filler that is the Reg Guest Syndicate's “Underworld”, big booming bass and wailing guitar. Has this ever been on CD before? I've never seen it.

Also (on CD for the first time) are a couple of tracks from late 60's cult classic movie “Groupie Girl”, courtesy of the Salon Band (did they ever do anything outside of this film?). “Disco 2” is an atmospheric “jam” not a million miles from the Kinks of the same era and “Four Wheel Drive” is a Hammond tune with a strange female vocal that you could almost refer to as ambient!

And it's always nice to end with a hidden track – this time “Sound Of The Sixties” man Brian Matthew doing an advert for the “Saturday Night Suit” from John Collier, along with cheesy radio jingle. Nice touch!

So overall a very good collection of 27 tracks worthy of attention if that “Blow Up” style appeals to you, but with enough of a variety of styles to appeal to a much wider audience. If I were to have one criticism, it would be the sleevenotes. The only background we have is year & catalogue number for each track. In light of the efforts put into (for example) Sequel & Kent compilations, you do feel a bit cheated.

But that's me picking holes. An excellent collection of “swinging sixties” sounds from an excellent reissue label. I'm already looking forward to volume 3.
Reviewed by David Walker

Nelson Riddle was one of the most admired and versatile arranger/composers of the post-war era, with major radio, television, film, and recording successes to his credit. Inspired by his father's amateur band, he learned piano and trombone and joined Charlie Spivak's orchestra after graduating from high school. Over the next few years, he moved on to work with Bob Crosby and Tommy Dorsey's bands, first as a musician and then doubling as an occasional arranger. After serving in the Army during World War II, he hired on with NBC Radio as a staff arranger.

In 1949, Les Baxter hired him to write some arrangements for a Nat King Cole album. Although Riddle wrote them, Baxter took credit for the highly successful arrangements of "Too Young" and "Mona Lisa"--even Baxter's obituaries attribute them to him. Cole hired Riddle as his lead arranger, and they worked together on over 15 Capitol LPs over the next 10 years. In the early 1950s, Capitol also signed Riddle as an independent artist.

Riddle was known as one of the best arranger for singers, and backed many of Capitol's vocalists, including Margaret Whiting, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra on his swinging albums ("Songs for Swingin' Lovers," "A Swingin' Affair," "Sinatra's Swing' Session") and others. Sinatra said, "Nelson had a fresh approach to orchestration and I made myself fit into what he was doing." Many consider these albums each man's best work. Riddle's own recordings from this period aimed for the same audience as Jackie Gleason, and other "mood music" artists, with titles like "Love Tide," "Sea of Dreams," and "Hey, Let Yourself Go."

His biggest hits, though, were lighter pieces. Riddle had a knack for making his point through understatement that eluded Gleason. The first, "Lisbon Antigua," was brought to his attention by the sister of Nat "King" Cole's manager, and came out at the height of the wave of European covers. His recordings never quite brought Riddle the success he was looking for, though. His earnings as an arranger paled compared to Henry Mancini's royalties from originals like "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses," and Riddle felt something of a rivalry with Mancini throughout their careers.

Riddle also wrote for a number of television shows, including "The Untouchables," and his theme for the series, "Route 66," was released as a single and made it into the Top 40 in 1962. He also scored a number of films, including the Rat Pack classics "Ocean's Eleven" and "Robin and the Seven Hoods," as well as "Harlow," "Red Line 7000," "The Maltese Bippy," "Lolita," "Batman," "A Rage to Live," and "El Dorado." Although Neal Hefti wrote the hit theme for "Batman," Riddle wrote the "zow"-ey arrangements for the actual episodes.

He served as musical director of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and later, "The Julie Andrews Show." He retired in the mid-1970s, but came back when asked to arrange some songs for an album of torch songs Linda Ronstadt was recorded. Riddle commented that he didn't do songs, he did albums, and Ronstadt's producer hired him for the whole album. Riddle's lush arrangements on Ronstadt's "What's New," "Lush Life," and "For Sentimental Reasons" gave the recordings a tremendous boost and helped reintroduce the style that Harry Connick, Jr. and others subsequently imitated to great success. Riddle also arranged and conducted for the inauguration balls for John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Find out more at the Nelson Riddle website: www.nelsonriddlemusic.com.