Summer Samba (So Nice)

The sequel to the two-CD Instrumental Gems of the '60s is just one disc and lower in quality, though it's still a worthy, intelligently assembled compilation of 20 of the more memorable non-rock instrumental hits of the decade. It's perhaps a bit too heavy on the schmaltzy easy-listening component, with entries from Bert Kaempfert ("Wonderland By Night"), Acker Bilk ("Stranger on the Shore," in retrospect the last gasp of pre-World War II-type easy-listening music), and Percy Faith. And it's hard to imagine that anyone with a passing interest in the genre hasn't found Martin Denny's "Quiet Village" on numerous other CD reissues. But there are some neat, idiosyncratic selections as well, like Kokomo's zany orchestral-boogie rendition of a Grieg piano concerto ("Asia Minor"), Billy Strange's familiar "Munsters Theme," Boots Randolph's uptempo novelty "Yakety Sax," and Kai Winding's "Telstar"-ish "More," with its creepy keyboards. South America is represented with Walter Wanderley's "Summer Samba" and Sergio Mendes' "Mais Que Nada" (which actually has vocals), jazz great Wes Montgomery pokes his head out with his MOR version of the Association's "Windy," and the Ventures bring things to a rousing conclusion with their famous "Hawaii Five-O" -- which sounds more like rock than easy listening, but who's complaining? ~ Richie Unterberger