Kids / School Bands

For the young and young at heart.

  • The Planets The Planets

    A few weeks ago I had to be out of my apartment for the better part of the afternoon due to a planned power outage on my street. As I stood around that morning watching people panic as they realized the electric gate wasn’t going to open so they could get their cars out of [...]

  • Westwood Golden Mustang Chorus: 1979 Westwood Golden Mustang Chorus: 1979

    Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
    I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk.
    Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around
    since I was born.
    Youngster Paul Holdeman sings these words with some serious swagger. But just when you’re ready to take his five bucks, walk into Safeway, and buy him a [...]

  • St Kentigern College - 1969 St Kentigern College – 1969

    This an LP showcasing the then music program at the College where I am now a music teacher. This was recorded a fair bit before my time, unfortunately we don’t do showcase LPs anymore. This features the usual suspects of Pipes & Drums (the College is proud of it’s Scottish heritage), [...]

  • Hall High School - Here & Now Hall High School – Here & Now

    William Hall High School from West Hartford, Ct. has a number of LPs, this one showcases the Jazz Band & Jazz Choir from 1977. It was recorded at RCA Studio C in New York & sounds really good for a High School LP. This LP has a pretty solid selection of tracks [...]

  • Ellis And Lynch - Songs For Our Children Ellis And Lynch – Songs For Our Children

    According to Ken Scott’s Archivist book, Ron Ellis and Michael Lynch recorded no less than six LPs of Xian melodic folk music with their families between 1974 and 1979, all released on their Seattle-based Ra-O or Raven Records labels.  “Songs For Our Children” is their fifth release (from 1977), and the title is pretty self-explanatory.  [...]

  • Spring Concert '67 Spring Concert ‘67

    I’m pretty sure I originally bought this because it had a rather crudely hand decorated back cover with ancient pictures of school girls and a birthday inscription of some sort. It was in rough shape so I probably justified the purchase by telling myself I could always give it to a friend who I tend [...]

  • Stepping Tones - I Want To Dance Like Michael Jackson Stepping Tones – I Want To Dance Like Michael Jackson

    If I was more organized, I would’ve had this up months ago, you know, when he died. I can only hope it breathes new life into Michael’s storied legacy which doesn’t seem to be losing much relevance thanks to an uninterrupted media blitz. I do find it interesting that, had I posted this back [...]

  • Various Artists - Live at The Lion's Pause Various Artists – Live at The Lion’s Pause

    St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN has long been famous for their choir. World tours, command performances, serious stuff. But the students can cut loose and do their own thing on the Mane Stage at The Lion’s Pause. On March 3rd, 1979, the Sound 80 Remote crew captured 15 original works by 44 performers.
    Michael Pelikan [...]

  • Billings West High School: Spring Band Concert 1962 Billings West High School: Spring Band Concert 1962

    ‘Nuther school record on the famed Century custom label. To be quite honest this almost completely sucks except for a rather epic exotica workout called “Voodoo”.
    [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

  • Sonoma Valley Jazz Band: Spectacular '74 Sonoma Valley Jazz Band: Spectacular ‘74

    Surprisingly great High School record from right in my own backyard that I’d never come across ’til recently. Sleeve is scant on info but it seems to be split between two local schools of which the kids on side B especially get down like nobody’s business. Very together playing and well chosen covers really set [...]

  • UW Parkside Jazz Ensemble 1 - Vahoovah! UW Parkside Jazz Ensemble 1 – Vahoovah!

    I’m not usually so big on big band/stage band music these days, but there is still something about a tight, well played, forward thinking arrangement that can still hook me in on any given day. This LP from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s premier jazz ensemble from 1979 is a case in point. [...]

  • University of California Men's Octet University of California Men’s Octet

    As someone who barely eeked through High School and later dropped out of Community College to pursue a career in alcoholism and record collecting I sometimes find myself idly wondering: might it have all turned out differently had I stayed in school? But unlike hobos ’round the campfire, or pool cleaners, who might focus on [...]

  • Peabody College and Vanderbilt University - The Contemporary College Wind Ensemble Peabody College and Vanderbilt University – The Contemporary College Wind Ensemble

    This was one of the first school band records I ever bought. I’d heard *of* Vanderbilt University, but never realized it was in Nashville. Hmm, Nashville… strange then to find this tantalizing blurb on the back:
    “This album is a new departure in wind ensemble programming. Leading Nashville composers and arrangers have bridged many musical styles [...]

  • The Holker Family - Feelin' Good The Holker Family – Feelin’ Good

    I instantly fell in love with The Holker Family – endlessly coming at me in their gym shorts and tube socks. It only got better when I opened the gate-fold to find The Holker’s engaged in all manner of recreational activities. (Is this a private home gym? Why is there wainscoting in [...]

  • God Is For Real, Man God Is For Real, Man

    It’s taken me a good couple years to fully digest this lp, but I think I can now say with some degree of certainty that this is hands down one of the heaviest “non-music” lp’s I’ve heard. I mean, how could a 60’s record of ghetto kids interpreting the bible in jive talk be anything [...]

  • Incomparable Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band Incomparable Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band

    That one dude has a pot leaf on his tuba. How sweet is that? Anyhow, yeah, turned-on marching band plays the Dead, Stones, Santana, Chicago, etc, etc. Betcha each and every one of them made a bong in ceramics class.
    TRUCKIN’
    [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

  • Rasberry Jam 2/People - If We Only Have Love Rasberry Jam 2/People – If We Only Have Love

    Dollar bin find! Blank back cover & a stock front, the only other info besides band & title:”Produced by Sid Kleiner’s House Of Guitars, R.513, Califon NJ”. The People side consists entirely of covers: the Bee Gees (Words, To Love Somebody), Beatles (Birthday), Jefferson Airplane (White Rabbit), Monkees (Shades Of Grey), and The First Edition [...]

  • The Chandra Dimension (unreleased) EP The Chandra Dimension (unreleased) EP

    I refused to believe it was true until Chandra sent me a copy of the master tapes. An unreleased Chandra EP? This time with full teenage backing band and production from Steve Alexander and Eugenie Diserio of The Dance? After Chandra released her Transportation EP she formed a band consisting of herself (who at that time [...]

  • Ecology Sea in Song and Ballad Ecology Sea in Song and Ballad

    “Hey, I know, let’s get ripped and record some songs about the ocean for kids.” I suppose one of the beauties of making your own record is that there’s no one to tell you no… as is evident on this custom job devoted to stoner octopus ballads and the like. Not that I’m knocking [...]

  • Vanguard Singers: Hymns Hot & Carols Cool Vanguard Singers: Hymns Hot & Carols Cool

    I will absolutely buy any record with a priest playing bongo drums on the cover… and while admittedly this is not always a strategy that pays off, this did turn out to be an above average church kids album with a fairly “turned on” sound. Not thoroughly amazing throughout, but there is one track in [...]

keep looking »