The Top Ten - week ending 22 April 2017

Saturday has returned. I'm so glad that you have, too!

As the Spring weather continues to immerse itself in our lives, lets take some time out of our Spring cleaning and home improvement projects to remove some of that stress.

It's been a busy week, and it plans to be a busy weekend. But some personal meditation time to chill our chakras will go a long way.

Congrats to Phigroa this week! His wonderful Distant Voices has been a fave around the station as well as with you, the listeners. (keep your votes comin' in, folks!)

Diana Krall's Night and Day climbs in the second, ahead of Riccardo Eberspacher's Luna Calante. A very wonderful triumvirate of tracks. It only goes to show that you all have wonderful taste! 

As The Thieves drop down, Blank & Jones and SAMBOX move up. As you know, this chart is constantly in flux as your votes (and ours here) constantly change the order, not to mention the rotation times, on a weekly basis.

We finally move Mo'jardo into the group, as he makes the move from Bubbling Under.  Speaking of Bubbling Under, I have no new tunes here. It's been a busy week, with no time to seek out some new music. But don't despair, as there are lots of fresh tracks here to keep your ears busy. Should have something new for next week. Stay tuned.

Thanks for all the support, for the station and the artists. Love to see your Comments. Keep listening, keep cool. Have a great weekend!

1. Phigroa - Distant Voices

2. Diana Krall - Night And Day

3. Riccardo Eberspacher - Luna Calante (feat. Marcus Eaton & Giovanna Famulari)

4. Thievery Corporation - Love Has No Heart (feat. Shana Halligan)

5. Blank & Jones - My Island

6. Lemongrass - Let’s Turn On

7. SAMBOX - Jasmin Sambac

8. Peter Pearson - Love Me Once Again (ft. Sarai Usry)

9. Mo’jardo - The Way She Moves

10. Sarah McKenzie - Don't Be a Fool

Cocktail Nation 444 Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

(Apologies for yesterday... a technical glitch)

Rolling out the big guns this week with the very first interview for a band which has been around since the late nineties but has never done press - Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited is on the show! Plus, I have some giveaways of their latest album. Also on the show Tony Marscio from the Martini Kings with a brand new release, and spme swank advice on dinner parties.

Daniel Pemberton - Bugs Beats and Bowties

Jimmy Psycho - Thunderbirds

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited - Night Of The Jaguar

Spy Fi - Then Play Down

Henry Mancini - Brothers Go To Mothers

Don Ralke - Black Panther

Martini Kings (feat Marlena Khramov and Derek Stroh) - You Only Live Twice

Desmond Quartet - Take Five

Enoch Light - When Your Lover Is gone

Christopher De Groot - Sailing Ships and Tarot Cards

Arthur Lyman - September Song

Jim Beuning - It’s Like This

Sad Salamanders - The Exotica Sandy Warner

Frank Sinatra - The Best Is Yet To Come

The Top Ten - week ending 15 April 2017

Welcome my fellow loungers!

I'm a little slow in posting the Top Ten today. So much to do on Saturday (especially Easter Weekend) that scheduling the usual gets moved around in the day. The weather here this weekend has been gorgeous, so my time here in front of the computer screen is going to be quick.

As I write this, the Cocktail Nation sneak preview should be playing. But as I turned on the station, I realized that it wasn't on. Mmmmm....a technical glitch no doubt. Fear not, for all you Koop Kooper fans, I will have the show up here in it's entirety tomorrow.

A few changes in the rankings this week - Thievery Corporation, featuring Shana Halligan (ex-Bitter:Sweet) moves into the top spot with the heartbreaking Love Has No Heart. Phigroa's chilled jazz tune, Distant Voices, moves in behind to second, ahead of Canada's jazz songstress, Diana Krall, and Night and Day from her new release. 

Blank & Jones make a nice leapfrog up to number six, with Let's Turn On from the new Lemongrass album right behind. Loads of new wonderful chillout to accompany the Spring weather!

A welcome return to the Top Ten from SAMBOX, with his Jasmin Sambac. Glad to hear some new music some Samuel.

Finally, bubbling under this past week has been a wonderful new Lemongrassmusic release from Mo'jardo, called The Way She Moves. 

Please check out all these new releases and the albums from which they come. There is so much wonderful talent out there, you make us all proud by supporting them and the station. Follow the links provided below as a starting point. From Bandcamp to iTunes, there are any number of legitimate outlets to download from.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a BBQ that needs tending......

Stay chilled.

1. Thievery Corporation - Love Has No Heart (feat. Shana Halligan)

2. Phigroa - Distant Voices

3. Diana Krall - Night And Day

4. Riccardo Eberspacher - Luna Calante (feat. Marcus Eaton & Giovanna Famulari)

5. Peter Pearson - Love Me Once Again (ft. Sarai Usry)

6. Blank & Jones - My Island

7. Lemongrass - Let’s Turn On

8. Sarah McKenzie - Don't Be a Fool

9. Eliane Elias - Copacabana

10. SAMBOX - Jasmin Sambac

Bubbling Under

Mo’jardo - The Way She Moves

Cocktail Nation 443 CATT

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

This week, we check out the event that is the Chicago Area Tiki Tour. (To give you a visual idea of the tour, check out the video diary below, from Damian at letstiki.com and his experience at the 2011 tour.) We also mention a couple of passings of late, an artist and an actress of note, and some swank advice on avoiding conflict in social media.

Jim Buening - What If I Told You

Kaylene Peoples - Girl From Ipanema

David Bell Group - Congregation

Bikini Machine - Clima

Tiki Cowboys - Blue Tiki

Tiki Delights - All The Stars Are In Your Eyes

Lola Albright - A Man A Man A Man

Dragonfly - Somewhere

Howard Johson and Gravity - Working Hard For the Joneses

Tikyaki Orchestra - Exotique

Skip Heller - Hurricane App

Les Baxter - Cairo Bazaar

Malcolm Lockyer - Teledrama

The Top Ten - week ending 8 April 2017

Welcome to Saturday!

The weekend is finally upon us once again, and we are ready for it. The last blasts of winter finally are dwindling away, and the yoyo effect of the weather settles down with some warmer temperatures, and we all breathe a big sigh and welcome basking in some warm sunshine again.

Spring has also seen the release of some great new music. After hibernating away in the studio all winter, the fruits of those labours are finally seeing the light of day. From Lemongrass to Blank & Jones, Phigroa to Sambox..... It's exciting to hear some beautiful new sounds.

Speaking of Lemongrass, they made the leap into the Top Ten this week from Bubbling Under with a new track, Let's Turn On. Mirage of Deep continue to remain in the Top Ten with Romantic Fields,

Congrats to Peter Pearson, as Love Me Once Again moves into number one, followed by the Theivery Corporation, and jazz/chill guitarist Phigroa coming in at number three.

Shoutout to Sambox on his latest release. Perfectly titled Freedom World, and inspired by the varied vibes of foreign cultures and the World music scene, coupled with his usual Gallo-Romance chill, I can surely envision DJ Ravin or Jose Padilla incorporating some of this collection into future Buddha Bar mixes. Top notch, Samuel! I should also mention that I hear an underlying cry for peace here, as the artist inspires the listener to embrace other cultures, not fear or despise them. This multicultural integration of music is a way of the future, as artists interact and are inspired by the sounds from around the world. Stan Getz knew this back in 1962 when he brought Brazilian bossa nova to America and the world with The Girl From Ipanema. It changed the jazz scene forever. Today, artists like Bebel Gilberto and Eliane Elias are popular worldwide directly from the Ground Zero point when Stan Getz met Antonio Carlos Jobim. 

As a bonus this week, scroll down and check out a sampling of Freedom World with this wonderful trailer.

We here at This is Lounge have chosen Jasmin Sambac, which begins to bubble under this week.

Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to support Sambox and Phigroa and Riccardo Eberspacher, and all the Top Ten and This is Lounge artists. Download from iTunes, or the artist's Bandcamp page directly. Hey! Guitar strings don't grow on trees!!! 

Stay chilled.

1. Peter Pearson - Love Me Once Again (ft. Sarai Usry)

2. Thievery Corporation - Love Has No Heart (feat. Shana Halligan)

3. Phigroa - Distant Voices

4. Diana Krall - Night And Day

5. Riccardo Eberspacher - Luna Calante (feat. Marcus Eaton & Giovanna Famulari)

6. Eliane Elias - Copacabana

7. Blank & Jones - My Island

8. Sarah McKenzie - Don't Be a Fool

9. Mirage of Deep - Romantic Fields

10. Lemongrass - Let’s Turn On

Bubbling Under

SAMBOX - Jasmin Sambac

Cocktail Nation 442 Zsa Zsa

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

This week, we look at the life of Zsa Zsa Gabor, and an interview with Lee Bailey in the Sixties.There's also Swank advice on the importance of the RSVP, plus our look at the World of Swank Gig Guide.

Bobby Shew - Bag's Groove

Dave Pell - Session At Pete’s Pad

Pat Longo - Come-What May

Ixtahuele - Temple Of The Snake God 

Herbie Harper - Lets Fall In Love

Art Pepper - Walkin Out Blues

Swingerhead - At The Strip

Buddy Greco - I’m In Love

Don Ralke - Mombassa

The Top Ten - week ending 1 April 2017

Welcome, my fellow loungers.....and dare I say, Happy April Fools Day!

I'm sure a few of your will have been the recipient of a few pranks, or you're responsible for some. Whatever, it's all in good fun as long as no one gets hurt.

Speaking of good fun, we have lots of great new music to add to your fun weekend and week.  Blank & Jones arrive at number nine, a very respectable start to their tenure in the Top Ten. Lots of buzz around the new Lemongrass release, Orion, and our Bubbling Under choice to play, Let's Turn On.

The Brazilian beauty that is Elaine Elias tops the chart this week with the jazz samba of Copacabana, ahead of Thievery Corporation and Peter Pearson. NY guitarist Phigroa's chilled jazz sounds continue to garner your votes amongst the other contenders. 

Thanks for your support, and please, crawl on over to www.thisislounge.com and vote for your fave Top Ten track. I love the feedback.

I hope the weather is starting to improve in your part of the world. Spring is coming in kicking and screaming in my corner of the Great Lakes of Canada. It's arrival will be greatly anticipated.

So with the warm weather, be sure to tune in for awhile. I truly appreciate your time away from Spotify, Mixcloud, Apple Music, Soundcloud, not to mention your iTunes playlist and your vinyl collection...even for an hour or two. Thanks for listening.

Stay cool.

1. Eliane Elias - Copacabana

2. Thievery Corporation - Love Has No Heart (feat. Shana Halligan)

3. Peter Pearson - Love Me Once Again (ft. Sarai Usry)

4. Diana Krall - Night And Day

5. Phigroa - Distant Voices

6. Sarah McKenzie - Don't Be a Fool

7. Mirage of Deep - Romantic Fields

8. Riccardo Eberspacher - Luna Calante (feat. Marcus Eaton & Giovanna Famulari)

9. Blank & Jones - My Island

10. Sunnybeatz Production - Serenity

Bubbling Under

Lemongrass - Let’s Turn On