Les Baxter - Milestones Of A Legend

Leslie Thompson �Les� Baxter (1922 � 1996) is best known as one of the originators of Exotica, a particular style of Easy Listening-music that offered its listeners a lush sonic vacation in the stereophonic comfort of their own living room, a trip on record full of imaginary rituals and exciting taboos. The composer, arranger and orchestra leader from Texas, who studied piano at the Detroit conservatory, decided against a career as a concert pianist in favor of Swing, the popular music of the time. At 21 he played saxophone for the Freddie Slack big band, and also worked as a vocalist, joining Mel Torm�s Mel-Tones two years later. Studio and soundtrack work � for Nat �King� Cole or Yma Sumac, among others � led to successful concept albums of his own orchestral suites, such as �Ritual Of The Savage�, �The Passions�, �Caribbean Moonlight�, or �Space Escapade�, all of which are among the twenty original albums in this box set. Think of �Exotica� as the �world music� of the late Fifties and early Sixties � then sit back, relax, and enjoy the �sophisticated na�vet� of these inventively and dramatically arranged and produced scores for the movie in your mind.