"Exotica" - Martin Denny
(Liberty Records (mono & Stereo): 1957/58)
Widely considered the cornerstone for the Exotica genre, it also coined the name of the genre. Originally recorded in 1957 in mono. Denny went back into the studio and re-recorded the album note for note in stereo. Reccommendation: get both mono and stereo versions as they ARE different performances of a classic album.

Reissued with the follow-up album "Exotica II" on a single CD by Scamp Records--CD is now out of print but can be found on line. CD contained the stereo version only. A British label Rev-Ola released a CD in 2005 containing both mono and stereo version on a single CD. Although out of print, it still can be found, but is getting more scarse. Pick it up if you find it.

AVAILABILITY:
marginally available on CD in full album form. LP widely available used. LP out of print. Mutiple reissues on CD. Available as legitimate digital download (stereo version)

"Eden's Island" - Eden Ahbez
(1960 Del-Fi records)
Great one-off exotica album in the classic tradition by a true Hippie. Ahbez is credited for penning the song "Nature Boy." Reissued on CD twice.

AVAILABILITY:
LP scarce, CD: Del-Fi release marginally available & out of print. Collector's Choice reissue still available as of 5/16/10. Available as legit digital download as of 5/16/10.

"Hawaiian Sunset" - Arthur Lyman
(1958 Hi-Fi Records)
One of Lyman's best "mood" albums. This album is pure dreamy quiet tropical sounds. The music really makes you feel like you're laying in a hammock on a beach at sunset.

AVAILABILITY:
LP out of print. Original CD reissue from Rykodisk now out of print but marginally available (contained extra tracks). Second CD reissue from Essential Media Group (BMG Special Products) contains just the original album tracks and exceptionally minimal liner notes, if any. But sound quality is exceptional--direclty from the original master tapes. Available as legit digital download as of 5/16/10.

"Taboo" - Arthur Lyman
(1958 Hi-Fi Records)
Lyman's first Exotica release after leaving Marty Denny's band--A classic Lyman album for sure. So many Lyman albums are tops in Exotica its hard to pick one.

AVAILABILITY:
LP out of print but still fairly easy to find. CD reissued multiple times on various labels--still available as of 5/18/10.

"Ritual of the Savage (Le Sacre du Sauvage)" - Lex Baxter and His Orchestra
(1951 Capitol)
Considered to be the REAL first Exotica album ahead of "Exotica" by Denny. In fact, most of Martin Denny's exotic hits were actually written by Les Baxter. Les Baxter was a major composer and arranger for Capitor Records. Keep in mind not every Baxter album is exotica--some are pure easy listening and couldn't be further from the Exotica genre.

AVAILABILITY:
Originally released on 10" LP--out of print. LP out of print. CD reissued by Rev-Ola as an import only paired with Baxters album "The Passions" in 2006. Marginally available and may be out of print as of 5/18/10, but can still be found for the time being.

"Exotic Moods of Les Baxter" (compilation) - Lex Baxter and His Orchestra
(1996 Capitol)
Released as part of Capitol's Ultra-Lounge series, this 2-CD compilation contained 40 tracks of vintage Les Baxter tunes only from his Exotica releases and included an extremely detailed booklet of Baxter's career and albums.

AVAILABILITY:
2-CD set is out of print for some time and commands over $100 even in used condition. The good news is, the entire set is still available in digital downlaod stores such as iTunes for around $10 for the entire compilation!!

"Rains in the Tropics" - Gene Rains Group
(1958 Decca--stereo & mono)
A contemporary of Arthur Lyman & Martin Denny, but way less known than the two--Rains is by no means less important. Rains released 3 LP's and a compilation in his brief career. All of his albums are simply amazing, but "Rains in the Tropics" nudges the rest out by the thinnest of margins. A true classic.

AVAILABILITY:
LP out of print and very hard to find--release in both stereo & mono. Never released on CD. Not even a single track has surfaced on a compilation. Rains cries out to be reissued on CD.

"Voodoo" - Robert Drasnin
(1959 Tops--stereo & mono)
This album was rather obscure when it was originally released. A literal one-off by famed TV composer, this album has come to be considered a text book example of exotica and is a wonderful listen from front to back. Thank goodness it was reissued on CD. Now in his 80's, Drasnin is still composing Exotica and released Voodoo II in '07 and is rumored to be working on Voodoo III

AVAILABILITY:
LP long out of print and very very rare. Released by Pickwick on CD, but missing 2 tracks--that CD is now out of print and exceedingly rare. Released in full form on CD by Dionysus Records in 1996, but limited to only 10,000 copies--now out of print and quickly moving into scarce status. Both CD reissues had different cover art than the LP.

"Quiet Village " - Martin Denny
(1959 Liberty)
Its hard to pick out a favorite Denny album, but this one is pure Exotica.

AVAILABILITY:
LP out of print fairly available used. Released by Scamp records on CD paired with Denny's "Enchanted Sea"--another great LP. CD Out of print, but still available. Also available as a digital download.

"Exotic Instrumentals of the Islands " - Webley Edwards present Hawaii Calls
(1961 Capitol)
This one nicely spans the gap between Hawaiian music and Exotica. Its really more exotic Hawaiian music, but it certainly fits in a play list with the above titles.

AVAILABILITY:
LP out of print. Never reissued on CD or any other format.