Today we call such melodies lounge music ...

... Back in the 1950s to 1970s, there was talk of Easy Listening. And as a typical representative of this instrumental music was the Hamburg composer and arranger Bert Kaempfert (1923 1980). Since the late forties composed and arranged Kaempfert first hit for the then North West German Radio (NWDR) and the record company Polydor. In 1959 he composed with his co-author Herbert Rehbein the instrumental title wonderland at night, but the plans to release any record company. Kaempfert, it offers a New York producer who makes the title of Wonderland By Night in the US five weeks to the number one hit, the first of a German composer ever.

The in the US with a million (two million worldwide) copies sold title was his international breakthrough. Kaempfert tunes went around the world, from stars like Frank Sinatra (Strangers In The Night) or Al Martino (Spanish Eyes) were sung among others. For Elvis Presley, he wrote the arrangements for its Title Wooden Heart, the English version of Must i denn.Und of Bert Kaempfert's Spanish Eyes Composition exist now than twenty versions sung by Freddy Quinn on Al Martino and Ivo Robic to cover versions Al DiMeola and Ray Conniff.

Kaempfert, often written with his companions Herbert Rehbein, around 400 750 compositions and orchestral arrangements and sold until his death 150 million plates. With the advent of disco music in the 1970s, interest in Kaempfert instrumental music was gradually Ende.1993 the two musicians were added posthumously to the New York Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Included in this box are ten CDs with a total of 147 recordings by Bert Kaempfert and his soloists, many of which are instantly recognizable by their typical sound: For example, the Midnight Blues from Wolfgang Liebeneiner feature film from 1957 Whenever the day begins, Wonderland By Night, A Swingin` Safari, Afrikaan Beat, Mexican Road, Dreaming The Blues, or Happy Trumpeter.

Included are listed below ten original LPs from Kaempfert's early days (including one at the time published under a pseudonym Raymondo and the memory strings longplayer - a sought-after rarity today) to the titles, which became the orchestra conductor world fame. The individual albums and bonus titles have been digitized in very good sound equipment. The tasteful Pappschuber show at any inliegenden CD on the front of its thumbnail of each original album covers. On the back the information to find titles and duration.

Portugal Fado, Wine and Sunshine (1958)

Combo Capers (1960) as Bert Kaempfert Swing Band

Again and again, young (1961) under the pseudonym Raimondo and the memory strings (with the subtitle: melodies of yesterday for people of today)

Wonderland By Night (1961)

The Wonderland of Bert Kaempfert Part Two (1961)

The Wonderland of Bert Kaempfert Part One (1961)

Dancing In Wonderland (1961)

Afrikaan Beat & Other Favourites (1962)

A Swingin` Safari (1962)

With A Sound In My Heart (1962)

Added to this are more about two dozen single-successes as bonus tracks, including some published under the pseudonym Bob Parker rarities.

Conclusion: Bert Kaempfert was one of the fathers of the Easy Listening, wrote Welthits, one of the few German musicians who managed a number one hit in the US, and discovered incidentally the Beatles. For any fan of his gently swinging earwigs an absolute recommendation. Easy Listening is a cult!