The Connoisseur Collection began with a single tape (the Electric Slide tape--Side One) made for a dance at a Jewish day camp. I had so much fun putting it together, that I added a second side. Then I made a country tape. Now, I'm working on a Calypso tape.

Please understand that these tapes were made solely for my own enjoyment and are not for sale. I'm posting the track lists here as a monument to my good taste. Your comments are welcome.

Goto:
The Dance Collection
The Country Collection
The Vocal Harmony Collection
Jacob's 1999 Party Tape
Spanish tape
Calypso tape

The Electric Slide Tape

Side One

Side Two

Your Cheatin' Heart

Side One

Side Two

* LK=Lori Kopp

Lori Kopp said (7/29/98): Okay, so where are Marty Robbins, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, and George Jones, for goodness sakes? Where's Chet Atkins, Bob Wills, The Carter Family? For more newish rock-oriented stuff, how about Steve Earle, Rockpile, Junior Brown, Roseanne Cash. For lyrics, how about Townes Van Zandt and some Gram Parsons? I know, I know: you did the best you could with what was on hand. You want me to dig you up anything fun? Just let me know . . . (everyone's a critic . . . ) ;-)

Vicki Presser said (7/28/98): Nice selections. That's a country tape I might be tempted to listen to. I'd suggest "I walk the Line" or "Ring of Fire" by -- oh rats, can't remember his name. catch you later.

Kathie Niederhoffer said 9/27/99: I clicked on the comments thing on your music page, but nothing happened, so i’ll give a few of them to you here and maybe you can post them when you have time. I was sure LK was a guy, because she didn’t like "Why Not Me" (Judds). This is a true "woman’s" song, and i oughta know, since i’ve been living it for a year. The one weakness: "Singapore" is such a bad and obvious rhyme for "girl next door", (baby)--one of my favorite Juddsongs. But, don’t worry, LK (who is she, anyway, Nos?), i agree with you that "Silver Threads" beats "Desperado"—great fiddle, melody, and energy. The bad line here is "i cannot drown my sorrow in the warm flow of your wine" (is it "warm flow" or something else? Enunciate, Linda!!). Other than that, a classic! "Desperado"? Nos, you’ve been watching too many "Seinfeld" reruns!! I dislike most of the other choices (there are 4 i don’t know). I’d pick any Roger Miller song over "King of the Road" (ok—maybe not "Husbands & Wives"). I never liked it and i never will!!!! So there!!!!! Hank—"no" to "I’m So Lonesome"—i like "Jambalaya" and "Move It On Over" (though i only know the G. Thorogood version) better (even "Hey, Good Lookin’"). I saw some of Hank’s hand-written lyrics at the Hall of Fame in Nash. He might’ve been a good songwriter, but his spelling left a lot to be desired. Jessi Colter—"I’m Not Lisa"—nonononononono. Nos, are these all your choices? If it has to be slow and sensitive, i’d go with "Storms Never Last" (w. Waylon). As someone who has seen many, many Waylon & Jessi shows (all but one that they did in the NYC/LI/NJ area between ‘83 and ‘94--and if they did 2 shows, i saw both)(J was usually W’s opening act)(and, in case you couldn’t tell, whose #1 Country God is/was/and always will be Waylon), i generally preferred J’s up-tempo numbers (she used to open with one that was a little "Gimme Shelter"-ish—i forget the title—the one with the lines about "too much ain’t enough" and "you can park your car in my yard"). For a little Baptist girl outta Arizona revival meetings, she sure kicked ass!!! Did you think Waylon’s woman would be a wuss??? What was i saying? Oh, yeah. I wish i had your list in front of me. Emmylou—not "One of These Days"? Not "Two More Bottles of Wine" (thanks, Delbert!)? Not "Those Memories of You" (from "Trio")(was that by Bill Monroe?)--incredible instrumentals, great harmonies, great lyrics & melody—"I’ll always love you, little darlin’/ Until the day they lay me down"—blue-eyed soul deluxe!!! I have more to say (i know you can’t wait), but i’ll save it for another time. Oh, one more thing—Junior Brown. If you haven’t seen him, you’ve got to. Saw him 2x at Tramps—he is so incredible!! He did an unbelievable version of "Walk, Don’t Run". I had never heard any of those surf instrumentals live before (ok—except for "Wipeout")--it was great. I know this is kind of long. Thanks for reading it! -- squeaky k (it’s ok to send here—it’s working now)

10/3/99 Nos defends himself: Yes they are all my choices. The criteria were 1) all songs were drawn from my and Iris's collection, so the selections could not be "the best of country music" in any way; 2) my taste is catholic not purist; 3) I almost never listen to the words (well, I have listened to the words of songs such as "the Three Bells," "No Charge," "Phantom 309," and "Teddy Bear."); 4) I was trying to get an equal number of women on the tape--given that our collection was a bit weak on women, it made for some suboptimal choices. If I were doing the tape today, I'd want to include Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette and Kitty Wells; 5) I like novelty; 6) I was trying to make a "listenable" tape, one that I could stand to play over and over again. And by that measure, I think I pretty much succeeded.

The Vocal Collection

Side One

Ready for Your Love—Shep and the Limelights

All I Have to Do is Dream—Everly Brothers

Get Up, Get Out—The Weavers

In the Still of the Night—The Five Satins

More Money for You and Me (Medley) -- The Four Preps

I have this thing for parodies. Can't help it. Sorry.

Side Two

Chain Gang—Persuasions

Think for Yourself—The Beatles

So Tired—The Chambers Brothers

Sh-boom—Stan Freberg

Bohemian Rhapsody (2nd half)—Queen

Iko Iko—The Dixie Cups (Arranged by Joe Jones)

Stewball—Chad Mitchell Trio

My God Can Do Anything—Luther Barnes and the Red Budd Gospel Choir

You Belong to Me—The Duprees

M.T.A.—Kingston Trio

Till Then—The Classics

Scarborough Fair/Canticle—Simon and Garfunkle

Shout Part 1—Isley Brothers

Somewhere Over the Rainbow—Stormy Weather

DON’T HAVE: Lettermen, Brothers Four, Mills Brothers, Ink Spots, Roches, McGarigles, Neville Brothers, Four Seasons, Jay and the Americans, Drifters, Coasters, "Heavens Just a Sin Away" The Kendalls, Bobby McFerrin, Dion and The Belmonts, Four Tops, Rockapella.

SOUND QUALITY NOT GOOD ENOUGH: Golden Gate Quartet, "Puff the Magic Dragon" Peter Paul & Mary.

Vicki Presser 11/2/98: Ahh, sweet harmony!! I agree with the ones I’m familiar with, and intrigued to hear the ones that are new to me. If you can handle something a bit edgier, I urge you to listen to recordings by Queen—their harmonies were outstanding -- I understand they were classically trained musicans. I think nearly all the Mamas and Papas recordings qualify for this set (Dream a Little Dream of Me is a favorite), but I liked the one you picked. I may have more thoughts on this. Stay tuned? [Vicki's comments predate my creating Side Two.]

Deven Black 11/23/98: Nice stuff, Nos, but I’m suprised you do not have any of the sweet soul voices. Sam Cook doing Chain Gang beats the heck out of anyone else. No Al Green? No Otis Redding (Try A Little Tenderness is a MUST!). No Clyde McPhatter? No Tracy Nelson? No Darlene Love? No Ronnie Spector? Okay, enough of your deficiencies. Stay well.

Nos responds: I am a bit embarassed that I own virtually nothing by the fine artists Deven named. During the years that I should have been buying those records, I was concentrating instead on white soul like the Young Rascals and Rolling Stones. Such is the folly of youth.

Jacob's 1999 Party Tape

Made 5/99, along the same lines as the Electric Slide tape, but with more of Jacob's input.

I played a whole bunch of records and CD’s for him over the last year and made notes of which songs he liked. Then I assembled a cassette of his favorites, so he could easily listen to it or play it when going to bed. Then I wanted to give it a name, and I thought: This is the kind of tape that an eight-year old would make for a party. So I call it "Jacob’s Party Tape."

Side Two

Vicki 5/18/99: Jacob’s musical tastes are impeccable. I want to know more about the Mighty Sparrow song, Doh Touch Me President—is that new? He’s one of my all time favorites, but I haven’t bought a recording of his in a long time. Maybe I will now.

Spanish tape

	I wish I had had room for "A Boy Like That" by Selena. I could have used several more songs from any of the following albums: "The Best of the Gipsy Kings," "Big Noise: A Mambo Inn Compilation," "Afro-Peruvian Classics," "Putumayo Presents: Afro Latino," "Master Sessions" by Cachao, and "Humansville" by Brave Combo. All of those albums are highly recommended.
	I wish I had had room for Linda Ronstadt and/or Ruben Blades, Santana, Jose Feliciano, Sertanejo, "Spanish Harlem." And some Venezulelan Parang.
	I would have included Wooly Bully (by Domingo Samudio [Sam the Sham]) and Sofrito (Mongo Santamaria) if I hadn’t already included them on other tapes.
	I considered: Freddy Fender, Germain Montero, Ismael Santiago, Claudia de Colombia, New Riders of the Purple Sage ("La Bamba"). I love "La Bamba" and wish I had the Richie Valens version. I chose to use the one by the Ventures mostly for its novelty value. I was also seriously considering Rudy Martinez (Question Mark) and Frankie Garcia (Cannibal). Listen for a riff from Question Mark and the Mysterians’ "Land of a Thousand Dances" on Cachao’s "Descarga Cachao."