In the 1950s, comic Ernie Kovacs was a pioneer in breaking down television's "fourth wall" and making the process of doing the show part of the joke. (And you thought David Letterman invented that.) Key to Kovacs's brand o... more »f intellectual slapstick was choosing the right music to accompany his unforgettable sight gags, and he turned to fellow freaks such as Ferrante & Teicher, space-age bachelor Esquivel!, and the Les Baxter Orchestra with Dr. Samuel Hoffman on theremin. The music stands up even when separated from the skits: Witness "Song of the Nairobi Trio," which accompanied a running gag featuring an orchestra composed of three guys in monkey suits beating each other on the head. (Trust me, it was funnier than it sounds.) --Jim Derogatis« less
In the 1950s, comic Ernie Kovacs was a pioneer in breaking down television's "fourth wall" and making the process of doing the show part of the joke. (And you thought David Letterman invented that.) Key to Kovacs's brand of intellectual slapstick was choosing the right music to accompany his unforgettable sight gags, and he turned to fellow freaks such as Ferrante & Teicher, space-age bachelor Esquivel!, and the Les Baxter Orchestra with Dr. Samuel Hoffman on theremin. The music stands up even when separated from the skits: Witness "Song of the Nairobi Trio," which accompanied a running gag featuring an orchestra composed of three guys in monkey suits beating each other on the head. (Trust me, it was funnier than it sounds.) --Jim Derogatis
The genius of Ernie Kovacs reflected by his musical tastes.
07/08/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An outstanding collection that clearly illustrates how Ernie's eclectic musical taste contributed to his groundbreaking visual humor. A wild ride from Esquivel to Ferrante & Teicher to Yma Sumac to his signature Oriental Blues and Solfeggio. The liner notes are superb and give great insight into the particular selections. My only complaint is that it is not a multi-CD set. This music makes me remember his genius and mourn its loss. Even if you don't know Ernie Kovacs, the music will entertain you and make you smile."
A nice tribute to a tv pioneer
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 09/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This disc will be a sheer delight to any fans of the late Ernie Kovacs pioneering TV comedy/variety show of the early 1950s. Music was always a passion of Kovacs' and an important element to his show, and this disc (yeah, okay, it's actually a collection...) features warped, oddball performances of pop, classical and novelty tunes by artists such as Yma Sumac, Ferrante & Teicher and Esquivel, as well as a croon or two by Kovacs himself. The real gem is Robert Maxwell's "Song Of The Nairobi Trio" (aka: "Solfeggio"), which was the theme to a recurrent -- and always hilarious sight gag involving three mechanical musical apes (one of whom was invariably played by a costumed Kovacs...) Just the sound of the song alone will bring a smile to anyone who's seen the skit before. In some ways this is just another kitschy set of '50s exotica; but for me the Kovacs mystique is enough to set this disc in a separate category. Recommended."
Good content, but not enough...
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | 01/26/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a fine CD to complement anyone's Kovacs, comedy or easy listening collection. Some Kovacs tunes, like "The Irving Wong Song" and "Hey, Taxi!" are not on this CD, and they are missed. I could have done without the second version of "Oriental Blues" if either of these songs had been included. B+ for effort and good package."
So Far Ahead of Its Time...
John P Bernat | Kingsport, TN USA | 07/29/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It's STILL ahead of its time.
Ernie Kovacs was the guy who said televsion (50s style) was called a medium because it was neither rare nor well done. He instsed on looking at things his own way, and using TV's technology in ways no one else would even imagine.
Today, whenever a business seminar leader trots out the well-worn cliche "thinking outside the box," Ernie's face comes before me.
And music was innate. So much of Ernie's TV tech stuff was 100% visual, it was tantamount to viewing a series of silent films.
And we remember that silent movies had musical accompaniment. Ernie had to furnish music which would at once associate itself with the ruthlessly original visual imagery and also be, hopefully, something we'd not heard before.
He scoured the globe for 1950s-era music that you'd never heard before. For example, even fifty years later, I cannot hear the version of "Jalousie" on this CD without seeing the "office equipment" visuals he made. And I'd be grateful for a plateful of fish.
Ernie's outlook on things has warped me for life. And this music is tightly woven into that...he made the fifties what they were."
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1
