Shaken Not Stirred

SHAKEN NOT STIRRED features 12 tracks by some of the most notable finger-snappin’, hip-swayin’ musicians of the genre. Like a dream night in some fantastic lounge, the album brings together greats including Arthur Lyman, Bob Florence, James Bond, and Jack (Bongo) Burger. Lyman, one-time vibraphonist extraordinaire for Martin Denny, sold millions of albums during his solo career with HIFI and charted with the singles “Taboo” and “Yellowbird” (#6 and #4, respectively); “Taboo” is included in this compilation. Still performing at many of Hawaii’s swankiest hotel resort lounges, Lyman is definitely the man with the Golden Vibes. Bob Florence’s sound is pure Hollywood -- the big, cool and seductive sound of “Green Eyes” is like cinemascope for stereo. James Bond & His Sextet offer jazz renditions of those famous big screen spy themes (“Goldfinger,” for example), though this Bond actually came first. Bongo-ing up a storm on the track “Mambo Burger” is Jack (Bongo) Burger, mixing a wide range of afro-cuban beats with his band of hip-hepniks. Leon Russell (on harpsichord) and Glen Campbell (no less) team with Bond to form The In Group, whose zany rendition of “If I Had a Hammer” is bound to get toes tapping and glasses clinking.