Les Paul with a Violin (MP3s)

Here's an album that I was inspired to search for after hearing one track on a compilation I received from my friend Citizen Kafka. (In fact, it was that compilation which led to our friendship.) The track was called "Mosquito Festival", and it featured a man named Danny Guglielmi playing what appeared to be dozens of parts, primarily on violin, with a little bit of guitar, piano and perhaps bass thrown in. The inspiration was clearly Les Paul, but Guglielmi certainly had his own spin on things.

Well, here is the entire album. Taking the Les Paul inspiration to its logical conclusion, Danny Guglielmi also included his wife, Dena, on several tracks, often in multiple tracked performances herself. The album came out on the "Tops" budget label, and my copy is about as beat up as any other album that I own on that label.

The liner notes, which you can read yourself in the link below, are a masterwork of hyperbole, including tributes paid to Guglielmi by the Eisenhower family, as well as a comparison to the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Curiously, though hardly surprisingly, there is no mention of Les Paul or Mary Ford.

I mostly prefer Danny's six instrumentals to the eight tracks featuring Dena. "Mosquito Festival" remains far and away my favorite - and indeed, it was shared on this blog quite some time ago, as part of a various artists posting - but "Cherokee", "Jealous" and "Hot Schottish" are pretty good, too, as is the final track, a vocal of "The Sheik of Araby".

And now, I'm off to search for some of the albums advertised on the back of this Tops album jacket. Mostly, I'm on the lookout for the "Rock and Roll with 'Scat Man' Crothers" album, but "Mr. Bongo Plays Hi-Fi Cha Cha Cha" is looking good, too.

Enjoy!

- Bob

1.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - It’s So Peaceful In The Country (MP3)
2.) Danny Guglielmi - Cherokee (MP3)
3.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - I Don‘t Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You (MP3)
4.) Danny Guglielmi - Jealous (MP3)
5.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - A-E-I-O-U (MP3)
6.) Danny Guglielmi - Georgia On My Mind (MP3)
7.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - Na-Wa-Da-Ha (MP3)
8.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - I’ll Remember April (MP3)
9.) Danny Guglielmi - Mosquito Festival (MP3)
10.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - Out of Nowhere (MP3)
11.) Danny Guglielmi - Bullfrog (MP3)
12.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - Firelight Reverie (MP3)
13.) Danny Guglielmi - Hot Schottish (MP3)
14.) Danny Guglielmi and Dena - The Sheik of Araby (MP3)

Front Cover (JPG)

Back Cover (JPG)

Comments

[milton parker]

I googled blogspots for this album about six times a year since the year 2000. (yes I know http://www.basichip.com/ had a transfer available, so it wasn't impossible, but still, thanks you guys)

[Mr Fab]

"Mr. Bongo Plays Hi-Fi Cha Cha" is a good 'un! Jack Constaza, I believe. And Scatman's available on CD if you just want the music.

[Matthew Reel]

Magnificent! This is wonderful, I'd love to use some of this in a soundtrack one day. Particularly Jealous or Ghost of a Chance.

[Dana Elliott]

Danny and Dena were freinds of mine in the mid 60's when he lived in Northridge, CA. He had a recording studio behind his house. He showed me his multi-track recorders and his recording booth. But, I was a teenager and only partly impressed. Over the years I lost touch with them.

But the reason for my post is this: Danny did a song about "another cup of java (joe)" don't remember which now. But the song has the lyrics about a guy leaving his wedding for "another cup of ?) I wish to hear it again but that Danny song eludes me.

Dana

I would welcome any e-mails at [email protected]

[mcvouty]

Didja ever find the Scatman disc? Because it is well worth tracking down. It is (was) available on cd from what I think was some shifty Russian label maybe?

[jacob guglielmi]

Danny and Dena were my grandparents I am pleased to see that their music lives on and people are enjoying the music I grew up with. They were the bet people in the world.

[pea hicks]

i've love this album for years, but just recently picked up an obscure danny/dena 45 on dot that i'd never seen before: "you are the light of my life" b/w "crazy dream." two solid tracks to add to this collection.

[cufflinkman]

They have a super-obscure 78 on the Kem label- fro some strange reason they're credited as "Dena Sings While Donato Plays His Violins". But one side of this 78 is the exact same recording of "Bullfrog" that's on this album. The other dide, "Can't Sleep For Dreaming", has got to be the SLOWEST song ever recorded!