eric e. dolecki

This one goes back quite a while, and you've probably never heard of James Last. Which is a bit understandable, because the only reason I know of James Last is through my father.

When I was a child (not too much older than the age my own son is right now), my father had a pretty extensive collection of classical LPs and some 8-tracks. He had a large home system with huge BA wooden speakers, tube-powered amplifiers, the best needle in the business, etc.

We used to make fun of his collection of music as being old fogey-type stuff, but we were really just trying to act cool. Some of it was amazing and fun. I've apologized several times in the past about how we used to make fun of this stuff. In many ways, classical and ethnic music is more powerful than any "spirit of the decade" music could dream of being.

My sister and I used to play the 8-track of James Last's Russia. A few of the tracks any way. You'd have to click through spots on the tape and wait for your song to start, I remember four rectangular green lights that would tell you which approximate spot the tape was currently in. I don't remember if you could flip the tape upside down or not, I think so.

Anyway... we used to play song two: "Kalinka" (an example only video link) which slowly builds up with choir to result in ripping horns and a thunderous beat with some Russian chanting (well, perhaps not chanting but we didn't know what they were singing). We used to bounce off the walls laughing and having a good time.

Another favorite was "Russian Folk Dance" (Russischer Volkstanz) - which has a similar pattern to Kalinka. Mad fun.

A few years ago my father gave me that 8-track from his collection in the hopes to transfer it to CD. I never got around to it, I'd have to go to a place with the capability, pay cash, etc. But it always burned there in the back of my mind. For a few years whenever I remembered that album, I'd take a spin around the internet looking for it.

Now that I actually have this album, you might want to look it up, it's extremely hard to find (I don't do torrents or anything like that so I can't help you there), but if you're up for some really awesome ethnic music with true power behind it (I'm not talking about Polkas here, I'm taking about great horns, moving compositions, a big symphony sound with some modern instrumentation, and a great choir) then you should look into it. It's different.

It's not on iTunes, unfortunately. Get the LP if you can (if you can play those anymore).

Perhaps my father, my sister and myself will be the only ones who really enjoy this album and that's fine with me, I just wanted to put it out there. I am going to soak in "Nicht der Wind" (Not the Wind) for the fifth time now. Headphones up.

Ahhh.