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Those long hot summer nights may be coming to an end here in England but at least we have the musical company of Mantovani and his Orchestra to take us into winter in a warm expansive mood. Thanks to Vocalion Records of PO Box 609, Watford, Hertforshire WD18 7YA (www.duttonlabs.demon.co.uk) who have a licensing agreement with Decca Records we can once again enjoy the magic of Mantovani in its original form with two wonderful stereo albums from 1963 and 1965. It is almost impossible to believe that these are both nearly forty years old, so fresh and vigorous is the panorama of Latin melody on offer here.

Vocalion Records have already issued in a similar format double albums of Robert Farnon, Stanley Black, Frank Chacksfield and Edmundo Ros. All of these Decca fine artists enjoyed healthy sales in the 1950s and 1960s but they were dwarfed by Mantovani whose vast worldwide sales are impossible to calculate. But what to select from over 50 albums by the maestro? The choice has fallen happily on two classic collections which sit so comfortably together that the join between the two albums is seamless. At this stage of his recording career the maestro really was the "full Monty" with the cream of peerless British free-lance musicians to choose from, some thrilling orchestrations and an adoring public which recognised the maestro's feeling for his music. Add to this heady cocktail some of the most beautiful melodies from the Latin songbook and you have mood music perfection.

The story of how Latin Rendezvous came about is told elsewhere on this site: it resulted from a competition to select 12 new tunes for a Mantovani album. The winner was Mr. Angelo Ruggiero of New Jersey whose all-expenses-paid trip to London with his wife to meet Mantovani and attend a recording rehearsal was an unforgettable experience. The original selections for the American and British versions of Latin Rendezvous differed in track selection and running order, however. As heard here, the British LP offers American listeners the chance to hear two "new" tunes from the Mantovani locker, these being A Garden In Granada and La Golondrina. Among the lesser known tunes are Be Mine Tonight and Siboney which bear equal comparison with those Latin giants Malaguena, La Paloma, Perfidia, Andalucia and Maria Elena.

Mantovani Ole takes up where Latin Rendezvous left off with one important difference; it contains a memorable bolero written by Mantovani himself, Piccolo Bolero. More Latin gems such as Adios, Tico-Tico, Jealousy, Mexican Hat Dance and El Relicario are all in evidence with less well known nuggets such as The Green Cockatoo and Spanish Gypsy Dance. There is also a terrific Carmen Fantasy in which a medley of Carmen highlights brings this 24 piece collection to a dramatic finale. It's all wrapped up nicely in an attractive package which illustrates the original album covers and includes compact but well-researched notes by American expert Donald Southwell and his assistant Norbert Costello. There's also a well-deserved plaudit for Wes Stillwagon, the owner of this site.

Spectrum Records have recently issued a single format CD in England (844 994-2) which also includes the full British version of Latin Rendezvous. Additionally, there is a smattering of melodies from Mantovani Ole (El Relicario, Adios, Tico-Tico, Ay-Ay-Ay and Spanish Gypsy Dance) and three tunes of Italian ancestry (Arriverderci Roma, Poppa Piccolino and Anema E Core). This package is called Tico Tico: Mantovani Goes Latin! with an orphan chilli pepper adorning the front cover. The notes are provided by Daryl Easlea who, unlike some modern writers, has recognised the impact Mantovani made on our musical lives in the drab 1950s by making use of such phrases such as "international superstar", "synonymous with sophistication" and "a pioneer for mood music".

Both Vocalion and Spectrum with their different recording techniques have provided us with the first issues of original Mantovani albums on CD for quite a while. It would be nice to think that Mantovani fans everywhere would support these ventures so that the supply of more original albums on CD would follow. It is also worth drawing attention here to another 2-in-1 album released simultaneously by Vocalion this August. The name of Ronald Binge should be familiar to Mantovani fans everywhere: he, of course, was the orchestrator of Charmaine and several other early hits. Two of his string albums of the early 1970s have been re-packaged with notes by Mike Carey on Vocalion CDLK 4116 as by Ronald Binge and his Romantic Strings. The titles are Summer Rain and If You Were The Only Girl In The World.

Title: Mantovani Ole" and "Latin Rendezvous