Enoch Light
Enoch Light was a popular bandleader of the 1940s and '50s who is best known for his Persuasive Percussion and Provocative Percussion albums of the mid-'50s. They were some of the first albums to exploit the capabilities of stereo recording and the practice of using 35mm film as a recording medium instead of tape.
During the '30s, he headed the Enoch Light and the Light Brigade big band. The Light Brigade primarily played in theaters and on the radio, although they also toured Europe. The band also managed a hit in 1937 with "Summer Night," which was sung by Johnny Muldowney.
After the Light Brigade disbanded, Light became a session musician, playing on various records and radio broadcasts, including Hit Parade. During the '40s, he recorded versions of popular hits for budget labels, for sale in discount stores.
Light's career bounced back in the late '60s, when the Charleston City All-Stars, under his direction, had a series of hit albums entitled Roaring 20's. After their success, he founded the Command record label, which gave him an outlet for his sonically adventurous records. Light happened to begin the label around the time stereo became widely available, and he exploited the new technology to its fullest, creating albums that used the full sonic spectrum of stereo. The first of these albums were Persuasive Percussion and Provocative Percussion, and they were wildly popular, charting in the American Top Ten. One of the most notable features of these albums were their "ping-pong stereo," which featured the music jumping from the left speaker to the right, and vice versa. During this time, Light and Command also pioneered the practice of using 35mm film instead of tape as a recording medium.
Light remained the managing director of Command until 1965. While he was the head of the label, he recorded classical albums, big-band records, and collections of film themes. After 1965, Command was bought out by ABC Records, who in turn was quickly bought out by MCA Records. MCA made Command into a budget label, pressing the albums on poor vinyl and putting them into discount stores. By 1970, the label was no longer profitable and MCA shut it down. Light continued working, both as an arranger/conductor and the head of Project 3 Records. His activity slowed in the '70s, though he did continue to record. Light died on July 31, 1978.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Cha Cha Classics
Jazz - Released by Stardust Records on 1 nov. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Want to Be Happy
Jazz - Released by Universal Digital Enterprises on 10 dec. 1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Persuasive Percussion
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 23 mrt. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spaced Out
Jazz - Released by Vintage Masters Inc. on 1 jun. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Provocative Percussion
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 23 mrt. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Box (The Jazz Series)
Jazz - Released by Two Bass Hits on 25 jul. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Autumn in New York
Jazz - Released by Jazz Archives Records on 13 mrt. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vibrations + Big Band Bossa Nova
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 15 jan. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Want to Be Happy Cha Cha's + the Private Life of a Private Eye
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 15 jan. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Diamond Collection (Original Recordings)
Jazz - Released by X Select Records on 30 jan. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Big Bold and Brassy Percussion in Brass + Pertinent Percussion Cha Cha's
Jazz - Released by Sauvage Recordings on 15 jan. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Persuasive Percussion, Vol. 2
Jazz - Released by Jazz All Stars on 16 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Persuasive Percussion (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1960)
Terry Synder and The All Stars, Enoch Light
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Space Age Pop on 1 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Persuasive Percussion, Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Jazz All Stars on 15 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Persuasive Percussion, Vol. 2 (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1960)
Terry Synder and The All Stars, Enoch Light
Latin jazz - Released by Weird Music - Space Age Pop on 1 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Provocative Percussion
Jazz - Released by Jazz All Stars on 14 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bossa Nova Brazilian Classics
Jazz - Released by Stardust Records on 15 feb. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Autumn in New York
Jazz - Released by Jazz Work Records on 13 mrt. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Enoch Light & The Brass Menagerie
Pop - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Provocative Percussion 3 & 4
Enoch Light, The Light Brigade
Jazz - Released by Sepia on 11 mrt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo