This was a bit of a find as you don’t get a lot of Martin Denny in the charity shops. In fact, this was probably the disk disc of his I had seen in any shop. Quiet Village – The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny is a 2006 reissue of a 1959 album of “Exotica”. It was released on Rev-Ola a subsidiary of Cherry Red Records.

So what is Exotica I hear you say? Well, it is essentially the sort of 1950s lounge bar jazz you would hear while sitting on a beach in Hawaii sipping martinis, but with the bonus of someone making monkey noises and playing bird whistles over the top. There are lots of bongos, vibes and marimbas. That sort of thing. Is it jazz or is it easy listening? It’s hard to tell. At the time, before cheap air flights and international TV, it was the height of sophistication. Nowadays it sounds more like a cheesy parody than it does cultural appropriation.

The back cover is a facsimile of the original but there is also a page of new liner notes. These explain how the track “Quiet Village” had originally been on one of his previous albums but had become a surprise hit a few years later. Hence the reason for this new album.

It is funny that Exotica is one of the ultimate cult music genres. It is so of its time and yet pops up when you least expect it. In her book Cosey Fanni Tutti says that Exotica was an early influence on Throbbing Gristle. I suppose it is all about creating a sound world of your own.

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