Personnel:
Tina Louise (vcl), Buddy Weed (dir), Tyree Glenn (tb), Hilton Jefferson (as), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Jim Timmens (arr)
Reference: PS 001 CD
Bar code: 8427328400015
Best known for her role as Ginger on the sitcom classic Gilligan's Island, actress/singer Tina Louise was born in New York City on February 11, 1934; after studying drama at Miami University, she went on to hone her craft at the Neighborhood Playhouse and the Actors' Studio. During the mid-1950s, Louise also began forging a career as a nightclub singer, making her Broadway debut in 1956 in Li'l Abner; a year later, she recorded her first album, It's Time for Tina, which included a cameo by jazz legend Coleman Hawkins. Although she graduated to motion pictures with 1958's God's Little Acre, Louise remains perhaps most famous for her television work -- Gilligan's Island, on which she co-starred from 1964 to 1967, was among the most widely syndicated series in history, and during the late 1970s she also appeared on the hit soap Dallas.
"Most of us grew up just sitting right back and hearing a tale. You know, the tale of that fateful trip. The one that started from a tropical port aboard a tiny ship. Tina Louise was the ever-foxy chick movie star Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island, which can still be seen on TV today -- about once every hour. Well, she has had a vinyl record of her ever-sensuous, lustfully delicious vocal talents for a long time. Yet for the very first time it is now available on CD! All this is courtesy of the cool folks at Oglio Records (the same folks who did Sex-O-Rama previously reviewed by me here on SoundStage!. And you can look forward to Sex-O-Rama 2 being reviewed here soon). Personally, I love this ever-seductive and sensual recording. Ginger, er, um, Tine Louise is the female version of Barry White, which definitely makes for great "theme music" for you and your lover while sweating between, above, and below the sheets (heh, heh). Louise sings many classic love songs here like George and Ira Gershwin's "Embraceable You," Cole Porter's "Let's Do It," and of course "I'm In The Mood For Love," just to name a few. There are a total of 12 totally arousing songs that make me wish I were Gilligan stranded on that island. C'mon, stranded on a desert island and no hanky panky? Who we kiddin' here? OK, so I wouldnt have kicked Mary Ann outta my bed either, though she can't even hold a candle to Tina Louise when it comes to soothing that savage beast in me.
Tina tenderly sings these songs with style, while a very talented band backs her up. Must warn ya, you might want to play with the phase inversion on your DAC because It's Time For Tina seemed to definitely sound better inverted 180 degrees. And before I forget to tell ya, Coleman Hawkins plays sax here, and we all know there's nothing like good sax. Anyway, music should give one some kind of emotional response, and this recording surely fits well into that category. The quality of this 1957 recording is not of audiophile standards, though after a few songs you may get easily accustomed to it. In other words, it's really not great in terms of sound quality, though when played in the right atmosphere, very softly, I believe you'll enjoy the music, you lover, and have a very, er, um, good time. What more could you ask for?
So if you are looking for the right mood music and Barry White is all played out, please put this CD in the transport, hit the "repeat all" key, and try Tina on for size. Just remember "I'm in the mood for love. Simply because you're near me..." Oh yeah, and please try to enjoy the music while youre "at it" too!"
