Ernie Kovacs

A downright weird and delightful collection of music used by Ernie Kovacs on his television show. Kovacs (1919-1962) was the reigning outre comic genius of late 1950s television, warping the TV screen on a weekly basis. His use of music was as distinctive as anything else, beginning with his title theme, the relentlessly hummable "Oriental Blues." "Mack the Knife" (in German) and the "Song of the Nairobi Trio" ("Solfeggio") are also highlights -- the Nairobi Trio, for those unaware, was a regular spot on the show, with three people in gorilla suits with trenchcoats and derby hats "playing" different instruments. Kovacs and his wife Edie Adams sing a calypso-style number, "The Wrong Man," and a version of "Indian Love Call" (midway between Yoko Ono and Kate Bush), and there are excerpts of music by Shostakovich and Prokofiev. Yma Sumac also puts in an appearance, but the strangest piece of music has got to be "Celestial Nocturne," for orchestra, chorus, and theremin. The whole collection is a delight of what can only be described as weird vibrations. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide