Phase 4 Stereo Spectacular: Nice ‘n’ Easy

‘Phase 4 Stereo’ was created in 1961 as an American subsidiary of Decca, and steered to success by New Yorker Tony D’Amato – a man who had the amazing ability to attract the greatest artists of the 1960s and 1970s to the label.  The cream of orchestral players gathered to make the recordings, among them the principals from the leading orchestras of the day.

Phase 4 became quickly known for its characteristic sound: warm, rich and clean, and expanded the scope and spectrum of recorded sound.  Using Decca’s pioneering 20-channel mixing desk, the label aimed to deliver an immediacy of sound to give listeners an unrivalled listening experience through state-of-the-art recordings, and produced recordings with an unprecedented sense of spatial realism and movement.

A stereophonic plethora of repertoire of pure nostalgia is included in this set.  Phase 4 was one of the leading purveyors of what was known as ‘nice ‘n’ easy’ repertoire.  This 40-CD set comprising 50 original albums is representative of the variety of the lighter vein of music Phase 4 recorded.  Everything from the exotic percussion of Latin music to TV themes and spectacular film scores.  This set is a rich and rewarding treasure-trove of music waiting to be rediscovered.

Tracklisting:

CD1 MELODY & PERCUSSION FOR TWO PIANOS
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos

CD2 THE MAGNIFICENT PIANOS OF RONNIE ALDRICH
Ronnie Aldrich and the Strings of the London Festival Orchestra

CD3 THE ROMANTIC PIANOS of RONNIE ALDRICH
Ronnie Aldrich and the Strings of the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD4 THE MAGIC MOOD OF RONNIE ALDRICH
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos with the London Festival Orchestra

CD5 THAT ALDRICH FEELING
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos

CD6 THIS WAY “IN”
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos with the London Festival Orchestra

CD7 THE WAY WE WERE
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos with the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD8 TWO PIANOS IN HOLLYWOOD / TWO PIANOS TODAY
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos with the London Festival Orchestra

CD9 SOFT AND WICKED / COME TO WHERE THE LOVE IS
Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos with the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD10 EXOTIC PERCUSSION
Stanley Black and His Orchestra and Chorus

CD11 MUSIC OF A PEOPLE
Stanley Black and the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD12 SPIRIT OF A PEOPLE
Stanley Black and the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD13 BROADWAY SPECTACULAR / FILM SPECTACULAR 2
Stanley Black and the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus

CD14 GREAT COUNTRY & WESTERN HITS
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra and Chorus

CD15 ALL TIME TOP TV THEMES
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra and Chorus

CD16 FILM FESTIVAL
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra

CD17 CHACKSFIELD PLAYS THE BEATLES’ SONG BOOK
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra

CD18 CHACKSFIELD PLAYS BACHARACH
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra

CD19 THE INCOMPARABLE JEROME KERN
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra and Chorus

CD20 CHACKSFIELD PLAYS SIMON AND GARFUNKEL AND JIM WEBB
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra

CD21 THE NEW LIMELIGHT & BEYOND THE SEA
Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra

CD22 SATIN, SAXES & BOUNCING BRASS
Ted Heath and His Music

CD23 COAST TO COAST
Ted Heath and His Music

CD24 THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Ted Heath and His Music

CD25 TED HEATH SALUTES THE DUKE
Ted Heath and His Orchestra

CD26 THE TED HEATH BAND SALUTES TOMMY DORSEY
The Ted Heath Band

CD27 FEVER & POW!
Ted Heath and His Music

CD28 SWING IS KING / VOLUMES 1 & 2
Ted Heath and His Music

CD29 HEATH vs. ROS VOLUMES / 1 & 2
Ted Heath and His Music, Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra, Edmundo Ros (vocals)

CD30 KISMET
Mantovani and His Orchestra, Adele Leigh, Robert Merrill, Kenneth McKellar, Regina, Resnik, Ian Wallace

CD31 MERMAN SINGS MERMAN / ETHEL'S RIDIN' HIGH
Stanley Black and the London Festival Orchestra, Ethel Merman (vocals)

CD32 AMERICA SINGS
The Eric Rogers Chorale and Orchestra

CD33 THE SIZZLING TWENTIES
Eric Rogers and his Orchestra

CD34 NOTHING BUT ACES
Edmundo Ros, The Edmundo Ros Orchestra, Caterina Valente (vocals)

CD35 NEW RHYTHMS OF THE SOUTH
Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra

CD36 ARRIBA!
Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra

CD37 LATIN HITS I MISSED / STRINGS LATINO
Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra

CD38 HAIR GOES LATIN / CARIBBEAN ROS
Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra

CD39 THEMES FOR SECRET AGENTS
Roland Shaw and His Orchestra

CD40 MORE JAMES BOND IN ACTION
Roland Shaw and His Orchestra