The Cocktail Nation is recuperating just nicely

Being a Lounge lothario does not make you immune to sickness, despite what you may have read.

Consequently, Mr. Kooper's penthouse has been quarantined! But, please put your mind at rest, as he is under the greatest of care, being "nursed" back to health, as you can see. Yes, she DOES look a little like Betty Page, doesn't she....

So today, there will not be a Sneak Preview. Koop has decided to grace us with a repeat of one of his finer shows. Stay tuned next week. Hopefully, the nurse can tear herself away from the penthouse.

So before you even ask, send your Get Well greeting to Koop directly at thecocktailnation@gmail.com. I'm sure that he'll appreciate it. I can't guarantee that he read it, though, since I'm sure that he's being well sedated.

Hey guys, I have come down with a nasty flu and have barely any energy to function so a repeat show this week. Hopefully I will be back to my normal self next week.

K

Repeat Cocktail Nation 288

One of my favourite places in the world is Paris and this week on the show I thought we should honour this great city, this spectacular country which has a rich and swank culture. There's no better way to celebrate Paris than a playlist of French inspired lounge and French topics!

www.cocktailnation.net

Billie Holiday - April In Paris

Mark Copeland - I Love Paris

Nelson Riddle - C'est Magnifique

Serge Gainsbourg - Je T'aime Moi Non Plus

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited - La Fille Dans Le Train

Billy May - The Poor People Of Paris

Button Down Brass - French Connection

Cy Coleman - Parisian Women

Dicky Do And The Dont's - Vive L'amour

Joe "Fingers" Carr - Under Paris Skies

Laura Ainsworth - La Vie En Rose

Andre Popp - Music Mechanique

Clouseaux - Le Nuit

Pink Martini - Sympathique

Les Double Six - French Rat Race

Elmer Bernstein - Valentia

Henri Reni - Petite Fleur

The Top Ten - week ending 26 September 2015

Welcome to Fall! I'm sure that everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is feeling the start of the seasonal change. As the daylight hours grow shorter, and the nights a little chillier, the inevitable hush of winter shall soon be upon us.

Bute we can always dream, can't we?......

The psychological benefit of the music we enjoy is that it will take us to our "happy place", to a secluded beachfront with azure waters, to a place where it's always warm and sunny, where gentle breezes wistful blow across our faces. 

It was a sad reminder of the coming chill, when I decided the remove the "Summer Chill" station bumper from the playlist, to be replaced in the coming months with the "Winter Chill" one.

Apologies to listeners in Australia and Eurasia, as you are about to enter your Summer season. There is an endless summer. It's there for you if you want it.

That has really nothing to do with the Top Ten, but the Top Ten has everything to do with the psychological benefits of the music we love. 

Thanks for enjoying the station. Your word-of-mouth continues to help the station grow.

1. Michael e - Be Kind

2. Daniel Pemberton - Bugs, Beats and Bowties 

3. Jesse Cook - To Your Shore

4. Sven Van Hees - Soda Pressing

5. Papik - Io innamorata (feat. Matteo Brancaleoni)

6. SAMBOX - Café Gourmet

7. Michaël Bijker - From this day on

8. Blank & Jones - C'est Beau La Vie (with Coralie Clement)

9. Lee Ritenour - Waltz For Carmen

10. Benjamin Biolay, Nicolas Fiszman & Denis Benarrosh - Revoir Paris

Bubbling Under

Papik - Anche un uomo (feat. Stessi Gamboni)

Snowday - Detour

Papik and Snowday remain bubbling under this week. With great new music being released around the planet, it continues to be a struggle of choices. Stay tuned as I decide almost daily with some great new releases to bubble under for your pleasure.

Cocktail Nation 375 The Making of Voodoo 3: Part 2

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EDST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

Almost forgot about this episode! It's been a hectic week. Enjoy!

Part two of our interview with Skip Heller, this week, as we talk about the final Robert Drasnin Voodoo 3 album.
Also on the show, we talk about an event I'd like you to get behind and how you can get behind it.

www.cocktailnation.net

Billy Strange - Get Smart Theme
Daniel Pemberton - Bugs Beats and Bowties
Robert Drasnin - La Mer Azure
Tikiyaki Orchestra - Esplande
Buddy Morrow - Jazz Heat Bongo Beat
Marita Brake - Shaken Not Stirred
Cocktail Angst - Stalkers Night Out
Naughty Ones - Azure Te
Tony Bennett - Manhattan
James Spencer - Stormy Blue
Julie London - Now Baby Now
Martini Heaven - Tangonova
Martini Kings (with Sonny Moon) - Goodbye To A Lonely Town
George Shearing - Easy Living
Joey Altruda - A Martini For Mancini

The Top Ten - week ending 19 September 2015

This week in my city (Toronto), it has been all abuzz with the annual Toronto International Film Festival. Celebrities have been spotted all over the downtown area, giving the city a high profile in the world's press. I, myself, could not resist the "festival fever", as I took in a film yesterday. Sadly it all comes to an end this weekend for another year.

  

Music in the world of Ambient and Chillout saw a new release from my fellow Canadians, Snowday.  A five song EP, entitled Evoke, this beautiful selection reveals the band's continued growth. The positive reviews have already started to appear. That being said, This is Lounge is proud to present Detour, an epic journey through ambient chill, as it bubbles under this week. 

And now, on to the Top Ten..... 

Michael e's beautiful Be Kind continues to rule the roost. Fellow Canadian, Jesse Cook, moves into the second spot, trading places with Sven Van Hees. Music from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton jumps into the fourth position.

As Twin Danger and Snowday slip out of the Top Ten, we find the closing track from Lee Ritenour's latest effort, Waltz for Carmen, and my friend SAMBOX with Café Gourmet, taken from his just released Suite Montaigne, making the jump in from the Bubbling Under list.

Please be sure to support the This is Lounge artists through their website and legitimate download dealers. 

1. Michael e - Be Kind

2. Jesse Cook - To Your Shore

3. Sven Van Hees - Soda Pressing

4. Daniel Pemberton - Bugs, Beats and Bowties 

5. Papik - Io innamorata (feat. Matteo Brancaleoni)

6. Michaël Bijker - From this day on

7. Benjamin Biolay, Nicolas Fiszman & Denis Benarrosh - Revoir Paris

8. Blank & Jones - C'est Beau La Vie (with Coralie Clement)

9. SAMBOX - Café Gourmet

10. Lee Ritenour - Waltz For Carmen

Bubbling Under

Papik - Anche un uomo (feat. Stessi Gamboni)

Snowday - Detour

Cocktail Nation 374: The Making of Voodoo 3, Part One

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EDST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

Recently we lost the great Robert Drasnin. His music lives on with Voodoo 3, and his good friend Skip Heller stops by to talk about the incredible production process of this incredible album. There's news on a death in Hollywood, and the re-emergence of a very cool piece of technology for the audiophiles out there.

http://www.cocktailnation.net/

Bobby Darin - Theme From Come September

Dave Bruebeck - Something To Sing About

Robert Drasin - Voyage To Vanuatu

Alika Lyman Group - Kaimana Hila

Cole And Shearing - A Beautiful Friendship

Frank Sinatra -Wives And Lovers

Daniel Pemberton - Laced Drinks

Tikiyaki Orchestra - Idol Worship

Sir Julian - A Man And A Woman

Tiki Delights - Swank

Melody Gardot - Black As Night

Mr Ho's Orchestrotica - Third River Rangoon

Tamba Trio - Mas Que Nada
Les Baxter - Earth Light

(Apologies for the player. There were some technical issues embedding the other player. Had to be creative. Note: you have download capability with this player.)

Robert Drasnin on iTunes

John Martyn - Glory Box

a wonderful cover....a wonderful video.....just been added to the This is Lounge playlist.

enjoy.

The Top Ten - week ending 12 September 2015

Well, I don't know about the rest of the world, but to all of us in North America, it was a short work week, after enjoying the Labour (Labor?) Day long weekend. This holiday typically marks the end of summer, which in turn means, the return of children to school. The city traffic once again increases with all the students and teachers on the road and the summer heat begins to make way for Autumn's chill.

But we aren't typical here. The temperatures are staying up in the high 20's, and even creeping into the 30's with the humidity levels. I'll take it! (Admittedly, this weekend sees a dramatic drop, only to shoot back up come Monday.)

Enough weatherman talk, let's see how the new music at This is Lounge has been this week,

Benjamin Biolay has finally lost the challenge for top spot this week, relinquishing to Michael e's gloriously chilled sounds of Be Kind. Jesse Cook, Sven Van Hees, and Daniel Pemberton have all made positive impressions here at the station, as they all see a rise up the chart this week. Consequently, that means Michael Bijker, Snowday, and Twin Danger have graciously given up their spots, and dropped. This also sees Igor Gerzina gone from the the list but still remaining very active on the daily playlist.

Igor's spot makes way for one of the Bubbling Under tracks, waiting for a chance to climb. This week we see another track from the latest Blank & Jones album sneak in at number ten - C'est Beau La Vie, featuring Benjamin Biolay's sister, Coralie Clement on vocals.

We also have a couple of new tracks Bubbling Under this week, which I'm sure you've heard. Papik gives us another Italo lounge sound cover from his latest, and French artist SAMBOX finally saw his latest, Suite Montaigne, released this week. I have been waiting patiently to add a track from this to the station, so you've been enjoying the opening track, Café Gourmet. Bienvenue to the Top Ten, Sam!

So, on to the list. As always, be sure to support these and all of the This is Lounge artists through iTunes, Amazon, Juno, or any other legitimate digital dealer.

Thanks, and enjoy the music.

1. Michael e - Be Kind

2. Sven Van Hees - Soda Pressing

3. Jesse Cook - To Your Shore

4. Benjamin Biolay, Nicolas Fiszman & Denis Benarrosh - Revoir Paris

5. Michaël Bijker - From this day on

6. Daniel Pemberton - Bugs, Beats and Bowties 

7. Papik - Io innamorata (feat. Matteo Brancaleoni)

8. Snowday - Alaskan Cabins

9. Twin Danger - Coldest Kind of Heart

10. Blank & Jones - C'est Beau La Vie (with Coralie Clement)

Bubbling Under

Lee Ritenour - Waltz For Carmen

Papik - Anche un uomo (feat. Stessi Gamboni)

SAMBOX - Café Gourmet

***** BONUS *****

Enjoy SAMBOX's album teaser, a sampler of the new tracks. Please enjoy and support.

Cocktail Nation 373 Euro Spy: Modesty Blaise and the Vintage Vegan

Tune in Saturday nights at 18:00 EDST Toronto time (6:00 pm) for a Sneak Preview of the week's show. Shake that martini, and relax in your bachelor pad as Koop Kooper takes us on a musical journey through that Exotica and Tiki world of the 50's and 60's.

Sorry for Saturday's technical difficulty.

The Euro Spy is lurking around, and this time it's the camp Modesty Blaise film, as Kramer gives us the lowdown on this 1966 film. Plus, James Spencer stops by to talk about his latest book on the Vintage Vegan.
Also, we talk about what is wrong with some period films and tv shows and bring you the best of the World of Swank with a stack of great parties to attend across the globe.

www.cocktailnation.net

Robert Drasnin - Aloha Mix
Daniel Pemberton - Bugs Beats and Bowties
David and Jonathan - Modesty Blaise
Frank Sinatra - Don't Be That Way
Bobby Fox - Let There Be Love
Jackie Gleason - My Devotion
James Spencer - A Kooper Kocktail
Alika Lyman Group - Poinciana
The Left Arm Of Budda - The Coco Serenade
Robert Davi - Mamselle
Blossum Dearie - My Attorney Bernie
Miles Davis with Quincy Jones - Summertime
Nathan Haines - Frontier West
Percussion For Playboys - Koop Salutes

As a special treat, enjoy the film, Modesty Blaise in it's entirety, as shown on You Tube.

The Top Ten - week ending 5 September 2015

With temperatures feeling closer to 30, Summer's energy and warmth remains over my little part of the world, extending that oh-too-short period of Canadian weather here. I'm hoping that the weather continues to warm you, wherever in the world that your are reading this.

Well, it's no surprise to me that Benjamin Biolay retains his seat atop the list again this week. All of us here at This is Lounge are thoroughly enjoying his album, Trenet.

The two Michaels - Bijker and e - duel it out over positions number two and three respectively, knocking our beloved Canucks, Snowday, down a few notches to number five. I'm sure that those "ambient boys" won't be down for very long. Having just announced the release of a new E.P., I'm sure we'll be hearing some new music from them on the air in a short while. Stay tuned for more on that.

Besides Snowday, we see Papik and Igor Gerzina slip down from their positions held last week, making room for Sven Van Hees, Jesse Cook, and Daniel Pemberton to slowly advance upward.

As our current Top Ten artists remain within those confines, the Bubbling Under artists remain bubbling under for another week, awaiting their chance to move up, and increase their air time on the station.

There is so much new music coming out lately, it's a constant battle trying to stay on top of them all. My ears and my brain are constantly being overworked, looking for that next great track that will make This is Lounge a better station. But it is a labour of love. As many of you fellow loungers consistently post in Facebook, Twitter,  and groups like Guido's Lounge Cafe, music is our escape, our peace of mind, our refuge from the storm of everyday life, our stress reliever. The artists you choose are grateful for your support. 

As am I. Thanks for your continued support of This is Lounge. The growing listenership is your approval of what goes out over the air. Battling for your time and your ears in a world of Spotify and Apple Music Service, and Mixcloud and Soundcloud, really makes me grateful that you're taking the time to listen here. Perhaps This is Lounge is your escape from Spotify! Whatever the case, thanks for your support. Your word-of-mouth support to friends and colleagues, getting them to listen is most grateful. Thanks.

Now.....on to the list!

1. Benjamin Biolay, Nicolas Fiszman & Denis Benarrosh - Revoir Paris

2. Michaël Bijker - From this day on

3. Michael e - Be Kind

4. Twin Danger - Coldest Kind of Heart

5. Snowday - Alaskan Cabins

6. Sven Van Hees - Soda Pressing

7. Papik - Io innamorata (feat. Matteo Brancaleoni)

8. Jesse Cook - To Your Shore

9. Daniel Pemberton - Bugs, Beats and Bowties

10. Igor Gerzina - Suburban Soul

Bubbling Under

s

Blank & Jones - C'est Beau La Vie (With Coralie Clement)

Lee Ritenour - Waltz For Carmen