Beatnik & Jive (& Beatploitation)


"I belong to the...Beat Generation" -- Beatnik tributes and caricatures never quite go out of style. Spike Jones spoofed of hipsters repeatedly, and "Beat Generation" was a 1950s beatploitation flick starring Mamie Van Doren (who sings the title tune). A more reverent anthem by that title was covered notably in 1980 by San Diego's heroic Beat Farmers. Gassiest is "Kookie's Mad Pad," from the ginchiest of LPs, by Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, the outrageous hot-rodder of TV's "77 Sunset Strip." Another beat rodder was the perennially puzzling Nervous Norvus. And many later '60s acts were Beat-inspired, of course: the Fugs, Captain Beefheart, the Last Poets.

"Beatnik" albums have less to do with the 1950s Beat poets (and their albums) than with early, "hipster," be-bop and scat-spouting jazz musicians of the late 1930s. Jazz is the "beatific" music of Kerouac, after all. While the Beats may not have appreciated every latterday caricature, undoubtedly they dug at least Babs Gonzales, Slim Gaillard, Al Collins, and the like. (All of whom followed Cab Calloway, who no doubt followed others.) Credit Juliette Greco for the all-black costume and Dizzy Gillespie for the goatee and beret. But it was class cutups Babs and Slim who laid down the swinging vibe of the "house rent party." While not your garden-variety PBS-approved "jazzz," it was classic, unpretentious music (and jive rantings of original jazzbos).

Oddly enough, the legacy of beatnik records contains a strong fairy-tale groove -- jive versions of the Brothers Grimm tales, that is. Steve Allen and disc jockey Al Collins (famous for The Purple Onion shows and later for work on the AMC television channel) revisited the theme at least three times in three different decades. A book version, Bop Fables (Simon & Schuster), also resulted. Perhaps the fascination with fables has something to do with the childlike wonder of the Beats, the rejection of all things square and adult, and poetry.

Beatnik characters abound in 1960s film and television, starting with Bob Denver as Maynard G. Krebs on the show "Dobie Gillis." As beatploitation became a minor B-movie idiom, such movies as Roger Corman's "Bucket of Blood" gave mild-mannered beatniks a less than beatific cast. John Waters' use of Pia Zadora in beret and black reduced pseudo-sophisticated stereotype to ultimate pop inanity. In a late revival of beatnikphilia, "Pee Wee's Playhouse" featured a puppet beatnik jazz combo (whose role was mainly speaking).

Hipsterism abounds in jazz and American music generally, but strict-beatnikism has some parallels in a few other key places. Obviously, the Last Poets and other "Black Power Rap" artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s owe a debt to both their jazz-age forebears and the more immediate influence of the Beats and hippies. For that matter, the so-called hippies of the 1960s began with a put-down ("hippie") for hangers-on, also-rans, and latecomers to the San Francisco Beat scene. Apart from cultural legacies, other music and speech idioms bear strong similarities to beatnikism. Trucker records, especially ones from the CB era, emphasize unique patois and frequently outlaw themes. The same is true of calypso (and there are calypsos about beatniks). And once in awhile the dominant culture (rock, television, movies, advertising) tries to be hip.

Buying: Manic modern jazz, the mad beat of the bongos, and hepcat jive all come together in Rafael "Googie" and Leon René's Romesville. Don Morrow's album also is as significant as it is sensational. For speech: Lord Buckley!



Beatnik & Jive LPs

Rating
7David Amram: No More Walls; RCA Red Seal VCS-7089; 1971 (2-LP; classical/beatnik ("Pull My Daisy")/Mid-East/Brasil/calypso-jazz "Wind from the Indies"; w/George Mgrdichian, Pepper Adams, Candido, Ramblin' Jack Elliot..)
7David Amram: Subway Night; RCA Victor LSP-4820; 1973 (Beatnik jazz/Latin jazz/Mid-East Rock "Horn & Hardart Succotash Blues")
8David Amram: No More Walls; Flying Fish 752; 1979 (Latin jazz/Beatnik "Pull My Daisy"/exotica "Sao Paulo"/calypso-jazz "Wind from the Indies"/Mideast jazz "Tompkins Square Park Consciousness Expander"; Pepper Adams, George Mgrdichian, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Candido..)
8Lord Buckley: Euphoria Vol. 1; Vaya VLP-101/2 (rec. 1951; partly or entirely reissued on The Best of Lord Buckley; Elektra/Crestview CRV-801, later Elektra EKS-74047)
8Lord Buckley: Euphoria Vol. 2; Vaya VLP-107/8 (rec. 1951; partly reissued on The Best of Lord Buckley; Elektra/Crestview CRV-801, later Elektra EKS-74047)
Lord Buckley: The Parabolic Revelations of the Late Lord Buckley; Nonesuch/Pye PPL-208; 1963/1951 (UK; rec. Hollywood; "A Collection of Six Lessons by the 'Hip Messiah'")
9Lord Buckley: Hipsters, Flipsters and Finger Poppin' Daddies Knock Me Your Lobes 10"; RCA Victor LPM-3246; 1955 (Jim Flora jacket; reissued on 12" LP which may be rarer than the original)
8Lord Buckley: A Most Immaculately Hip Aristocrat; Straight STS-1054 (rec. 1956)
8Lord Buckley: Way Out Humor; World-Pacific WP-1279; 1959 (live; mono-only; Lord Buckley in Concert; Liberty/World-Pacific WP-1815)
7Lord Buckley: Blowing his Mind (and Yours, Too); Liberty/World-Pacific WP-1849; (rec. 1959-60, partly live; mono-only)
Lord Buckley: Buckley's Best; Liberty/World-Pacific WP-21879
7Lord Buckley: Bad Rapping of the Marquis de Sade; Liberty/World-Pacific WPS-21889; (rec. 1960, live; mono-only/electonic stereo)
7Del Close & John Brent: How to Speak Hip; Mercury SR-61245 (spoken; more of an overrated stoner-comedy LP than beatnik but fun)
9Cab Calloway; CBS/Epic LN-3265 (one of the best of many by him for many reasons)
Al "Jazzbo" Collins: East Coast Jazz Scene; Coral CRL-57035; 1956
7Al "Jazzbo" Collins & the Bandidos: A Lovely Bunch of; Impulse AS-9150 (more/remakes of hip fairy tales)
7Al Jazzbeaux Collins & Slim Gaillard: Steve Allen's Hip Fables; Doctor Jazz FW-38729; 1983 (still more hip fairy tales)
7"Scat Man" Crothers: 4 a.m.; 20th Fox Records FOX-1009
5The Crown City Four: Sing a Song of Sickness; PIP PLP-1901 (novelty songs from Pasadena, notable for beatnik jacket art by Dick Shaw)
Slim Gaillard: [title unknown]; Clef LP-138 (singles compilation)
Slim Gaillard: [Opera in Vout]; Clef LP-506
Slim Gaillard & his Musical Aggregations, Whenever He May Be; Norgran LP MG-N-13 (singles compilation)
8Slim Gaillard: Mish Mash 10"; Mercury MGC-126; (c)1951 (singles compilation)
8[Chef] Slim Gaillard: Smorgasbord; Verve MG V-2013; 1956 (reissues MGC-126/singles compilation)
Slim Gaillard Trio; Dot; 1958
8Slim Gaillard Rides Again!; Dot DLP-3190; 1958 (mainly overlaps previous Dot LP)
8Slim Gaillard with Dizzie Gillespie & Orchestra; Halo 50273 (& Charlie Parker!; Slim's Jam--Slim Gaillard 1945-66; Alamac QSR-2441)
8Slim Gaillard: Opera in Vout; Verve 2304-554; ?/1946-1952 (French reissue/singles compilation)
7The Dot Sessions; MCA 1508; 1982 (adds previously unissued "Take the 'A' Train")
7Slim Gaillard--Trio-Quartet-Orchestra 1945; Musidisc 30-JA-5196 (France)
7Slim Gaillard with Bam Brown & Leo Watson: McVouty Slim & Bam; Hep 6 (1945-46 recordings; 1 Harry Gibson cut)
7Slim Gaillard & Bam Brown: Son of McVouty; Hep 11; (1941-47 recordings; 1 Harry Gibson cut; Chico Hamilton's earliest recordings)
7Slim Gaillard at Birdland; Hep 21; 1979/1951 (live; w/Slam Stewart, Billy Taylor, Terry Gibbs, Brew Moore)
6Slim Gaillard: The Voutest!; Hep 28; 1982/1946 (live)
6Slim Gaillard: Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere!; Hep 2020; 1983/1982
Slim Gaillard: Slim & Slam--1938; Tax 8028
Slim Gaillard: Slim & Slam--1938-41; Caete 4
Slim Gaillard: Roots of Vouty; Putti Putti LP 1 (similar to Halo/Alamac)
Slim Gaillard; Jazz Anthology 5196
8Slim Gaillard: Cement Mixer, Putti, Putti; Folklyric 9038; 1984/1945-49
8Slim Gaillard: Laughing in Rhythm Vol. 1; Official 3050; 1989 (Denmark; singles compilation)
Slim Gaillard: Laughing in Rhythm Vol. 2; Official 3055; 1989 (Denmark; singles compilation)
2Harry "The Hipster" Gibson/unknown: Rockin' Rhythm featuring; Sutton SU-313 (3 cuts; budget-label exploitation)
6Harry "The Hipster" Gibson Digs Christmas; Totm 1023; 1976 (beatnik/Christmas)
7Harry "The Hipster" Gibson: Boogie Woogie in Blue; Trend/Discovery Musicraft Vintage Series MVS-2003; 1984/1944-46 (4 cuts have Slim Gaillard; jacket has jive glossary!)
4Harry "The Hipster" Gibson: Everybody's Crazy But Me; Progressive PRO-7042; 1986
8Babs Gonzales: Voila; Hope LP-0001; 1959 (Fresh Sound Records FSR-702, Barcelona; Esquire also given as alternate/original label)
8Babs Gonzales: Sunday Afternoon at Small's Paradise; Audio Fidelity/Dauntless DM-4311; 1963 (live w/Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry, Horace Parlan..; Live at Small's Paradise; Chiaroscuro CR-2025)
7Babs Gonzales: Tales of Manhattan--The Cool Philosophy of Babs Gonzales; Jaro International JAM-5000; 1964 (J. Arthur Rank's label)
6Babs Gonzales: No Names Please-Guess Who? (Tales on the Famous); Expubidence EX-001/EX-002 (comedy)
6Babs Gonzales: Tales on the Famous-Guess Who? (vol. 2); Expubidence EX-003/EX-004 (comedy)
7Babs Gonzales: The Be-Bop Story; Expubidence EXP-004; 1971 (1/2 reissues Dauntless DM-4311)
7Babs Gonzales: Ghetto Street Poetry & Funk; Expubidence EXP-011; 1972 (comedy)
7Babs Gonzales: Babs; Audio Fidelity/Chiaroscuro CR-2032; 1981 (reissue w/Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry, Horace Parlan, Melba Liston, Charlie Rouse..)
Juliette Greco EP No. 1; Philips/Fontana 460.500-ME
Juliette Greco EP No. 2; Philips/Fontana 460.501-ME
Juliette Greco No. 1 10"; Philips/Fontana 660.203-MR (Chants ses Derniers Succes)
Juliette Greco No. 2 10"; Philips/Fontana 660.204-MR
Juliette Greco No. 3 10"; Philips/Fontana 660.205-MR (a l'Olympia)
6Juliette Greco No. 4 10"; Philips/Fontana 660.208-MR
Juliette Greco: St. Germain-Des-Pres; Columbia CL-569
6Juliette Greco: Greco; Columbia CL-992 (w/Michel Magne)
6Juliette Greco; Columbia ML-5088 (w/Michel LeGrand, Andre Grassi)
8Juliette Greco: Juliette; Columbia Adventures in Sound WL-138 (w/Andre Popp)
7Juliette Greco: Les Grandes Chansons Vol. 3; Columbia Adventures in Sound WL-174/WS-323; 1960 (w/Andre Popp)
7Juliette Greco: Juliette Greco a Bobino; Philips B-77.814L (live; w/Henri Patterson et son Ensemble)
8Juliette Greco Chante Mac Orlan (Collection Rencontres); Philips B-77.933L (w/M. Philippe-Gerrard)
Juliette Greco Chante a la Philharmonic de Berlin; Philips P-70.334L (w/Henri Patterson)
6Juliette Greco: Juliette Greco a l'Olympia; Philips 70342 (w/Henri Patterson, Francois Rauber)
Juliette Greco: Les Grandes Chansons de; Philips B-77.949L
Juliette Greco: Les Grandes Chansons de (Vol. 2); Philips B-77.959L
7Juliette Greco: This is Juliette Greco; Philips Connoisseur Collection PCC-615 (w/Francois Rauber; deluxe gatefold w/inner leaves, liner notes in English)
6Juliette Greco: La Femme; Philips BL-7828; 1967 (compilation)
8Juliette Greco: Si tu t'imagines; Philips 6444.544; 1970?/1959-69 (compilation)
7Juliette Greco; Barclay XBLY-80.468; 1972 (w/Francois Rauber; also as Barclay BLS-70010; 1973)
7Juliette Greco: Je vous attends; Barclay 80523; 1974 (w/Francois Rauber)
7Juliette Greco; Barclay 81.002/03; 1976 (2-LP; reissues 80.468 and 80523; w/Francois Rauber)
8Juliette Greco; Impact 6371-138 (compilation; 1954-68)
7Juliette Greco: The Best of Juliette Greco; EMI/Odeon EOS-91099; 1978 (Japan; compilation)
7Jack Hammer: Rebellion--Songs & Poems of the Beat Generation; Warwick W-2014
8Jack Hammer: Brave New World; Polydor 582001; 1966 (U.K.)
6Rod McKuen: Beatsville; HIFI (S?)R-419 (reissued in stereo as Life Is; Everest SDBR-3267)
5Rod McKuen: Listen to the Warm; RCA Victor LSP-3863 (not particularly beatnik but fans of Harry Shearer will like)
6The Monn-Keys, arranged & conducted by Allyn Ferguson: Dreamsville; Omega OSL-56 (soul-jazz vocal/beatnik "Like Young"/odd pop)
8Don Morrow: Grimm's Hip Fairy Tales as Dug by Don Morrow; Roulette R-25146
8Ken Nordine w/Fred Katz Group: Word Jazz; Dot Jazz Horizons DLP-3075; 1957
8Ken Nordine w/Fred Katz Group: Son of Word Jazz; Dot Jazz Horizons DLP-25096/DLP-3096; 1958
7Ken Nordine: Love Words; Dot DLP-25115 (spoken love-themed songs; w/Fred Katz, Johnny Frigo..)
8Ken Nordine: Next Word Jazz; Dot DLP-25196; 1959
9Ken Nordine: Word Jazz Vol. 2; Dot DLP-25301; 1960
8Ken Nordine: Colors-A Sensuous Listening Experience; Philips PHS-600-224; 1967
8Ken Nordine: Robert Shure's "Twink"; Philips PHS-600-258; 1967
9Ken Nordine: How Are Things in Your Town?; Blue Thumb BTS-33; 1971 (compilation of the first four Word Jazz LPs plus outtake "Pacing")
Ken Nordine: Grandson of Word Jazz
7Ken Nordine: Stare with Your Ears; Snail SR-1001; 1979
8Kenneth Patchen; Cadence CLP-3004; 1958 (w/the Chamber Jazz Sextet; poetry over jazz)
6Andre Previn, Gerry Mulligan, Carmen McRae: The Subterraneans ST; MGM SE-3812-ST (McRae's vocal "Coffee Time" & jazz w/Red Mitchell, Shelly Manne, Art Farmer, Buddy Clark, Art Pepper, Jack Sheldon..)
8[Rafael "Googie" René] Googie Rene Presents Romesville; Class CSLP-5003; 1959
5Saroff & the Cool Ones: Like Beat...Man!; Kapp KS-3057; 1959 (authentic Beat reading by Pike Distahl)
7[Sam Ulano]: Sam the Drummer Tells Famous Fairytales for Your Children; Lane 156 (drumming w/mad spoken fairy tales)
8Various: Coffee House; Dorian 1001; 1959 (live folk/ukulele/spoken set--highly accurate reflection of the era; Frank Hall, Judy Henske, Paul Sykes, Marilyn Powell, Fred Thompson)


Partly Beatnik/Jive LPs

Rating
8Bilal Abdurahman: Echoes of Timbuktu & Beyond in Congo Square, U.S.A.--African American Musical Roots Revisited; Folkways FC-7755; 1979 (partly jazz/out w/scat & narration)
7Edie Adams: Behind Those Swingin' Doors; Decca DL-74488 ("Bill Bailey"; torch/beatnik/dance rock)
5Allen, Hadden, & Broadhurst: Space is So Startling OC; Philips 632-303-BL; 1963/1962 ("A Musical Fantasy"; space/beatnik/twist)
8David Amram: No More Walls; Flying Fish 752; 1979 (Latin jazz/Beatnik "Pull My Daisy"/exotica "Sao Paulo"/calypso-jazz "Wind from the Indies"/Mideast jazz "Tompkins Square Park Consciousness Expander"; Pepper Adams, George Mgrdichian, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Candido..)
6Jeanne Bargy/Bill Costa: Greenwich Village U.S.A. ST; 20th Fox MasterArts TCF-105-2S; 1960 (2-LP unexpurgated version; 1-LP expurgated version is FOX-4005)
5Warren Barker: Barker is "In"; Warner Bros. WS-1331; 1959 (big-band music w/beatnik aspects, esp. jacket)
7The John Barry Orchestra: Beat Girl ST; Columbia SX-1225; 1960
7The John Barry Seven & Orchestra: Best of; EMI; 1979 (Hit & Miss; Charly CM-110; 1982)
7The Beat Farmers: Glad 'n Greasy EP; Demon Vex-5; 1986 ("[I Belong to] The Beat Generation")
9Edd Byrnes: Kookie--Star of "77 Sunset Strip"; Warner Bros. WS-1309; 1959
8The Coasters: What is the Secret of Your Success?; MRB R&B-102; ?/1957-64 ("Lady Like" & "Ridin' Hood"; singles compilation)
7Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie: Capitol Jazz Classics Vol. 13--Strictly Bebop; Capitol M-11059; 1972/1949-50 (5 Babs Gonzales songs)
6Billy Daniels at the Stardust, Las Vegas; MGM E-3762 ("The Beat Generation")
8Floyd Darden: Time for Melodies for the Drum; RKMP/HUB 128 (private press/kid funk/percussion/breakbeats/beatnik/Christmas
6Mamie Van Doren: The Girl Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll; Rhino RNLP-70819; 1986 ("The Beat Generation")
5Bob Dorough & Bill Takas: Beginning to See the Light; Laissez-Faire 02; 1976 ("I'm Hip")
7Ella Fitzgerald; MGM/Metro MS-500 ("Like Young")
8Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos: Hot Rod Hootenanny; Capitol ST-2010; 1963
7Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos: Rods 'n Rat Finks; Capitol ST-2057; 1964
8Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos: Surfink; Capitol ST-2114; 1964 ("Ratfink High")
7Dizzy Gillespie: The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie; Verve MG-V_8328 ("Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac")
7Dizzy Gillespie: Paris Concert; GNP Crescendo GNPS-9006; 1972/? (some scat; some Chano Pozo/Sabu tunes)
8Rolf Harris: Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport & Sun Arise; Columbia/Epic BN-26053; 1963 (w/Johnnie Spence; "Living it Up")
8Mel Henke: La Dolce Henke; Warner Bros. WS-1472; 1962 ("The Lively Ones")
9Homer & Jethro: Cool Crazy Christmas; RCA Victor LSP-4001; 1968 (Xmas/beatnik/country/novelty)
8Eddie Jefferson: Body & Soul; Prestige PRST-7619; 1968 ("Now's the Time")
6Ole Jensen & his Music; Chappell LPC-1040; 1970 (production/bongo bop/beatnik/spy/mod/flute/Tibetan)
7Spike Jones & the Band that Plays for Fun: Omnibust; Liberty LST-7140 (spoofs 77 Sunset Strip, Johnny Staccato, Al Collins, others)
5Spike Jones in Stereo; Warner Bros. WS-1332; 1959 ("Two Heads are Better Than One," also on Various: How to Get the Most Out of Your Stereo; Warner Bros. XS-1400; 1960)
8Linda Lawson: Introducing Linda Lawson; Chancellor CHLS-5010; 1960 ("Like Young")
Woodrow "Woody" Leafer: [title unknown]; Folkways (has original "Drums in the Typewriter")
->Katie Lee (folk/humor) -- see Thrushes/Torch (female vocal)
->Kay Martin & her Body Guards (all or most LPs are partly beatnik) -- see Thrushes/Torch (female vocal)
6Bob McAllister of Wonderama; Buddah BDS-5030 (kids/beatnik/mod twist; "Zip Code")
8Bob McFadden & Dor: Songs Our Mummy Taught Us; Brunswick BL-54056 ("The Beat Generation" by Rod McKuen, a.k.a. "Dor")
6Rod McKuen Takes a San Francisco Hippie Trip; Everest/Tradition 2063 ("Kranko's Hippie Party")
8Rod McKuen/Julie Meredith/Tak Shindo: The Yellow Unicorn; Liberty/Imperial LP-12036/LP-9092 (esp. "Third Avenue")
8Robert Mersey: Synchro Fox Golden Group; Sam Fox SF-2002 (crime/beatnik/rock; compilation; "Beatnik")
7James Moody: Hey! It's James Moody; Cadet LPS-666; 1959 (Eddie Jefferson on "Summertime")
7James Moody: Don't Look Away Now!; Prestige PRST-7625; 1969 (Eddie Jefferson on "Hey Herb! Where's Alpert?")
8Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces: Searching for My Love; Chess/Checker LP-3000; 1966 (mod soul/funk/r&b/soul-rock/beatnik-jive; "The Hamburger Song")
6Rudy Moore: Below the Belt; Dootoo DTL-808 (nightclub comedy; one bit is "The Beatnik & the Judge")
4Mark Murphy: Bop for Kerouac; Muse MR-5253; 1981 (jazz tribute)
4The NORAD Band Presents Mountain of Music; Century NCM-68-6 ("The Beatnik"--instrumental)
7Pat Patrick: ABC's in Bubbaville; Kimbo Upbeat Basics KUB-0002; 1986/1981 (kid funk/beatnik/disco/truck/crime/exotica/DJ; 28 career choices)
8Shorty Petterstein: The Wide Weird World of; World Pacific WPM-412; 1958 (mad Beat/psychological comedy; covers "Drums in the Typewriter"; blue label original, also black label WP-1274)
8Michel Polnareff: French Rock-Blues; Kapp/Four Corners FCS-4240 ("Beatnik"--rock vocal)
6Louis Prima; Rondo-lette 842 ("Vout Cowboy")
7Buryl Red & Grace Hawthorne: It's Cool in the Furnace; Word WST-8580; 1972 ("It's Cool in the Furnace"; part-spoken Christian kids musical w/lyric book; w/Harold Bradley, Charlie McCoy)
8Jack Sheldon: Out!; Capitol [Dimensions in Jazz] ST-1851; 1962 (soul-jazz horns/beatnik/guitar)
7Huey Smith & his Clowns: For Dancing; Ace (Gema/Line LLP-5191-AS; 1982 -- "Doin' the Beatnik Twist" also titled "Beatnik Blues")
6David Swift: New Perspectives in Piano Sound; Warner Bros. Workshop Series BS-1441; 1962 (piano; w/Rene Hall orch.; Andre Previn's "Like Young"; piano in short-lived, 4-title audiophile series)
6Irving Taylor: The Whimsical World of; Warner Bros. WS-1352; 1959 (compilation, "Zeekie, Zeekie, Lend Me Your Comb" spoofs Kookie)
6The Dave Terry Orchestra: New York, New York; Kapp Medallion MS-7525 (essential just for the terrific, all too brief original "Greenwich Village" a.k.a. "Fantasy" -- titled differently on jacket and disc)
6Clay Tyson Digs the Beatniks; Winley (Up Front UPF-117; comedy)
6Billy Vaughn: The Shifting Whispering Sands; Dot DLP-25442/3442 (Western; Ken Nordine narrates the 2-part title track, not beatnik)
8The Viceroys at Granny's Pad; Seafair-Bolo/Bolo BLP-8000; 1963 (surf/guitar/beatnik "Granny's Pad
8Andre Williams with Gino & the Don Juans: Jail Bait; Fortune LP-8019; 1984/1955-9 (R&B/beatnik "Jail Bait")
7Stanley Wilson: The Mating Urge ST; International LP-7777 (exotica; 13 cuts composed for "mondo" film; beatnik jacket art)
6Paul Winter: Esoterica for Everyman; Offbeat 4010 (jacket: A Winter's Tale--Songs to Make You Thimk--sic)
7Wolfman Jack; RCA/Wooden Nickel WNS-1009; 1972/1971 (golden throat/funky rock/beatnik-jive)
6Cecil Young Quartet: Concert of Cool Jazz by 10"; King 295-1 (instrumental only)
8Cecil Young Quartet: A Concert of Cool Jazz; King 395-505 (live; abridged as Jazz on the Rocks; King/Audio Lab AL-1516)
8Uncredited: Artists and Models; Hoctor HLP-3033 ("The Beatest Beatniks"--longest of six cuts done twice: vocal & instrumental)
8Various: Absolute Beginners ST; Virgin/EMI America SV-17182; 1986 ('80s/bongo bop/beatnik/Latin; Slim Gaillard, David Bowie, Sade Adu, Style Council, Ray Davies, Gil Evans, Eighth Wonder with Patsy Kensit, Working Week, Jerry Dammers)
7Various: Black California; Arista/Savoy 2215; 1976/1945-52 (2-LP compilation; Slim Gaillard w/Bam Brown, Dodo Marmarosa, Zutty Singleton: "Laguna," "Boogin' at Berg's," "Dunkin' Bagel")
7Various: Black California, Vol. 2; Arista/Savoy 2242; 1980/1946-54 (2-LP compilation; Slim Gaillard w/Bam Brown, Dodo Marmarosa, Oscar Bradley: "The Jam Man," "Slim's Riff," "I'm Confessin'," "Oxydol Highball")
7Various: The Cool Scene--Twelve New Ways to Fly; Warner Bros. WS-1328; 1959 (compilation/showcase; beatnik title/jacket art only; Don Ralke, Warren Barker, Frank Comstock, Smart Set, Chico Hamilton, Signatures, Trombones Inc., Marty Wilson, Guitars Inc., Robert Prince)
8Various: Jazz Canto Vol. 1--An Anthology of Poetry & Jazz; World Pacific WP-1244; 1958 (Bob Dorough, Chico Hamilton, Fred Katz, John Carradine..; reissued as Poetry & Jazz; World Pacific WP-1409; 1961)
6Various: The Laugh of the Party 10"; Coral CRL 56121 (compilation; comedy; has Steve Allen's "Jack & the Beanstalk")
8Various: Las Vegas Grind Vol. 3; Strip 003 (compilation; exotic rock/rock/beatnik)
8Various: Las Vegas Grind Vol. 6; Strip ST-078 (compilation; exotic rock "Safari"/beatnik "One More Time Part Two"/mid-east rock "Turkish Coffee"/soul-jazz organ "How About It Part One"/mod funk "Same Ole Beat"/hot rod "Jaguar")
7Various: Looney Tunes; K-Tel NU-9140; 1976 (compilation w/Nervous Norvus, Kookie)
6Various: Merry Christmas from Sesame Street; Children's Television Workshop CTW-25516; 1975 (Northern Calloway's "The Night Before Christmas on Sesame Street")
6Various: The Nervous Set; Columbia Masterworks OL-5430 ("Man We're Beat" highlights this beat-themed OC musical featuring Del Close, Larry Hagman, Kenny Burrell..)
6Various: Pictures from the Gone World (Beat Jazz); Pesky Serpent PS-1001 (compilation)
7Various: The San Francisco Poets; Hanover M-5001; 1959
4Various: Sights & Sounds of Elbow Beach Surf Club; Bermuda BLP-4012 ("King Trott's Blues")
7Various: Swing for a Crime; Jazzbo CR-SFC (compilation)
8Various: Voodoo Artistry from Haiti; AMC 1203; 1968 ("Voodoo Scat 1& 2"; w/Ti RoRo, Ti Marcel, Lucienne Pierre..; prod. Herby Widmaier)
7Various/Warner Bros. Stars: We Wish You a Merry Christmas; Warner Brothers WS-1337 (Edd Byrnes "Yulesville", Poncie Ponce, Connie Stevens, Robert Conrad, Roger Moore..)
8Various: Welcome to the Beat Generation; Beat 002; (compilation; mostly rock/r&b 45s)


Beatnik/Hep/Jive 45s/EPs

Rating
7Los Albinos EP; Palette 226.001-M ("Cha Cha Be-Bop")
7Steve Allen: Cinderella/Goldilocks & the Three Bears; Decca/Brunswick 9-80228; 1953 ("Bebop's Fables" adapted, played, & told by Steve Allen)
7Louis Armstrong: The Night Before Christmas (narrated)/When the Saints Go Marching In; Continental CR-1001; 1971 (commerce; picture sleeve stickered "only 25c with the purchase of a carton of Kent, True, Newport, or Old Gold")
9Jim Backus w/Daws Butler: I Was a Teenage Reindeer/The Office Party; Dico D-101
7The John Barry Seven: Farrago/Bee's Knees; Parlophone R-4394; 1958
6The John Barry Orchestra: Beat for Beatniks/Big Fella; Columbia DB-4505; 1960
7The Beats: Beatnik Bounce Parts 1 & 2; Columbia (good rock/R&B instrumental but beatnik in name only)
7William S. Burroughs & Gus Van Sant: Millions of Images/The Hipster Be-Bop Junkie; T.K./SOL 910; 1990/1985 (from "The Elvis of Letters" EP)
9Edd Byrnes & Friend: Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)/You're the Top; Warner Bros. 5047 (A-side w/Connie Stevens; w/the Big Sound of Don Ralke; picture sleeve)
9Edd Byrnes & Friend: Like I Love You/Mad Pad; Warner Bros. 5087 (w/the Big Sound of Don Ralke; picture sleeve)
7Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, Star of "77 Sunset Strip" & the Mary Kaye Trio: Kookie's Love Song (While Dancing); Warner Bros. 5114; 1959 (picture sleeve; A-side w/Joanie Sommers; sing-along B-side minus Sommers so you can "Do a Duet with Kookie")
8Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, Star of "77 Sunset Strip": Yulesville/Lonely Christmas; Warner Bros. 5121 (A-side w/Warren Barker; B-side w/Don Ralke; picture sleeve)
9Don Carson & the Whirlaways: Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (that Cigarette)/Three Carburetors; Crest 45-1051 (beatnik/hot rod)
8The Chordettes: A Girl's Work is Never Done/The Chordettes with Jeff Kron & Jackie Ertel: No Wheels; Cadence (B-side also a music video!)
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Little Red Riding Hood/Three Little Pigs; Decca/Brunswick 9-80266; 1953 (black label is original; 45 & 78 issued also as picture sleeve: "Steve Allen's Grimm Fairy Tales for Hip Kids"; Decca/Brunswick 9-86001; copyright Down Beat, Inc. & Steve Allen)
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Max/Sam; Decca/Coral 9-61589 (satellite theme)
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Space Man/Jazzbo's Theory; Decca/Coral 9-61693 (A-side w/Alan Freed, Steve Allen, & the Modernaires; B-side rec. at Max's Pawn Shop w/"talking instruments")
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Jack & the Beanstalk/Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs; Capitol 2580 (w/Lou Stein, piano)
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: The Invention of the Airplane/The Discovery of America; Capitol 2624 (w/Lou Stein's "Entire" Orchestra; "Great Moments in History As Told by")
Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Little Red Riding Hood/The Pee Little Thrigs; Capitol 2773 (correct title)
8Scat Man Crothers: What's a Nice Kid Like You Doin' in a Place Like This?/Golly Zonk!--It's Scat Man; Hanna-Barbera HBR-476; 1966 (twist/dance & Batman spoof)
8Scatman Crothers w/Lew Raymond Trio: Transfusion; Tops 4-R286-49 (EP w/3 others, incl. Bud Roman's Glendora)
7Dancing Panther Dance Band: Tropic Love/Cement Mixer; Warner Bros. 5215 (B-side cover of Gaillard's hit)
5James Dean/Bob Romeo: Dean's Lament/Jungle Rhythm; Romeo 45-100 (homemade exotica exploitation meats celebrity Beat; bongos by Dean and flute with some dialog at ends)
8[The Voices & Instruments of] Rod Derret: Bongo Train/The Kiwi Train; (bongo/beatnik/New Zealand; B-side live/narrated)
7Mamie Van Doren: The Beat Generation/I'm Grateful; Dot 45-15970
7Jimmy Van Eaton: Beat-Nik/Foggy; Rita 1004
Slim Gaillard & his Musical Aggregations, Wherever He May Be; Norgran EP N-19
Slim Gaillard & his Musical Aggregations, Wherever He May Be; Norgran EP N-20
Slim Gaillard, Here He Is; Norgran EP N-55
Slim Gaillard, Here He Is; Norgran` EP N-56
Slim Gaillard: That Ain't Right/Santa Monica Jump; Majestic 9004
Slim Gaillard: Bartenders Just Like.../Boip Boip; MGM 10111
7Slim Gaillard: I Wonder What's the Matter with Me/On the South Side of Chicago; CBS/Epic 5-10410
7Gabe Garland & his Rocking Band: Cool Talk/Week-End Rock; Wynne W-14 (NYC; A-side features hip recitations of names of monsters)
7Paul Gayten: Beatnik Beat/Scratch Back; Anna 1112 (dirty-sax R&B instrumental, beatnik in name only)
Babs Gonzales: Watch Theme/Be Bop Santa Claus; King 4836
9Babs Gonzales: The Be-Bop Santa Claus/Manhattan Fable; Bruce 122 (or Essex 377)
Babs Gonzales: Be-Bop Santa Claus/Dem Resolution Liars; Bruce
Babs Gonzales: Capitolizing/Professor Bop; Capitol
Babs Gonzales: Dob-La-Blee; Blue Note
Babs Gonzales: Everything is Cool/1280 Special; Apollo
Babs Gonzales: Flyin Home/For Dancers Only; Crazy
Babs Gonzales: Get Out Dat Bed; Savoy
9Babs Gonzales: House Rent Party/She's Just Right for Me; King 4885
8Babs Gonzales: We Ain't Got Integration/Lonely One; Prestige 45-204
Babs Gonzales: The James Moody Story/Still Whalin'; Mercury
Babs Gonzales: A Lesson in Bop-ol-o-gy/Honeysuckle Rose; Manor
7Babs Gonzales: Old McDonald Did the Twist/At the Two for One; Tina 0003
Babs Gonzales: Oop-Pop-A-Da/Lop Pow; Blue Note
Babs Gonzales: Pay Dem Dues/Weird Lullaby; Blue Note
9Babs Gonzales: The Preacher/Lullaby of the Doomed; Hope 1002 ("An Excerpt from the 'voila' album")
Babs Gonzales: Prelude to a Nightmare/St. Louis Blues; Capitol
Babs Gonzales: Shuckin' & Jivin'/Still Wailin'; King 4615
Babs Gonzales: The Trouble with Me, is Me/That's What I Thought You Said; Jubilee
Babs Gonzales: You Can't Keep Runnin' Around/Stomping at the Savoy; Blue Note
Babs Gonzales: Voila/No-Fools-Fun; Vogue
7Babs Gonzales & his International Jazz Men: Sugar Ray/Cool Whalin'; Barclay (Babs 6402/6403)
9Babs Gonzales & Eddie Jefferson: Rockin' & Rollin' the Blues/Hair Dressen Women (Put Your Business in the Street); Crazy 1002
9Babs Gonzales w/Jimmy Smith Trio: You Need Connections/'Round About Midnight; Blue Note 1638
8Babs Gonzales/Little "Babs" Forest: Git to Dat/2 x 7 + 1 an' 1 More; A-J 906
8Babs Gonzales: That's Why They Called Her the Queen (One for Miss "D")/Speedy Gonzales, Dat's Me; Expubidence E-001
7The Jazztet, featuring Art Farmer & Benny Golson: The Cool One/Five Spot After Dark; Argo 5376 (jazz instrumental LP tracks)
6Johnny & the Hurricanes: Beatnik Fly/Sand Storm; Warwick M-520; 1960 (rock instrumental)
9Tony Rodelle Larson: Bear Rug/?
8Lee & Paul: The Chick/Valentina, My Valentina; Columbia 4-41337 ("The Chick" only)
7Joe Loco: Teenagers' Wail/Invitation; Columbia 4-40590 (beatnik-y A-side)
9Jerry Madison & the Space Men: Von Dutch the Mad Martian Pinstriper/Theme from (instrumental); Tops S-307 ("autograph personality series")
9Bob McFadden & D'Or: The Mummy/The Beat Generation; Brunswick 9-55140 (on the LP but worth noting)
8Rudy Ray Moore Presents Gregory Tutt--Jody the Grinder; Kent KST-007 ("Honky Tonk Bud"; Comedians Inc. COM-S-1110)
8Ken Nordine & the Fred Katz Group: I Used to Think My Right Hand Was Uglier Than My Left Hand/My Baby; Dot 16000
8Nervous Norvus: Transfusion/Dig; Dot; 1956 (a.k.a. "Singing" Jimmy Drake; A-side also on Various: Looney Tunes; K-Tel NU-9140; 1976)
8Nervous Norvus: Ape Call/The Wild Dogs of Kentucky; Dot (w/ape calls by Red Blanchard; A-side also on Various: Looney Tunes; K-Tel NU-9140; 1976)
9Nervous Norvus: The Fang/Bullfrog Hop; Dot 15500
8Nervous Norvus: Transfusion EP; Ace/Big Beat NED-12; 1985 (12" EP w/all 6 Dot cuts, liner notes)
7Rune Overman w/Arne Bills Orchestra: Smorgasbord/Beatnik Walk; Stacy 970; 1963 (instrumental, beatnik in name only; Kim Fowley Music lic. Sweden)
7Patsy Raye & the Beatniks: Beatnik's Wish/Beatnik's Blues; Roulette R-4208; 1958 (Xmas/beatnik)
8Googie René: Caesar's Pad/Serenade in the Night; Class 262; 1959 (abridged versions of cuts on Romesville; Class CSLP-5003)
6Hal Schaefer Trio: Just Too Much EP; RCA Victor EPA-628; 1955 (jazz--progressive piano; significant only for beatnik jacket art)
7Huey Smith & his Clowns: Beatnik Blues/For Cryin' Out Loud; Ace ("Beatnik Blues" only, same as "Doin' the Beatnik Twist" above)
7Clay Tyson: The Beatniks/The Marching Bedbugs; Winley 246 (A-side only; comedy)
5Sam Ulano: Drum's Fairy Tales (The Three Bears)/Will Lorin: Poughkeepise Pizzicato; A-Bell 889/841-AA (A side only)
7Sam Ulano: Santa & the Doodle-Li-Boop/The Story of Santa Claus; MGM SK37 (beatnik-y drummer Xmas novelty; writer credit is "Abel" which may be famous prankster Alan Abel)
8Untouchables: Benny the Beatnik/Crawlin'; Rello RST-2 (vocal novelty like Coasters/R&B)
8Joey Warren: Goatee/That's It; Superior 3305
8The Wild-Cats: Gazachstahagen (white-label promo only); United Artists UA-154 (w/Billy Mure; only the promo version includes a record-related beatnik novelty bit)
8Cecil Young Progressive Quartet, Vol. 1 EP; King KEP-276 (jive/scat; same as King 395-505 except w/beatnik jacket art)
8Cecil Young Progressive Quartet, Vol. 2 EP; King KEP-277 (jive/scat; same as King 395-505 except w/beatnik jacket art)


Beatnik 78s

Rating
8Al "Jazzbo" Collins: Little Red Riding Hood/Three Little Pigs; Decca/Brunswick 80226; 1953 (black label; w/Lou Stein, piano; copyright Down Beat, Inc. & Steve Allen; also as Brunswick 86001, maroon "Brunlite" label w/picture sleeve: "Steve Allen's Grimm Fairy Tales for Hip Kids")
8Slim Gaillard Trio w/Wini Beatty: Early Morning Boogie/That Ain't Right, Baby; Bel-Tone 754 (reissued on LP)
9Slim Gaillard Sextet: Organ-Oreenie/Slim Gaillard & his Trio: Little Red Riding Woods; MGM 10599 (reissued on LP)
Slim Gaillard & his Trio: Boip! Boip!/The Bartender's Just Like a Mother; MGM 10111
8Slim Gaillard & Bam Brown: Opera in Vout (Groove Juice Symphony); Disc Company of America 463 (2-disc album prod. Norman Granz; reissued on LP)
9Slim [Gaillard] & Slam [Stewart]: Flat Fleet Floogee/Chinatown, My Chinatown; Vocalion 4021
8Slim [Gaillard] & Slam [Stewart]: Tutti Frutti/Look-a-There; Vocalion 4225


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