Throughout the nineteen fifties and sixties, a style of music became prevalent that had first appeared on the musical scene about thirty years prior. Lounge music is defined as a chillout, easy listening style. It is a very mellow form that is most likely to be heard at hotels, such as in their bars or lounges, or at casinos.
There are many influences to this musical genre. These include electronica, downtempo, space age pop, swing, polynesian, bossa nova, exotica and particularly jazz. Instruments typically used to create tunes in this genre are vibraphones, the guitar, drums, the piano and ethnic percussion.
The feeling this genre of music evokes is one of tranquility and being transported to a peaceful place. Examples of this could be outer space or the jungle. The key theme through listening to this style is most certainly relaxation, especially when one considers where this type of music is heard. It is perfect for an easygoing social setting.
While you will find that most songs in this style are without lyrics or vocals, especially in more recent times, you can also hear tracks from previous eras with singing in them. In fact, many a singer have attributed their beginning in the industry through lounge singing during the swing jazz period of the 1930s-40s. At this time, it was the singer and not the instrumental that was the focus.
Some of the best known singers from this period include the Rat Pack. Other popular vocalists during this period are Jackie Gleason, Louis Prima, Sam Butera and Sonny King. Many of the performers of this time were using music and songs from Burt Bacharach, who is a six-time Grammy Award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. A lot of the artistes he collaborated with could be found performing in the casinos of Las Vegas.
There was another revival of the genre at the end of the twentieth century. Groups like Love Jones, The High Llamas, Combustible Edison and The Cocktails ruled the final decade. In the mid-nineties, the company Capitol Records was responsible for issuing an Ultra-Lounge album series. The entire musical style was in stark contrast to the other most popular style of the nineties, known as grunge.
At the turn of the century, the genre was again spun to create new sounds by using a combination of musical styles. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine did a number of covers of hip hop and metal tracks in the style of lounge singers. Similarly, Nouvelle Vague, a French group from Paris, used eighties post-punk tracks as the basis of their creativity.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
There are many influences to this musical genre. These include electronica, downtempo, space age pop, swing, polynesian, bossa nova, exotica and particularly jazz. Instruments typically used to create tunes in this genre are vibraphones, the guitar, drums, the piano and ethnic percussion.
The feeling this genre of music evokes is one of tranquility and being transported to a peaceful place. Examples of this could be outer space or the jungle. The key theme through listening to this style is most certainly relaxation, especially when one considers where this type of music is heard. It is perfect for an easygoing social setting.
While you will find that most songs in this style are without lyrics or vocals, especially in more recent times, you can also hear tracks from previous eras with singing in them. In fact, many a singer have attributed their beginning in the industry through lounge singing during the swing jazz period of the 1930s-40s. At this time, it was the singer and not the instrumental that was the focus.
Some of the best known singers from this period include the Rat Pack. Other popular vocalists during this period are Jackie Gleason, Louis Prima, Sam Butera and Sonny King. Many of the performers of this time were using music and songs from Burt Bacharach, who is a six-time Grammy Award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. A lot of the artistes he collaborated with could be found performing in the casinos of Las Vegas.
There was another revival of the genre at the end of the twentieth century. Groups like Love Jones, The High Llamas, Combustible Edison and The Cocktails ruled the final decade. In the mid-nineties, the company Capitol Records was responsible for issuing an Ultra-Lounge album series. The entire musical style was in stark contrast to the other most popular style of the nineties, known as grunge.
At the turn of the century, the genre was again spun to create new sounds by using a combination of musical styles. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine did a number of covers of hip hop and metal tracks in the style of lounge singers. Similarly, Nouvelle Vague, a French group from Paris, used eighties post-punk tracks as the basis of their creativity.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
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