It was a musical cocktail born in a marketing meeting: Two parts easy listening, one part jazz, a healthy dollop of conga drums, a sprinkling of bird calls, and a pinch of textless choir. Serve garnished with an alluring female on the album jacket for best results. Exotica! The soundtrack for a mythical air conditioned Eden, packaged for mid-century, tiki torch-wielding armchair safariers. Be it mosquito-bitten torch singers, landlocked surf quartets, fad-chasing jazz combos, mad genius band leaders, D-list actors, or a middle aged loner programming bird calls into a Hammond, Exotica was always more concerned with what geography might sound like over who was conducting. Captured across three albums (or three compact discs) are 48 (or 54) curious examples of the short-lived genre’s reach, each summoning their own sonic visions of Shangri La, bringing their versions of the Pacific, Africa, and the Orient to the hinterlands of America. Technicolor Paradise is where one makes it, after all.

1. Blue Oasis – Chuck “Big Guitar” Ernest with the Satellite Band
2. Marooned – The Sound Breakers
3. Driftwood – The Wailers
4. The Moon of Manakoora – Lenny & The Thundertones
5. Midnight in Montevideo – Biscaynes with Co-Encidentals
6. Chant of the Jungle – Red Harrison & His Zodiacs
7. Jungle Guitar – The Palatons
8. Live with the Moon – Chayns
9. Cobra – Bailey’s Nervous Kats featuring James Mills
10. Sound of Mecca – The Blazers
11. The Jaguar Hunt – The Crew
12. Slave Girl – The Gems
13. The Arabian Knight – Jerry & the Catalinas
14. Night Walker – The Jaguars
15. The Voodoo Walk – The Voodoos
16. Blue Castaway – The Shelltones
17. Atlantis – The Blue Bells
18. Paradise Isle – Bill & Jean Bradway
19. Enchantment – The Melody Mates
20. Nature Boy – Don Reed featuring the Voice of Love
21. Tumba – The Baton of Andre Brummer
22. Silent Island – Darla Hood
23. Lotus Land – Martha Raye with Phil Moore Orchestra
24. Nightengale of Paradise – Baha’i Victory Chorus
25. Isle of Love – Carmen
26. Forever Walks a Drifter – The Monzas
27. Voodoo Drums – Akim
28. Magic Voodoo Moon – Fred Darian with Bill Loose Orchestra
29. Voodoo Kiss – Don Sargent & his Buddies
30. Captured – Joan Joyce Trio
31. Tobago – Pony Sherrell
32. My Quiet Village – Darla Hood
33. Enchantress – Jerry Warren & the Valids
34. Polynesian Paradise – The Centuries
35. My House of Grass – The Potted Palm
36. Enchantment – The Castiles
37. Quiet Village – Five Glow Tones
38. Silent Island – Modesto Duran & Orchestra
39. Tam-bu Theme – Ross Anderson Chorus & Orchestra
40. Caravan – Bobby Christian
41. Arabian Rhythm – Bruce Norman Quintet
42. Hari’s Harem – The Slaves
43. Similou – Arnie Derksen & Chise
44. Caribbean Cruise – Three Bars featuring Nicky Roberts
45. Chant of the Moon – Robert Drasnin
46. Moon Mist – Blue Jeans
47. The Enchanting Melody – Artie Barsamian
48. Jazz in Port Said – Eddie Kochak & Hakki Obidia
49. Tanganyika – Gene Sikora & The Irrationals
50. Dark Continent – Bobby Paris
51. Lion Hunt – Walter Bolen
52. Jungle Cat – Jimmy McGriff
53. Locura (Madness) – Chico Jose
54. Lost Island – Clyde Derby