Search the Community

Inspired by a thread by Rabshakeh, I would like to discuss some great (and not-so-great) space-age bachelor pad LPs that I found hidden in the jazz section. I started buying space-age bachelor pad LPs, before the genre had a name, in the late 1980s, in part because of cover art, and in part because of jazz crossover. (I had a fairly substantial jazz accumulation by that point.) I went into high gear in the early 1990s, during the period I affectionately call The Great Vinyl Purge. I soon learned that the best places to find these albums were a) in the dollar bin; b) in the "easy listening" section; and, importantly c) in the jazz section, usually filed only under a letter as opposed to specific artist. This thread will be devoted to great space-age albums that I either found in the jazz section, or that I have seen filed there. For my purposes, I am restricting the era of space-age bachelor pad music to 1946-1964. The 1964 cutoff date is important, in that it represents the worldwide arrival of the Beatles and Bossa Nova, both of which led to the Now Sound and International Jet Set aesthetic, two genres that essentially supplanted space-age bachelor pad music. (These albums may also appear in the jazz section.) I am also restricting my discussion to space-age albums with a decidedly jazzy bent, as there are space-age albums that are more symphonic or pop in nature. I welcome any additions, and would like to hear of any similar experiences from members. Beginning with a classic: Legrand Jazz