Exotica

J. R. Spencer said Don Tiki and pianists like myself reimagining Denny and Baxter arrangements and Impressionist composers. Toop's book Exotica is one of the first serious musicological studies on post WWII Exotica Jazz and the development of a little talked about genre of music that made a huge impact on culture from Tiki Bars, to Bachelor Pad lounges. Every major contributor to the birth of this genre is examined including: Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Robert Drasnin, and Yma Sumac. This book has been essential to my doctorate research dissertation that will examine the history of exotica, classification of "sub genres", and the current Exotica renaissance and reinvention of the art form. I. Arguably the most intelligent music critic writing Exotica by David Toop David Toop is arguably the most intelligent music critic writing today, his range of interests prospecting across an avant garde canvas coloured by the 20th century's foremost writers, thinkers and musicians. Although Toop's subject is predominantly that of fabricated soundscapes in a real world, a music which has come to be categorised as exotica, his roots are literary and extend to novelistic cosmographers like Herman Melville, Joseph Conrad and William Burroughs. Toop is erudite, but refreshingly unacademic in the way his texts are interspers

About the Author David Toop is a highly regarded author, music critic and musician. Since 1995 he has released three solo albums, curated five compilation albums (including the soundtrack to Ocean of Sound), and the sound and music exhibition at the Hayward Gallery - Sonic Boom . His music journalism appears in The Wire, Book Forum, The Times and The Face.

Notions of the exotic have inspired popular music and musicians in all fields from classical, through "easy listening" to rap - from Stravinsky to the Boo-Yah T.R.I.B.E David Toop takes the reader through the 20th century's fascination with exotica, its icons and practitioners, taking in the work of Les Baxter, the meaning of Carmen Miranda, leopard skin leotards and pink fluffy cubicles, elevator music and more. "Exotica" takes a look at the music and people behind some of the world's most witty, experimental and adventurous sound recordings. Included are interviews with Burt Bacharach, Ornette Coleman, Bill Laswell, YMO's Haroumi Hosono, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.. Since the invention of the microphone, people have experimented with sound, putting everything from thunderstorm

David Toop is a highly regarded author, music critic and musician. . His music journalism appears in The Wire, Book Forum, The Times and The Face. Since 1995 he has released three solo albums, curated five compilation albums (including the soundtrack to Ocean of Sound), and the sound and music exhibition at the Hayward Gallery - Sonic Boom