Lonely Harpsichord: Rainy Night in Shangri-La

by Jonathan Knight & the Lonely Harpsichord, Jonathan Knight

Overview

While most "lonely harpsichord" efforts deserve solitary confinement, Rainy Night in Shangri-La remains an anomalous classic in the pop-exotica idiom. The lead instrument, of course, is the harpsichord, which, with all its historic associations, lends itself well to exoticism. The other sounds include standard rhythm accompaniment and sound effects like rain, thunder, and tropical birds. The gimmick can wear thin, but the selections themselves are hard to hurt. The Caribbean/Brasilian standards "Flamingo" and "Quiet Village" are mildly interesting given this treatment, as are the originals "Tiki Waterfall," "Dream Theme" (co-credited to Leon Russell), and "Midnight Hideaway." Rainy Night in Shangri-La is pure ersatz exploitation, a desperate variation on the played-out formula of dumbing down natural beauty into treacly sentimentality. And that puts it squarely in the tradition of exotica. ~ Tony Wilds

Product Details

Release Date:	03/19/2021
Label:	Good Time Records
UPC:	0730167317450
Rank:	116421

Tracks

1. Shangri-La
2. Stranger on the Shore
3. Cast Your Fate to the Wind
4. Pagan Love Song
5. Yellow Bird
6. Quiet Village
7. Flamingo
8. Bali Ha'i
9. Tiki Waterfall
10. Dream Theme
11. Midnight Hideaway
12. Soft Sands

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jonathan Knight & the Lonely Harpsichord   Primary Artist
Jonathan Knight   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Ted Grouya   Composer
Edmund Anderson   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer