The Martini Kings only vinyl album, Palm Springs Serenade  has been repressed on transparent red 180 gram vinyl! This will be the final run of this album, once these 500 LPs are gone the title will be deleted so grab now!

Purchase from Dionysus Mail Order at this link

Palm Springs Serenade is a vinyl compilation of the group’s favorite tracks from numerous The Martini Kings CDs, and features a guest appearance by Buddy Greco. The cover is illustrated by SHAG, with liner notes by Cocktail Nation’s Koop Kooper, printed on a thick, old-style LP jacket called “tip-on” which consists of slicks glued on board.  The LP was cut on a vintage Scully lathe using a classic Westrex 3D cutter head. The album is packaged in a poly sleeve and includes a free digital download code. The first pressings of this LP were 400 black 180 gram vinyl and 100 clear vinyl.

The Martini Kings will be performing at Don the Beachcomber on Friday, November 7 with the Hukilau Hot Shots and DJ Senior Amor!

Tonga Hut Palm Springs kicks off the season with a special Shag Menu Signing Event!

Shag signs the new Tonga Hut Palm Springs menu
Friday, October 3
Signing at 6 PM Sharp
Mid-Century sounds from DJ Lee
Tonga Hut remains open until 2 AM

Tonga Hut Palm Springs
254 N Palm Canyon Dr,
Palm Springs, California 92262
(760) 322-4449
www.tongahut.com/tonga-hut-palm-springs.html

Price:
$25 includes a menu and drink coupon

Shag will be in the house signing his newly designed Tonga Hut drink menus. There will a limited amount available. Get there early; first come first served!

Tonga Hut Palm Springs is the offspring of the Tonga Hut North Hollywood, Opening its’ doors in 1958 during the heyday of tiki culture in Southern California, Tonga Hut is the oldest surviving tiki bar in Los Angeles.

Tonga Hut Palm Springs has been lovingly decorated by artist Tiki Diablo and Chase Marshall (Beauty Bar in L.A. and Cobra Lounge in NYC) with vintage items as well as contemporary contributions from many artists in the tiki community including Leroy Schmaltz from Oceanic Arts, Eric October, Bosko, Kirby, Nelson’s Tiki Hut and “Mad Dog” Mike Gilbert.

Tonga Hut’s menu offers classic Polynesian/Cantonese/American dishes, like you might have found at Don the Beachcomber on old Palm Canyon Drive in the Rat Pack era. The cocktail menu contains more than 40 drinks including classic cocktails, classic tiki drinks as well as numerous original drinks including some that are exclusive to the Palm Springs location.

DJ Lee Joseph heads up the “independent underground” label Dionysus Records, which has specialized in the retro sounds of surf, exotica, garage rock, rockabilly and psychedelia since the mid ‘80s, and has a weekly show called “Over Under Sideways Down” on the mid-century centric LuxuriaMusic.com internet radio station. He has held numerous club residences in Los Angeles, and DJs at the yearly Tiki Oasis event in San Diego. “DJ Lee” brings to Tonga Hut Palm Springs a deep knowledge and collection of era appropriate music from lounge and exotica to French Ye Ye, surf to soul and other “swinging” sounds from the 1950s -1970s, on vinyl of course!

Tonga Hut Palm Springs Facebook Page
Tonga Hut North Hollywood Facebook Page
Tonga Hut North Hollywood Twitter
Tonga Hut Palm Springs Twitter

On April 25, I’ll be returning to Tonga Hut, Palm Springs between 7 PM  till Midnight spinning exotica, soul, lounge, Latin grooves, surf and more! If you are in the desert, please drop by!

Tonga Hut, Palm Springs
254 North Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Tonga Hut Website
Tonga Hut, Palm Springs Website

Join me at the brand new Tonga Hut Palm Springs! I’ll be spinning exotica, lounge, surf, instrumentals and swingin ’60s sounds for your mid-century style dining and imbibing! I’ll be there from 7 PM till…they pull the plug! No Cover! Tonga Hut Palm Springs 54 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262, (760) 322-4449, http://www.Tongahut.com

This Wednesday, August 15, 3 PM – 5 PM Pacific, tune in to Lee Joseph’s “Over Under Sideways Down”  on LuxuriaMusic.com for a special show featuring Tony Marsico of The Martini Kings who will be playing the Tiki Oasis main stage – Friday, August 17 at 6:40. Lee and Tony will discuss Mission: Tiki Oasis 12, The Martini Kings, their new Dionysus Records release “Palm Springs Serenade,” their new self-released CD and back catalog, and some of Tony’s fabulous history playing music with the likes of The Plugz, The Cruzados, Bob Dylan, and others!

The Martini Kings “Palm Springs Serenade” vinyl LP release, closing party for Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker and Miles Thomspon and Tiki Oasis pre-party!

Sunday, July 29, 2012
4 – 7 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com

Come have one more look at Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker’s “Tales from the Tiki Lounge” and Miles Thompson’s “Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies“ show and celebrate the release of The Martini Kings’ “Palm Springs Serenade“ LP on Dionysus Records at this combination record release, show closing and Tiki Oasis pre-party.

The band will be playing a set and signing their new album, their first on vinyl – 180 gram vinyl with cover art by SHAG and a free digital download code.

Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker Tales From the Tiki Lounge
Miles Thompson Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies

July 6 – 29, 2012
Opening Reception: Friday, July 6th; 8-11 PM
Closing Party: Sunday, July 29, 4 pm – 7 pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667

Tales from the Tiki Lounge is the rarest, hardest to find, and most collectible, Pulp-Adventure publication never made. It existed only in the Mai-Tai light Zone of Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker‘s imagination. These paintings are the cover-art of the most desired and sought after issues. So precious that they are nearly beyond price, and believability.

“Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock.” – Honolulu Magazine, “The Best Of 2012 “

“My art is my personal celebration of a creative reinvention of a foolish misinterpretation of an ancient mythology that sought to solve the mystery of the “breath of life” that eternally and precariously surfs the complete expanse between the bottomless sea and the floating shadow land of preexistence in the inconceivable heights of the sky. Not just to live. But, to ‘live aloha’.” -Brad Parker

Preview Brad’s show here

Miles Thompson’s Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies, a show created with Gouache on illustration board, reflects on what makes life both a beach and a bitch. It is an epitaph for the oceans and forests, once abundant and fecund (look it up, it is the root of the F bomb), now only a ghostly reminder of what an infinite life giving power they once were. There is more than just an environmental message here, Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies is also a joyful reminder for us all to frolic around and about the impermanence we all face day to day while we are blessed with a heart, body and mind. Life happens between the lullaby and the nightmare, having and losing. Everything in-between is either a memory that we don’t want to fade, or which is sadly indelible.

Thompson, whose influences range from the ephemeral world of comics, animation and album cover art to centuries of fine art and sculpture, is a native Californian residing in Hollywood who draws, paints, reads, writes, hikes, runs, surfs and meditates. He is most inspired by his daughter who he calls his butterfly.

Preview Miles’ show here

Martini Kings Martini Kings Palm Springs Serenade vinyl LP release and closing party for Tales from the Tiki Lounge and Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies – Live performance by The Martini Kings
Sunday, July 29, 2012, 4 – 7 pm

Come have one more look at Brad and Miles’ show and celebrate the release of The Martini Kings’ Palm Springs Serenade LP  on Dionysus Records, featuring cover art by SHAG, at this combination record release and show closing celebration. Click here for details about the album and event

The Martini Kings’ first vinyl LP, Palm Springs Serenade, will be released by Dionysus Records on July 10. The LP features cover art by SHAG. The band will play a record release party (and closing  for Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker’s art show) at La Luz de Jesus Gallery on July 29, details here.

With over eight self-released CDs and gigs-a-plenty, it’s about time that Los Angeles based jazzy-retro-exotica-bossa-nova-cocktail-lounge combo The Martini Kings make an appearance on the beloved vinyl format. In their professional existence, The Martini Kings have performed events for the likes of Clint Eastwood, Stephen King, The Getty Center, Mattel and Universal Studios, had their music in HBO’s “Entourage” and made an appearance during the Malibu cliff-top wedding scene in the ”Six Feet Under’‘ season curtain-raiser. The Martini Kings’ Marsico brothers have performed in backing groups with Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Marianne Faithful. Martini Kings bassist Tony Marsico was in East LA punk legends The Plugz and The Cruzados, and played bass behind Bob Dylan on David Letterman’s show.

Their pro-resume aside, The Martini Kings are also loved among tiki and retro aficionados and are a staple at the yearly Tiki Oasis weekender, numerous burlesque, lounge events and backyard tiki parties. They have the technique and sound down to a fine art and in the process inject equal amounts of heart and soul into their craft. The instrumentation is centered around vibes, stand-up bass and percussion with tasty arrangements including piano, guitar, wind and stringed instruments.

“Palm Springs Serenade” is a collection of the group’s favorite tracks from their CD releases and features a track recorded with lounge legend and former Rat Pack member Buddy Greco. The art of their pal SHAG adorns the album cover and visually fits the combo’s sound from top to bottom. And, the sound on this album which was cut on a vintage Scully lathe with the legendary Westrex B3 stereo cutting head is huge and open with lots of warm low-end. The album jacket is printed vintage style; front cover slick on thick board… this is not your ordinary one piece fabricated album jacket but the Martini Kings / SHAG combination deserves no less.  A coupon for a digital download is included in this package.

Black vinyl 180 gram LPs will be shipped to Dionysus Records’ distribuor, ILD (Independent Label Distribution). A limited edition of 100 CLEAR VINYL LPs will be avalible from the band and through Dionysus Records Mailorder only – on JULY 10! 

Tracks: So Danco Samba, Swingin’ Shepherd Blues, Girl Talk, Cuchy Frito Man, Kings Highway, Dance of the Virgins, Lost In Paradise, Patricia, Stardust, Return to Paradise, Rumble, Enchanted Lovers

Tonight I’ll be cutting the vinyl for the first two Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited albums “Lost TV Themes” and “The Fluid Soundbox.” Both were originally released on Mai Tai Records in the ’90s. Dionysus reissued the albums on CD and digital only after Mai Tai ceased operations.

Our artist pal Shag recently resurrected the cover art for Dionysus and this evening, both albums will be cut at History of Recorded Sound in Culver City, CA – where all Dionysus / Bacchus Archives vinyl has been cut since 1992. The albums should be out byTiki Oasis 12  – perfect timing for the Spy Themed event this year!!

I’m going to try and live-stream part of the cutting session via Stream Junkie TV – here’s the link (or watch it on this post if the embed works properly) http://www.streamjunkie.tv/channel/view/leejoseph-546 – tune in around 8:30 Pacific and we’ll see if this thing works!!

Another Tiki Oasis has come and gone.

Having been to all 11 Tiki Oasis weekenders, I can without a doubt say that this year’s event was in many ways better than the previous 10, and that my friends is not an easy accomplishment. For instance, Tiki Oasis’ musical line-ups have always been magical but this one was that much more over-the-top. Some of the musical highlights from Tiki Oasis 11 include the legendary “Mr. Bongo,” Jack Costanzo‘s superb Latin Jazz ensemble who just freakin’ NAILED it, tight and tough instrumental insanity from Los Straightjackets who were joined by our pal Big Sandy for a round of rock ‘n’ roll songs en Espanol, an excellent set of Herb Albert tunes from the tribute group Herb, exotic and percussive Latin Jazz sounds from Orchestra Superstring featuring some truly amaazing play between the percussionists as well as DJ Bonebrake’s brilliant performance on the vibes, and the spooky exotic meets surf sounds of our own Creepxotica who played poolside, at the art show and wandered around the event dressed as Dia De Los Muertos mariachis with portable pig-nose amplifiers strapped to their outfits. To cap it all off, for the first time, Tiki Oasis extended through Sunday Night with a most entertaining show including two perfectly paced sets from exotica legends Don Tiki who filled the stage with exceptional musicians on their very first performance in California.  As stated, these were highlights for me – the rest of the music? Two thumbs up!

I’d have to write over a thousand words to truly cover the event from start to finish, so instead of going into detail about how great the symposiums, art,  debaucherous room crawls,  LuxuriaMusic.com and poolside DJs, the fabulous King Kukulele and Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid, marketplace, Otto’s muschache and Baby Doe’s circle skirt were, I’ll just load up this post with Tiki Oasis videos from our friends at Lost in Paradise and other various sources on YouTube so you can see for yourself the color and fun that this event represents and gives to its attendees. Don’t miss Tiki Oasis 12… Stay tuned for the scoop!

I shot a video of Creepxotica playing outside the elevators as the room crawl action was going full steam with my iPod Touch – will post as soon as I upload and edit as I’m still catching up on work here. As more Tiki Oasis 11 videos pop up on YouTube I’ll put those up as well.

Lee
(Photo: Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid –  by Scott Evanskey)

Tiki Oasis Flicker Photo Group

Tiki Oasis Facebook Group

Lost in Paradise videos

Jack Costanzo

Tiki Oasis 11 Car Show with Crazy Al Evans, Perk, SHAG, and the Hula Girls

Burlesque