The Voices of the Atolls and The Zizou Bar Trio - Ta'u Tahiti

Or Mon Tahiti in French. Funny thing about this LP, everything is in French or Tahitian except the song titles which are in Tahitian with the English translation following in parentheses. Odd.

From 1957, one of many LPs on the Tiare Tahiti Records label that mixed trad Tahitian music with a slightly franco-jazzy lounge feel. As far as I'm concerned Drums of Bora Bora, Songs of Tahiti was the best of the bunch, and the reason The Voices of the Atolls will forever have a special place in my Polynesian musical pantheon. Their song "E Hina," from that LP is probably my favorite Polypop tune of all time. I'd be glad to share Drums of Bora Bora here but for the fact that it's been released on CD (look on Amazon) and thus it would be a no-no to share.

Not all of this album is great but there are a few jewels: check out track 1 "Pinol (Tahitian Love Call)", track 9 "Tarevereva (Crest of the Wave)" and track 12 "Haapou Mai Na (Tahitian Love Song).

The label says that its recorded in "stereo simulation." As far as I can tell, that means one channel is a little bit louder than the other.

Mon Tahiti

BONUS! An LP rip of my favorite Atolls song "E Hina" from the LP version of Drums of Bora Bora. It kicks okole!