Les Baxter

By the early 1970s, Baxter was widely considered a relic of Eisenhower-era exotica. This two-for-one collection proves Les was still going strong even as Watergate was unfolding. Rhythm was always a key to his sound, and both sessions brim with bossa nova or vaguely African beats. The fanatically perky choir can make this seem like a jungle tour by Jim Jones.