Irving Fields Bagels and Bongos LP Space Age Pop lounge

$

26

Hello vinyl junkies, I’m knee deep (elbow deep?) in grease and rusty or missing parts while restoring a classic car (and have another waiting in the wings if I EVER finish the current one) so I'll be slowly selling off the bulk of my record collection to finance these projects… therefore I'll be continuing to list hundreds of LPs over the next few months, so please keep checking back

Anyway, let's continue with this one by the Irving Fields Trio Bagels and Bongos released by Decca Records in 1959. (DL 78856 Stereo) Original pressing black label with silver print. 

Bagels and Bongos is a space age lounge classic... spaceagepop.com had this to say about Fields and his great "...and Bongos series of recordings:

The real thing when it comes to lounge. Way back before lounge was a fad, people used to gather in dark dens to smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol in the form of highballs and--occasionally, cocktails--while a pianist and sometimes a bassist and drummer played softly in the corner. Irving Fields' trio put in plenty of nights in such joints--the Stork Club, El Mogambo, the Emerald Room, the St. Moritz and New York Sheraton Hotel lounges.

Fields was never ashamed of the work. "The reason I work in hotels and lounges is it's steady work. I can work there for years without having to live out of a suitcase. I've played private parties for Barbara Walters, Candice Bergen, Donald Trump, and many others," he told ePulse magazine in 1995. "To be a lounge pianist is a very difficult thing. You don't just noodle. You have to be prepared to play every kind of request--international music, country music, Latin. I have a variety, so much music I can play. It never becomes boring."

From the liner notes:

A "bagel," friends, is an edible object shaped like a donut, considerably harder, usually consumed buttered or embellished with cream cheese and "lox" (smoked salmon). "Bongos" are a pair of small drums primarily associated with Latin American rhythms. Although you will hear the bongos played ot perfection in this album, no one, not even the versatile and inventive Irving Fields, has devised a way to play a bagel. Its use in the title is purely symbolic.

In this unusual album, Mr Fields and his trio (Fields at the piano; Henry Sargent, bass; and Michael Bruno on drums) present a collection of exciting dance-tempo arrangements for piano and instrumental accompaniment. Set to the rhythms of the cha-cha, merengue, bolero and rumba, the melodies include several long popular Yiddish favorites.

This LP contains the following tracks:

1. Where Shall I Go
2. Pretty As A Moonbeam
3. I Love You Much Too Much
4. Havannah Negila
5. Raisins and Almonds
6. Mazeltov Merengue
7. David's Dance
8. Joseph! Joseph!
9. Little Shawl
10. Belz
11. Miami Merengue
12. My Yiddish Momme
13. Cha Cha No. 29
14. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon

I grade on a stricter scale than Goldmine! (or at least the watered down version that seems to exist here on eBay). I'll take the time to describe any flaws rather that give a letter grade that means something different to seemingly every record seller and buyer... I've received too many LPs graded by sellers VG++ or NM that were pretty beat up, and I'm willing to bet it's happened to your too.

Sorry if the cover looks washed out in the photo below…this is caused by a reflection from the camera flash… the colors are brighter and bolder in person.

If this LP caught your eye, please check my other auctions over the next few months for several other albums including space age pop, lounge, bachelor pad, exotica and weird & strange recordings and more. I will combine shipping on multiple purchases.

Please feel free to e-mail with any questions.

The Fine Print:

Payment is due within seven days after end of auction. - Due to a recent change in eBay policy I can no longer accept any form of "mailed" payment - Paypal is the only payment method accepted - thanks for your understanding.

Due to overwhelming requests, I generally ship domestic packages by Media Mail. However, please keep in mind that while media mail is the cheapest shipping method it is also the slowest. Media mail can take up to one month or MORE to arrive. Media Mail shipping within the United States is $3.50 including mandatory Delivery Conformation.

I do combine shipping for multiple purchases. The $3.50 covers between one and two albums. Additional albums (three and up) are an additional 25 cents each. (Please wait for an invoice from me, as the Paypal system does not calculate the combines shipping)

If you need your purchase quicker than Media Mail will provide, please e-mail me and I'll let you know the Priority Mail shipping cost. Depending on your location Priority rates range between $4.95 to $8.75 for one LP.

I do not charge any "shipping" or "handling" fees... you pay what the post office charges me.  I usually ship within 48 hours of receiving Payment.

Overseas shipping is by Air Mail Only (surface mail is not available!) Shipping for one LP to Canada is $7.00, Mexico is $11.00. Anywhere else in the world is $14.00. Overseas shipping is by regular air mail and can take anywhere from one and four weeks to arrive.  I do combine shipping for overseas purchases also - I will send an invoice with the shipping amount if purchasing more than one LP.

I am sorry but I do not accept bids from (or ship records to) bidders from Italy or the "Russian Federation."

All records are mailed in cardboard record mailers with cardboard inserts to prevent damage. LP will be removed from cover for shipping to prevent seam splits while in transit.

I do offer a money back guarantee if you are not pleased with your purchase. I don’t do this for a living, it is supposed to be a fun hobby, so If there is a problem at any point during the transaction, please let me know so we can work out a solution!  

Thanks for looking and good luck!