Bye Bye Blues – BERT KAEMPFERT****

Bye Bye Blues/Remember When(We Made These Memories)/When You’re Smiling/Tahitian Sunset/Once In A While/Steady Does It/It Makes No Difference/You Stepped Out Of A Dream/Wiederseh’n/I’m Beginning To See The Light/Melina/Out Of Nowhere

German bandleader Bert Kaempfert achieved his highest placed UK album with Bye Bye Blues, a collection of easy listening old standards and contemporary tunes. (US:46 UK:4)

"Bert Kaempfert was coasting at the peak of his popularity when he released Bye Bye Blues in early 1966. Perhaps that's the reason why he decided not to change his formula at all on this breezy collection of standards, originals and contemporary tunes. The title is no joke - this is a sunny album without a care in the world, lightly swinging to its own beat."

"Kaempfert's big, brassy arrangements are appealing but a little similar, which means that the entire record blends together; there's no beginning or end, just twelve easy listening tunes that flow into one another."

"Bye Bye Blues is a pleasant album, ideal for background cocktail music, which is all that Kaempfert fans old or young will want anyway."

"I first listened to Bert Kaempfert in the mid '60s. You could hear these songs being played on the radio all the time. They are terrific renditions of, mostly, old standards. Unfortunately, you have to buy the album to hear them now, as they cannot be heard on the radio anymore."

"This incredible collection entitled Bye Bye Blues was released at the very peak of Kaempfert's popularity with the 1960s easy listening crowd, and showcases the 'Kaempfert sound' better than any of his other albums. All of Kaempfert's distinctive trademarks were in place for this album: the thumping bass in perfect synch with the drums, the haunting wordless chorus and, of course, the trumpet of Fred Moch. These trademarks are evident throughout. No Kaempfert collection is complete without the exotic sounding Tahitian Sunset."

"This is one of Bert's top ten albums and perhaps his first great album - his band really came on from here. There are no turkeys in this album, giving it a real good feel start to finish."