'Round the World with Les Baxter

AMG Review of 'Round the World with Les Baxter

Jason Ankeny
All Music Guide

Following the commercial success of the lush instrumental "The Poor People of Paris," Capitol commissioned Les Baxter to create an entire LP expanding upon the single's global theme, and with 'Round the World with Les Baxter, the arranger again proves his unparalleled skill for translating the sounds and textures of foreign lands into sublimely melodic travelogues that capture settings based far more in fantasy than reality. The album travels the earth at a speed of 33 and 1/3 revolutions per minute, making stops in the Far East ("Japanese Parasols"), South America ("Romantic Rio"), and Scandinavia ("Monika") -- each arrangement perfectly captures the cinematic precision of Baxter's artistry, documenting the far-flung corners of the globe via the universal language.