Various - Hymns A Swinging

this is the first ever release of this album on cd. since it's initial low-profile birth in the late 1960s, it has become something of an underground classic. and that's because nothing sounds quite like this album at all - where else could you hear 'all things bright and beautiful' as a heavy latin workout? when else would you encounter a psyched-out sitar interpretation of a franz haydn classic? with a surprise waiting for you in just about every track, hymns a' swinging will raise a smile, confuse and possible even startle you with its brilliance and occasional madness. you'll also note when you hear it that everything is played and performed extremely well, not surprising really as the line up includes london jazz sax hero tubby hayes jamming along with the vocal talents of the mike sammes singers. from the sublime to the ridiculous, hymns a' swinging is unlike anything else ever musically created. original copies have always remained illusive. davjon records who originally produced and arranged the album were small, had little distribution and by the early 1970s had disappeared just as fast and as unnoticed as they'd appeared. so now it's finally here on cd. praise the lord! on trunk. *superb original photographic sleeve, cd has four page booklet outlining the history of the recording, with scans of original labels etc and original sleevenotes.