Ultra-Lounge
Ultra-Lounge is a series of compilation CDs released by Capitol Records, featuring music predominantly from the 1950s and 1960s in genres such as exotica, space age pop, mambo, television theme songs, and lounge. Many of the volumes have since been made available for purchase via digital download.
Each CD featured detailed liner notes along with two related drink recipes, tips on how to serve drinks to guests, and often photographs of sculptures made out of bartender items and other objects.
The series started in 1996 during the swing revival, but as of 2009 the newer releases have been made available only for purchase in downloadable format from Amazon.com and iTunes.
Some volumes from the series managed to make the Billboard jazz top 10. Initial sales after the first few years reportedly reached over 600,000. In 1997, art directors Andy Engel and Tommy Steele won the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package for the packaging design of the Ultra Lounge Leopard Skin Sampler.
Discography
Multi-Artist CD releases:Volume 1: Mondo Exotica Volume 2: Mambo Fever Volume 3: Space Capades Volume 4: Bachelor Pad Royale Volume 5: Wild, Cool & Swingin' Volume 6: Rhapsodesia Volume 7: The Crime Scene Volume 8: Cocktail Capers Volume 9: Cha-Cha de Amor Volume 10: A Bachelor In Paris Volume 11: Organs In Orbit Volume 12: Saxophobia Volume 13: TV Town Volume 14: Bossa Novaville Volume 15: Wild, Cool & Swingin' Too! Volume 16: Mondo Hollywood Volume 17: Bongoland Volume 18: Bottoms Up! On The Rocks, Part One On The Rocks, Part Two Christmas Cocktails, Part One Christmas Cocktails, Part Two Christmas Cocktails, Part Three Christmas Cocktails, Part Four Vegas Baby!Sampler CDs from the series itself:The Best of Christmas CocktailsUltra-Lounge Sampler Tiki SamplerWelcome to the Ultra-Lounge Promo Sampler Welcome to the Ultra-Lounge Promo Sampler Welcome to the Ultra-Lounge Promo Sampler
Artist/Composer-specific Compilations:Cocktails With Cole PorterThe Romantic Moods of Jackie GleasonThe Exotic Moods of Les BaxterThe Exotic Sounds of Martin DennyWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 1: Louis Prima and Keely SmithWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 2: Bobby DarinWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 3: Mrs. MillerWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 4: Wayne NewtonWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 5: Julie LondonWild, Cool & Swingin' – Artist Series Vol. 6: Sam Butera and The Witnesses
Download Only :Wild, Cool, & Swingin' 3! Divas Las Vegas! Hey Bartender! Big Apple Martini! Ciao Bella! Jet Set Swingers! Mucho Gusto! Vegas Baby, Too! Nursery Rhythms! Christmas Cocktails, Vol. Four
Volumes 7 onwards all have unlisted bonus tracks, mostly by Renzo Cesana.