This week on Cocktail Nation, we slip into a world of tiki moonlight, sophisticated jazz and lounge music that makes you feel better dressed simply by listening to it.

We take a special look at legendary arranger and bandleader Billy May, wander from Yokohama to Rome, and uncover the curious story of how television learned to tell audiences when to laugh. Plus, Lounge Life Magazine brings us an update on Barbara Eden, while the story of tiki pioneer Donn Beach reminds us that sometimes a bar is really an invitation to enter another world.

There’s exotica, jazz, a little bachelor-pad philosophy and plenty more along the way.

So pour yourself something cold, turn the lights down low and settle in for another sophisticated trip through Cocktail Nation.

Playlist

Tiki Delights - Magic Is The Moonlight
Duke Ellington - Bonga
Pink Martini & Saori Yuki - Blue Light Yokohama
Tito Rodríguez - Theme From The Apartment
Cal Tjader - Moneypenny
Martini Kings - Dance Of The Virgins
Percussion For Playboys - 05 Land Of Desire
James Morrison - The Master Plan
Clouseaux - Destination - Oasis
Nat King Cole & George Shearing - A Beautiful Friendship
Vince Guaraldi - Mr Lucky
Dom Halpin - Mambo
Metropole Orchestra - Poinciana
Don Tiki - The Natives Are Restless Tonight
Buddy Greco - My Last Night In Rome

Never cross a crazy lady

Bill Irwin - Seduction

Rene Paulo Group - I Never Had A Chance

Los Tres Caballeros - The Continental

Sandy Smith Group- Wagon Wheels

Bill Evans -I Hear  a Rhapsody 

Peter Nero- Sunday In New York 

Percy Faith Autumn In New York

Mantovani -Te' para dos

Annunzio Paolo Mantovani 

Cannonball Adderly-Love For Sale

Thelonius Monk-Getting Sentimenal Over You

Daphna Levy-Day Dream

Jason Paul-Summer Star

Let me tell you what happened this week.

Tony Bennett-Dearly Beloved

Henry Mancini -Champagne and Quail

Dinah Washington Cry Me A River

Carlini World Of Strings-Plasir D’mour

Lionel Hampton-The Nearness Of You

Mantovani -As Time Goes By

Percy Faith -Out Of This World

Stan Getz-Wives And Lovers

James Spencer-Romancing Jackie Gleason

Jackie Gleason-Little Girl

Larry Gelb -Suddenly It’s Spring

Bucky Pizzarelli-Tangerine

Dan Cray-Moonriver

Steve Alley-Somewhere

Sharps-From Russia With love

Oscar Peterson-Learning the Blues

This week on Cocktail Nation, we’re heading into the shadows with Deep Space Confidential: Caracas Pursuit — a journey through exotic sounds, Cold War intrigue, tiki culture and the glamorous world of the bachelor pad.

We’ll also look at the cocktail that refused to die, revisit the origins of the Moscow–Washington hotline, explore some seriously swanky sounds from around the globe, and finish with a Deep Thought that may have you questioning something you’ve never really thought about before.

So settle in, pour yourself something appropriate, and let’s disappear for a while.

Jimmy Smith - Mission Impossible
Narco Lounge Combo - The Seduction
Lucas Vigor - Lights On The Water
DJ Bonebrake - Tango
Metropole Orchestra - La Paloma
Ixtahule - Exotic Sounds Of Ixtahule
Clouseaux - Destination Oasis
Jimmy Psycho - That Old Black Magic
Stereophonic Spacesound Unlimited - Nassau Shake Down
Martini Kings - Dance Of The Virgins
Joey Altruda - Tropical Espionage
Jerry Sun - Tiki
Halford Jetset - Out Of This World
Tiki Joes Ocean - Hypnotica

Or as she likes to call it fluffy harmless observation time

Perry Beekman -Someone To Watch Over Me

Ken Greves-Lush Life

Audrey Morris -Good Morning Heartache

James Morrison- Getting Sentimental Over You

Rene Raff-Among The Stars

Mary Anderson-Your Quietness

Larry Gelb-Laura Morante

101 Strings-Macarthur Park

Bill Evans-I  Hear A Rhapsody

Serge Gainsbourg-Colour Cafe

L’Orchestra Brasilien Da Bossa-Desifinado

Tubby Hayes-Lady E

Rebecca Angel-Jetset Samba

Bill Evans-Garrys Theme

Richard Hayman- You’re My Thrill

Lets open the urban dictionary kids and look up page 56

Nat King Cole- Lush Life

Tony Bennett- Dancing In The Dark

Dean Martin- Sleep Warm

Sir Roland Hanna- In A Sentimental Mood

Oscar Peterson-Oh Lady Be Good

Les Baxter -Celestial Nocturne

Peter Paulson Trio Comrade Conrad

Jeff Denson Trio -Body And Soul

George Freeman -Inner Orchestrations

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans-Lucky To Be Me

Walter Wanderly-Raindrops

George Shearing -Don’t Explain

Dyad-Habenera

This week on Cocktail Nation, we're slipping behind the velvet curtain and into the glamorous world of 1960s espionage — where secret agents, Cold War intrigue and suspicious cats meet some of the coolest music ever recorded.

Our main feature explores Spy Music — The Sound of Espionage, looking at how the Cold War and classic spy films created an instantly recognisable musical language of jazz, orchestration, lounge, exotica and danger.

We also uncover the extraordinary CIA experiment Acoustic Kitty, meet a listener whose love of spy movies may have gone slightly too far, and explore more international intrigue in Lounge Life Magazine.

Robert Short - The Cairo Connection
Tiki Delights - The Sneaky Tiki Spy
Dana Countryman - Spy Out From Outer Space
Alex Khaskin - Austin Powers
Combustible Edison - Spy Vs Spy
Kenny Sasaki - Jill The Spy
Robby Poitevin - Jazz Cave
Metrolites - Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Spy
Tabu Recordings - Enter The Spy Magician
Hugo Montenegro - The James Bond Theme
Spyfi - Black Tie Spy
Alex Khaskin - Bond The Spy
Keith Williams And His Orchestra - Sound And The Fury
Beat Generation - Spy Time
Ludovic Bource - Spicy Spy

Bruno Nicolai - Spy Chase

Nothing like a bag of fruit to make a man look sharp

Out Of Abingdon-Three Piece Suit

Wendy Pederson Meet Me At No Particular Place

Elvis Presley -Michael Buble- Fever

Roland Remington -Martinique

Bert Kaemphert-Red Roses For A Blue Lady

Aaron Deihl- Le Tombeau De Couperin

Jackie Gleason- Deep Purple Blue Velvet

Sinatra And Jobim -Meditation

Bert Kaemphert-The Breeze And I

Chet Baker And Strings-You Better Go Now

Diana Krall-The Look Of Love

Emil Stern -Rever

Jack Jones -Lady

Dinah Washington-Cry Me A River

Allen Smith Quartet-Estate

This week on Cocktail Nation, we're heading out into the blue — where the waves are perfect, the cocktails are cold, and apparently some people are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths just to find the right one.

Words With Wellsy takes us into a world of surf, obsession and the search for a few perfect waves — and we've got some rather appropriate sounds to accompany the journey.

Elsewhere, we'll take a little trip into the darker side of old Hollywood, wander through some mid-century territory, and perhaps contemplate the benefits of a life where responsibilities are kept at a safe distance.

So settle back, pour yourself something cool, and let the rest of the world carry on without you for a while.

This is Cocktail Nation.

MPS Label - Wave's Lament

Christopher De Groot - Ocean Nymph

Joey Altruda - Permanent Waves

Spy Fi - Green Waves

Roger Davidson Trio - Ocean Breeze

Lyn Stanley - How Deep Is The Ocean

Don Burrows - The Living Ocean

Freddy Canoe - Big Wave

Kenny Sasaki - Between The Waves

Martin Kings - Wave

Andre Previnc - Heat Wave

Tsunami - The Lost Wave

Tiki Joes Ocean - Hanuma Bay

Bob Thompson - Midnight Sailing (Ocean Liner)

Vibetoxica - An Ocean Away

Frank Chacksfield - Ocean Sunrise

Ixthuele - At Sea

Beegie Adair - Beyond The Sea

Especially if it breaks down!

Joanie Summers- This Heart of Mine

Suzanna Ross Parlez Moi De Lui

Dick Hyman- I Wish You Love

Marty Paich- The New Soft Shoe

Barney Kessell-Embraceable You

The Crawdaddy-Clean Caper

The Martini Kings -Desafinado

Chet Baker- Time After Time

Solataire Miles - Darn that Dream

Nat Cole- Lost April

Doris Day-I Have Dreamed

Melanchrino Strings-You Stepped out of a Dream 

Roger Williams-Riviera Concerto

Perry Beekman-Spring Is Here

Denis Solee-Body and Soul

Hands up who works for one ? 

Bill Evans-All of You

Neal Hefti- Legs

George Shearing-Have A Heart

Doug Macdonald- Star Eyes

Richard Maegraith-Whisper

Denis Solee-Body and Soul

Anita Kerr- Days Of Wine And Roses

Melanchrino Strings-Stardust

Monica Zetterlund-Some Other Time

Miki Yamanaka- Eyes

Joanie Summers- This Heart of Mine