Martin Denny facts for kids

Martin Denny (born April 10, 1911 – died March 2, 2005) was an American musician. He was a talented pianist, composer, and arranger. People often called him the "father of exotica" music.

Martin Denny could play many instruments, especially different kinds of percussion instruments. He traveled the world, sharing his unique style of lounge music. This music featured exotic sounds, new versions of popular songs, and original tunes that celebrated Tiki culture. He performed almost until he passed away.

About Martin Denny's Life

Martin Denny was born in New York City and grew up in Los Angeles. He learned to play classical piano. In the 1930s, he toured South America for over four years with a band called the Don Dean Orchestra. This trip made him very interested in Latin rhythms.

Denny started collecting many different musical instruments from all over the world. He used these unique instruments to make his live shows more exciting.

After serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, Denny went back to Los Angeles in 1945. There, he studied piano and music composition. He also learned how to arrange music for orchestras.

In January 1954, a famous restaurant owner named Don the Beachcomber invited Denny to Honolulu. Denny was supposed to play there for just two weeks. But he loved it so much that he decided to stay!

In 1955, he started his own music group in Hawaii. They played regularly at the Shell Bar in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Soon, he signed a record deal with Liberty Records.

His first group included Augie Colon on percussion and bird calls. Arthur Lyman played the vibraphone, and John Kramer played the bass. Martin Denny played the piano. Later, Arthur Lyman left to start his own group. Julius Wechter, who later helped start the Baja Marimba Band, took his place.

Denny loved living in Hawaii. He met his future wife, June, in 1955 and they married the next year. Their daughter, Christina, was born a few years later. "I loved the lifestyle and my career was built here," Denny said.

He described his music as "window dressing," meaning it was a pleasant background sound. He built a large collection of unusual and exotic instruments. His friends, who were airline workers, would bring him instruments from their travels. Denny would then create new music arrangements using these instruments. His music mixed different styles from the South Pacific, Asia, and Latin America.

The Birth of "Exotica" Music

One night, while playing at the Shell Bar, Martin Denny discovered something special. The bar had a very tropical feel, with a small pool and palm trees near the stage. As his band played, Denny noticed bullfrogs croaking. The frog sounds seemed to blend perfectly with their music.

When the band stopped playing, the frogs stopped too. Denny first thought it was a coincidence. But when they played the song again, the same thing happened! This time, his bandmates started making tropical bird calls as a joke.

The next day, someone asked Denny if he would add the bird and frog sounds to his music. He agreed! During practice, he had each band member make a different bird call. Denny himself made the frog sound using a special grooved cylinder.

This unique sound became part of their song "Quiet Village". The song became a huge hit, selling over one million copies! It even earned a gold disc. This moment marked the true beginning of "exotica" music.

Album Covers and Success

The album covers were also a big part of Martin Denny's music. His first twelve albums featured a model named Sandy Warner. Artists would change her look to match the mood of each album. For example, for an album with an African sound, Sandy dyed her hair blonde. For a surreal album, she had dark hair.

The Exotica album was recorded in 1956 and released in 1957. In 1958, Martin Denny appeared on a popular TV show called American Bandstand. In 1959, "Quiet Village" reached number two on the music charts. The Exotica album became number one.

Martin Denny often had several albums on the music charts at the same time. He had other national hits like "A Taste of Honey", "The Enchanted Sea", and "Ebb Tide".

Martin Denny passed away in Honolulu on March 2, 2005, at the age of 93. After a private service, his ashes were scattered at sea.

Martin Denny's Legacy

Martin Denny's music group helped launch the careers of two other successful musicians: Julius Wechter and Arthur Lyman.

His song "Firecracker" is very famous in Japan. It inspired a musician named Haruomi Hosono to create the band Yellow Magic Orchestra. A new version of "Firecracker" appeared on their first album and became a hit. Later, parts of this song were used in Jennifer Lopez's song "I'm Real".

Martin Denny's music also appeared in the 1999 movie Breakfast of Champions. This was because a car dealership in the film was having a Hawaiian-themed promotion.

His music is also a repeating theme in the Sandman Slim fantasy novels by Richard Kadrey. In these books, Martin Denny's music is always playing on the jukebox in a special "punk tiki bar."

See also

• Sandy Warner