Waxtime / RE 2021 / LP, 180 gram, Yellow
The Ritual of the Savage is a landmark exotica album by Les Baxter, originally released in 1951 as a 10" LP with eight tracks, and reissued in the mid-late 1950s as a 12" LP with four additional tracks from the same sessions as his Tamboo!album. This record, influenced by Stravinsky's The Rites of Spring, marked a stylistic turning point for Baxter. It features notable tracks like “Jungle River Boat,” “The Ritual,” and “Quiet Village,” which became a hit through Martin Denny's Exotica. The expanded edition includes two bonus exotica tracks from Tamboo! that showcase Baxter's evolving style.