Alan Tew was a British composer and arranger. He got his start as the pianist/arranger for the Len Turner Band based in London, in the 1950s.
Tew is known as a composer of library music, including the theme tunes for British television programmes, Doctor in the House called “Bond Street Parade”, and …And Mother Makes Three. He also composed all the music for the 1975 series, The Hanged Man, some of which was used as incidental music for The Two Ronnies, The Sweeney, the 2009 Blaxploitation spoof Black Dynamite, and would eventually become the introductory music for the American television series, The People’s Court. That same track, entitled “The Big One”, was used in an episode of the British detective show Van der Valk.
Tew also led his own orchestra, The Alan Tew Orchestra, and collaborated with Cat Stevens.
During his career, Tew made a number of orchestral albums with highly imaginative arrangements for the CBS label, though none of them has been reissued on CD. In particular, Tew’s album The Magnificent Westerns (1969) is very highly regarded. (by wikipedia)
This is another album by Alan Tew and his orchestra. And this is a very funny album …
“Pity the man who has never flown; who has never yet experienced the the exhileration of modern air travel.
The popilarity of this wonderful mode of transport has increased so much over the past decade that flying is now enjoyed by millions.
Bussinesmen and holiday-makers alike embark upon journeys which take them up, up and away from it all, to new lands and new faces and to new experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives. What better way to remember them that by portraying these exciting with music.
I hope this album will bring some of them closer to you, and so, fasten your seat-belts.. Let´s fly !” (Alan Tew, taken from the oridinal liner-notes)
And we´ll here tunes like “America” (Bernstein) and many others … and I guess you´ll never hear a “Pentangle” song (“Light Flight”) in this unique easy listening sound by Alan Tew !
Personnel:
Alan Tew Orchestra & Chorus
Tracklist:
01. Let’s Fly (Tew) 3.15
02. In A Little Spanish Garden (Young/Wayne/Lewis) 2.23
03. America (Bernstein/Sondheim) 2.38
04. I Love Paris (Porter) 2.29
05. Chinatown My Chinatown (Schwartz/Jerome) 1.56
06. Light Flight (Jansch/Thompson/McShee/Renbourn/Cox) 2.36
07. Up Up And Away (Webb) 2.26
08. Canadian Sunset (Heywood/Gimbel) 2.33
09. England Swings (Miller) 2.18
10. Japanese Garden (Tew) 2.31
11. Brazil (Barroso) 2.29
12. Leavin’ On A Jet Plane (Denver) 3.22
ManyFantasticColors 