"The so-called Quetzal records were a series of B-side instrumental throwaways created by Sonny Bono and his arranger Harold Battiste, in cooperation with Sonny & Cher's managers Brian Stone and Charlie Greene. Quickly recorded and musically skeletal, the records were designed (in the manner of Bono's mentor, Phil Spector) to compel radio attention to their respective A-sides.
Although the songwriting was invariably credited to Bono, Greene and Stone, the general concensus is that the Quetzal sides were written (to the extent they were written at all) by Battiste.
One further Quetzal, a 1966 Sonny Bono solo outing titled "Ride The Wild Quetzal" (under a topside of "Midnight Surf (Theme For Valora)"), was assigned a catalogue number (Vee Jay 710), but was apparently never released.
The name of a species of exotic Central American bird (aka Pharomacrus mocino), the word quetzal was an in-joke among Sonny and his friends, chosen most likely simply because they liked the sound of it."
Go to this link, then scroll down to "Session 191" from February 8, 2008, for the downloads!
http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe/index.htm
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Bird Songs!
