Happy Hour #111 – Quiet Village
Happy Hour #111
Quiet Village
The song that launched the genre known as Exotica music was Quiet Village by Martin Denny on an album of the same name in 1957. There have been dozens of versions of Quiet Village recorded. Here we showcase some of the better versions that is the quintessential soundtrack to any good tiki bar or exotica playlist.
One of the best tiki bars in existence was Tiki Cat in Kansas. Daryl Brogdon of Kansas Public Radio once played every version of Quiet Village he had one night, and no one in the crowd complained. Genius, simple, effective.
As in any good tiki bar, you will have the classics, perhaps re-invented, but always as true to what the original cocktail was meant to be. Without question, we have the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, and of course the Zombie by Don The Beachcomber. Personally I prefer the Jet Pilot by Steve Crane (he omits grenadine and uses cinnamon syrup), but go softly into the quiet village, these are very strong drinks. If nothing else, taste the rum as it should be, with a simple splash of bitters and a tiny bit of sugar so you taste the flavors of the Caribbean, or wherever the rum is produced. Some like Max Miles who was once Head Bartender at the Mai Kai, swear by the “litmus” test of a squeeze of lime, simple syrup and of course the rum – better known as a Tí Punch – simple yet delightful. These are the very basic essential cocktails to sip while listening, even if you only try any of them once and don’t care for it.
COCKTAILS: (limit 3 per show)
PLAYLIST
- INTRO – Seduced at a Cocktail Party
- Martin Denny
- Arthur Lyman
- Les Baxter
- Darla Hood
- Danny Gatton & Tom Principato
- El Chicano
- INTERMISSION: Exotica
- Five Glow Tones
- George Wright
- Henry Mancini
- Jimmy Buffet
- Lee Hazlewood’s Woodchucks
- Project Pimento
- Surfmen
- Ted Auletta
- Astronauts
- I’ll Be Seeing You – Jackie Gleason
- OUTRO: Johnny Depp
© (MMXXVI) 2026 JRCX.COM
