Probably the most intriguing and sudden current-day musical phenomena is the recognition of tiki, or exotica, a mode of music relationship again to the mid-Twentieth century. Exotica is quintessentially American — the right soundtrack for cocktail hour.
In its authentic quirky run, exotica’s main lights included Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, and Juan García Esquivel. The music was diversified, however signature components included chicken calls, outstanding use of vibraphone, and enthusiastic software of broad stereo panning. The classics embrace Les Baxter’s 1952 Ritual of the Savage and Denny’s monumental Quiet Village from 1959.
By the point of the British Invasion, exotica’s time had come and gone. However enterprising archivists breathed life again into the shape, with a heavy dose of irony, within the ’90s. Sub Pop signed Flamable Edison, an arch group named after a basic cocktail — and the exotica revival was in full, if short-lived, swing.
As one other era of music lovers got here of age, exotica was rediscovered once more. Teams just like the Waitiki 7 and Tikiyaki Orchestra leveraged the cultural grab-bag nature of exotica and the undeniably enjoyable aesthetics surrounding it. Right now, teams thrive emphasizing each the pleasures of hi-fidelity recordings and the joys of reside efficiency.
Hawaii-born Randy Wong leads the Waitiki 7, which he and Abe Lagrimas, Jr., based in Boston greater than 20 years in the past “to interpret a pop sound that we got here to know as a part of the historical past of music in Hawai’i,” he says. Their first common gig was at a newly-opened tiki bar. “We weren’t positive if exotica was going to be in style in New England,” he admits. “However it was.”
Impressed by the Tiki Oasis mastermind Otto Von Stroheim, Jim Bacchi put the Tikiyaki Orchestra collectively in 2004, debuting with 2007’s StereoExotique, an intoxicating musical cocktail. 4 extra albums and a DVD adopted.
Wong says his group performs artistic interpretations of “hapa haole” (half Hawaiian, half overseas) music with jazz components in addition to authentic compositions in that unique model. Waitiki 7’s pianist Zaccai Curtis brings his Afro-Cuban heritage, and percussionist Augie Lopaka Colón, Jr., is the son of a legendary Martin Denny sideman. In 2025, the Waitiki 7 launched a pair of albums; one reside, one studio. Each stability originality with the enduring spirit of basic exotica.
Wong believes he is aware of what lies on the coronary heart of the music’s lasting attract. “It got here out of the post-World Warfare II journey phenomenon,” he explains. “Everybody needed to flee.”
Jim Bacchi concurs: “Tiki presents the last word type of escapism.”
