Hi Charlie.
Well, the Gary McFarland album is an oddity, but then again I find every Gary McFarland album an oddity! He produced stuff that on the face of it is sort of easy listening, albeit beautifully arranged and tastefully executed easy-listening. So, 'Soft Samba' or 'Sympathetic Vibrations' as it was entitled on re-release, is another oddity...at least to me. It's a samba album, played very gently and softly with Gary whistling, humming and sort of improvising rather lovely vocalese over the top of vibes, guitar etc. in the samba mode a la Getz/Gilberto...gentle and sweet, I guess. Sort of the kind of album you'd hear in a 60's film, playing at a cocktail party!!! Or in a James Bond movie....if ya get mah drift! However, it's beautiful!!!! There's just something that draws you in and it passes very quickly in I think 29 minutes!! SO, it reminds me, although not soundwise, of The Beach Boys, 'Friends' album because it's so very gentle, almost inconsequential, yet it's captivating for all that. There are coversof Beatles songs which shouldn't work but do and it sort of captures a mid-60's smooth cool feel...in a lounge/elevator music kind of fashion! So, he's plugging into he 60's zeitgeist but filtering it through his sensitive, jazzy perspective. So, really there's more to it than meets the eye!!! I love it!!! In terms of the arrangements, McFarland's strength I think, it is sublime...the arrangements of The Beatles songs are so lovely and sweet. Hope that helps!!!! It's worth hearing at least once anyway.