In celebration of the fast-approaching second season of Mad Men on AMC, and the style, arrogance and naivete of the 1960s, I present to you, Simpatico. 1960's signature jazz-pop collaboration with Gary McFarland and Gabor Szabo. I promise, if you can find a way to spin these tracks while drinking a high ball and smoking a Lucky Strike, who just might rip a whole in the time-space continuum and be transported back to 1966.

Gary McFarland, instructs Wikipedia, was a self-taught jazz vibraphonist, composer, vocalist and arranger (self taught, yes, but he did attend the Berklee School of Music for one semester). McFarland's music--at least what I can tell of it--is a mixed bag of skillful artistry and shallow routine.

What's sad is that, decades later, McFarland's contributions to orchestral jazz are largely forgotten. Strangest of all, McFarland's promising career was cut short when he was lethally poisoned by a drink spiked with methadone in a New York City bar. He was just 38.

All About Jazz calls Simpatico an album of "blatant, Beatlesque pop," so elitist jazz afficiandos, consider yourself warned.

Select tracks from Simpatico, each available for download here.  

1. Spring
2. She's a Cruiser
3. Norwegian Wood
4. Ups and Downs

Note: While this album is out-of-print in the U.S. and Europe (and has never been offered on CD), it appears to have been released on CD in Japan.