Grits/Zorch Show #2

A few weeks ago (Mothers' Day, to be exact), Grits and I did another show...we stayed on his channel and didn't go on shortwave at all. As predicted, it was a lot more free-wheeling, and a helluva lot longer too!

Wouldja believe...four hours?

We played all kinds of stuff...a little jazz, a little blues, a little country, some psych (mainly for Metal-Muncher, of course!), and some vintage commercials too. And a large number of Mother songs...it was Mothers' Day!

We were visited by Lily (a chocolate Lab), the newest member of the Grits household. We'll post a picture of her sometime.

We also had a very special visitor, Annie!

Unlike a certain orphaned comic character, this Annie has lovely eyes. I call her my li'l Calico Blob. We beat her up a little (with lots of love, of course!) on the air.

We certainly had a lot of fun...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It would be crazy to post a four-hour long show here, wouldn't it? So I'll just post a few highlights. Hope you like 'em!

With all of the hoopla about H1N1, I had to play the best song I know about influenza (the real 'flu, not the boogie-woogie type).

There was an outbreak in 1929...not as bad as the 1918 pandemic, but serious enough to inspire this terrific gospel record.

404748-B Memphis Flu Elder Curry and Congregation Okeh 8857

http://www.box.net/shared/0iaq11tbm2
King Edward Hotel, Jackson, Mississippi, 18 December 1930: Elder Curry; guitar & vocal; Elder Charles Beck, piano; Jo Ann Williams, lead vocal.

This was a variation on the old standard, God's Mighty Hand.

From the sublime to the ridiculous...here's a silly bit of fluff:
IM-3157 Quarantine Dennis Bell Imperial 5781

http://www.box.net/shared/3zlmhy92bq
1961: Dennis Bell, vocal; unidentified orchestra and Insipid Female Chorus.

Ah yes, the immortal lines "we've all got spots, we're covered with red dots." I suppose I shouldn't joke too much about measles...I somehow survived a rare double-dose of the goldurned disease when I was six. I don't remember a lot of the ordeal...apparently I was unconscious through most of it. Shoot...I'm still somewhat unconcious, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 14-15 marked the 97th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic. The disaster spawned quite a few songs...including this record by Richard "Rabbit" Brown. It's hard not to notice his slight garbling of the facts...the ship was sunk by a "gruesome icebreaker" and "Southampton" comes out "South Hamilton." It's still (to me, anyway) the most moving musical account of the tragedy.

38005-1 The Sinking of the Titanic Richard "Rabbit" Brown Victor 35840

http://www.box.net/shared/7mnzbxedsy
New Orleans, 11 March 1927: Rabbit Brown, vocal & guitar.

Astute collectors out there will note (by the serial number) that this was a twelve-inch record. Victor pressed only six twelve-inch "Race" records...most were sermons. I have one of those...someday I'll post it.

My other favorite account of the Titanic story is Blind Willie Johnson's God Moves On The Water. I'll post that one someday, too.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
I dedicated the following cut to Annie and Elvis (and their furry friends). It's Swingin' Dem Cats, a particularly rousing hot jazz record by The Missourians, from the last session they did before Cab Calloway started leadership of the band a few months later. This side has some great solos and ensemble work...but it's the clarinet of William Thornton Blue that sends me every time...he comes in like a cat bat out of hell.

59174-2 Swingin' Dem Cats The Missourians Victor V-38145

http://www.box.net/shared/xk8v4angd5
NYC 17 February 1930: Lockwood Lewis, conductor; R. Q. Dickerson, Lammar Wright, trumpets; De Priest Wheeler, trombone; William Thornton Blue, George Scott, clarinets & alto saxes; Walter Thomas, clarinet, tenor & baritone sax; Earres Prince, piano; Morris White, banjo; Jimmy Smith, tuba; Leroy Maxey, drums.

Oh yeah...we also played a couple of great Wynonie Harris cuts. Here's my favorite one:

K-5325 Blow Your Brains Out Wynonie Harris King 4226

http://www.box.net/shared/kokudxrlfe
Cincinnati, Ohio, 23 December 1947: Wynonie Harris, vocal; Oran "Hot Lips" Page, trumpet; Hal Singer, Tom Archia, tenor saxes; Joe Knight, piano; Carl "Flat-Top" Wilson, bass; Clarence Donaldson, drums.

For years I assumed that this cut was recorded at the end of a session, with someone saying "hey, we have five minutes of studio time left! Let's throw a blues together!" It has that kind of spontaneity. But the matrix numbers show that Blow Your Brains Out was actually the second title waxed in a six-side session!

Wynonie sounds like he's struggling a bit to come up with something to rhyme with "Archia." He zooms in on a "Time marches on" motif. Harris introduces the other tenor sax as "Oklahoma." (Hal Singer was from Tulsa, and was a few months away from scoring a huge hit [and a new nickname] with Cornbread.) Of course, as much fun as the improvised lyrics are, it's the honkin' saxes that are the stars here.

I've had two or three copies of this on 78...I've never seen a copy that wasn't worn to around F+/G- condition. This side got played. And played. And played!

You can hear why.

I also wanted to play a good record by Professor Longhair (Roy Byrd) that night...

Grits had the Crawfish Fiesta album on his hard drive.

I selected the following cut:

Her Mind Is Gone Professor Longhair from Crawfish Fiesta (Alligator Records)

http://www.box.net/shared/jfvj8ai5zh
1980: Henry Roeland (Roy) Byrd, piano & vocal; large ensemble featuring Mac Rebennack (Dr. John), guitar.

We played the song...no, we didn't dedicate it to our moms, although we did think about it (only kiddin', Mom!).

Buy the album...you won't be disappointed!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

And now for something completely different...

CO 29723 Roumania, Roumania Aaron Lebedeff Columbia 8226-F http://www.box.net/shared/zmys2l3t8s

NYC, 13 February 1941: Aaron Lebedeff, vocal; Sholom Secunda Orchestra.

What a record! He sings about the Old Country...the delights of dancing, eating and drinking. You can find the original Yiddish lyrics along with a translation at the bottom of this page: http://www.cascobaytummlers.com/lyric.html ...although it's impossible to translate his lip-popping.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
A couple of people have asked me about the song I like to sign off with...it's one of the prettiest white gospel records I've ever heard. I especially like the full sound of Karnes's fancy harp-guitar. His thumping bass notes remind me of those of Rabbit Brown (compare this cut with the Titanic one above).

47234-2 We Shall All Be Reunited Alfred G. Karnes Victor V-40076 http://www.box.net/shared/ovpqd4u6ty

Bristol, Tennessee, 28 October 1928: Alfred G. Karnes, vocal & harp-guitar.

This was recorded at the second batch of sessions Victor held in Bristol.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Well...that'll do it for now, I guess...'til the next time, eh?

Something For The Dogs...

Before we get started, I should thank the folks over at the I'm Learning To Share! blog (http://learning2share.blogspot.com/2009/04/search-term-jugheads-hat.html) for the nice plug...I'm glad to see other people like whoopee hats! I notice that I've been getting more download traffic on some of those older posts as well! Thanks again!
*********************************************
For the last couple of weeks, the biggest news out of Washington seems to concern Bo Obama, the official First Doggie.

Of course, there have been many other Presidential Pooches in the past, but none in (relatively) recent years had the eye of the press like LBJ's beagles, Him and Her. Much of the hoopla was about this photograph, taken in May 1964:



LBJ caused a storm of protest when he lifted Him by the ears. The president replied that the dog actually enjoyed it.

I dunno...does Him look like he's smiling?

Anyway.....Him was the subject of an interesting 45 by Daws Butler and Dave Barry...Butler's voicework in cartoons is well-documented elsewhere, and Dave Barry (1918-2001) was also a cartoon voiceman and comic. There is no relation between this Dave Barry and the syndicated writer of the same name.

45-53265 Dog's Best Friend - Part 1 Daws Butler & Dave Barry Capitol 5361
http://www.box.net/shared/fr85ekcytx
Early 1965: Daws Butler, Him and LBJ; Dave Barry, the reporter.

Strangely enough, Part 2 has a different title:

45-53266 H-H-Him - Part 2 Daws Butler & Dave Barry Capitol 5361
http://www.box.net/shared/1u1z3kcqxl
Same info.

Here's another pseudo-political record about a canine, issued in 1959 to cash in on Disney's The Shaggy Dog.

Dog Gone It, It's A Dog! Shaggy's Speech Buena Vista F-337 http://www.box.net/shared/1maxa9fivj
1959: Shaggy Dog and Toy Poodles, vocal. Tutti Camarata composed the piece and probably led the orchestra. The voice of Shaggy Dog sounds suspiciously like Paul Frees.

*********************************************

I was reminded of another Dog's Best Friend record, issued around 1957, featuring a pair of songs inspired by Rin Tin Tin.

Yup, this is one of those little six-inch yellow vinyl 78s, but it still has its sleeve!:

---A Dog's Best Friend Dennis Ballabia & Anne Lloyd Golden R370 http://www.box.net/shared/ip67dnohns
---Cold Nose, Warm Heart Dennis Ballabia & Anne Lloyd Golden R370 http://www.box.net/shared/ioxd09y1t9
1957: Dennis Ballabia & Anne Lloyd and The Sandpipers, vocals; Mitch Miller Orch.

Gad, that yellow vinyl was terrible...but it was made to be played on those awful children's phonographs of the day...

Columbia's budget Harmony label issued a whole LP about Rinty and friends...I'm guessing that the four adventures on this album were originally singles in the Columbia children's series. If enough Sanctum readers ask, I can be persuaded to post this album...it's actually rather entertaining, especially for those of us who are going through our second (or third) childhood.

*********************************************

I think I'll play a few other doggie songs now...ones that aren't heard too often. My dogs won't sing Christmas songs or sit in a window...

I have two versions of a cute jazzy novelty of 1922, That Barking Dog (Woof! Woof!)...
This one is by The Original Memphis Five, a hugely popular group that seems to have shown up on just about every record label in the early 1920s. They blast through Dog with characteristic aplomb...and someone (unidentified) supplying the barks.

Note the spelling...Barking has a "-g" and each Woof has its own exclamation point!

10215 That Barking Dog - Woof! Woof! The Original Memphis Five Vocalion 14461 http://www.box.net/shared/3hsdzcfqhp
NYC, 6 November 1922: Phil Napoleon, trumpet; Charles Panelli, trombone; Jimmy Lytell, clarinet; Frank Signorelli, piano; Jack Roth, drums.

Cute record. Plenty hot, too. Oh, the brown shellac on this record isn't anything special...if anything, it is less durable than the usual black stuff.
Here's another version of the same song, played a bit straighter, and without the barks.

The spelling is a bit different too...the "-g" is missing from Barkin', and only the second Woof! gets the exclamation point. The Woofs are in parentheses too!

Does anybody out there have the sheet music? I'm curious to see what the actual punctuation should be.

Oh yes...remember The Parenthetical Woofs? A band that should have been...

80592-2 That Barkin' Dog (Woof Woof!) Frank Westphal Orchestra Columbia A-3743
http://www.box.net/shared/4y3ffmtsr1
Chicago c. 12 October 1922: Frank Westphal, piano & leader; Charles Burns, another (unknown), trumpet; Herb Winfield, trombone; Jack Richards, Bill Richards, alto saxes; unknown, tenor sax; unknown, banjo; John Jensen, tuba; unknown, drums.

Notice, on this version, there's an interpolation of a song called Walking The Dog.

Here's another (full) version of Walkin', performed by a young up-and-comer named Hoagland Carmichael.

13724-B Walkin' The Dog Carmichael's Collegians Champion 40001 http://www.box.net/shared/62xmxb21bi
Richmond, Indiana, c. 2 May 1928: Bud Dant, cornet; Chauncey Goodwin, clarinet & alto sax; Harold Keating, clarinet & tenor sax; Hoagy Carmichael, piano, vocal, and leader; Eddie Wolfe, violin; Arnold Habbe, banjo; Jack Drummond, bass; Andy van Sickle, drums.

This is actually the third issue of this record...it was originally issued on Gennett in 1928, and on Gennett's cheaper label Champion shortly thereafter. My copy is on a Decca-pressed Champion from 1934. None of 'em are very common. Too bad.

This record is so great, I've got to play the flip side (and it's a Hoagy composition to boot)...I'll dedicate it to the last administration:

13722-A March Of The Hoodlums Carmichael's Collegians Champion 40001
http://www.box.net/shared/r6x8okist1
Same personnel and date.

Just over thirty-five years after Hoagy's record, Rufus Thomas had a new method of Walking The Dog:

STX-7171 Walking The Dog Rufus Thomas Stax S-140
http://www.box.net/shared/bm8io3hjl9
Memphis, 21 August 1963: Rufus Thomas, vocal; others unidentified (sounds like Booker T and the MGs to me).

For the record, my copy of this record has a white label, and the flip side is Fine And Mellow. Other copies are blue labeled and have You Said on the flip.

*********************************************
One of my favorite songs from any Disney movie is this one...

87268 He's A Tramp Peggy Lee Decca 9-29427

http://www.box.net/shared/dljtzib40b

1955: Peggy Lee and The Pound Hounds (The Mellomen), vocal; Oliver Wallace, Disney Orchestra.

I suppose I should play the flip side...otherwise Elvis and the other Grits Cats might not let me in to do another radio show.

87270 The Siamese Cat Song Peggy Lee Decca 9-29427

http://www.box.net/shared/oa9ari42xb
1955: Peggy Lee, vocal; Oliver Wallace, Disney Orchestra.

In 1991, Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke were finally awarded over $2 million from Disney, who had been raking in lots of money from the home video market (without remembering that Lee and Burke retained the rights to the songs they co-composed).

*********************************************

Oh...it looks like there'll be another Zorch/Grits Radio spectacular NEXT Sunday (tentatively May 10? Roll over to http://gritsradio.pmlol.com/ and click on "Listen live")...sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 PM EDT, exact time hasn't been determined. We may just do it over Grits Radio and forgo the whole shortwave thing...if so, it'll be a bit more freewheeling. That way we don't have to constantly watch the clock...no station IDs to interrupt the trains of thought either. We shall see....

*********************************************

See you then...I think I have to chase my tail.

Grits/Zorch Show #1

As I mentioned the last time, I was a guest on Grits Radio a week or so ago. We played a batch of my favorite sides. I was a bit nervous, but it was a blast. It was a completely new experience...for me, anyway. We'll do it again sometime soon...maybe the next time I can remember to shut my mic off when I'm not using it! And I'll try to remember to announce the tracks better.

Oh...that handsome kitty above is Elvis, who rules the Grits Homestead. I took this picture that night (and wrote the word balloon too). I didn't do anything to his eyes...they just glow blue when hit by bright light.

The other day, Mr. Grits posted the entire broadcast in his blog (http://gritsradio.blogspot.com/2009/04/gritszorch-show-no-1.html) in one large file...you can hear it all in one swell foop there.

Anyway...I wanted my mom (who has neither shortwave nor internet access) to hear the broadcast. I took the raw file, cut anything before the Route 66 Theme (and the spots at the end), and broke the long file into bite-sized chunks, each with individual titles, so she'd have an idea what I played that night.

I decided to share the split version of the broadcast with you too. Here is the show...warts and all:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YUJQSEV3
1. Route 66 Theme Nelson Riddle Orch.
2. Baby, I Love You So Joe Weaver and the Don Juans
3. Down On Me Eddie Head and Family
4. Chatter #1 Grits & Zorch
5. Foghorn Boogie Dick Stabile Orch.
6. Spot #1 Area 51
7. Suby-Baja Ramon Marquez Orch.
8. Oua Oua Kanui & Lua
9. Chatter #2 Grits & Zorch
10. Ain't A Cow In Texas Margaret Whitmire
11. Spot #2 Area 51
12. Blue Yodel No. 9 Jimmie Rodgers & Louis Armstrong
13. I Love You Truly Earl Bostic Orch
14. Chatter #3 Grits & Zorch
15. Ghost Dance Truett & George
16. Spot #3 Area 51
17. Jockomo Sugarboy Crawford
18. Chatter #4 Grits & Zorch
19. Louisiana Hayride Boswell Sisters
20. Spot #4 Area 51
21. Zilch The Monkees
22. Hometown Blues Roane County Ramblers
23. Chatter #5 Grits & Zorch
24. There's A Man That Comes To Our House
Sweet Violet Boys
25. Man Of Constant Sorrow Emry Arthur
26. Chatter #6 Grits & Zorch
27. Spot #5 Area 51
28. Cave Man Jim Backus
29. My Arabian Baby Hank Snow
30. Spot #6 Area 51
31. John Hardy Buell Kazee
32. We Shall All Be Reunited (closing) Alfred Karnes

Thanks to the Area 51 regulars who commented (through a chat line) from time to time...

Also, thanks to Bruce The B (aka Metal-Muncher) for sending an encouraging email to us during the broadcast with a half-joking request for The Monkees' Zilch. I'm glad Grits had the cut so we could sneak it in.

I'll try to remember to bring a couple of yellow-label Atlantic 45s (or their digital equivalent) next time around. Bruce digs them. I did play Jockomo (which was originally on Checker), which has a good Lee Allen tenor solo...Allen's on at least a couple of sessions that Atlantic issued in the yellow-label days.

I got the following 45 from Bruce a couple of days ago...which I'll dedicate to the Area 51 folk and anyone who remembers Top 40 Radio from Ye Olde Days.

45-LB-966 Chaos - Part I Arbogast & Ross Liberty 55107
http://www.box.net/shared/j74humhq2m
45-LB-967 Chaos - Part II Arbogast & Ross Liberty 55107
http://www.box.net/shared/s3cm15btl8

I just found out that Bob Arbogast recently passed away. More can be read here: http://illfolks.blogspot.com/2009/03/bob-arbogast-dies-50-years-after-chaos.html (and you can see the rare picture sleeve there too!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few weeks ago, I transferred a couple of ten-inch LPs of the famous WNEW Saturday Night Swing Sessions of 1947. One of the cuts therein has an interesting title...one that reminds me of the Area 51 folk.

High On An Open Mike WNEW Saturday Night Swing Session 10" Esoteric ESJ-3 http://www.box.net/shared/7xn0zmbho5

WNEW broadcast, NYC, April 12, 1947: Fats Navarro, trumpet; Bill Harris, trombone; Charlie Ventura, Allen Eager, tenor saxes; Ralph Burns, piano; Al Valente, guitar; Chubby Jackson,. bass; Buddy Rich, drums.

...'til next time...

Three updates!

1. A couple of weeks ago, Christopher DeJohn offered an intact Columbia jukebox pack of Columbia Seven singles, complete with title strips and packaging (for a 1962 Mahalia Jackson LP) on eBay. I wrote to him, inviting him to look at my blog, especially my recent post on Columbia Sevens. I asked if I could use a few images of this important find. Shortly thereafter, I got a few very nice pictures indeed. These are the most interesting ones, I think!

This is the front of the package:


And its contents, in situ:

One of the two enclosed cover slicks and the title strips:

...and all five records in sleeves (without the "record store" blurb at the bottom):

...and the label for the title track. Notice the font is quite different from the ones I published previously...and the matrix number switches from 9:00 to 3:00 position. These variations could be chalked up to different pressing plants.

Again, I thank Chris for sharing these pictures with the Zorch people...

2. It looks like I tickled Bill Reed's fancy sumptin' fierce when I posted that li'l Blossom Dearie record. He asked if he could use it in his blog. Of course I said he could...and he did.
He also gave me a nice plug at his blog...here it is: http://people-vs-drchilledair.blogspot.com/2009/04/httpzorchv38.html . Thanks again, Bill!!

3. Something to think about...another Friend Of Zorch, Mr. Grits (blogmeister of http://gritsradio.blogspot.com/), has asked me to participate in his first official shortwave broadcast this Sunday, 5 April from 6:30--7:30 PM EDT. We'll be spinning records (well, virtual ones, anyway...I don't want to drag some 78s around with me) and chatting. If you don't have a shortwave receiver, don't fret...run over to http://gritsradio.pmlol.com/ and click on "Listen live." As long as you have Winamp or MusicMatch (or something similar), you should be able to listen. Actually, you could visit Grits early (and keep it in your favorites...he plays some dynamite stuff)...we'll probably start an hour or two earlier on a web-only basis. It's just from 6:30--7:30 we'll actually be on the ether too. We'll be taking phone calls too...tune in and enjoy!
Oh, Kenneth, the frequency is 5.110 MHz.

It's April First! (No worms allowed!)

Shaw 'nuff...Ron identified Attleboro native Ray Conniff's trombone work on the mystery cut. Here's the label and a properly-identified credit:

071710-1 Needlenose Artie Shaw Orchestra Victor 27860
http://www.box.net/shared/cget2zu74r

NYC 21 January 1942: Artie Shaw, clarinet and leader; Lee Castle, Max Kaminsky, Steve Lipkins, Hot Lips Page, trumpets; Jack Jenney, Morey Samuel, Ray Conniff, trombones; Charlie diMaggio, Les Robinson, alto saxes; Gergie Auld, Mickey Folus, tenor saxes; large string section; Johnny Guarnieri, piano; Mike Bryan, guitar; Eddie McKimmey, bass; Dave Tough, drums.

The "needle nardle noo" I mentioned last time (as a little clue to the title of the mystery piece) was one of many catchphrases used on BBC Radio's The Goon Show. More to be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goon_Show_running_jokes and lots more info here: http://www.thegoonshow.net/ . I've been listening a lot to the Goons lately...their lunacy keeps me sane.

*********************************************

It's April 1, so if that nasty worm hasn't invaded your hard drive, maybe you'd like to listen to some fun fare...Let's start with an old favorite of mine:

This was one of the first jazz records I had ever heard...I had it as part of the RCA Victor Encyclopedia of Jazz set of ten-inch LPs (Volume 2, to be exact). It introduced me to Bix Beiderbecke when I was eight or nine years old.

Those old ten-inchers were available through supermarkets, which explains why they're so common...especially the first couple of volumes. But the original 78 of Barnacle Bill took me a long time to snag...over twenty years.

Anyhoooooo......this is a stock arrangement of the tune...but with some space for solos added. The first verse is pleasant enough, and the answering verse is all right too. Notice that the fiddle plays through the first two repetitions of the title...but on the third one, the fiddle stops and a new voice joins the chorus. That's Joe Venuti. More about his infamous contribution to this record in the next paragraph.

After a blazing Bix solo, Carson Robison and friends go through the second verse. Pay close attention to the answering verse this time around...Mr. Venuti can be heard above the others singing "Barnacle Bill, the sh#thead!" He sings it on all three repetitions this time around (it probably wasn't all that audible in 1930, but it's fairly plain on newer equipment).

62301-1 Barnacle Bill, The Sailor Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra Victor V-38139 http://www.box.net/shared/r0ib62803f

NYC 21 March 1930: Hoagy Carmichael, vocal and leader; Bix Beiderbecke, cornet; Bubber Miley, trumpet; Tommy Dorsey, trombone; Benny Goodman, clarinet; Bud Freeman, tenor sax; Joe Venuti, violin & supplemental vocal; Irving Brodsky, piano; Eddie Lang, guitar; Harry Goodman, tuba; Gene Krupa, drums; Carson Robison, vocal.

59800-2 Rockin' Chair Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra Victor V-38139

http://www.box.net/shared/upjid7ijre

Same date and personnel, but Robison is out and Irving Brodsky's voice is heard.

Nice early version of Rockin' Chair (the first, I believe)...Bubber Miley's growling trumpet is more prominent on this side, although Bix takes a bow towards the end.

Astute collectors out there may notice the huge gap in matrix numbers...59801 through 62300 were allocated for field recordings (used mostly in Chicago, Memphis, Hollywood, and Atlanta).

*********************************************

Carson Robison, who composed Barnacle Bill with his regular partner, Frank Luther (they recorded three versions of the song under the names Bud and Joe Billings), recorded one of the strangest entries in the Victor V-38000 "Hot Dance Tunes" series...both novelty fox trots. Stuff seems to be a variant of Frankie and Johnny, and Nonsense is clearly a relative of Tiger Rag.

53969-2 Stuff Carson Robison Kansas Jack-rabbits Victor V-38074 http://www.box.net/shared/xscpr9m279
53970-3 Nonsense Carson Robison Kansas Jack-rabbits Victor V-38074 http://www.box.net/shared/kr363kfq48

NYC 31 July 1929: Earl Oliver, trumpet; probably Sam Lewis, trombone; probably Larry Binyon, alto sax; Murray Kellner, violin; probably Bill Wirges, piano; Carson Robison, guitar; Andy Sannella, slide guitar; unknown, drums. Rust doesn't list who played the oboe at the beginning of Nonsense...it was probably Binyon.

Another weird thing...Victor used their "squeezed" font (usually reserved for minor words on the labels like "by" and "and") for the band's credit. They didn't capitalize "rabbits" either.

*********************************************
Here's one of the funniest sides ever recorded by Rudy Vallee...it's also pretty darned hot too!
147906-2 Outside Rudy Vallee Connecticut Yankees Diva 2857-G
http://www.box.net/shared/9kyzamhnsl
NYC, 31 January 1929: Rudy Vallee, clarinet, alto sax & vocal; probably Don Moore, trumpet; probably Hal Matthews, trombone; Joe Miller, tenor sax; Manny Lowy, Jules deVorzon, violins; Cliff Burwell, piano; Charles Peterson, banjo; Harry Patent, tuba; Ray Toland, drums.

Of course, this side (like most of Diva's material) was also issued on Harmony and VelvetTone. All three (and Clarion, which rolled in within a year or so) were Columbia's cheaper "dime store" labels. Vallee moved to Victor just after this session.

*********************************************

A few years ago, I found a copy of this record for a quarter or so:

I expected to hear Dalhart sing a moralistic fable. About halfway through A Warning To Boys, I realized that not only was this fable a parody, it was essentially the same song that W. C. Fields sang in his short film, The Fatal Glass Of Beer (you can see it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYDKmEF85CY and the song starts around 2:10). Eventually I found that this song and its mate A Warning To Girls, were written by Charley Case in 1907.

146912 A Warning To Boys Vernon Dalhart Diva 2729-G http://www.box.net/shared/kqro92g70b

146913 A Warning To Girls Vernon Dalhart Diva 2729-G
http://www.box.net/shared/fufxa7cefn
NYC 28 August 1928: Vernon Dalhart, vocal; unknown, harmonium.

*********************************************

A long while back (June 2007, to be exact), I remarked that I had an unusual Spike Jones record that I'd like to share...here 'tis:

Spike Jones Describes The "Musical" Instruments Used In "Dance Of The Hours" Spike Jones RCA promo, unnumbered

http://www.box.net/shared/soq98v7zly

1949: Spike Jones & Dick Morgan, speech; samples of their record of Dance Of The Hours.
Jones's speaking voice was rather pleasant...and guitarist Dick Morgan's voice is just plain goofy.

The other side of this special promo issue is the song itself:
Dance Of The Hours Spike Jones and his City Slickers Victor 20-3516

http://www.box.net/shared/1z7j75ztb0

1949: Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones, leader; large troupe of nuts; featuring Doodles Weaver, commentary.

********************************************

Jim Henson's Muppet pianist, Rowlf, used to sing a really strange song called You and I and George: http://www.box.net/shared/cmei4qln6f .

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/You_and_I_and_George has a little info on the song.

This, of course, wasn't the first recording of George...I recall an earlier version on a live Stan Kenton album somewhere. But, any time I hear the song, it's usually played for laughs.

Here's a straight, deadpan version:

ZSP 34850 George Dolores Hawkins Epic 5-9089
http://www.box.net/shared/kt8sjedr51
1955 or so: Dolores Hawkins, vocal; Don Costa Orchestra.

It seems that someone named Maxwell was the composer.

I don't know how Ms. Hawkins was able to do this song as well as she did...her tongue had to have been firmly lodged in her cheek.

*********************************************

Here's a party record...the only info is the title on the label. The singer is instantly recognizable to people who collect the old stuff...it's Ukulele Ike!

(LO-340) Behind Nick's Counter Anonymous white label party record 5003

http://www.box.net/shared/59yoe71dfr

Hollywood, October 1936: Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, vocal & ukulele; others unknown.

The first issue of this title (on the Hollywood Hot Shots label) was called Down Behind the Counter at Nick's. This is a later dubbing of it. Oh...I'm not responsible if you suddenly have When You Wish Upon A Star stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Ike does that to people sometimes.

Here's the flip side...also issued anonymously. Can't say I recognize this guy, though (beware! The language here is a bit rough)...

Singing Reporter Anonymous white label party record 5003
http://www.box.net/shared/1p6zlsd31r

*********************************************

And now some records that deal with rude noises and/or the bodily functions that cause them...

Here's the side that Ed Reynolds usually plays any time there's a new person at the listening session:

068074-1 Serenade To A Maid (A Bronx Serenade) Teddy Powell Orch Bluebird B-11373
http://www.box.net/shared/t3dhopfncm
NYC 4 November 1941: Teddy Powell, large orchestra.

*********************************************

This is the granddaddy of all fart records, the infamous Crepitation Contest, recorded after hours at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. There's a good article about it here: http://hensteeth.com/cblue.html

The Crepitation Contest Brown & Lipton issued many, many times...
http://www.box.net/shared/kmif7r57p3

1942: Sydney Summers Brown, voice, Jules Lipton (CBC Producer), production & sound effects.

*********************************************

This may be the first recorded song about, well, wind...

17306-1 Jim's Windy Mule Sweet Violet Boys Vocalion 03587
http://www.box.net/shared/4jtep4epfa
NYC, 16 April 1935: Tex Atchison, vocal & fiddle; Chick Hurt, vocal, speech & mandola; Salty Holmes, vocal & guitar; James Taylor, vocal, speech & bass; unidentified, effects.

This is actually the Prairie Ramblers...many of their novelty records were issued under the Sweet Violet Boys name (and they usually backed up Patsy Montana without label credit too). It was recorded in 1935, but it sat in the can for almost two years before it was finally issued as the flip side of their Sweet Violets No. 3. I've seen it reissued as a red-label Columbia, so it must have sold fairly well.

Here's another side by the boys:

C-1888-4 There's A Man Who Comes To Our House Sweet Violet Boys Vocalion 03766
http://www.box.net/shared/q1k4bz78av
Chicago, 7 October 1937: same personnel, add Bill Thall, clarinet; Ken Houchens, guitar & vocal.

And that should be enough for now...I have to go milk the elk.

Another mystery side!

I'm working on a little something for April First...here's a tidbit that should whet your appetite until then.

It's a mystery side...the only thing I'll say is that this record has a connection somehow to the Attleboro Area (but there might be another little clue somewhere else).

http://www.box.net/shared/mzxz3y3q6c

What's the connection? Who's on the record? Title?

Comment away!

The winner gets one of those aged peanut butter sandwiches I mentioned a while back...

...and 'til the First of April, as Neddie Seagoon often said... "Needle Nardle Noo!"

Some Scarce Seven-Inchers! (reposted 24 June 2009)

Recently, some malicious twerp decided to wreak havoc with my blog...first by jeopardizing my good relationship with Box.net (by complaining about copyright infringement), then by hacking my blog and removing one of my posts. Not just any post, mind ye, but the one I spent the most time on...this one.

I'm glad that Google cached a copy of it somewhere, so that I was able to reconstruct the page within an hour or two.

Here it is again:

Recently, several jazz blogs have posted tributes to the late Blossom Dearie. Some of them even featured an album or two.


I even saw the album she did for Hires Root Beer (a little blurb on it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blossom_Dearie_Sings_Rootin%27_Songs ) in one of those blogs.

But I've never seen this Hires Root Beer-related item in any other blog...shoot, I've never seen another copy, period!

A & R 2293-A Meet Blossom Dearie Blossom Dearie Special advertising record, unnumbered

http://www.box.net/shared/p92qa02xye
1963: Blossom Margrete Dearie, vocal & piano; Ernie Royal, trumpet; Jim Hall, guitar; Eddie DeHaas, bass; Frank Gant, drums.

This little seven-inch 33 was apparently given to grocers who stocked Hires. On it, there's an announcer who talks with Ms. Dearie, who sings the jingle a couple of times and talks about the recording session. Mention is also made of the advertising campaign that Hires was going to start soon.Interesting note...the personnel on this record (and the ads) is not the same as the Hires-promoted Sings Rootin' Songs album mentioned earlier.

The flip side of this oddity is just an extended version of the music behind the Hires ads that were about to get airplay.

A & R 2293-B The Rootin' Theme Blossom Dearie Special advertising record, unnumbered http://www.box.net/shared/cgtyirgf83
Same personnel.

*********************************************
Here are some other unusual seven-inch 33s. Actually, I had already planned to post a bunch of pre-1964 stereo 45s, and a few of the Stereo Seven singles that Columbia produced from 1959-61. I just added the Dearie record as an audio appetizer.

Let's start with the early mono 33 singles that Columbia produced from 1949 to 1951 or so.
This was the infamous War Of The Speeds...RCA had recently introduced the 45 rpm record and a fast-changing machine to play them. Columbia developed the microgroove 33 rpm record (yeah, I know that Victor's Program Transcriptions from the early 1930s also ran at 33 rpm, but they weren't microgroove. And they didn't sell particularly well. Nothing did at the time.) and a new phonograph for these as well.

Anyway, from 1949 through the early 1950s, there were some odd formats for records available...ten-inch LPs, extended-play 45s (available both singly or in multi-disc sets), big clunky box sets of 45s (ever see a complete opera on 45s? It's almost as bulky as an opera on 78s, only lighter), and these little 33 rpm singles.

Once the smoke cleared, it became evident that the public preferred LPs for longer pieces or collections of songs, and the 45 rpm speed for shorter pieces.

These "little LPs" seem to be the scarcest format...I don't run into them too often.

This is probably the most interesting one I have...it's a nice early Gerry Mulligan arrangement:
ZLP 1083 Elevation Elliot Lawrence Orchestra Columbia 1-232
1949: Large orchestra, with Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax and arranger.
http://www.box.net/shared/v0h7arjcsb
Here's the flip side of the record..and the sleeve! (I think the sleeve is slightly more exciting...)

ZLP 1082 Gigolette Elliot Lawrence Orch Columbia 1-232
http://www.box.net/shared/3fumycu3ec

I'd imagine that the heavy tonearms of the period caused these records to slip, especially when stacked. Columbia added a novel feature...a knurled band around the label to prevent slippage.

Anyway...I have six or seven of these records, but there's nothing all that unusual on them...a few pop sides of the period that were issued more-or-less contemporaneously with their 78 rpm versions. There were also a few reissues of big sellers that were already in the catalogue (Ellington's Stormy Weather, Billie Holiday's Am I Blue? and a couple of others).After a couple of years, it became evident that this format just wasn't selling. So it was scrapped.
But what to do with those "Microgrove" sleeves they had already printed?

A brilliant idea! Columbia merely blocked out any reference to the original use of the sleeve and stuck 45s in them!

Did Columbia really think they were fooling anybody?

These retread sleeves are really strange-looking...and they're quite scarce too.

*********************************************
Now...let's fast-forward to 1959, shall we? Stereo records were introduced the year before...they're slowly building an audience.

But there were also remnants of an economic recession (one of the contributing factors to the demise of Ford's Edsel division, but this is a music blog, isn't it? Forget I mentioned the Edsel.). Anyway, the sales figures of 45 rpm singles was down over thirty percent.
Most of the companies tried 45 rpm stereo singles to improve sales. More on these oddities in a future installment of the Sanctum.

Instead of stereo 45s, Columbia dusted off the "little LP" idea again, added stereophonic sound, and viola! er... voila! The Stereo Seven was born!

ZSM 47898 The Battle Of New Orleans Johnny Horton Columbia S7 30339

http://www.box.net/shared/1bejibifdb
1959: Johnny Horton, vocal; Jimmy Driftwood, composer & arranger.
This song went to #1 on the charts in April 1959...at least the mono 45 did, anyway.

I can almost hear the average record collector saying "but these are jukebox records!"
Well, yes and no. We'll get to the jukebox issues momentarily.

This one was intended for the home market...read the blurb found on the sleeve:

Too small to read? You could click on the image to "biggen" it, or just read this:

This is a completely new kind of record combining two great innovations -- the convenient 33 rpm LP speed and exciting Stereophonic sound. You can play this record interchangeably with your 12-inch stereophonic LP albums. It is one of many new STEREO SEVEN releases available at your record shop.

Here's another example, complete with its fancy shiny black sleeve!

ZSM 47900 Anatomy Of A Murder Duke Ellington Orchestra Columbia S7 30421
http://www.box.net/shared/cqyqi5p090
Hollywood, 1 June 1959: Large orchestra featuring Duke Ellington, piano; Jimmy Hamilton, tenor sax; Ray Nance, trumpet.

Oh, the Ellingtonians out there might be interested to note that this particular take of the Anatomy theme is unique...it's different from the takes issued on the LP and the 45!
If you'd like to compare it to the 45, here it is!

JRZSP 46267 Anatomy Of A Murder Duke Ellington Orchestra Columbia 4-41421

http://www.box.net/shared/31f7dxecq8
Hollywood 2 June 1959: Same.

You could already have this recording on the recent Sony reissue of the Ellington Anatomy album...there's a lot of extra material on it, including the takes used for both singles. But they used a stereo mix of the 45...

Well, now...I suppose I should mention that there was indeed a series of these Stereo Seven singles intended for the jukebox trade too.

Here's one from 1960, featuring a 19-year-old Aretha Franklin...she's singing well, too, on a jazzy-bluesy tune...

ZSM 55031 JB Today I Sing The Blues Aretha Franklin Columbia S7 31206 (part of set JS7-38)

http://www.box.net/shared/pjh763k2an
Notice there's almost no difference on the label between this and the two previous examples.

Ah, but there is something different...a JS7 (Jukebox Stereo 7) number at the 9:00 position that the home-market issues don't have. And there's a JB suffix on the matrix number as well.
These were issued in five- or six-record sets (often with an "Album of the Week" notation on the box), each disc containing a pair of cuts to the particular LP that was being issued in this format. These records came in the same fancy sleeves, but the blurb about buying Stereo Seven records at the shop is missing.

By 1961 or so, it became evident that the stereo singles that the record companies produced just weren't selling. Maybe it was because the youth market who bought 45s didn't have stereos yet (their parents did, but they usually bought LPs!)

The single-song Stereo Seven was allowed to die.

Around this time, though, most companies that produced stereo singles for the jukebox trade expanded their playing time to around ten minutes per side...these could be played for a quarter each...saving the customer a nickel over the price of three individually-chosen songs.

Columbia was no exception...they produced quite a few of these longer-playing Sevens...but the label was a lot plainer. A snazzy label couldn't be seen inside a jukebox, unless the customer was a mild-mannered reporter named Kent (take that, comic fans!).

79235 JB Walk On By Aretha Franklin Columbia 7-9081
http://www.box.net/shared/zo28b24lgx

Here's a bit of one of those records...again by the Queen of Soul (in waiting). This cut sounds like Columbia was trying to groom Aretha as their answer to Dionne Warwick.
Small wonder she ran off to Atlantic soon thereafter...
*********************************************
But wait! There's more! These are more seven-inchers, but they're mono!

It seems that someone at Columbia (probably Goddard Lieberson) was nostalgic for the Good Old Days when there was only one speed on the market (78 rpm, of course). He thought he could win the public over to 33-rpm singles, hoping to eventually phase out the 45 (remember, that was originally an RCA product!).

Here are a couple of those weird rarely-seen "Little 33s" from the early 1960s:

Z"LP"52385 Yea-De-A-Hay Jack Judge Columbia 3-41917
http://www.box.net/shared/98on18z5x7

This side sounds like it could have been covered very nicely by Buddy Holly...

I've seen very few of these yellow-label records...and for some reason, they all had a promo sticker on one side. It could be a coincidence.

This one (in a revamped Hall Of Fame series) is a reissue of a pair of 1952 cuts by Flatt and Scruggs...

Z"LP" 52699 Jimmie Brown, The Newsboy Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs Columbia 3-33019
http://www.box.net/shared/l4s3ol2t16
Both of these records also came out in the 45 rpm format, using the same catalogue number, but using a 4- instead of the 3- prefix. And both have the LP designation in the matrix number in quotation marks.

I'm rather grateful that these mini-LPs didn't take off. When one is looking through a handful of 45s, it's much easier to stick a thumb through the big holes of a 45.

More on stereo singles (45 rpm ones, that is) sometime soon...

*********************************************

I was asked recently what were the latest 78s I owned. I replied that I had two of the three R. Crumb ones and a special Leon Redbone promo from 1978. But those were special "retro" issues.

The latest ones I have for general release are a pair of goodies from the Ron/Ric labels from New Orleans...both are from 1959.

3447 I Won't Cry Johnny Adams Ric 961
http://www.box.net/shared/libcaz055p
3448 Who You Are Johnny Adams Ric 961
http://www.box.net/shared/5xxpkua1b7

Dang...R & B singing just doesn't get much better than this...I Won't Cry was The Tan Canary's first hit.

I usually show the label to the first part of any two-parter...but on this record, the second side shows composer credits of Parker, Bocage and Rebennack. It looks like all three of these guys (Robert Parker, Eddie Bo and Dr. John) are present on this session. That's Bo doing the little spoken interruptions. (By the way, the composer credit on the A-side was to Parker and local DJ Larry McKinley.)

R-115 All Nite Long (Part 1) Robert Parker Ron 327
http://www.box.net/shared/ev9sezshe0
R-116 All Nite Long (Part 2) Robert Parker Ron 327
http://www.box.net/shared/g8d23gfb8g

As late as these are, the Fury/Fire company issued 78s even later...as late as 1960 (anybody have Bobby Marchan's There Is Something On Your Mind on 78? It exists!)...but they're scarcer than honest politicians.

Canada pressed 78s until 1961 or 1962, and other countries (especially India and the Philippines) continued for a few more years...that's why there are 78s by latter-day acts like the Beatles.

That'll do it for this installment...beware the Ides of March.

*********************************************
At the end of the original post came two comments and my reply:

Buster said...
Absolutely outstanding post - not only had I never seen the Blossom Dearie promo, I didn't know it existed!
6:46 AM PDT

Luis said...
The 33 rpm stereo take of Anatomy Of A Murder, was also issued on Columbia CL-1421 and CS 4218. Thank you for the post
10:30 AM PDT

ZorchMan said...

Thanks, Buster! I'm glad to see that people are watching the blog...Keep up the good work on those ten-inchers! Oh, how do I get invited to check out your other blogs?

Luis...I had always assumed that Columbia had issued the same take on both the LP and the stereo single, as well as the 45.
However, according to the liner notes on the Sony CD and the Ellington Panorama online discography, the take issued on the stereo single (RZSP46267-9) was recorded the day before the 45 rpm version (RZSP46267-14) and the version on the LPs (RZSP46267, no take listed in the Panorama).

Has the Ellington Society or similar group actually disproved this info? I know that CBS/Sony is famous for supplying wrong info from time to time, but I've heard the Panorama's discography is fairly accurate.

I have copies of the LP (original stereo and a promo of the mono one), and will sit down someday and compare the solos.In any case, thanks for writing!

There was an additional comment...a comment left by a porn bot. That one I'll omit

Back to the hacker...why do idiots like this ransack blog pages? For the same reason they troll in chat rooms, looking for people to boot. BECAUSE THEY CAN.

I can think of another question that's answered by "because they can." The question is about a grooming procedure of canines...I'll bet that our little hacker friend does that too. Regularly. When he's not hacking and hiding, that is.