Hallowe'en 2010

It's Hallowe'en season again! Here's a triple-decker spook-tacular...with a little chaser!

The first album is a lot of fun...I'm dedicating it to the memory of the trombonist/bandleader Buddy Morrow (born 1919 as Muni Zudekoff, aka Moe Zudekoff) who passed on about a month ago (27 September 2010).

This album is often quite reminiscent of Morrow's previous Impact! and Double Impact! LPs, both of which sold like hotcakes. There are a couple of poems narrated by Keith McKenna, as well as a couple of twistaroos sung by The Skip-Jacks.

POE FOR MODERNS Buddy Morrow Orch RCA Victor LSP-2208
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XUWU5M62

1. The Murders In The Rue Morgue
2. Annabel Lee (Keith McKenna, narrator)
3. The Gold Bug
4. A Descent Into The Maelstrom
5. The Bells (The Skip-Jacks, vocal)
6. The Fall Of The House Of Usher
7. The Pit And The Pendulum
8. Ulalume (Keith McKenna, narrator)
9. The Black Cat
10. The Raven (The Skip-Jacks, vocal)
11. Quoth The Raven
12. The Tell-Tale Heart
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XUWU5M62

The other day, I stumbled across another adaptation of Poe's The Raven here: http://www.garagehangover.com/?q=YoYos ...it's a 1966 garage rocker from Brooklyn.

And you can hear Fred Astaire's Raven-inspired Me And The Ghost Upstairs here http://zorchv38.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-fax-maam.html(shameless self-promotion, eh wot?).

The second LP is a rare one, indeed!

It's one of the strangest spoken-word albums I've ever heard...and one of the best. It's by "stand up tragedian" Theodore Gottlieb (1906-2001), who was usually billed as Brother Theodore. There's a very good website about him here http://www.brothertheodore.net/ , so I'll get out of the way and let you listen.

Oh...the first cut is a somewhat Lorre-esque adaptation of Poe's necro-dontal tale Berenice, and The Willow Landscape is from a story by Clark Ashton Smith.

CORAL RECORDS PRESENTS THEODORE Brother Theodore Gottlieb Coral CRL 57322

1. Introduction and Berenice
2. The Willow Landscape
3. Curse of the Toad
4. Quadrupedism

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2TYUAGLB

Some may recognize Theodore's distinctive voice from this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLssei0sId0

You'll see a much more recent snippet of his Quadrupedism monologue (along with some other diversions) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_KrhFBUTe4&feature=related

You can also hear a "straight" reading of Berenice here http://librivox.org/horror-story-collection-005/.

My third album isn't really spooky at all, but there is a neat black cat on the cover:

It's a musical adaptation by Alan Rawsthorne of six of T. S. Eliot's poems from his Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats...it's short and sweet (and a helluva lot easier for me to enjoy than that Webber thing on Broadway that drew from the same source). The narration is by Mr. Chips, Robert Donat (mmmmm....doughnuts).

OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS 10" Angel 30002

Six Poems by T. S. Eliot
Musical Setting By Alan Rawsthorn
Robert Donat, speaker.
The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by the composer
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PTMTGDUM
1. Overture
2. The Naming Of Cats
3. The Old Gumbie Cat
4. Gus, The Theatre Cat
5. Bustopher Jones: The Cat about Town
6. Old Deuteronomy
7. The Song Of The Jellicles

This LP came in a deluxe box and has a four-page booklet (included in the .zip file).

Since Track 5 is about as cat named Bustopher Jones, and it's on a (big) ten-inch LP, I think I'll give my good friend Buster's blog http://big10inchrecord.blogspot.com/ another plug.

And here's a little lagniappe, borrowed from my good pal, D Burns:

78264 A Cat-Astrophe Columbia Band Columbia A 2855

http://www.4shared.com/audio/IC699ouP/Columbia_Band_-_A_Cat-Astrophe.html
NYC, January 1919.

The flip side is dedicated to my neighbor, Ronster:

78285-3 Slim Trombone Columbia_Band Columbia A 2855
http://www.4shared.com/audio/L_VFuOm_/Columbia_Band_-_Slim_Trombone.html
NYC, 3 February 1919.

And that'll do it for now...hope you dug it (up).

A Helpin' Of Selvin!

My, my, my...things are hoppin' with the Blog...the Wilmoth Houdini Calypsos album has generated a LOT of traffic, thanks to fellow bloggers at http://easydreamer.blogspot.com/2010/09/hot-dogs-made-their-name.html and http://flashstrap.blogspot.com/2010/09/stone-cold-dead-in-market-wilmouth.html (he also loved the Calypso Carnival LP...maybe Sony ought to reissue it?). And my humble blog is in the list at the bottom of the page at http://yourpaldoug.blogspot.com/ .

So, I'm a bit more inspired than usual!

Every now and then, we 78 collectors find strange items like that oddball Ambrose test pressing I posted last month...the matrix number on the label doesn't match the one in the wax. And the title wasn't listed.

Sometimes we find oddities in the discographies, like the following four sides. They're labeled as being performed by three different orchestras, but they're actually all led by the ubiquitous Ben Selvin...and all recorded the same day!

This French Odeon has two Selvin sides, issued in the States on Harmony and Velvet Tone (on consecutively issued records, not back-to-back as they are here).

The first side is of a rather pretty De Sylva-Brown-Henderson composition, If You Haven't Got Love.

351074-2 If You Haven't Got Love Phil Hughes High Hatters (French) Odeon 250.092

http://www.4shared.com/audio/HvcqKHpt/Phil_Hughes__Selvin__-_If_You_.html

NYC, 21 July 1931: Ben Selvin, conductor; large studio orchestra.

There's an interesting clip of Gloria Swanson singing the song here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTGjxbWWCWQ

The flip side is a perky Irving Berlin song, Me. The muted trumpet solo is by Manny Klein.

351063-2 Me Frank Auburn Orchestra (French) Odeon 250.092

http://www.4shared.com/audio/r5hwDaqb/Frank_Auburn__Selvin__-_Me.htmlNYC, 21 July 1931: Ben Selvin, conductor; large studio orchestra.

Oh...there were a couple of other future "big names" in this session, as you'll see momentarily. I'm keeping them up my sleeve for the time being.

You might notice that the above two sides are in the mysterious 350000 matrix series that Columbia used for many sides issued by their dime-store labels (Harmony, Diva, Velvet Tone and Clarion) at the time. The following sides are in the conventional Columbia 140000-150000 series.

Here's another version of the same tune...again, it's recorded on the same day with the same orchestra, but with a completely different arrangement.

151695 Me! The Knickerbockers Columbia 2502-D

http://www.4shared.com/audio/aTkvQZG0/Knickerbockers__Selvin__-_Me.html

NYC, 21 July 1931: Ben Selvin, conductor; large studio orchestra.

Notice that the Columbia adds an exclamation point to the title! I think this version is the better of the two, but I'm partial to BG solos.

Also, you'll hear this particular record as part of a Skinner’s Romancers transcribed radio show here http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2010/08/12/skinners-romancers-pgm-2/

I'll finish this section with the flip side, a fluffy bit of froth (or is it a frothy bit of fluff?):

151694 Slow But Sure The Knickerbockers Columbia 2502-D

http://www.4shared.com/audio/lYBL7304/Knickerbockers__Selvin__-_Slow.html

I found this recording in another Skinner show: http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2010/09/28/skinners-romancers-pgm-3/

And here's the complete (more-or-less) scoop on the previous four sides:

NYC, 21 June 1931: Ben Selvin, conductor; large studio orchestra featuring (among others) Manny Klein, trumpet; Tommy Dorsey, trombone; Benny Goodman, clarinet; Hymie Wolfson, tenor sax; Dick Robertson, vocal.

While I'm a-Selvin', I think I'll play this rarity...it's in Columbia's short-lived 18000-D Longer Playing Series. Forgive the condition...it's very rough at the beginning and is a little blasty on certain high notes. But records in this series are quite rare...this is the only one I own.

255000-1 Medley - "Face The Music" Ben Selvin Orch, with Kate Smith, Jack Miller, and The Three Nitecaps Columbia 18000-D
http://www.4shared.com/account/audio/fl7OXVv2/Selvin_Smith_Miller_3_Nitecaps.html

I've included pictures of both labels...mainly because I'm too lazy to type out the individual songs...

255001-2 Medley - "Hot-Cha" Ben Selvin Orch, with Kate Smith, Jack Miller, and The Three Nitecaps Columbia 18000-D
http://www.4shared.com/audio/v5Nl9AEP/Selvin_Smith_Miller_3_Nitecaps.html

NYC, 22 March 1932: Ben Selvin, conductor; large studio orchestra; Kate Smith, Jack Miller, and the Three Nitecaps, vocals.

I have a couple of other single items from other rare series...like this Cajun piece from 1929:

110552-2 Poche Town Joe Falcon with Clemo & Ophy Breaux Columbia 40506-F

http://www.4shared.com/audio/7nbLsXKo/Joe_Falcon_-_Poche_Town.html
110553-2 Osson Joe Falcon with Clemo & Ophy Breaux Columbia 40506-F

http://www.4shared.com/audio/MIxW3M3N/Joe_Falcon_-_Osson.html
Atlanta 18 April 1929: Ophy Breaux, fiddle; Joe Falcon, accordion & vocal; Cleoma Breaux (Falcon), guitar.

This was in the rare Columbia 40500-F Arcadian-French Series...all were reissued in OKeh's 90000 series, which are probably just as rare as these are.

Osson is awesome (sorry!)...this one's in such great condition I didn't need to use any noise reduction or other enhancement.

_______________________________________

This lovely record is in the strange Columbia 40000-D series...which was apparently used only on the West Coast...outside of a couple of extraordinarily rare jazz/dance pieces (The Curtis Mosby record in this series is particularly sought-after), it consisted mainly of Hawaiian sides by the likes of Sol Hoopii and Benny Nawahi.

This one features Tau and Rose Moe, recorded in Japan in 1929:

32265 Lei I Ka Mokihana Madame Riviere's Hawaiians Columbia 40005-D
http://www.4shared.com/audio/FvWsenal/Madame_Rivieres_Hawaiians_-_Le.html
32258 Paahana Hula Madame Riviere's Hawaiians Columbia 40005-D
http://www.4shared.com/audio/yyvavMBF/Madame_Rivieres_Hawaiians_-_Pa.html

Tokyo, 1929: featuring Rose Moe, vocal; Tau Moe, guitar.

Let's stay with Hawaiian music (and return to French Odeon) for this favorite of mine:

According to the liner notes of Tickling the Strings (Harlequin HQ CD 28), not much is known about the husband-and-wife team of Kanui and Lula. They were based in Paris at the time of the recording, and Lula danced the hula and played ukulele.

The Parlophone issue of Oua Oua apparently sold quite well in the UK. Brian Rust mentions it in his book on record labels.

My copy is on French Odeon...

KI 6090-2 Tomi, Tomi Kanui & Lula
(French) Odeon 166.670


http://www.4shared.com/account/audio/u_-bb_AQ/Kanui__Lula_-_Tomi_Tomi.html

KI 6089-2 Oua Oua Kanui & Lula (French) Odeon 166.670

Paris, 21 June 1933: Kanui, guitar & vocal; Lula, ukulele.

http://www.4shared.com/account/audio/IynCOIbK/Kanui__Lula_-_Oua_Oua.html


A few years ago, the Max Brothers did something very weird with this record (which is rather weird itself...to me it sounds like a demented Elvis channelling Lassie)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFr-J4nUdo

I'll finish up with a couple of sides by the "French Bing Crosby," Jean Sablon.

Looking at the label, you'd never guess that this record has some splendid guitar work by Jean-Baptiste Reinhardt...that Django cat.

CL-5487-3 Cette Chanson Est Pour Vous Jean Sablon (French) Columbia DF 1847

http://www.4shared.com/audio/e0ElSuof/Jean_Sablon_-_Cette_Chanson_Es.html

CL-5518-1 Rendez-vous Sous La Pluie Jean Sablon (French) Columbia DF 1847

http://www.4shared.com/audio/qFN926QN/Jean_Sablon_-_Rendez-Vous_Sous.html

Paris, 12 July 1935: Jean Sablon, vocal; Stephane Grappelly, violin & piano; Django & Joseph Reinhardt, guitars; Louis Vola, bass.

Monsieur Grappelli hadn't changed the spelling of his surname yet, so I'll use the original spelling here.

...and that'll do it for this installment.

10 October '10!

So...it's the tenth of October 2010!!! Or 10/10/10!!

Here's a little pop-oriented Ellington item with three Tens in the title...

64812-1 Nine Little Miles From Ten-Ten-Tennessee Duke Ellington Cotton Club Orchestra Victor 22586
http://www.4shared.com/audio/fnNMTYQL/03_Nine_Little_Miles_From_Ten-.html
NYC, 21 November 1930: Freddy Jenkins, Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, trumpets; Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, trombones; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, saxes; Duke Ellington, piano; Fred Guy, banjo; Wellman Braud, bass; Sonny Greer, drums; Smith Ballew, vocal.

Let's get a "unRaveled" with two unusual adaptations of a familiar classic:

81369-1 Bolero Jacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti Victor 24563
http://www.4shared.com/audio/4j21RHov/Fray__Braggiotti_-_Bolero.html
NYC, 7 February 1934: Jacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti, piano duet.


63369-1 Bolero Nat Shilkret / Victor Orchestra Victor 22571
http://www.4shared.com/audio/hU88ntGT/Nat_Shilkret_-_Bolero.html
NYC, 3 October 1930: Nat Shilkret, large studio orchestra.

Why those Boleros?

Hardy, har, har....

Now for something completely different...a rather late entry in Columbia's 15000-D Old-Time Tunes (country) catalogue:

151987-1 I'm Tying The Leaves Hinkey Myers Columbia 15725-D
http://www.4shared.com/audio/1uS9kFWS/Hinkey_Myers_-_Im_Tying_The_Le.html
Atlanta, 30 October 1931: Hinkey Myers, vocal; Sarah Dye, piano
Oh well, so the song's a bit maudlin, and she sounds like Annette Hanshaw with hiccups.

But the flip side is something extraordinary...a nice semi-jazz offering:

W151993-1 Memphis Peggy Parker Columbia 15725-D
http://www.4shared.com/audio/5hDYuRDV/Peggy_Parker_-_Memphis.html
Atlanta, 30 October 1931: Peggy Parker, vocal; with Perry Bechtel's Orchestra: Perry Bechtel, guitar; Jean Egart, trumpet; others unknown.

Sadly, both of these sides represent the only issued performances of these singers...I suppose we could be grateful that Hinkey Myers's I'll See You Again remained in the can, but someone should try to locate Peggy Parker's You're Not The Same.

And that's "thirty" for now...or is that "three tens?"

My new toy!!

This weekend, I got an inexpensive (ten simoleons!) used scanner (didja see the two new scans on the last post?)...and Blogger has a peachy new interface I need to get used to. And I have three somewhat mysterious/exotic songs to post too...

Here are a couple of unusual sides by Hindustani Chotey Khan on Sarangi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarangi). I can't read the title to these songs...Murari gave me transliterations of the titles:

OE 1443 Piloo Barva Mr. Chotey Khan Indian Megaphone J.N.G. 11

http://www.4shared.com/audio/RheAUS_f/Chotey_Khan_-_OE_1443_2.html

OE 1444 Tilak Kamod Mr. Chotey Khan Indian Megaphone J.N.G. 11

 http://www.4shared.com/audio/_2tuPqUe/Chotey_Khan_-_OE_1444.html

Mr. Chotey Khan, sarangi; Sj. Anath Bose, tabla.

This weird British test pressing I found many years ago...

...apparently the engineers didn't know the title (note the smudged question mark).

Maybe it was the discrepancy between the matrix number in the wax and the one on the label that flummoxed him.

DR11471-1 ? (Bert)Ambrose Orch UK Decca test pressing

http://www.4shared.com/audio/pTej5CRi/Ambrose_-____DR_11471-1__2.html

It's a strange piece of music, reminding me of  what might result if someone like Reginald Foresythe wrote for the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra.

...and there you go!  Three items that will have to remain nameless for the time being. Hope you dug them.

Well, now there's only one nameless item...

Bandman wrote in that he thought the mystery Ambrose cut might be Dance of the Potted Puppet from 1947, with clarinet passages by Carl Barriteau. A quick phone call to my good friend Rich Trahan (who has a copy) confirmed that it is.

Here's a review of the record from the 29 November 1947 Billboard:

And thanks again to Murari, Bandman, and Rich for the help!

More Calypso: Wilmoth Houdini

I've noticed that some of the most-downloaded albums in Ye Olde Zorche Bloggue are those that feature calypso music (at last count, 210 on the Sir Lancelot set and 278 on Calypso Carnival).I think I'll post some more...it's a 6-song album (three 78s, actually...and there's a nice descriptive booklet, too!) by legendary calypsonian, Wilmoth Houdini.
CALYPSOS Wilmoth Houdini Decca Album 78
66526A Monkey Swing Decca 18005-A

66528A He Had It Coming Decca 18005-B

66523A Welcome of Their Majesties Decca 18006-A

66527A Hot Dogs Made Their Name Decca 18006-B

66525A Roosevelt Opens The World's Fair Decca 18007-A
66524A Johnny Take My Wife Decca 18007-B

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6SY9FWI5

NYC 11 September 1939: Wilmoth Houdini, vocal; with the Royal Calypso Orchestra.

Yes, it appears that all six songs in this album were recorded at that one session. Four of them were about then-current events...the New York World's Fair (where Houdini performed), the arrival of the British King and Queen in June, and the menu for the Royal Picnic held at FDR's estate on the 11th (more on the visit here http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/royalv.html), and a murder that occurred in Port-of-Spain's Grass Market.

You can find a bit more on Mr. Houdini at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmoth_Houdini , but they give the composition date of He Had It Coming as 1946, which is six years after this recording. Time ran an article about the composer as well (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933584,00.html).

In October 1945, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan recorded their spirited version of the song, calling it Stone Cold Dead In The Market. It sold quite well in the summer of 1946.
73073 Stone Cold Dead In The Market Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan Decca 23546
http://www.4shared.com/audio/WpTP-xl6/Ella_Fitzgerald__Louis_Jordan_.html
NYC, 9 October 1945: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, vocals; with Louis Jordan's (somewhat augmented) Tympany Five: Aaron Izenhall. trumpet; Louis Jordan, alto sax; Josh Jackson, tenor sax; William Davis, piano; Carl Hogan, piano; Jesse Simpkins, bass; Eddie Byrd, drums; Harry Dial, maracas; Vic Lourie, claves.

The following year, Tiger Haynes and The Three Flames covered another song from this album (which Houdini himself had previously recorded in 1932):
CO 37383 Johnny Take My Wife The Three Flames Columbia 37321

http://www.4shared.com/audio/8gxVCYSH/Three_Flames_-_Johnny_Take_My_.html
NYC 17 February 1947: Tiger Haynes, vocal & guitar; Roy Testamark, piano; Bill (Averill) Pollard, vocal & bass.

Billboard's reviewers (in the issue of 17 May 1947) didn't much care for it...

...which may be one reason this didn't sell nearly as well as their previous record, their cover of Jack McVea's Open The Door Richard. I don't care...I rather like the side, but the Houdini one is better.

Finally, I offer a couple of interesting airchecks I found a few years ago in a stash of 78s...sometimes those home-recordings contain gems like these:

-- Sweet Sue / Hand To Mouth Boogie Adler, Ross & Burns Aircheck
5 September 1944: Larry Adler, harmonica; Shirley Ross, piano; Bob Burns, bazooka.
http://www.4shared.com/audio/lXcLwnkq/Adler_Ross__Burns_-_Sweet_Sue_.html
I assume that this is from Burns's program...he seems to be the host, anyway.

And here's a little thing by Tommy Dorsey:

-- It's Never Too Late To Pray Tommy Dorsey Aircheck

http://www.4shared.com/audio/Mmw9OmGe/Tommy_Dorsey_-_Its_Never_Too_L.html

circa 1945: Tommy Dorsey, trombone solo.

...and yes, according to Tommy Dorsey, his friend (the composer) Willard Robison's last name was pronounced "ROBE-is-son."

One last point...I recently received a very generous donation from our pal The Mad Doughnut Man, who hosts the terrific Original Bandbox show Thursdays on WRDV (http://www.wrdv.org/)

This entire post is for you, my friend!!! And thanks again!!

Just the FAX, Ma'am!

Around a year and a half ago, I posted that unusual 7-inch Hires Root Beer advertising record by Blossom Dearie. Apparently, it's quite rare and isn't in the standard discographies (is it in the online Lord discog yet?). It certainly got a lot of downloads...350 at last count (200 for the Meet side, 150 for the Theme). Of course, The Whoopee Hat Brigade still gets the most traffic...532 downloads and counting.

Here's another strange 7-inch 33, pressed on lovely (if a little scuffed) blue vinyl:

I had no idea what it was when I bought it, but I reckoned that any record with Bud Shank, Buddy Collette and Milt Bernhart must be interesting...especially since it was on the FAX label, an early-1960s label that specialized in somewhat smutty standup comedy and music.

Once I heard the Trailer Sound Track (track 6), it became obvious that these cuts were from the soundtrack of a rather obscure nudie movie called Bachelor Tom Peeping. It's obscure now, but apparently it was a favorite of Russ Meyer.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210560/

I was able to pin down the complete personnel and (approximate) recording date at http://www.lastudiomusicians.org/Jazz%20on%20Screen.pdf

BACHELOR TOM PEEPING
USA 1962
Music Directed/Conducted by: Alex Sandford
Soundtrack Personnel: Irv Bush, Joe Graves, trumpet; Milt Bernhart, trombone; Al Maebe, bass trombone; Ira Westley, tuba; Bud Shank, Buddy Collette, alto sax; Lew Ellenhorn, bass clarinet; Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Walt Ritchie, bassoon; Victor Feldman, Emil Richards, vibraphone; Bill Kraft, drums.

BACHELOR TOM PEEPING Soundtrack Alex Sandford Orch FAX FAXMPS 2201

1. Candy Apple Corvette (main theme) (featuring Bud Shank)
2. Bachelor Tom's Theme (featuring Buddy Collette)
3. Heavenly Bodies Mambo
4. The Grandma Bit (featuring Milt Bernhart)
5. Tom's End (end title)
6. Trailer Sound Track

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QR61M848

I thought I'd give the jazz nuts scans of both labels (if I didn't, somebody would ask me to anyway) along with the the music, which is pretty good! Some of it reminds me of the jazzier cues used in Hanna-Barbera cartoons (is Alex Sandford a pseudonym?)...and the strange sound effects at the end of the trailer may have been borrowed from H-B as well.

I don't see 45s pressed by FAX very often...here's one of them:

It seems to be a sampler of material taken from their Wild Party Songs series of LPs (see http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/drinkingsongs/html/sounds/fax-records.htm for info
on them). Many of these songs were recorded previously by Oscar Brand. I like Brand's versions better, but these aren't bad either.

WILD PARTY SONGS Unidentified artists FAX EP-BA/BB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YVEXE20X

1. Black-Eyed Susie
2. Blinded By Turds
3. Get Along Home Cindy
4. Pinto Pony

Oh, I have no idea why FAX (obviously) dubbed in crowd effects between the cuts, but they're there...

Rrrr....this one's for you and your pals...
___________________________________________
Recently, this record followed me home...

101197-1 You Started Me Dreaming Wingy Mannone Orch Bluebird B-6359 http://www.box.net/shared/uqg26l99cx
101198-1 Tormented Wingy Mannone Orch. Bluebird B-6359
http://www.box.net/shared/2bzx0els1r
NYC: 9 April 1936: Wingy Mannone, trumpet & vocal; Joe Marsala, clarinet; Matty Matlock, Eddie Miller, clarinet & tenor saxes; Conrad Lanoue, piano; Nappy Lamare, guitar (and speech on Dreaming); Artie Shapiro, bass; Ray Bauduc, drums.

These were the first two sides that Mannone recorded for Bluebird (with a pickup band, consisting mainly of sidemen from Bob Crosby's orchestra). And it's a Buffy! (No, not a slayer of the undead, it's a Bluebird with that creamy-yellow label that 78-collectors love!)

The B-side, Tormented, is a particularly enjoyable Will Hudson song...which was stuck in my head for quite a while. Then I remembered a rather unusual version of the same tune by jazz harpist Casper Reardon:

P-19095-1 Tormented Casper Reardon, his Harp and Orch Liberty Music Shop L 193
http://www.box.net/shared/x41o4inl2x
P-19094-1 In A Sentimental Mood Casper Reardon, his Harp and Orch Liberty Music Shop L 193
http://www.boxcn.net/shared/vftr68hha5

NYC 23 April 1936: Casper Reardon, harp; unidentified accompaniment (drawn mainly from Lud Gluskin's orchestra)

I'm rather fond of the Ellington cover on the flip side too...
___________________________________________


Finally, I'd like to acknowledge a few new donations to the blog...with a few more cuts that are tokens of thanks...

One donation came from Ted Hering...whose name is quite well-known among Spike Jones fans. Here's an item that should interest him...a Fred Astaire side!

LA 2239-A Me And The Ghost Upstairs Fred Astaire Columbia 35815
http://www.box.net/shared/rhaphu6462
LA, 22 September 1940: Fred Astaire, vocal & dancing; Studio orchestra with (among others) Mannie Klein, trumpet; Charles LaVere, piano; Perry Botkin, guitar; Lindley Jones, drums.

Well...this Poe-influenced side has a set of tuned cowbells, played by Lindley Jones (Spike to you and me). I wonder if this is the first time his bells show up on record...

I also got a donation from good friend AJ...he's a confirmed Prezaholic. Here's Lester jamming with Benny, Bunny, Roy, and Teddy, from a 1938 broadcast...buried in a Bunny Berigan CD:

-- I Know That You Know WNEW Jam Session Soundcraft SC-5005 (CD)
http://www.box.net/shared/dfr92j9sdr
NYC, 6 July 1938: Bunny Berigan, Roy Eldridge, trumpets; Benny Goodman, clarinet; Lester Young, tenor sax; Teddy Wilson, piano.

Whew...it doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Here's a cut for another friend who shall remain hoaxless nameless. He surprised me recently by singing this forgotten (and politically incorrect, but this was the 1920s!) vaudeville-era song...

73425-D Bologny George McClennon's Jazz Devils OKeh 8337
http://www.box.net/shared/6cni3rl9td
NYC 11 June 1925: George McClennon, vocal; probably Eddie Heywood, piano; others (cornet, trumpet, alto sax, banjo, drums) unidentified.

Most of McClennon's records feature his squawking "gaspipe" clarinet...this one doesn't.

And last but not least, here's a very odd cut for Mr. dBurns:

-- Why Don't You Grow Right? Unidentified performer Magnadisc (unnumbered)
http://www.box.net/shared/1cuz2kjrda

This gem was taken from a (badly-recorded and worse-pressed) record of a musical revue evidently staged by the Class of 1952 at CalTech (there are many references to CalTech, as well as one to a 1952 Rolls Royce). Can anybody out there give me more information about this revue?

Again, I thank my patrons...if anybody else would like to donate a little $omething, they'll get a song dedicated to them too!

That'll nail the seeds to the roof for now...maybe I can get 'em to grow right.