April 2006
April 27, 2006
This week's Hit of the Week is brought
to you by
(click on image for larger view)
Murder At The Vanities
Earl Carroll's unusual and exciting Vanities
show of 1933.
(From 1933 ad. Image courtesy
Matt From College Station)
Note - I am very please to welcome
back guest contributor Matt From College Station as he shares some
more recordings from his excellent collection of 1920s and 1930s jazz and
dance band 78 rpm records.
All recordings and commentary
in this update, both the regular and the "Extra" sections, are from Matt.
My only contribution was to transfer and digitalize the recordings.
You can learn more about Matt
and find his contact information by clicking here.
Elizabeth
- St. Louis Blues
From Philco Radio Transcription
Disc
Unknown Orchestra
"Philco Foursome," vocal
circa 1931
(Judson Transcription Disc 1268)
Can't
You See - Somebody Stole My Gal
From Philco Radio Transcription
Disc
Unknown Orchestra
circa 1930
(Serial No 230371 Program 23 Part
3 mx 230371)
Can't
We Be Friends -
There's
No Other Girl
From Philco Radio Transcription
Disc
Unknown Orchestra
circa 1931
(Series JS 1413 Program 9 Part
4)
[Audio Note: Many
passages of the transcription disc featuring "Elizabeth - St. Louis Blues"
are in extremly rough condition and there was only so much I could do to
quiet the surface noise. Hopefully it will not distract too much
from your enjoyment of the music. The transcription featuring
"Can't You See - Somebody Stole My Gal" has a small chip on the outer edge
which has eliminated the first few seconds of the recording. Under
normal circumstances, I would probably not have included discs in such
condition in the Update. However, since these recordings are extremely
rare and this is very likely the first time they have been performed in
public since they were first broadcast in the early 1930s, I am extremely
grateful to Matt for making them available regardless of the condition
- - Dismuke ]
A few weeks ago I was fortunate
enough to acquire several more radio transcription discs from the same
batch as the ones I featured here in January, though unfortunately these
are not in as pristine condition. These one-sided discs were made for the
Judson Transcription Company and the Adams Broadcasting Service in the
early 1930's to supply local radio stations with prerecorded broadcasts
sponsored by Philco Radio.
While I'm not going into detail
about every song, I would like to point out that the version of St
Louis Blues featured here is quite entertaining. I speculate that the vocal
quartet on that transcription is "The Foursome", a novelty quartet
that was featured in Gershwin's Girl Crazy and on a few 78's.
On another disc is a neat slow /
fast & hot version of "Somebody Stole My Gal" on xylophone. Boy,
that fella can really play!
Also to be found is a rather nice
arrangment of "Can't You See" that features prominant saxophone and obo.
I really enjoy this sort of relaxing yet complex music of the early
1930's. Note the tinkling piano at the end.
- Matt From College Station
EXTRA
This section will present
78 rpm recordings that do not fall within the range of the vintage pop
and jazz fare that I usually present. Here I will feature
recordings from a wide variety of eras, musical genres and nationalities
as well as occasional spoken word recordings.
Selections
From "The Firefly"
Victor Salon Group
1930
(Victrola 9653-B)
Selections
From "Rose Marie"
Victor Salon Group
1930
(Victrola 9652-A)
We will rely on Rudolf Friml to
supply the music for this week's operetta "Extra."
First, I love these electrical Red
Seal label Victors because of their recording quality
Beginning with selections from The
Firefly, we are taken back to the 1912 Broadway stage where this Friml
masterpiece first debut. It is of interantional fame and is oft revived.
Later in 1937 it became a starring vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald and Alan
Jones
Rose Marie opened in New
York at the Imperial Theatre in 1924 and starred Dennis King. It
ran for 577 performances and was written by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart.
I love the score from this operetta, especially the famous "Indian Love
Call" - even Tommy Dorsey had a recording of it! In 1936, Jeanette MacDonald
and Nelson Eddy performed Rose Marie on the silver screen for their
second team up. As a side note, Dennis King, who performed this on
broadway, also starred with MacDonald in her second talkie The Vagabond
King.
- Matt From College Station
April 13, 2006
This week's Hit of the Week is brought
to you by
Anker-Holth Mfg. Co
Port Huron, Mich.
(From 1933 ad)
Note - I am very please to welcome
back guest contributor Matt From College Station as he shares some
more recordings from his excellent collection of 1920s and 1930s jazz and
dance band 78 rpm records.
All recordings and commentary
in this update, both the regular and the "Extra" sections, are from Matt.
My only contribution was to transfer and digitalize the recordings.
You can learn more about Matt
and find his contact information by clicking here.
Sing
Sing Girl
Leroy Shield And The
Victor Hollywood Orchestra
James Blackstone, vocal
1930
(Victor 22548-B)
The
Language Of Rhythm
Joe Rines And His Orchestra
Joe Rines, Coletta Ryan vocals
1932
(Victor 24230-B)
I am pleased to be back. The first
selection is an up-tempo dance number by Leroy Shield and the
Victor Hollywood Orchestra. Leroy Shield was born in 1893 and was
Victor’s musical director for their Oakland California recording
studios from 1926-1929. He accompanied many Victor solo artists on piano
and was composer of film scores for Hal Roach’s comedy films.
While he worked for Victor, he also composed and conducted selections
for NBC radio broadcasts.
Joseph McCarthy and James F. Hanley
composed "Sing Song Girl (Little Yella Cinderella)" in 1930.
This particular version is very peppy and features interesting
xylophone solos as well as pseudo-oriental themes.
The second selection for this evening
is a peppy dance tune from the Joe Rines orchestra with vocalists
Joe Rines and Coletta Ryan. "The Language Of Rhythm" is an
obscure tune at best and was written by Harry Filler. A hard to find
issue, Victor 24230 did not sell many copies. Although this tune
was recorded in 1933, it retains several 1920s qualities - syncopated
tempo, stops and starts, and solos are indicators of this. The lack
of banjo or tuba in the rhythm section and the scat style vocal are reminders,
however, that this was indeed recorded in the 1930s.
Joe Rines (1902-1986) led orchestras
in Boston throughout the 1920s and was a pioneer broadcaster
on Boston’s first radio stations. In the early 1930s he was
fortunate enough to be sponsored by Triad radio tubes and consequently
did a national show on NBC. Therefore, he changed his band to
Joe Rines and his Triadors. After the big band era ended in the 1940s,
he became an advertising executive. As a side note, Joe Rines did
some “party records” for the Varsity label under the pseudonym
John Ryan.
- Matt From College Station
EXTRA
This section will present
78 rpm recordings that do not fall within the range of the vintage pop
and jazz fare that I usually present. Here I will feature
recordings from a wide variety of eras, musical genres and nationalities
as well as occasional spoken word recordings.
A
Miniture Concert Part 1
The Eight Popular Victor Artists
1925
(Victor 35753-A)
A
Miniture Concert Part 2
The Eight Popular Victor Artists
1925
(Victor 35753-B)
The 12 inch Victor 78 included for
the extra is by the Eight Popular Victor Artists and is most
enjoyable. It features many Victor artists and popular songs
of the late teens and early 20’s . Frank Banta, Rudy Weidoeft,
Monroe Silver, Henry Burr and Bill Murray are among the performers
featured. A little known fact is that the “Eight Popular
Victor Artists” also toured the vaudeville circuit.
- Matt From College Station
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