What 78 are you spinning right now ?

[Neal Pomea]

Part two of yesterday's haul:

Clara Smith and Her Jazz Trio - My Doggone Lazy Man/I Don't Love Nobody (So I Don't Have No Blues) (Columbia "flags" label). The trio consists of guitar, harmonica, and kazoo on one side; mandolin replaces harmonica on the other.

Clara Smith, Fletcher Henderson at the Piano - Don't Never Tell Nobody/Waitin' For the Evenin' Mail (Columbia "flags" label). Fletcher has been criticized for his blues playing, but the piano part on "Waitin' for the Evenin' Mail" is haunting.

Big fan of Clara Smith here!

[Neal Pomea]

78s from basement of Joe Bussard.

1928 recording for Columbia

Joe Falcon, Waltz that Carried Me to My Grave

http://www.npmusic.org/JosephFalcon_WaltzThatCarriedMeToMyGrave1928Columbia.mp3

1937 re-recording for Decca

Joe Falcon, Waltz that Carried Me to My Grave (different key, plus eerie fiddle!) Mossy.

http://www.npmusic.org/JosephFalcon_WaltzThatCarriedMeToMyGrave1937Decca.mp3

(Note: We Cajuns called this Valse Qui me Porte En Terre -- Waltz that Carries Me in the Earth-- but it was remade in the 1950s by Iry LeJeune and is better known today as a standard with the title Valse de Grand Chemin, Big Road Waltz)

Edited November 26, 2011 by Neal Pomea

[jeffcrom]

Listened to all my 78s by the Louisiana Five today. I love this pop-jazz band, which made around 50 sides over the course of one year, from December 1918 to December 1919. There was no trumpet player (except on "Slow and Easy"), so the melodic lead was played by New Orleans clarinetist Alcide "Yellow" Nunez. Some of their selections are better than others, but Nunez provides a nice glimpse into the early days of New Orleans clarinet.

Several of these records have other bands on the flip sides; I played those, too.

That Shanghai Melody/Sensation (Emerson Xylo-Phiends) (Emerson 9") The Emerson company experimented with different size records until settling on ten-inchers like everyone else. The grim-sounding Xylo-Phiends are actually a lot of fun - they are the xylophone-playing Green Brothers, who were very popular at the time. Rust isn't sure who else is on this side, but I think New Orleanian Tom Brown is playing the nice tailgate trombone - he played a lot with the Greens around then, and it sounds like a New Orleans guy.

Golden Rod/Summer Days (Emerson)

Sunshine Girl/B-Hap-E (Emerson)

Weeping willow Blues/Big Fat Ma (Emerson)

Yelping Hound Blues/Another Good Man Gone Wrong (Columbia) Musically, the Emersons are generally better than the Columbias. Columbia had the band "introduce" one to three extra songs in medley form on each of their records, so just as the band gets warmed up, they switch to a different song. The Emersons give Nunez more room to stretch out. He doesn't really do any hard-core improvising, but does some nice embellishing as the records go on.

The Alcoholic Blues/Kansas City Blues (Wilbur Sweatman's Original Jazz Band) (Columbia)

You Can't Get Lovin' where There Ain't Any Love/Wond'ring (Ted Lewis Jazz Band). The La. 5 side has a vocal by vaudevillian Billy Murray. The flip was the first recording by the Ted Lewis Jazz Band. Too bad it wasn't the last.

Slow and Easy/Dance-O-Mania (The Happy Six) (Columbia). Doc Behrendson is on cornet on "Slow and Easy." Tom Brown is definitely on trombone on the side by The Happy Six, a bouncy little dance band I've always kind of liked.

Sorry about the long post - I just think this is an interesting band.

[jeffcrom]

Over the past couple of days:

A bunch of classical - acoustic and electric Victor Red Seals by Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The electrics, from the late 1920's, sound fabulous.

Then, some great cellists from the acoustic era - Hans Kindler on Victor blue label, Pablo Casals on Columbia, and Arnold Foldesy on Odeon.

And something completely different - New Orleans R & B by Dave Bartholomew, Roy Brown, and Smiley Lewis. I really enjoyed "Jailbird" by Smiley on Imperial; it's a variant of the Junco Partner/Junker's Blues theme.

[jeffcrom]

Apparently my feeble brain was telling me that I don't already have blogs and websites. So I started a new one a few days ago, which may be of interest to the 78 collectors here.

Jeff's 78 Labels

[Clunky]

Apparently my feeble brain was telling me that I don't already have blogs and websites. So I started a new one a few days ago, which may be of interest to the 78 collectors here.

Jeff's 78 Labels

good start, 78 labels are pretty addictive when there's rarely any cover art or sleeve notes

[jeffcrom]

I've played a bunch of 78s over the past few days, but the winner was:

Smiley Lewis - Tee-Nah-Nah/Lowdown (Imperial). This New Orleans R & B single kills! It's from 1950, and Smiley is backed up by Dave Bartholomew's band, with Fats Domino on piano - he wasn't too big to play on other guys' records at that point. Great stuff.

[Neal Pomea]

A couple of Texas labels: Macy's (Queen of Hits) and TNT (Tanner N Texas).

[jeffcrom]

A couple of Texas labels: Macy's (Queen of Hits) and TNT (Tanner N Texas).

Those look very cool, Neal. I wish I had more cajun 78s. I've got one Harry Choates 78 - a reissue of a Gold Star on Modern, better known for blues and R & B.

[jeffcrom]

It was stone cold classics morning with my 78 rig today:

Count Basie Kansas City Seven - Lester Leaps In/Dickie's Dream (Vocalion)

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five - Two Deuces/Squeeze Me (Okeh)

Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (same group as above, despite the name) - Basin Street Blues/No (Okeh)

Mahalia Jackson - Move On Up a Little Higher, parts 1 & 2 (Apollo)

As I said when I got them, both Armstrongs are in really nice shape. But Basin Street/No (which was recorded on this day in 1928, by the way) is as close to mint condition as I've ever seen for an 83-year old record. I basically never call a 78 mint, but I would call this one mint if one of the sides didn't have a tick which lasts for three revolutions. I grew up with the four-LP Columbia reissue series of early Louis, and always thought that Zutty Singleton laid out for long stretches. Nope - on this record I can hear everything he does. It's really a magnificent record

Edited December 4, 2011 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Shellac highlights from the last couple of days:

Red Norvo All Stars - Congo Blues/Get Happy (Dial) Unissued masters from the Comet session.

Gerry Mulligan Quartet - My Funny Valentine/Bark for Barksdale (Fantasy)

Charlie Parker with Strings- Laura/Dancing in the Dark (Mercury)

Art Shaw and His New Music - Sweet Lorraine/Streamline (Vocalion)

Cootie Williams and His Orchestra - House of Joy/Everything But You (Capitol) Eddie Vinson tears it up on "House of Joy."

[jeffcrom]

Played loads of 78s over the past three days. I've at last sorted out EQ issues with addition of a cheap Radio Shack graphic equaliser, to EQ the sound from my RIAA phono amp that I use for 78 play back. Now I can't believe what detail I've previously been missing while listening to 78s.

I didn't realize what damage the RIAA curve built into my amp was doing to the sound of my 78s. I just set up my equalizer (also an old 10-band Radio Shack) and found the settings to compensate for the RIAA curve online. I actually wasn't satisfied with the resulting sound, even though I could really hear the high end for the first time. So I did a little tweaking and came up with settings which I like.

Bringing back the high frequencies to their intended levels also increases the surface noise, but my ears adjusted pretty quickly. After all, surface noise is part of the game when listening to 78s, and I'd rather hear all the music. And anytime I feel like it, I can bypass the equalizer with the flip of a switch.

[jeffcrom]

Today's best spins:

Lucille Hegamin and Her Blue Flame Syncopators - He May Be Your Man (But He Comes to See Me)/I've Got the Wonder Where He Went and When He's Coming Back Blues (Banner)

Lucille Hegamin and Her Bang Up Six From Georgia - I've Got What It Takes But It Breaks My Heart to Give It Away/Can't Get Lovin' Blues (Cameo) Love that band name!

Lucille Hegamin - No Man's Mama/Dinah (Cameo)

Lil Green - Give Your Mama One Smile/My Mellow Man (Bluebird)

Lil Green - Romance in the Dark/What Have I Done? (Bluebird)

Ted Lewis - Somebody Stole my Gal/Someday Sweetheart (Columbia) This 1930 disc is pretty good when Lewis shuts up and lets Muggsy Spanier, George Brunies and Jimmy Dorsey play.

Claude Thornhill - Under the Willow Tree/Twilight Song (Columbia) Forgettable vocals on both sides, but "Willow Tree" is a killer Gil Evans chart.

Billy Ward and His Dominos - Christmas in Heaven/Ringing in a Brand New Year (King) Nice 50's doo-wop.

Clunky, do you play any acoustically recorded 78s? They sound better when I bypass the equalizer. I guess that makes sense - the recorded frequency range was pretty narrow, so the equalizer mostly modulates the surface noise. The three Hegamin records were better without the equalizer, RIAA curve or not.

The Billy Ward also didn't need any EQ. Does anybody know if the RIAA curve was applied to 78s as well as LPs in the 1950's?

[Clunky]

I've yet to come across any 78s which sound at their best under RIAA, so I'm not sure although my collection isn't that deep. I play acoustic 78 with lower half of the RIAA curve and indeed often boost the bass a little more but I do correct the treble roll off. The advantage of the Radio shack EQ appears not to pollute the sound and it's very quick to alter.

[jeffcrom]

I've yet to come across any 78s which sound at their best under RIAA....

I'm starting to agree with you.

Today I played a bunch of hot '20's and 30's music. My favorites of the day:

Ben Selvin and His Orchestra - Dancing in the Dark/High and Low (Columbia, 1931). Pop vocals on each side, but also solos by Joe Venuti and Mannie Klein. Benny Goodman is also heard, but only on a straight melody statement.

Annette Hanshaw - We Just Couldn't Say Good-Bye/Love Me Tonight (Perfect, 1932). Sexy vocals, backed by a hot little band including Jimmy Dorsey and Mannie Klein again.

The Mystery Girl - I'd Do Anything for You/I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling (Columbia, 1929). Record buyers were supposed to think that this was Helen Kane, but it's Kate Wright. This one isn't listed in any jazz discography, as far as I know, but the master numbers show that it was recorded immediately before an Ethel Waters date with the Dorsey brothers and Mannie Klein once again - and my ears agree that it's them.

The Happy Six - Mystery (Columbia, 1920). I'm unaccountably fond of The Happy Six, a little dance band led by Harry Yerkes. They usually have minimal jazz content, in spite of the presence of New Orleans trombonist Tom Brown on most of the sides. This one has better jazz credentials, with some really nice clarinet by Alcide Nunez, who was Pee Wee Russell's original inspiration. The flip side is by the "Columbia Dance Orchestra," and it ain't such a much.

[Clunky]

Got a handful of Jazz Collector 78s. All were issued in the UK around 1949 and feature dubs of some obscure ( to me at least) sessions

Jabbo Williams Pratt City Blues/Jab Blues -Chicago 1930- (ex Paramount?)

Will Ezell Old Mill Blues/Mixed up rag- Chicago 1928 (ex Paramount?)

Johnny Dodds/Blind Blake Hot Potatoes/South Bound Rag- Chicago 1928 (ex Paramount?)

Leroy Carr/ Hokum Band- Alki Blues/Easy Rider Blues- 1929 - prev unissued

Edited December 13, 2011 by Clunky

[jeffcrom]

Got a handful of Jazz Collector 78s. All were issued in the UK around 1949 and feature dubs of some obscure ( to me at least) sessions

Jabbo Williams Pratt City Blues/Jab Blues -Chicago 1930- (ex Paramount?)

Will Ezell Old Mill Blues/Mixed up rag- Chicago 1928 (ex Paramount?)

Johnny Dodds/Blind Blake Hot Potatoes/South Bound Rag- Chicago 1928 (ex Paramount?)

Leroy Carr/ Hokum Band- Alki Blues/Easy Rider Blues- 1929 - prev unissued

Cool bunch of records! You're definitely correct that the Dodds/Blake came out on Paramount, and I think you're right about the others, too.

[Clunky]

Spinning loads of 78s including Christmas Carol on some HMVs, loads of Johhny Dodds but best of all...

Louis Armstrong With Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five Life Is So Peculiar/You Rascal, You , Brunswick UK ( ex Decca) August 23, 1950, New York. Two great performances with quite modern alto backing from Jordan when he's not singing. A lovely session. Pops is tops as I've increasingly realised over the years and his music never seems to tire.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Clunky

[jeffcrom]

Listened to a bunch of early country earlier, starting with my six Carter Family 78s. They date from 1928 to 1934; four on Victor and two on Montgomery Ward. This is sweet, honest, beautiful American music.

The best of the rest was a new find, a 1927 Ernest Stoneman on Romeo - Bully of the Town and Pass Around the Bottle. Wonderful record.

[jeffcrom]

Spun a few of the 78s I picked up in Vancouver this week:

Duke Ellington - Drop Me Off in Harlem/Clarinet Lament (English Parlophone)

Duke Ellington - Clementine/Five O'Clock Drag (Canadian HMV/Victor)

Charlie Barnet - You Were There/Mother Fuzzy (Canadian Bluebird)

plus a couple of related American records already in my collection:

Duke Ellington - Solitude/Moonglow (Silvertone) [sears' label]

Charlie Barnet - Knockin' at the Famous Door/Tin Roof Blues (Bluebird) "Tin Roof" is a Benny Carter arrangement.

[jeffcrom]

Some blues, all of which I think I've mentioned before, so here's a summary:

The Hokum Boys - Selling That Stuff/Beedle Um Bum (Paramount) Georgia Tom Dorsey, Tampa Red, and Alex Hill. Until I find a mint-condition Charley Patton or Son House, this is my best Paramount 78.

Three Clara Smiths on the Columbia "Flags" label, 1923-24. Two of them are fairly recent acquisitions, but one I've had for probably 30 years, even if I didn't have means to play it for most of those years.

Two Blind Boy Fullers, both much-played, on Conqueror and Okeh.

[jeffcrom]

Played a bunch of nice ones today:

Cab Calloway and His Orchestra - A Ghost of a Chance/Come On With the "Come On" (Okeh) Chu Berry is credited on the label of "Ghost."

Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra - Minor Mania/Marie (Columbia "blue wax")

King Oliver and His Orchestra - Stingaree Blues/Shake It and Break It (Bluebird) 1940-ish pressing of a 1930 recording. Red Allen has solos on both sides.

Johnny Hodges - Latino/Through for the Night (Mercury "trumpet")

Illinois Jacquet - The Cool Rage/Lean Baby (Mercury "trumpet")

Hot Lips Page - Big "D" Blues/It Ain't Like That (Continental) With Lucky Thompson and Vic Dickenson.

Louis Armstrong and His All Stars - A Song Was Born/Before Long (RCA Victor)

Coleman Hawkins - Lost in a Fog/I Ain't Got Nobody (Decca) 1934 solos with piano - one from NYC, one from London.

Trummie Young and His Lucky Seven - Rattle and Roll/Behind the Eight Bar (Cosmo) From 1945, with Buck Clayton and Ike Quebec.

Hot Lips Page - Let Me In/That's the One for Me (RCA Victor white label promo) Some nice Paul Quinichette on these 1951 sides.

And three 1930's discs by Chick Bullock and His Levee Loungers. Bullock was a middling pop singer, but I'll pick up any of his records I find for cheap, because you never know who will show up in the Levee Loungers. I heard bits of Bunny Berigan, Jimmy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, and a good unidentified clarinetist.

[jeffcrom]

I walked into an antique store in an Atlanta suburb yesterday and walked out with ten 78s. They had other good ones, but the condition of some was so bad that I couldn't bring myself to buy them. Cleaned and played the first seven today:

Coleman Hawkins - Body and Soul/Fine Dinner (RCA Victor) Not the original Bluebird issue, but an early-50's reissue. I have this on CD and LP, of course, but this record sounds pretty glorious.

Duke Ellington - Main Stem/Johnny Come Lately (Victor) Two of my all-time favorite Ellington tracks.

Eddie Jefferson - The Birdland Story/Honeysuckle Rose (Hi-Lo)

Eddie Jefferson - Body and Soul/I Got the Blues (Hi-Lo)

James Moody - Keepin' Up With Jonesy/Workshop (Prestige) Somebody liked Eddie Jefferson; he's on "Workshop."

Lynn Hope - September Song/Blues for Anna Bacoa (Aladdin)

Rusty Bryant - Castle Rock/All Nite Long (Dot) Hank Marr is on piano.

[Spontooneous]

Duke Ellington - Main Stem/Johnny Come Lately (Victor) Two of my all-time favorite Ellington tracks.

Very early on my journey into jazz, my "eureka" Ellington moment occurred with the 78 of "Main Stem." The way each blues chorus is orchestrated to be completely different from all the others, and then the Ben Webster interlude that takes everything to a very different place... Yeah!

[jeffcrom]

This evening I was in the mood for Benny Carter's mid-40's big band:

Benny Carter and His Orchestra - Malibu/I Surrender Dear (Capitol) It's not fair that Carter, as a saxophonist, was such a good trumpeter. "I Surrender Dear" features his trumpet throughout, and it's fabulous.

Savannah Churchill and Her All Star Orchestra - Daddy Daddy/All Alone (Manor) This is the singer with Carter's big band; it's Benny's band backing her up. I had been looking for this record, and just found a copy. One reason I love it is that the label of "Daddy Daddy" has the credit, "Trombone Solo Jay Jay." The other side - "Tenor Sax Solo Don Byas."

Benny Carter and His Orchestra - Patience and Fortitude/Jump Call (DeLuxe)

Benny Carter and His Orchestra - I'm the Caring Kind/Some of These Days (DeLuxe) The first record is by Carter's regular band; the second is full of ringers. "Some of These Days" is a Neal Hefti chart, and the soloists are again listed on the label: Trummy Young, Carter, Hefti, Byas, and pianist Sonny White. Maxine Sullivan sings "Caring Kind."

Ended with something different, but related:

Ernie Andrews - Don't Lead Me On/Make Me a Present of You (Trend) This 1953 record has the singer backed by Benny Carter arrangements; he also conducted.