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What 78 are you spinning right now ?


Clunky

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10 hours ago, jeffcrom said:

Bottom right is for my collection of old record catalogs.

Speaking from experience ;), these low-down-at-the-bottom areas for filing paper items are about the worst storage place because this is where dust inevitably gathers fastest. You'd have to pull them out often for cleaning. Or do you have a siding glass panel in front?

As for the shelving itself - excellent. I will have to think about vertical partition walls for my setup too. 15in-wide shelves without partition as it is now (or even apprix. 22in as it is going to be in the new shelving) really is too wide if the shelves are relatively full.

BTW, speaking about the extent to which your compartments are full (or empty), have you ever had any problems with 78s warping in such storage where the 78s remain at an angle and not all upright? I have had one very odd case a long time ago - a Nellie Lutcher 78 on Capitol which i had filed on one of those wire-type record racks that were common in the 50s. Over time (several years) it warped very distinctly - to the extent of becoming unplayable, and to a lesser but quite noticeable extent this happened with a Tennessee Ernie Ford 78 (again on Capitol - were they more prone than other labels?) too. I definitely remember they were flat (at least 98% flat) when I bought them.  No heat or sun exposure either - and other 78s stored in the same rack were unaffected through the years. So all in all I fill up my shelves fairly well to avoid this happening - but am getting wary if things are too full because literally "pulling" them out and pushing them in again is a huge risk you need to avoid with fragile 78s.

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Looks good but no labels over compartments or dividers in between to indicate where things are? If I had anything like that many 78s I'd want to know where to find what I wanted to hear.  Though I guess if its alphabetized you probably know from experience where everything is, or where to look,, already.

 

Carry on!

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On 11/24/2017 at 1:32 AM, Big Beat Steve said:

Speaking from experience ;), these low-down-at-the-bottom areas for filing paper items are about the worst storage place because this is where dust inevitably gathers fastest. You'd have to pull them out often for cleaning. Or do you have a siding glass panel in front?

As for the shelving itself - excellent. I will have to think about vertical partition walls for my setup too. 15in-wide shelves without partition as it is now (or even apprix. 22in as it is going to be in the new shelving) really is too wide if the shelves are relatively full.

BTW, speaking about the extent to which your compartments are full (or empty), have you ever had any problems with 78s warping in such storage where the 78s remain at an angle and not all upright? I have had one very odd case a long time ago - a Nellie Lutcher 78 on Capitol which i had filed on one of those wire-type record racks that were common in the 50s. Over time (several years) it warped very distinctly - to the extent of becoming unplayable, and to a lesser but quite noticeable extent this happened with a Tennessee Ernie Ford 78 (again on Capitol - were they more prone than other labels?) too. I definitely remember they were flat (at least 98% flat) when I bought them.  No heat or sun exposure either - and other 78s stored in the same rack were unaffected through the years. So all in all I fill up my shelves fairly well to avoid this happening - but am getting wary if things are too full because literally "pulling" them out and pushing them in again is a huge risk you need to avoid with fragile 78s.

Each of my catalogs is in a plastic bag, but point taken. I've never had that problem with warpage - breakage has been my problem when my records were stored in boxes and long shelves.

 

On 11/24/2017 at 4:59 AM, Dan Gould said:

Looks good but no labels over compartments or dividers in between to indicate where things are? If I had anything like that many 78s I'd want to know where to find what I wanted to hear.  Though I guess if its alphabetized you probably know from experience where everything is, or where to look,, already.

 

Carry on!

Right now I'm using a "cheat sheet" guide to what is where - a paper map, more or less. I might add labels if and when I'm sure that I like the setup.

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On 23.2.2005 at 6:58 PM, mikeweil said:

I only have two: a copy of Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock on German Brunswick, and two Gershwin piano solos, both hanging on the wall for decoration :w

 

Haven't had a suitable player for more than 20 years.

When we moved ten years ago, some dumbass broke the Bill Haley 78. I gave the Gershwin to a neighbour who has a working, great sounding grammophone - he was delighted.

Since then I acquired three Nick Esposito 78's in the course of my Tjader discography researches. Would be nice to be able to play them back at home, and get some more ... 

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  • 2 weeks later...

24177197_1535334206534587_75745839658158 

 

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DId a particularly geeky 78 collector thing tonight and played both issued takes of Fletcher Henderson's 1925 "Then I'll Be Happy" back to back - take one on Banner and take two on Oriole, which was the McCrory's dime store label. Joe Smith's trumpet solo is very similar on both takes. Coleman Hawkins takes a great solo on each, starting with the same phrase, but then going in very different directions.

Then for good measure, I spun Fletcher's 1924 "How Come You Do Me Like You Do" on Regal, with some hot Louis Armstrong.

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4 hours ago, gmonahan said:

All acoustically recorded, right? Despite the "electrographic" process on the Banner sleeve? Love that you have the original sleeve for that one!

 

 

gregmo

Yes, they're acoustics. That's not the original sleeve. When I come across a vintage sleeve that seems right for a record I already have, I put them together. In retrospect, I didn't do so well with that pairing. The National Recovery Administration logo dates it to 1933 or after.

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On 12/5/2017 at 1:23 PM, jeffcrom said:

Yes, they're acoustics. That's not the original sleeve. When I come across a vintage sleeve that seems right for a record I already have, I put them together. In retrospect, I didn't do so well with that pairing. The National Recovery Administration logo dates it to 1933 or after.

Damn! I missed that NRA logo! I'm gettin' old. Well, even if it's not the right pairing, it is a cool sleeve!

 

 

gregmo

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  • 4 weeks later...

Last night I had a 78-only listening party last night with seven friends in my tiny living room. They were all folks associated with the Atlanta music/arts scene in some way: a music critic, a rock guitarist, a baritone saxist (and my colleague in the Edgewood Saxophone Trio), an electronic improviser, a part-time music promoter and her music-loving husband, and an arts writer. I picked some of the records with specific people in mind, but everybody at least thought everything was interesting, and usually more than that. (The music critic hated the Al Sears, for some reason.) Anyway, it was a really fun evening. Some discs got both sides played, some just one. We spun:

My oldest record - an 1898 Berliner of F. Jardella playing a polka on clarinet
King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band - Dippermouth Blues on Gennett (Actually, I have the 1925 issue where it's called "Sugarfoot Stomp." It's the only second pressing Gennett did of any of the Olivers.)
Sara Martin with Clarence Williams Blue Five - Atlanta Blues on Okeh
Hersal Thomas - Suitcase Blues/Hersal Blues on Okeh
Bessie Smith - Back Water Blues/Preachin' the Blues on Columbia
Fiddlin' John Carson - The Little Log Cabin in the Lane/The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster Crowed for Day on Okeh - record brought by a guest
klezmer clarinet from the early 20s by Naftule Brandwein and Sam Finkel on Columbia
A 20s dance band called the Midnight Rambers on Broadway - record brought by a guest
A Japanese Columbia with a male singer singing Perry Como style in English and Japanese - record brought by a guest
Charlie Parker - Klaunstance on Savoy
Earl Coleman w/ Bird - This is Always on Dial - record brought by a guest
Miles Davis - Godchild/Jeru on Capitol
Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle - You are My Flower/Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow on Columbia (A really lovely record.)
Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs - Hobo's Lullaby/Old Pinto and Me on Conqueror. I brought this back from Washington last week. I don't think it had ever been played until I put it on the turntable.
Ink Spots on Decca - record brought by guest
Joe Mooney Quartet - Tea for Two/Warm Kiss, Cold Heart on Decca. Sophisticated pop/jazz. I knew one of my saxophonist friend would love this one, and he did.
Buddy Moss - Someday Baby/Shake it all Night Long on Conqueror
Buddy Moss - Joy Rag/Unfinished Business on Okeh
John Lee Booker (sic) - Pouring Down Rain on DeLuxe
Muddy Waters - Manish (sic) Boy/Young Fashioned Ways on Chess. Mint condition, for some reason. Who wouldn't have played this record a lot?
Little Walter - Roller Coaster/I Got to Go on Checker
Little Walter - Tell Me Mama/Off the Wall on Checker
Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line/Get Rhythm on Sun
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues on Sun
Al Sears - Mag's Alley/Huffing and Puffing on RCA. I like this one because Sears sounds exactly like Albert Ayler for about 15 seconds on side one.
Lee Allen - Walking with Mr. Lee/Promenade on Ember
Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm - I'm Tore Up/If I Had Never Known You on Federal
James Brown - Please, Please, Please/Why Do you Do Me on Federal
Ray Charles - Sinner's Prayer/It Should Have Been Me on Atlantic
Elvis Presley - Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel on RCA
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock on RCA
The Dell-Vikings - Come Go With Me on Dot
Edited by jeffcrom
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What great range of music you played that night, must have been a blast if a little fatiguing flip records every 3 minutes. No new 78 purchases for me for some time.

 

However I continue to play the collection I have (around 700) over Christmas played a fair bit of Teddy Wilson+/- Billie ( mainly UK master pressings) , some Satch and some Spike Hughes ( UK and USA dates). 

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Substituting a wider 35E stylus can do wonders to playback. I'm mostly too lazy to swap things around and just use the 32E which plays most 78s just fine. Tonight however the 35E has been deployed to great effect

 

River Boat Shuffle/It's one of those things---------Kit Cat Band-------(HMV) B2167, recorded 1925 in London

 

Some superb swinging hot music on these sides, sound from this moderately worn disc much less hissy with the 35 cf 32.

 

Also played this one with great dynamics and near silent background 

 

Duke Ellington------Rose Room/ It don't mean a thing--------(Brunswick UK) 1292

 

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On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 8:49 PM, jeffcrom said:

Last night I had a 78-only listening party last night with seven friends in my tiny living room. They were all folks associated with the Atlanta music/arts scene in some way: a music critic, a rock guitarist, a baritone saxist (and my colleague in the Edgewood Saxophone Trio), an electronic improviser, a part-time music promoter and her music-loving husband, and an arts writer. I picked some of the records with specific people in mind, but everybody at least thought everything was interesting, and usually more than that. (The music critic hated the Al Sears, for some reason.) Anyway, it was a really fun evening. Some discs got both sides played, some just one. We spun:

My oldest record - an 1898 Berliner of F. Jardella playing a polka on clarinet
King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band - Dippermouth Blues on Gennett (Actually, I have the 1925 issue where it's called "Sugarfoot Stomp." It's the only second pressing Gennett did of any of the Olivers.)
Sara Martin with Clarence Williams Blue Five - Atlanta Blues on Okeh
Hersal Thomas - Suitcase Blues/Hersal Blues on Okeh
Bessie Smith - Back Water Blues/Preachin' the Blues on Columbia
Fiddlin' John Carson - The Little Log Cabin in the Lane/The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster Crowed for Day on Okeh - record brought by a guest
klezmer clarinet from the early 20s by Naftule Brandwein and Sam Finkel on Columbia
A 20s dance band called the Midnight Rambers on Broadway - record brought by a guest
A Japanese Columbia with a male singer singing Perry Como style in English and Japanese - record brought by a guest
Charlie Parker - Klaunstance on Savoy
Earl Coleman w/ Bird - This is Always on Dial - record brought by a guest
Miles Davis - Godchild/Jeru on Capitol
Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle - You are My Flower/Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow on Columbia (A really lovely record.)
Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs - Hobo's Lullaby/Old Pinto and Me on Conqueror. I brought this back from Washington last week. I don't think it had ever been played until I put it on the turntable.
Ink Spots on Decca - record brought by guest
Joe Mooney Quartet - Tea for Two/Warm Kiss, Cold Heart on Decca. Sophisticated pop/jazz. I knew one of my saxophonist friend would love this one, and he did.
Buddy Moss - Someday Baby/Shake it all Night Long on Conqueror
Buddy Moss - Joy Rag/Unfinished Business on Okeh
John Lee Booker (sic) - Pouring Down Rain on DeLuxe
Muddy Waters - Manish (sic) Boy/Young Fashioned Ways on Chess. Mint condition, for some reason. Who wouldn't have played this record a lot?
Little Walter - Roller Coaster/I Got to Go on Checker
Little Walter - Tell Me Mama/Off the Wall on Checker
Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line/Get Rhythm on Sun
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues on Sun
Al Sears - Mag's Alley/Huffing and Puffing on RCA. I like this one because Sears sounds exactly like Albert Ayler for about 15 seconds on side one.
Lee Allen - Walking with Mr. Lee/Promenade on Ember
Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm - I'm Tore Up/If I Had Never Known You on Federal
James Brown - Please, Please, Please/Why Do you Do Me on Federal
Ray Charles - Sinner's Prayer/It Should Have Been Me on Atlantic
Elvis Presley - Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel on RCA
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock on RCA
The Dell-Vikings - Come Go With Me on Dot

Must have been cool to have been a guest that night.

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The BBC radio series on "Black Music in Europe: The hidden history" presented brilliantly by Clarke Peters is well worth everyone's time. 

I went out hunting for Zonaphone shellacs today in the hopes of finding some of the African acts recorded in London in the 20s that have been featured on the most recent episode of the above series. No such luck needless to say. The Zonaphones I found didn't look too interesting. I did however pick up a Benny Goodman with Christian, a Buddy Defranco with Max, Jimmy Ranny, a Pablo Casals and an interesting HMV/ Victor from 1922.

Laughing Rag by Sam Moore and Horace Davis , a curious mix of rag time, Hawaiian and hint of blues. Recorded in NYC in mid 1921 , two other versions were released on Gennett and Okeh. The Victor version was a hit apparently. 

The reverse side has Beautiful Hawaii  by Frank Ferera, not as interesting but not a straight Hawaiian piece either, with other influences evident. 

 

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R-6680061-1514430894-9908.jpeg.jpg

Vintage country on a rare snowy day in Georgia:

Bill Cox - The Death of Frank Bowen/When We Sing of Home (Gennett, 1929)
Bill Cox - Browns Ferry Blues/Long Chain Charlie Blues (Conqueror, 1934)
Bill Cox - Rollin' Pin Woman/Star Boarder Blues (Banner, 1934)
Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs - The Hobo's Lullaby/Old Pinto and Me (Conqueror, 1939)

Georgia Yellow Hammers - Pass Around the Bottle/Johnson's Old Grey Mule (Victor, 1927)
Georgia Yellow Hammers - My Carolina Girl/The Picture on the Wall (Victor, 1927)
Uncle Bud Landress and Georgia Yellow Hammers - Christmas Time at Moonshine Hollow/Candy Pulling at Moonshine Hollow (Victor, 1927)
Gordon County Quartet (the same group as above) - Walking in the King's Highway/Beyond the Clouds is Light (Columbia, 1930)

The last four records are by the same Calhoun, Georgia group. "Christmas Time"/"Candy Pulling" is attempted humor, but at least the first side includes a nice, although short, version of "Give the Fiddler a Dram."

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2 hours ago, jeffcrom said:

R-6680061-1514430894-9908.jpeg.jpg

Vintage country on a rare snowy day in Georgia:

Bill Cox - The Death of Frank Bowen/When We Sing of Home (Gennett, 1929)
Bill Cox - Browns Ferry Blues/Long Chain Charlie Blues (Conqueror, 1934)
Bill Cox - Rollin' Pin Woman/Star Boarder Blues (Banner, 1934)
Bill Cox & Cliff Hobbs - The Hobo's Lullaby/Old Pinto and Me (Conqueror, 1939)

Georgia Yellow Hammers - Pass Around the Bottle/Johnson's Old Grey Mule (Victor, 1927)
Georgia Yellow Hammers - My Carolina Girl/The Picture on the Wall (Victor, 1927)
Uncle Bud Landress and Georgia Yellow Hammers - Christmas Time at Moonshine Hollow/Candy Pulling at Moonshine Hollow (Victor, 1927)
Gordon County Quartet (the same group as above) - Walking in the King's Highway/Beyond the Clouds is Light (Columbia, 1930)

The last four records are by the same Calhoun, Georgia group. "Christmas Time"/"Candy Pulling" is attempted humor, but at least the first side includes a nice, although short, version of "Give the Fiddler a Dram."

I thought Georgia had rainy nights, not snowy days. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

AV-B-14031.jpg

Some early near-jazz by black New York bands:

Ford Dabney - When My Baby Smiles/Wedding and Shimmie and Jazz (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1920)

Ford Dabney - My Laddie (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1920) (Reverse is by Paul Biese's dance band.)

Ford Dabney - Mr. Sousa's Yankee Band/Feist's All-Hit Medley (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1918)

Tim Brymm and His Black Devil Orchestra - Siren of the Southern Sea/Wang Wang Blues (Okeh, 1921)

Dabney's was a good dance band, but with really no jazz content. The odd title of side two of the first record was apparently meant to be "The Wedding of Shimmie and Jazz." If that's the case, Jazz didn't show up, and left Shimmie at the altar. The third Dabney record is a 12" vertically-cut disc - my turntable has a "vertical" switch to play these early discs. The first side of that one is pretty grim, but the medley is interesting as pop music of the time.

Brymm's band was a lot looser - "Wang Wang" actually swings.

Edited by jeffcrom
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12 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Have not tried playing it yet, but I just discovered this disc in my collection: Victor 18722 - ODJB playing "Broadway Rose" and "Sweet Mama" recorded December 30, 1920. This seems to be a first pressing and looks like it will be noisy.

I'd think it would have to be, one way or another.

9 minutes ago, jeffcrom said:

AV-B-14031.jpg

Some early near-jazz by black New York bands:

Ford Dabney - When My Baby Smiles/Wedding and Shimmie and Jazz (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1920)

Ford Dabney - My Laddie (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1920) (Reverse is by Paul Biese's dance band.)

Ford Dabney - Mr. Sousa's Yankee Band/Feist's All-Hit Medley (Aeolian-Vocalion, 1918)

Tim Brymm and His Black Devil Orchestra - Siren of the Southern Sea/Wang Wang Blues (Okeh, 1921)

Dabney's was a good dance band, but with really no jazz content. The odd title of side two of the first record was apparently meant to be "The Wedding of Shimmie and Jazz." If that's the case, Jazz didn't show up, and left Shimmie at the altar. The third Dabney record is a 12" vertically-cut disc - my turntable has a "vertical" switch to play these early discs. The first side of that one is pretty grim, but the medley is interesting as pop music of the time.

Brymm's band was a lot looser - "Wang Wang" actually swings.

What's readily out there for these type bands? CDs, easily available from the usual suspects? I don't want the Encyclopedia Brittanica, but a World Book type set or two would not be unwelcome. I go back as far as the James Reese Europe military band, but his stuff with, what was it, the Castle Orchestra(?), I'd like to hear that and some other things of that time/place.

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19 hours ago, JSngry said:

What's readily out there for these type bands? CDs, easily available from the usual suspects? I don't want the Encyclopedia Brittanica, but a World Book type set or two would not be unwelcome. I go back as far as the James Reese Europe military band, but his stuff with, what was it, the Castle Orchestra(?), I'd like to hear that and some other things of that time/place.

 

Just poking around the web, I can't find any CDs with tracks by Ford Dabney or Tim Brymm. The 1913-14 James Reese Europe Victors have shown up one or two at a time on CD - at least the ragtime sides. Stomp and Swerve on Archeophone has "Castle House Rag." I have three ragtime collections on the British Saydisc label: I'll Dance till de Sun Breaks Though has "Castle Walk," Rusty Rags has "Castle Walk" and "You're Here and I'm Here," and Too Much Mustard has "Down Home Rag." I have no idea how easy or difficult to find these discs are now.

If you just want to hear the Europe Victors, rather than "own" them, wait about a week. The next entry in my 78 blog will feature all eight of Europe's Victor sides. (Of course I have all the original records. Don't be ridiculous!) I'll post a link here.

In the meantime, there's this:

http://78rpmblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/an-early-zonophone-rag-creole-belles.html

Edited by jeffcrom
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