What 78 are you spinning right now ?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Started out a 78 listening session with some early Fletcher Henderson on Banner, Regal, and Domino. Nothing to get excited about - Fletcher's sides weren't much better than the studio dance bands on the flip side of each.

Moved on to four sides (Columbia and Emerson) by an interesting pre-1920 group - the Louisiana Five, with New Orleans clarinetist Alcide Nunez as the lead voice (no trumpet). It's not not a great group, but it is an interesting one, and I can't hear too much New Orleans clarinet.

Finished off with two Peacock gospel records I picked up a while back, but just got around to cleaning and playing - Reverend Cleophus Robinson and the Sensational Nightingales. Both are smokin'!

The Sensational Nightingales is one group I never got around to, for no reason I can remember; just never bought any when I had the opportunity. Never even heard anything of theirs.

This one is cheap on Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Sensational-N...9510&sr=1-1

What's it like, Jeff? I see it's Peacock material. There was also a lot of stuff on Nashboro and later on Malaco. How does that stuff compare?

MG

This 78 is the only thing I have by the Nightingales - Peacock 1765: Burying Ground/In My Mind. I see that the first side is on the "Best of" collection. All I can say is that this is a really nice six minutes of music - strong shuffle beat; strong lead voice with group responses, including a falsetto tenor; bass voice doubling the bass line. It's more like the Blind Boys of Alabama than any other group I can think of right now.

Thanks Jeff.

MG

[jeffcrom]

One local record store has been selling 78s - they have several boxes of "primo" discs as well as stacks of uncleaned, mostly junk records they sell for almost nothing. I finally got the time to spend an hour and half looking through them all, and walked out with about 40 discs. The best so far:

The Gulf Coast Seven - Fade Away Blues/Daybreak Blues (Columbia). This 1923 recording is fabulous! Trumpeter Gus Aiken, from Charleston, makes this record, but Garvin Bushell is also good.

George Lewis - Mama Don't Allow/Willie the Weeper (Good Time Jazz). I have this on CD, but always thought the sound was kind of metallic. This near-mint 78 is nice and warm.

George Brunis - Sweet Lovin' Man/Wang Wang Blues (Commodore). Wild Bill Davidson and Tony Parenti sound good on this.

Ted Heath - So Easy/With a Song in My Heart (London). The first side is a very nice Tadd Dameron chart.

Golden Gate Quartet - Bedside of a Neighbor/Found a Wonderful Saviour (Bluebird)

Rev. B. C. Campbell and Congregation - Jesus Was Great/Let Me Go Back (Apollo). A sermon backed with a song. Cool!

Big Bill Broonzy - Let Me Be Your Winder/Louise Louise Blues (Conqueror). Played almost to death, but still very cool. It has the original Conqueror sleeve.

Big Bill Broonzy - I Feel So Good/Tell Me Baby (Columbia). In good condition for a blues record.

I also got more jazz, R & B, and a few old-time country records. I'm in for a fun week.

[Chuck Nessa]

Great finds.

[Clunky]

Little Richard Tutti Frutti/ Long tall Sally - London UK - Richard's first two singles on one disc- fine stuff

[jeffcrom]

This afternoon I cleaned and played some R & B records from my recent purchase:

Roy Milton on Juke Box and Specialty

Chuck Willis on Okeh

Joe Liggins on Specialty

Fats Domino on Imperial

Good stuff, especially Roy & Fats.

[Clunky]

from my usual source today only one 78

I got a date with rhythm DeLuxe All star band featuring Billy Eckstein (sic), Dizzy , Freddie Webster and Wardell Gray also are heard. flip side I couldn't hear nobody pray The four blues- (Spiritual Quartet) DeLuxe 1003-

The spiritual is nice but sounds as if it was recorded underwater. The Eckstine track is a blast- can't find this in Dizzy's discography.

[jeffcrom]

Spent an hour and a half among the shellac this afternoon. I started out with a bunch of pre-1920 classical - mostly lightweight stuff, but beautifully played, and classical 78 owners tended to keep their records in good shape:

Pablo Casals - Chanson (Louis XIII); Pavane (Couperin)/Abendlied (Schumann) (12" Columbia)

Pablo Casals - Traumerei (Schumann)/Salut d'Amour (Elgar) (12" Columbia)

Fritz Kreisler - Largo (Handel) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal)

Mischa Elman - Preislied (Wagner) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal)

Alfred Cortot - Invitation to the Waltz (Weber) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal)

Vladimir de Pachman - Mazurka in F sharp minor, Op. 50, #3 (Chopin) (10" one-sided Victor Red Seal)

Olga Samaroff - Sparks (Etincelles), Op. 36, #6 (Moszkowski) (10" one-sided Victor Red Seal)

For some reason this led me to spin some ragtime/vaudeville:

Sousa's Band - At a Georgia Camp Meeting (Victor - 1908)

Vess Ossman - Invincible Eagle March (Columbia - 1907)

Arthur Collins - Hot Tamale Man/Billy Murray & the Rambler Minstrel Company - Shining Star (Columbia 1909). Very interesting ragtime/minstrel record.

Six Musical Magpies - Calliope Song/Laughing Song (Victor - 1924). An African-American vaudeville troupe. The second side is their version of "Watermelon Smiling on the Vine," which I grew up hearing played by local bluegrass bands in north Georgia.

Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band - Slippery Hank/Yah-de-dah (Victor - 1917). The second side could pass for jazz; the first side ain't even close. It was probably pretty exciting music for New Yorkers in 1917, though.

[Clunky]

Tommy Whittle Quintet - August 17th, 1954 (Esquire 10-398)

Tommy Whittle (ts), Harry Klein (bs), Dill Jones (p), Joe Muddel (b), Eddie Taylor (d).

Zythum/Debut

Fine British bop from Whittle who sounds very much his own man, slightly aggressive approach really which works well , very nice 78

[Clunky]

Tommy Whittle Quintet - August 17th, 1954 (Esquire 10-398)

Tommy Whittle (ts), Harry Klein (bs), Dill Jones (p), Joe Muddel (b), Eddie Taylor (d).

Zythum/Debut

Fine British bop from Whittle who sounds very much his own man, slightly aggressive approach really which works well , very nice 78

next altogether cooler

Ken Moule Seven - September 20th, 1954 (Esquire 10 417)

Dave Usden (tp), Keith Barr, Roy Sidwell (ts), Don Cooper (bs), Ken Moule (p), Arthur Watts (b), Lennie Breslaw (d),

Bensonality/Hallelujah.

it's weird getting material on 78 when magnetic tape must have been used to record these sessions.

[Brute]

Yesterday I suprisingly stumbled across a few 78s. "Mood Indigo" by Duke's Blanton/Webster band and "Fat Boy Rag" by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. I grabbed them just as keepsakes since I don't have anyway to play them. Fortunately, I already have the music on CD so I'm familiar with them.

[kt66brooklyn]

Here's what was spinning earlier:

Lou Donaldson-Clifford Brown Quintet: You Go to My Head, Brownie Speaks, BN

Charlie Parker All Stars: Barbados, Parker's Mood, Savoy

Milt Jackson: What's New/The Milt Jackson Quintet with Lou Donaldson: Tahiti, BN

Lou Donaldson with the Milt Jackson Quintet: On the Scene, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, BN

The Miles Davis Sextet: Would'n You, Dear Old Stockholm, BN

When I bought these, I could swear that I passed up a trashed copy of the Art Blakey/Sabu BN 78 mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn't know it was hard to find. The later BN 78's seem to be thin on the ground.

[jeffcrom]

Here's what was spinning earlier:

Lou Donaldson-Clifford Brown Quintet: You Go to My Head, Brownie Speaks, BN

Charlie Parker All Stars: Barbados, Parker's Mood, Savoy

Milt Jackson: What's New/The Milt Jackson Quintet with Lou Donaldson: Tahiti, BN

Lou Donaldson with the Milt Jackson Quintet: On the Scene, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, BN

The Miles Davis Sextet: Would'n You, Dear Old Stockholm, BN

When I bought these, I could swear that I passed up a trashed copy of the Art Blakey/Sabu BN 78 mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn't know it was hard to find. The later BN 78's seem to be thin on the ground.

Very cool stuff.

[kt66brooklyn]

Here's what was spinning earlier:

Lou Donaldson-Clifford Brown Quintet: You Go to My Head, Brownie Speaks, BN

Charlie Parker All Stars: Barbados, Parker's Mood, Savoy

Milt Jackson: What's New/The Milt Jackson Quintet with Lou Donaldson: Tahiti, BN

Lou Donaldson with the Milt Jackson Quintet: On the Scene, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, BN

The Miles Davis Sextet: Would'n You, Dear Old Stockholm, BN

When I bought these, I could swear that I passed up a trashed copy of the Art Blakey/Sabu BN 78 mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn't know it was hard to find. The later BN 78's seem to be thin on the ground.

Very cool stuff.

Thanks! Interesting records can be found here in NYC. I was happy with this particular score.

[jeffcrom]

At various times throughout the day:

All four of my Original Memphis Five Victor records. I love this band, and probably have more 78s by them than by any artist, on eight or nine different labels. The Victors are the best sounding.

Boyd Senter - Prickly Heat/Original Chinese Blues on Okeh. Boyd is corny beyond belief, but this one was saved by Eddie Lang and the Dorsey Brothers.

Bill Cox - Browns Ferry Blues/Long Chain Charlie Blues on Conqueror. I didn't know what this was going to be when I found it - turns out that it's really nice early country, from 1934.

Tony Hollins - Fishin' Blues/I'll Get a Break (Decca). Fabulous! This appears to be unsold store stock; I wouldn't be surprised I just played this record for the first time. Tough electric Delta blues with Sunnyland Slim on piano.

Now for five days away from all my records; hope I've chosen my iPod selections wisely.

[martini]

Bud Powell Trio on Blue Note:

The other side has a solo piece titled "It Could Happen to You." Great stuff, and it only set me back $2.

[jeffcrom]

My coolest recent finds/spins:

Shilkret's Rhyth-Melodists: Chlo-e/When You're With Somebody Else (Victor) Not jazz, really, but an interesting, mildly hot record featuring Fats Waller on pipe organ.

Original Memphis Five - Memphis Glide (Perfect) I love this little band, and every one of their records I hear further confirms that Jimmy Lytell was a great clarinetist. The flip is "Yes! We Have No Bananas" by the Golden Gate Orchestra (California Ramblers). It's not very good, but as a 78 collector I guess I needed one version of this lousy song.

Dave Tarras - ?/? (I don't read Hebrew) (British Columbia) A smokin' record by my favorite klezmer clarinetist (with all due respect to Naftule Brandwein).

Dave Bartholomew - In the Alley/I'll Never Be the Same (King Dee-Jay Special) Tough New Orleans R & B. I've got a couple of these King promo 78s - they've got biographical info on the artists printed on the label.

[jeffcrom]

My wife doesn't like intense music, but likes intense movies and video. I'm the opposite. So while she watched "True Blood" tonight, I escaped to my music room and spun a bunch of 78s. I've already talked about a lot of what I heard tonight, but I don't think I've mentioned these:

A Turkish Decca - not even sure about the artists or titles, but it's great; it has some nice cimbalon and clarinet.

Hot Lips Page - Big D Blues/It Ain't Like That (Continental) - With Lucky Thompson and Hank Jones, among others. Just a sweet record.

Eddie Miller - Ellington Echoes (Decca) - a two-part Ellington medley; great playing backed by a corny band and chorus.

Guitar Gabriel - Down in the Bottom/Bad Love (Joe Davis) - nice Piedmont blues.

Memphis Slim - My Country Girl/Treat Me Like I Treat You (Money) - tough urban blues.

[clifford_thornton]

Bud Powell Trio on Blue Note:

The other side has a solo piece titled "It Could Happen to You." Great stuff, and it only set me back $2.

Where did you get it for $2? I don't know my 78 pricing, but I would think BN 78s would be valuable.

[martini]

Where did you get it for $2? I don't know my 78 pricing, but I would think BN 78s would be valuable.

Well, if the record is worth something, mine is likely worth less, with a faded label, and an overall rough look (plays nicely, though). I picked it up here at a place called Record Finders. They have a ton of 78s that typically range from $4 to $8. I bought several Whiteman/Beiderbecke Victors from them about a year and a half ago. They were dirt cheap, and in good shape. I'm a Bix collector, but unfortunately they did not have any of his Okeh or Gennett sides (I've had to open the wallet far wider for those at auction).

Edited January 13, 2010 by martini

[jeffcrom]

I've been in a New Orleans mood today, so earlier this evening I spun:

Piron's New Orleans Orchestra - Mama's Gone, Goodbye/New Orleans Wiggle (Victor, 1923). I've got these on CD, but it's great to hear them on an excellent 78. Peter Bocage wrote both of these pieces, and his Creole trumpet sounds very sweet here.

Wooden Joe Nicholas - Ai Ai Ai/Holler Blues (American Music, 1949). A rougher (and older?) New Orleans style than Bocage and Piron. "Holler Blues" is a different take than the one used on the American Music CD.

Santa Pecora - Basin Street Blues/12th Street Rag; My Lou'siana/March of the Mardi Gras (Mercury, 1950). These sides feature the great, ill-fated New Orleans trumpeter George Girard (he died of cancer at 26) and young Pete Fountain. I hope I don't lose any hard-core jazz cred by saying this, but before he joined the Lawrence Welk troupe and became a show biz icon, young Pete Fountain was a fabulous jazz clarinetist - I just love his late-40s/early 50s New Orleans recordings.

Edited January 26, 2010 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

Fats navarro . Infatuation/ wailing wall ( Esquire, ex-prestige)10-309

[clifford_thornton]

[Clunky]

Joe Holiday- This is happiness- again another ex-Prestige UK issued Esquire. I'd not heard of him before picking this up. Pleasant cocktail-bop,which I assumed was English when ifirst heard it......it's that good!!!!!!

Edited January 27, 2010 by Clunky

[Clunky]

From my local stockist

Bill Jennings Quartet - What's New/ Soft Winds- Parlophone (1955)- no idea what label this was on originally

Mezz Mezzarow- Revolutionary blues/ Gettin Together - HMV UK 1946 issue- Mezz not too prominent, I'll need to work out who use is on these gently swing sides

Illinois Jacquet- Music Hall Beat/Jumpin at the...- Vogue UK ( ex Apollo)

Howard McGhee's Reboppers How High the Moon Parts 1 &2 and Etoile/Bill Will both on Esquire being recorded under water by Barclay in Paris in 1948. Despite limitation more life to the sound than heard on the JiP Cd "Bebop".

Gene Ammons Beezy/Somewhere along the way- Decca- no date, no info re who's playing

Edited January 30, 2010 by Clunky

[paul secor]

From my local stockist

Bill Jennings Quartet - What's New/ Soft Winds- Parlophone (1955)- no idea what label this was on originally

A King release in the U.S.