What 78 are you spinning right now ?

[Clunky]

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.

Thanks, found this on the Ammons

Gene Ammons Septet

Bill Massey (tp) J.J. Johnson (tb) Gene Ammons (ts) Sonny Stitt (bars) John Houston (p) Ernie Shepard (b) Bob Wilson (d)

NYC, March 24, 1952

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

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.

Recorded 8 July 1954 the day after the "Billy in the lion's den" session, without Leo Parker, but rest of band the same.

I never knew Jug recorded for Decca. Highly envious.

MG

[Clunky]

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.

Recorded 8 July 1954 the day after the "Billy in the lion's den" session, without Leo Parker, but rest of band the same.

I never knew Jug recorded for Decca. Highly envious.

MG

I picked up "Billy in the lion's den" as LP reissue just a few weeks ago, very fine indeed. I had only previously come across Jennings on few Prestige Hammond/guitar sessions.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

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.

Recorded 8 July 1954 the day after the "Billy in the lion's den" session, without Leo Parker, but rest of band the same.

I never knew Jug recorded for Decca. Highly envious.

MG

I picked up "Billy in the lion's den" as LP reissue just a few weeks ago, very fine indeed. I had only previously come across Jennings on few Prestige Hammond/guitar sessions.

Yes, it's an album I feel very friendly towards

MG

[jeffcrom]

Just finished spinning my latest find: Audiophile AP-1, a 12" microgroove(!), red vinyl(!) 78 by Harry Blons' Dixieland Band. The record was state-of-the-art audiophile for the early fifties, with three tunes on a side. Musically, it's solid, unspectaular dixieland by clarinetist Blons' midwestern band. The sleeve has the original price tag from Olson's (locations in Akron, Cleveland, and Chicago) - a whopping $5.95. I found a couple of pictures online at this interesting website about the Audiophile label.

[Clunky]

from my local stockist today in excellent shape

Teddy Grace - Love me of leave me/ Crazy Blues- Decca (2050) - nice vocalist who I've not heard before, good band with Jack T and Dave Barbour. Really only Mr T gets any solo space. Solid swing sides

Henry Red Allen & Orchestra- Swing out/ Feeling Drowsy- Bluebird (10702)- Swing out drives quite hard- Pops Foster propels things forward

[jeffcrom]

from my local stockist today in excellent shape

Teddy Grace - Love me of leave me/ Crazy Blues- Decca (2050) - nice vocalist who I've not heard before, good band with Jack T and Dave Barbour. Really only Mr T gets any solo space. Solid swing sides

Henry Red Allen & Orchestra- Swing out/ Feeling Drowsy- Bluebird (10702)- Swing out drives quite hard- Pops Foster propels things forward

That Red Allen is a great record.

I had an eclectic day among the 78s:

Cantor Josef Rosenblatt of the First Hung. Cong. Ohab Zedek: Habet Mishomaim, parts 1 & 2 (Victor 12")

Alfred Cortot: Invitation to the Waltz (Weber, Op. 65) (Victor Red Seal one-sided). Great playing, and those acoustic Victors sound really good for the time.

Jimmy Dorsey - All of Me/Body and Soul (Decca). Not profound, but nice sax playing.

Paula Watson - A Little Bird Told Me/Stick By Me Baby (Supreme). One of several records of the R & B novelty "Little Bird." The flip is a lot better - a nice blues ballad with good, anonymous piano and tenor.

Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 1 (Asch) Some good Howard McGhee here.

And three B.B. Kings on RPM: Love You Baby/The Woman I Love; Whole Lotta Love/You Upset Me Baby; Bad Luck/Sweet Little Angel.

Edited February 14, 2010 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 1 (Asch) Some good Howard McGhee here.

How's the Asch, all of these that I've found (mainly Mary Lou Williams' sides) sound like ash,....even mint copies have high surface noise

[jeffcrom]

Jazz at the Philharmonic, Vol. 1 (Asch) Some good Howard McGhee here.

How's the Asch, all of these that I've found (mainly Mary Lou Williams' sides) sound like ash,....even mint copies have high surface noise

The records are in good condition, but yes, there is a fair amount of surface noise. Not as much as on the only other Asch 78s I have - by Art Tatum. Within reason, 78 surface noise doesn't bother me too much. I think I have a subconscious internal meter which measures the amount of noise in relationship to the quality of the music. The better the music, the more I will tolerate in order to listen to it. Noisy records with mediocre music get placed in the discard pile pretty quickly.

[jeffcrom]

Stopped by a local record store that stocks 78s today and walked out with half a dozen records. The two that excited me most were:

A Daisy Martin red-label Okeh from 1921. Unfortunately, this only excited me until I put it on the turntable. Never heard of blues singer Daisy Martin? Well, there's a reason for that....

But the other one paid off:

Wynonie (Mr. Blues) Harris with Jimmie Jackson and His Orchestra - Dig This Boogie/Lightnin' Struck the Poorhouse (Bullet). This was Sun Ra's first record, recorded in Nashville in 1946. In fact, the first side is accompanied only by piano and drums, and it's pretty cool. Even this early, there are a few slightly odd passages in this otherwise straight-ahead boogie. I know these sides have been reissued, but I still consider this a find.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

But the other one paid off:

Wynonie (Mr. Blues) Harris with Jimmie Jackson and His Orchestra - Dig This Boogie/Lightnin' Struck the Poorhouse (Bullet). This was Sun Ra's first record, recorded in Nashville in 1946. In fact, the first side is accompanied only by piano and drums, and it's pretty cool. Even this early, there are a few slightly odd passages in this otherwise straight-ahead boogie. I know these sides have been reissued, but I still consider this a find.

Yes, nice stuff. I hadn't realised it was Sun Ra's first recording. Have to give it a listen soon (not on 78 )

MG

[Clunky]

Sorting out my Ellington 78s as I was constantly getting muddled regarding what sides I had already.

Some Brunswicks : Clarinet Lament/echoes of Harlem (ARC 27th Feb. 1936.

Paduca/ Harlem flat blues (March 1st 1929)

[Clunky]

Pete Johnson "Holler Stomp/ You don't know my mind" BN-12, twelve inch 78 with a yellow/blue BN label

[jeffcrom]

Some nice 78 spinning this afternoon:

Frank Guarente - My Mother's Eyes (Puritone). Not a masterpiece, but hotter than the title sounds.

Dodo Marmarosa - Mellow Mood/How High the Moon (Atomic). Lucky Thompson is on "Moon," but "Mellow Mood" is the winner here - just beautiful.

Eddie Safranski and the Poll Cats - Jumpin' for Jane/Turmoil (Atlantic). A buncha Kentonites, including young Art Pepper.

Don Byas Quintet - Little White Lies/You Came Along (Jamboree). Sweet - with Buck Clayton.

Don Byas Quartet - Three O'Clock in the Morning/One O'Clock Jump (Super Disc). Some really nice Errol Garner here.

And the complete recorded works of Dave Tough as leader:

You Were Meant for Me/East of the Sun (Jamboree 906)

Love Walked In/When You're Smiling (Jamboree 907). A nice little quintet with Joe Thomas on trumpet and Ted Nash on tenor. Pianist Bernie Leighton impressed me here.

Edited February 27, 2010 by jeffcrom

[Clunky]

Some nice 78 spinning this afternoon:

You Were Meant for Me/East of the Sun (Jamboree 906)

Love Walked In/When You're Smiling (Jamboree 907). A nice little quintet with Joe Thomas on trumpet and Ted Nash on tenor. Pianist Bernie Leighton impressed me here.

earlier Should I/You call it madness... Don Byas All Star Quintet- Jamboree 900 ( with Joe Thomas, again), also played today's small crop of 78 purchases

Bud Freeman Exactly Like You/Blue Room - Commodore

Hot Lips Page Rockin at Ryans/ You'd be frantic too Commodore- excellent Lucky Thompson tenor to be heard here

Fletcher Henderson Variety Stomp/ St Louis Shuffle Bluebird, a reissue I believe but v good sound none the less

The Commodores are pretty much in near mint condition but have relatively high surface noise which may explain why so many Commodore reissues on LP and Cd sound so lifeless as they've been NoNoised to death ( or similar)

[jeffcrom]

My current short-term musical obsessions seem to be Sun Ra, New Orleans music, and gospel. I indulged the latter today with these, some of which I've mentioned here before:

The Caravans - Tell Him What You Want/Wait For Me (States) Great mid-50s Chicago gospel with Albertina Walker

Dixie Humming Birds (sic) - In the Storm Too Long/Every Knee Surely Must Bow (Apollo) They don't sound like themselves on this early record - more like the Southern Sons or an older group like that.

Dixie Humming Birds - Christians Automobile/Stop By Here (Peacock) This is more like their familiar style - it rocks.

Angelic Gospel Singers - Jesus Paid It All/I Want to See Him (Gotham) An early fifites recording from an all-female group that is still around and recording.

Rev. B. C. Campbell and Congregation - Jesus Was Great (sermon)/Let Me Go Back (song) (Apollo) I like this one a lot. I think Rev. Campbell was from Texas. His sermon fragment here may not make a lot of sense, but it has a lot of energy.

[jeffcrom]

In the last few days I've spun too many gospel 78s to post here, but it was back to jazz today:

Andy Kirk: Mellow Bit of Rhythm/In My Wildest Dream (Decca) - "Mellow Bit" is a nice Mary Lou Williams chart; the other side is okay until Pha Terrell enters with his vocal.

Andy Kirk: Hey Lawdy Mama/McGhee Special (Decca) - McGhee already had it going on in 1942.

Howard McGhee: McGhee Special/McGhee Jumps (Modern Music) - This is an even better version, from 1946 or so. The flip side has solos by McGhee, Vic Dickenson, and (I think) Teddy Edwards. This is a great little record.

Woody Herman: Four Others/Sorry 'Bout the Whole Darn Thing (Mars) - "Others" is Jimmy Giuffre's chart featuring the trombone section: Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Frank Rehak, and Vern Friley.

And some R & B to end with:

Roy Brown: Rockin' at Midnight/Judgement Day Blues (DeLuxe) - The original owner liked side one of this record a lot more than side two; side one is pretty noisy. Good music, though.

[jeffcrom]

I went back to the 78s tonight, spurred by the fact that I suddenly remembered that I had a Xeroxed Big Bill Broonzy discography in my file cabinet. So I played my Big Bill 78s:

Louise, Louise/Let Me Be Your Winder (Conqueror) - This record has the original Conqueror sleeve, but it's so worn that the surface noise is at least as loud as the music. But I love this record for non-musical reasons - its history. Someone bought this record in 1937 or '38 and just loved it. They played it over and over, even though they couldn't afford to change the needle on their phonograph very often. I'm proud to have it now, and I hope the next owner loves it just as much.

I Feel So Good/Tell Me Baby (Columbia) - I had thought that the trumpet on "Tell Me Baby" must be the great Punch Miller, and it's nice to have it confirmed.

Cell No. 13 Blue/You Got the Best Go (Columbia) - Pianist Big Maceo, from the south side of Atlanta, adds a tough edge to this 1945 record.

[jeffcrom]

Just picked up a cool "new" 78, which gives me two by the great klezmer clarinetist Dave Tarras. Just played them back to back:

Two Rumanian tunes (the full titles are in Hebrew) on a British "Magic Notes" label Columbia. Really beautiful clarinetizing.

Kosatchok/Komarinska by the Dave Tarras Orchestra on a blue-label Savoy. This one is just too cool. The tunes alternate straight klezmer passages with sections arranged for a medium-sized swing band. The arrangements are by Tarras's son-in-law Sam Musiker, who was Gene Krupa's clarinet soloist in the early forties; Musiker is a great klezmer clarinetist himself. I like this record a lot.

Edited March 8, 2010 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Today's winner from the few 78s I played: Ivory Joe Hunter - I Like It/No Money, No Luck Blues (King). A good one. Side one has a bunch of Ellington guys (c. 1947) backing him up - Shorty Baker, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope, Pettiford, and Greer.

[jeffcrom]

Today's winner, which I've had for awhile (but had forgotten how amazing it is):

Reverend Cleophus Robinson: I Can See So Much/Moaning in the Morning (Peacock). "I Can See So Much" really rocks, but "Moaning" is stunning. It's accompanied by piano, but is otherwise basically a field holler with religious lyrics - in free tempo throughout.

Where ya at, Clunky? Smashingthirds? Martini? Spun any 78s lately?

[jeffcrom]

The Original Memphis Five from 1922:

I'm Going Away to Wear You Off My Mind (Broadway)

I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate (Banner)

Ji-Ji-Boo/You Can Have Him, I Don't Want Him, Didn't Love Him Anyhow Blues (Pathe Actuelle)

Stop Your Kidding/That Barking Dog (Vocalion)

Great little band, and I love Jimmy Lytell's clarinet playing.

[Clunky]

Today's winner, which I've had for awhile (but had forgotten how amazing it is):

Reverend Cleophus Robinson: I Can See So Much/Moaning in the Morning (Peacock). "I Can See So Much" really rocks, but "Moaning" is stunning. It's accompanied by piano, but is otherwise basically a field holler with religious lyrics - in free tempo throughout.

Where ya at, Clunky? Smashingthirds? Martini? Spun any 78s lately?

I'm here...that spirtual side sounds interesting...

up now

Jimmy Ricks She's Got to Go with The Ravens Come a little bit closer Mercury , not sure how Rick's singing should be classified other than so deep and low I wondered if the speed setting was right, sub-woofer or bass voice , gentle R&B .

Next a great date for Sonny Stitt on baritone, I had this on the Proper box but the sub-par sound of that set allowed this mini masterpiece to slip by

This Can't be love/PS I Love You - Esquire 10-245 ( ex Prestige). Great sound on this UK 78- very full

Edited March 16, 2010 by Clunky

[tjluke68]

LaVern Baker Atlantic 78 - Tweedle Dee b/w Tomorrow Night. Has a slight crack in it but still sounds great!!!

[jeffcrom]

This evening I spun some white gospel, which I sometimes find annoying. Today it was just what I needed:

Smith's Sacred Singers: If I'm Faithful to My Lord/We Are Going Down the Valley One By One (Columbia, 1926). These guys were from Braselton, Georgia, about 40 miles east of Atlanta.

Gordon County Quartet: Walking in the King's Highway/Beyond the Clouds is Light (Columbia, 1930). Another Georgia group, who recorded less devout material as The Georgia Yellow Hammers.

The Original Sacred Harp Choir: Greenfield/Hallelujah (Brunswick, 1922). If you've never heard Sacred Harp singing, it's strange and wonderful. The label of this record is so beautiful that I uploaded a scan.