July 2006
July 27, 2006
This week's Hit of the Week is brought
to you by
The NEW
Foloorola
The Secret of Beautiful Floors
(From 1930 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.
The
Wind In The Willows
Ipana Troubadours
Scrappy Lambert, vocal
1930
(Columbia 2368-D mx 151182)
I'm
So Afraid Of You
Ipana Troubadours
Scrappy Lambert, vocal
1930
(Columbia 2368-D mx 1511811)
This week I'd like to present two
tunes that I'm sure you'll enjoy.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Sam Lanin
led several successful dance bands. As a band-booking agent,
he usually had 3 or four bands recording and playing at the
same time. In the mid 1920’s, Lanin put together a band, The Ipana
Troubadours, for one of the very early network radio programs sponsored
by a successful brand of toothpaste called Ipana. This band was made up
of top-notch musicians and became very popular over the air and on records
as well. Although Lanin’s Ipana Troubadours band recorded exclusively for
Columbia, his other bands recorded for Okeh, Columbia bargain labels
(Harmony, Diva, Clarion, Velvet Tone), Plaza/ARC (Banner, Romeo, Cameo,
Perfect, Oriole, Jewel), Hit of the Week and even Gennett.
These Ipana Troubadours sessions
were recorded in late 1930. They give the listener an idea
about the fine musicianship and superb arranging skill this band
had.
"Wind in the Willows" is a haunting
tune and is treated properly here. After the vocal, you will hear
beautiful harmonies.
"I'm So Afraid Of You" is a more
up-tempo tune, reminiscent of the '20s but with a decidedly
early '30s feel.
- 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.
Of
Thee I Sing - Medley
Abe Lyman And His California Orchestra
Phil Neeley,Frank Sylvano, Dick Robertson, vocals
1932
(Brunswick 20103 mx BX 11180)
The
Laugh Parade - Medley
Abe Lyman And His California Orchestra
Phil Neeley, Dick Robertson, Helen Rowland, vocal
1932
(Brunswick 20103 mx BX 11188)
Abe Lyman and his California Orchestra
bring us this week's "Extra" selection in the form of two dance band medleys
from 1932 Broadway shows.
Abe Lyman began his band-leading
career in the early 1920s. In 1921 the band opened at the famed and then
brand new Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
Sadly, the Ambassador Hotel was recently demolished. The band remained
at the Grove until 1926 when it moved to Chicago. Lyman's pianist
Gus Arnheim remained behind and by late 1927 had formed his own band at
the Cocoanut Grove where it would remain for five years.
The Lyman band continued to be popular at nightclubs and on radio and recorded
into the 1940s
The first selection is a dance medley
from a 1932 musical Of Thee I Sing, with lyrics and music by Ira
and George Gershwin. It won the Pulitzer Prize for best American
play of 1932 and ran for 441 performances. Critics consider if one of the
most advanced musicals of its time because it utilized complex melody and
recitative verse to advance its plot. Of Thee I Sing was revived
in 2006.
The vocalists featured are Phil
Neeley Frank Sylvano and Dick Robertson. The titles of the songs are Of
Thee I Sing, Who Cares and Love Is Sweeping The Country. Arrangements here
are very peppy and smooth…typical of music of the early 1930’s. I really
love these tunes; they are so uplifting and beautifully written.
Harry Warren songs from The Laugh
Parade comprise the next selection. The Laugh Parade was a musical
revue produced by and starring Ed Wynn. It ran for 231 performances and
spawned two hit songs, "You're My Everything" and "Ooh That Kiss!" Singers
Phil Neeley, Dick Robertson and Helen Rowland give us "You're My Everything,"
" Ooh That Kiss!," "The Torch Song" and "Gotta Go To Town."
These selections are some of my
favorites. I hope you enjoy them.
- Matt From College Station
July 20, 2006
This week's Hit of the Week is brought
to you by
Hawaii Tourist Bureau
(From 1931 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.
What's
Keeping My Prince Charming?
Nat Shilkret And His Orchestra
Welcome Lewis, vocal
1931
(Victor 22710-A)
You
Can't Stop Me From Loving You
Nat Shilkret And His Orchestra
Welcome Lewis, vocal
1931
(Victor 22710-B)
This week, I would like to present
Nat Shilkret and the Victor orchestra. Nat Shilkret was a person
of all around general accomplishment. At the age of 4, he began to play
the violin and clarinet. By the time he was in his early 20s, he received
a degree in civil engineering and would go on to receive his doctorate
degree in music in 1935.
In 1921 he made his first recording
for Victor and became the "Victor Director of Light Music" by 1923.
During the period of 1923-1932 Nat recorded many sides for the Victor Talking
Machine Company. His band featured many well known vocalists of the time.
He also directed the musical accompaniment for many vocal soloists at Victor.
Welcome Lewis vocalizes on these
particular selections. She was a popular radio singer of the early 1930s
who recorded six solo sides for Victor and sang with Leonard Joy's High
Hatters and Nat Shilkret's Orchestra. Her radio nickname was "half-pint".
Both selections feature peppy beats,
excellent musicianship and snappy vocals in high style. These tunes were
also part of Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1930 production.
- 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.
Just
A Gigolo
Jack Hylton And His Orchestra
Pat O'Malley, Billy Ternent, Chappie d'Amato,
vocal 1930
(Victor 36031-A)
Yours
Is My Heart Alone
Jack Hylton And His Orchestra
Marcel Wittrisch, vocal
1930
(Victor 360361-B)
Jack Hylton brings us this week’s
extra in two excellent concert arrangements recorded in Berlin.
The Hylton Orchestra was a world-class
band which gained international fame throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s.
As the first British band to broadcast to the United States, they cemented
this fame.
Both selections feature lush arrangements
and excellent recording quality, as if they were recorded in a concert
hall. Although there is a German style during the first part of each recording,
one is reminded that this is Hylton’s band by the hot rhythm after the
vocal.
"Just A Gigolo" was an international
hit, written by Leonello
Casucci, Irving
Caesar, Spencer
Williams, Roger
Graham, and J. Brammer, with a popularity that spanned three decades.
"Yours Is My Heart Alone," from
Franz Lehar's The Land of Smiles was also popular for many years
and is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful popular tunes of
all time.
- Matt From College Station
July 13, 2006
|
Note
No update for July 13, unfortunately. I
was out of town for several days and, on top of that, since my return things
have been very hectic at work. My plan is to have an
update for next week.
In the meanwhile, I would like to bring
to the attention of my regular visitors a wonderful contemporary band that
continues to perform and keep 1920s & 1930s jazz and dance band music
alive. The band, led by Dean Mora and based out of Los Angeles, is
called Mora's Modern
Rhythmists.
A two hour live performance of the band recorded
at the Argyle Hotel in March 2004 is available on Maxwell
DeMille's website. To access the performance, click
on this link and scroll down to the "Listen To The Show Now" section.
If you enjoy the performance, the band has put
out several CDs which can be purchased at this
page on its website. |
July 6, 2006
This week's Hit of the Week is brought
to you by
(Click on image for larger view)
The New Good
MAXWELL
Maxwell Motor Sales Corp., Detroit,
Mich.
Walter P. Chrysler, President
and Chairman of the Board
(From 1925 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.
The
Kinky Kids Parade
The Mark Strand Orchestra
1925
(Columbia 443 D)
Who
Wouldn't Love You?
The Mark Strand Orchestra
1925
(Columbia 443 D)
I really know nothing about the
Mark Strand Orchestra than they made one record in 1925 for
Columbia. They are a really enjoyable mid 20’s dance band.
The Kinky Kids Parade is a novelty
number written by Walter Donaldson in 1925. Although
it is a novelty number, it displays good instrumentation and
a slightly ragtime oriented style.
Who Wouldn't Love You, also from
1925, was written by Joe Burke, Benny Davis and Frank
Barry. This tune is a typical example of 1920’s dance music.
It gets a bit hot toward the end and features great xylophone solos.
- 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.
You
Are Love
Victor Young And His Orchestra
James Melton, vocal
1932
(Columbia 55006 mx BX 12094)
Why
Do I Love You?
Victor Young And His Orchestra
Countess Albani, Frank Munn, vocal
1932
(Columbia 55007 mx BX 12159 )
Show Boat, one of the classic
and definitive musicals of the 20th century really needs no introduction.
This Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II musical opened at the Ziegfeld
Theatre on December 27, 1927 and ran for 572 performances.
For more information about Show Boat, click here
and scroll down to the "Extra" for the March 9, 2006 update which additonal
tunes from this musical.
Victor Young led the house band
for Brunswick Records and was popular on radio. He often played concert
selections and accompanied well-known vocalists.
James Melton, heard here on "Make
Believe" and "You Are Love," was a very popular radio tenor and opera
singer. He recorded for all major record labels (Victor Columbia
Brunswick) of the 1920’s and was a frequent vocalist on dance
band selections.
Frank Munn, also a frequent dance
band vocalist, recorded for Brunswick and Victor while doing
radio broadcasts. He can be considered a pioneer of early radio
and was popular until the mid 1930’s.
Countess Olga Albani received her
title as a result of her marriage to a Spanish count. She frequently
appeared on radio and recorded with Victor as a solo artist
and vocalist for the High Hatters.
My favorite of these selections
is “You Are Love”
- Matt From College Station
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