The Playlist (Steaming MP3)• Some Accordion Favorites, 1909 – 1927

The Playlist (Steaming MP3)• Some Accordion Favorites, 1909 – 1927

 

Original recordings from the Mainspring Press Collection

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PIETRO FROSINI: An American Rag

London: c. June 1911
Albion 1012  (Beka mx. 41241)

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JOHN J. KIMMEL (with uncredited pianist): Indian Intermezzo

New York; released June 1909
Indestructible 1090 (cylinder)

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PIETRO FROSINI: New York Blues — Rag Classical

New York: September 15, 1916
Edison Diamond Disc 50454 (mx. 4998 – C)

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GUIDO DEIRO: Ostrich Walk

New York: c. August 29, 1918
Columbia A2648 (mx. 78033 – 2)

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PIETRO DEIRO: Melody Rag (Philadelphia Blues)

Camden, NJ: October 5, 1915
Victor 17895 (mx. B 16597 – 1)
The subtitle was entered in the Victor files but does not appear on the labels.

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FRANK SALERNO: Kent Street Blues

Chicago (Marsh Laboratories): c. May 1928
Broadway 1189  (mx. 20608 – 1)
A reworking of Pietro Deiro’s “Melody Rag.”

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RUTH ETTING (with MARIO PERRY, accordion; RUBE BLOOM, piano): Sam, The Old Accordion Man

New York: March 1, 1927  (William Freiberg, recording engineer)
Columbia 908-D  (mx. W 143564 – 3)
Accompanists are from the Columbia matrix card; they are uncredited on the labels.

 

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Reposting and/or commercial use of these sound files is prohibited. Please report violations to: publisher@mainspringpress.com.

Editorial • Just When You Thought We Were Done with Judy Woodruff…

Editorial • Just When You Thought We Were Done with Judy Woodruff….

 

…she’s back on PBS, in what threatens to be a two-year series in which she spouts her trite, tired vision of who “we” are, and where “we” seem to be headed as a nation.

Enough, already.

We are in the grips of an entrenched gerontocracy, bogged down by the likes of a doddering, backward-looking Joe Biden, a paranoid-delusional Donald Trump, and the various Mitch McConnells and Nancy Pelosis who have long-since outlived any purpose they might once have served. Having a sad relic like Judy Woodruff back on public television only compounds the problem.

Please: Let PBS know that we not only want, but desperately need, fresh talent, fresh viewpoints, and a positive new direction — preferably from those still at a safe distance from death’s door.

Thanks for your service, old-timers, but please have the common decency to move on now, so that we can move ahead.

Allan Sutton

 

You can help in the effort to impose term limits on all appointed and elected federal officials. Here’s a good starting point  if you’d like to know more.

 

 

 

New Second Edition of “Star Records: A History and Discography” Is Now Free to Download

New Second Edition of Star Records: A History and Discography Is Now Free to Download

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STAR RECORDS: A HISTORY
AND DISCOGRAPHY


Second Edition (Digital Version 2.1)
Mainspring Press, 2023

 

By ALLAN SUTTON
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Download STAR RECORDS
(82 pgs / ~2 mb, Adobe Acrobat or Reader Required)

 

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This publication is a part of the free Mainspring Press Online Reference Library. It may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial use only. Unauthorized sale, reproduction, alteration, reposting, or other distribution in any form and by any method, whether or not for monetary gain, is prohibited. Please help us preserve this free service by honoring the terms of use stated in each document, and by reporting violations to: publisher@mainspringpress.com.

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Star Records: A History and Discography (2nd Edition) © 2023 by Allan R. Sutton. All rights are reserved. Publication rights are co-licensed exclusively to Mainspring Press and the University of California–Santa Barbara. 

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University of California–Santa Barbara Is Now Co-Hosting the Mainspring Press Discographies

University of California–Santa Barbara Is Now Co-Hosting the Mainspring Press Discographies

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As of this week, you can also access Mainspring Press’ digital discographies on the University of California-Santa Barbara’s Discography of American Historical Recordings site.

Five newly revised editions are currently available on DAHR, and ten more will follow as revisions are completed over the next several months. Updates will be coordinated between the two sites, ensuring that both are hosting the latest versions. (To see all titles that are currently available on the Mainspring blog, visit our free Online Reference Library.)

DAHR is also hosting several outstanding discographies by Mainspring Press author John Bolig. In addition, Greenwood Press and other publishers have made some of their titles available as free e-books.

The site’s crowning feature is its massive, ever-expanding, and highly authoritative discographical database of 78-era recordings. Largely compiled from original company documentation, it embodies a level of detail not found elsewhere, is well-organized and easily searchable, and includes linked audio files for many recordings.

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As always, we welcome properly documented additions and corrections to the Mainspring discographies from first-hand inspection of the original recordings (preferably supported by photos or scans if you are not one of our regular contributors). They can be e-mailed to us at publisher@mainspringpress.com. If sending large files, please use WeTransfer or a similar file-compression program.

Keep in mind that these discographies are copyrighted works, with publication rights licensed solely to Mainspring Press and the University of California–Santa Barbara. Alteration, copying, re-posting, and/or distribution by any other party, in any form or by any means, is prohibited.

 

The Playlist (Streaming MP3) • Some Coon-Sanders Favorites

The Playlist (Streaming MP3) • Some Coon-Sanders Favorites

Original recordings from the Mainspring Press collection

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COON-SANDERS ORIGINAL NIGHT HAWK ORCHESTRA (Carleton A. Coon & Joe Sanders, vcl): Night Hawk Blues

Kansas City: April 5, 1924
Victor 19316  (mx. B 29837 – 3)

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COON-SANDERS ORIGINAL NIGHTHAWK ORCHESTRA (Carleton A. Coon & Joe Sanders, vcl): I’m Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston

Camden, NJ: July 13, 1925
Victor 19727  (mx. BVE 32768 – 4)

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COON-SANDERS ORIGINAL NIGHTHAWK ORCHESTRA (Carleton A. Coon, vcl): That’s All There Is, There Ain’t No More

Camden, NJ: August 7, 1925
Victor 19750  (mx. BVE 33159 – 3)

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COON-SANDERS ORIGINAL NIGHTHAWK ORCHESTRA: Deep Henderson

Chicago: March 9, 1926
Victor 20081  (mx. BVE 35034 – 2)

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COON-SANDERS ORCHESTRA (Carleton A. Coon, vcl): Bless You, Sister

Chicago: December 12, 1928
Victor 21895  (mx. BVE 48726 – 2)   Regional release, per files

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COON-SANDERS ORCHESTRA (as Castle Farm Serenaders): Tennessee Lazy

Chicago (Marsh Laboratories): c. November 1928
Broadway 1227  (mx. 20924 – 2)

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COON-SANDERS ORCHESTRA (Joe Sanders, dir / vcl):
Tennessee Lazy

Chicago: February 12, 1929
Victor 21939  (mx. BVE 48880 – 2)

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COON-SANDERS ORCHESTRA (Leroy Shield, dir; Joe Sanders, vcl): Harlem Madness

Chicago: November 18, 1929
Victor 22300  (mx. BVE 57429 – 3)

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Other than directors and vocalists, the Victor recording ledgers do not list personnel for these recordings. Personnel listed in Rust’s Jazz Records and derivative works are from unknown, uncited sources, not from original Victor file data.

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Commercial use and/or unauthorized re-posting of these sound files is prohibited. Please report violations to publisher@mainspringpress.com

New Second Edition of “Phono-Cut Records” Is Now Free to Download

New Second Edition of Phono-Cut Records
Is Now Free to Download
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PHONO-CUT RECORDS: A HISTORY
AND DISCOGRAPHY


Second Edition (Mainspring Press, 2023)

By ALLAN SUTTON
Data Compiled by George Blacker, et al.

 

Download PHONO-CUT RECORDS
(54 pgs / ~1 mb, Adobe Acrobat or Reader Required)

 

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This publication is a part of the free Mainspring Press Online Reference Library. It may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial use only. Unauthorized sale, reproduction, alteration, reposting, or other distribution in any form and by any method, whether or not for monetary gain, is prohibited. Please help us preserve this free service by honoring the terms of use stated in each document, and by reporting violations to: publisher@mainspringpress.com.

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Phono-Cut Records: A History and Discography (2nd Edition) © 2023 by Allan R. Sutton. All rights are reserved. Publication rights co-licensed exclusively to Mainspring Press and the University of California–Santa Barbara. 

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New 3rd Edition of The Varsity–Royale Discography Is Now Free to Download

New 3rd Edition of The Varsity–Royale Discography
Is Now Free to Download
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THE VARSITY—ROYALE DISCOGRAPHY

United States Record Corporation Issues,
1939 – 1940


Third Edition (Mainspring Press, 2023)
Formerly Eli Oberstein’s United States Record Corporation
(2015 ARSC Award for
Excellence)


By ALLAN SUTTON

 

Download THE VARSITY-ROYALE DISCOGRAPHY
(328 pgs / ~1.5 mb, Adobe Acrobat or Reader Required)

 

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This publication is a part of the free Mainspring Press Online Reference Library. It may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial use only. Unauthorized sale, reproduction, alteration, reposting, or other distribution in any form and by any method, whether or not for monetary gain, is prohibited. Please help us preserve this free service by honoring the terms of use stated in each document, and by reporting violations to: publisher@mainspringpress.com.

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The Varsity – Royale Discography © 2023 by Allan R. Sutton. All rights are reserved. Publication rights co-licensed exclusively to Mainspring Press and the University of California–Santa Barbara. 

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The Playlist (Streaming MP3)• Some Early February Additions

The Playlist (Free Streaming MP3) • Some Early February Additions

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A fine month for Victors so far! Here are a few of the latest arrivals for your listening pleasure.

We pay top prices for top-quality records of this sort (strong E– minimum, except in the case of true rarities, and grainy pressings are not wanted). Your lists of disposables are always welcome. Please grade very conservatively, using the standard VJM scale, note all defects (no matter how seemingly minor, including label flaws), and state your asking price. 

Enjoy!

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CHARLIE JOHNSON & HIS ORCHESTRA: Harlem Drag  (EE+)

New York: May 8, 1929  (released July 19, 1929)
Victor V-38059  (mx. BVE 51298 – 2)

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CHARLIE JOHNSON & HIS ORCHESTRA: Hot Bones and Rice  (EE+)

New York: May 8, 1929  (released July 19, 1929)
Victor V-38059  (mx. BVE 51299 – 1)

The Victor recording ledger lists no personnel for this session other than Johnson (as director). Those cited in Rust’s Jazz Records and similar works are from unnamed sources, not original file data.

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PAUL HOWARD’S QUALITY SERENADERS: Quality Shout  (E)

Hal Roach Studios (Culver City, CA): April 29, 1929
(delayed release: April 18, 1930)

Victor V-38122  (mx. PBVE 50831 – 5)

The Victor recording ledger lists no personnel for this session other than Lionel Hampton (as vocalist on the record’s reverse side). Those cited in Rust’s Jazz Records and similar works are from unnamed sources, not original file data. The Hal Roach recording studios, constructed and largely financed by RCA, were used for movie-soundtrack as well as commercial Victor recording sessions, mirroring use of the Victor “church” studio in Camden, NJ.

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RED NICHOLS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Harlem Twist  (E–)

New York: June 21, 1928  (released August 31, 1928)
Victor 21560  (mx. BVE 45814 -3)

Initially entered as “Humpty Dumpty” in the Victor ledger, which lists no personnel. Those cited in Rust’s Jazz Records and similar works are from unnamed sources, not original file data.

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RALPH WILLIAMS &  HIS RAINBO ORCHESTRA (HENRY WINSTON, piano): Get Lucky  (E)

Chicago: November 7, 1924  (released December 19, 1924)
Victor 19504  (mx. B 31147 – 3)

Winston is confirmed as the piano soloist in the Victor recording ledger. For god-only-knows-what reason, Brian Rust credited the pianist as Vic Lubowski in Jazz Records and The American Dance Band Discography, while Johnson & Shirley inexplicably compounded the error in their largely derivative American Dance Bands by crediting Vic Lubowski or William Krenz. Obviously, none of them consulted the Victor files, so all we can say (once again) is: Never take these books too seriously.

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GEORGE GERSHWIN (piano) with PAUL WHITEMAN’S CONCERT ORCHESTRA: Rhapsody in Blue  (E)

New York: June 10, 1924  (released October 17, 1924)
Victor 55225  (mxs. B 30174 -1 / B 30173 -2)

Rhapsody in Blue is now officially in the public domain, so we can legally offer you Ferdie Grofé’s original orchestration that caused such a sensation at its historic 1924 Aeolian Hall debut. Ross Gorman, the featured clarinetist, improvised  the famous opening  glissando, which Gershwin originally wrote (and Grofé scored) as a fussy, articulated seventeen-note run. (Thanks for that insight to Henry Sapoznik, from his classic Klezmer: Jewish Music from the Old World to Our World; Schirmer, 1999).

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Discographical data are from the original Victor Talking Machine Company documentation at Sony Music Archives (New York), as transcribed by John Bolig.

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Reposting or commercial use of these sound files is prohibited. Please report violations to: publisher@mainspringpress.com (your identity will be kept anonymous).

 

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