Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 10 (1927-07)

444 The Phonograph Monthly Review on 5147; Harry Richman, comedian, sings Rosy Cheeks and Dixie Vagabond on 15560; and the indefatigable Vernon Dalhart is on hand as usual, here (5139) with Down on the Farm and House at the End of the Lane, assisted in the latter by Carson J. Robison. The solitary foreign record of the group is 13049, Veil Is Dein Taten In Git Is Dir Mamen and Ich Vel Shtendig Gedeinken Die Oigen, sung by Morris Goldstein, tenor. Both selections are from Yidel fun der South (Jacobs-Olshanetsky); for the benefit of non-Yiddish speaking readers, the first title should be translated as What is right for your Father is right for your Mother—a strong contender for the best title of the month. Going on to the long Columbia List, we come first to the ever-popular Whispering Pianist, Art Gillham, presented here in Tonight You Belong to Me and I Crave, assisted in the latter by his Southland Syncopators (1007-D). Lee Morse sings Where the Wild, Wild Flowers Grow and I’d Love to be in Love on 1011-D; The Happiness Boys couple Ask Me Another and the amusing—and all-too-true—You Never Get Nowhere Holding Hands on 1010-D; ‘Talking” Billy Anderson releases his first solos for Columbia, Adam and Eve and Lonely Billy Blues (14216-D)—the piano accompaniment to these blues deserve special mention; and Dalhart and Wells duetize Death’s Shadow Song and My Blue Ridge Mountain Home on 15152-D. The Wisdom Sisters sing Hide Thou Me and Saviour, More than Life to Me (15153-D) among the sacred selections, which also include singing sermons, Drinking Shine and I’ve Been Redeemed, by Rev. W. M. Mosley (14217-D); Take Up Thy Cross and Have You Counted the Cost (1023-D), duets by Homer Rodeheaver and Doris Doe; I’m a Rolling and Everybody Will Be Happy Over There (15147-D) by the Deal family in their Columbia debut; and Lift Every Voice and Sing and You Shall Have a New Hiding Place (14212-D), sung by the Atlanta University Choir, under the direction of Frederick Hall. Returning to the popular vocals, we have Billy Day in Red Lips—Kiss My Blues Away and Ev’ry Little While (an* appropriate coupling) on 991-D; two selections from Hit the Deck on 998-D, Halle- lujah sung by the Crescent Trio and Sometimes I’m Happy by Gladys Rice and Franklyn Baur; Frank Harris has one side of 994-D to himself, singing Fifty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong and on the other he is assisted by Vaughn de Leath in Mister O’Toole; Benny Borg, the singing Soldier also makes his Columbia debut along with the other new- comers this month—he is heard in I Want a Pardon for My Daddy and You’re Going to Leave the Old Home, Jim, To- night. Other old timers issued this month are She’s Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage and Nellie Dare (the former recently brought back into the limelight by an amusing moving picture); they are sung here by Elsie Floyd and Leo Boswell (15150-D). Chris Bouchillon, whose first Columbia release made quite a hit, comes back with Born in Hard Luck and The Medicine Show (15151-D); Ethel Watters, famous blues singer, couples Take Your Black Bottom Outside and Weary Feet (14214-D); George Wilson and Arthur Baker sing two mournful lays, Close the Shutters, Willie’s Dead and The Mississippi Flood Song, on 1005-D; Ruth Etting is as spirited as usual in My Man and After You’ve Gone (995-D); the Giersdorf Sisters follow up their first release for Columbia with Rosy Cheeks and the Swanee River Trail (1006-D); and faithful Vernon Dalhart follows along with the latest tribute to the national hero, Lindbergh (the Eagle of the U. S. A.) and Lucky Lindy (1000-D). Nor should Charles Kaley, an- other faithful recording songster, be forgotten in 1020-D where he sings My Sunday Girl on one side to Johnny Marvin’s Me and My Shadow on the other. For the Irish touch, William A. Kennedy offers When Irish Eyes Are Smiling and I Love the Name of Mary (1003-D); and for the Scotish touch, Will Fyffe brings out two more records in the approved Scotch comedians’ style: 976-D and 993-D, coupling I Belong to Glasgow and I’m 94 Today on the first, and Sandy’s Holiday and The Engineer on-the second. Going on to the instrumen- tals, Sascha Jacobsen leads with 133-M, violin solos of Russian Lullaby and The Far Away Bells; Harold L. I^ieder’s latest organ coupling (1014-D—Old Black Joe and My Old Kentucky Home) represents a big advance as far as recording is concerned, but he still continues to abuse his tremolo stop unmercifully; Constance Mering and Muriel Pollock add The Doll Dance and Spring Fever to their series of recorded piano duets (1004-D); and Sol Hoopii brings up the rear with the Hula and Tin Roof Blues played by his Hawaiian Novelty Trio. “Rufus” evidently was napping when he allowed Columbia 935-D to slip by recently with a bare men- tion. This record, called Two Black Crows, a comic sketch b}' Moran and Mack, the black face stars of Earl Carroll’s Vanities, was called to our attention in a rather unusual way. One day, about two weeks ago, the Editor returned to the Studio with a new copy of Two Black Crows and the story of the phenomenal success it was making. It seems that passing down Boylston street, Boston, he found the way blocked in front of the well known Henderson Music Store by one of those crowds that seem to spring magically from nowhere when something is going on. When the three policemen who had been rushed to the scene had succeeded in dispersing most of the mob, he was able to approach nearer and discover the cause of all the excitement, which was nothing else than Two Black Crows played on a large phonograph at the door of the shop. And on going in, the manager told him that a rush order for a hundred more copies had just been sent in—their large stock of the piece had already been exhausted twice. The comic record has lately fallen into a rut from which it has taken two comedians like Moran and Mack to rescue it. And on listening to this, their first record- ing for Columbia, anyone can understand the reason the mob collected to hear the fun. Not only are the jokes really funny, but the comedians’ inimitable man- ner is funnier still; good old “Cohen”, long alone in the field, is now forced to take a seat far in the rear. It would be impossible to reproduce the drawl, the southern accent, the voice of the man who all too evidently had been “born tired,” and in any case it would tend to spoil the effect to “give away” the jokes in advance. Two Black Crows must be heard—the laughs will take care of themselves. May it be the first of many more records of equal humor and appeal, a delightful relaxation from the oftentimes overly seri- ous business of listening to recorded music. Victor 20629—Impressions of London (Westminster), St. Margaret’s Chimes (Westminster), and “Oh God Our Help in Ages Past” (DIO, 75c). Chimes and organ by Stanley Roper, with the roar of London traffic, the chimes of the House of Parliament and St. Margaret’s, and the organ. A unique recording made in London on the Parliament side of Westminster Bridge. Of particular interest, one should judge, to Londoners or to those who have visited the spot. The chimes and the organ are both well recorded and the traffic noises are quite discernable . Vocalion 1098—The Black Diamonds Express to Hell (DIO, 75c). Negro Sermon by the Rev. A. W. Nix and his con- gregation. The Okeh Corporation has had almost a monopoly on sermons with singing (although Columbia occasionally brings out a few), but now Vocalion issues one of the most striking works of all in spite of the fa’ct that neither the Rev. Nix’s voice or the support of his congregation is quite up to the standard set by the Rev. J. M. Gates and Sisters Grainger and Jackson in their Okeh releases. The sermon itself, however, is a striking one, built up in stanzas like a poem? and startlingly unique to anyone unfamiliar with this particular branch pf recordings. - S. M.