Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 4 (1930-01)

142 The Phonograph Monthly Review January, 1930 ■■ fine version of What Wouldn’t I Do for that Man and a singular piece by Carmichael, Manhattan Rag—note in par- ticular the intricate beginning and the adroitness of the scoring for a small band of exceedingly skilful virtuosi. On 41328, Virginia Willrich’s Texas Rangers do some rather novel tricks in Same Old Moon and Through, fairly in- teresting performances strongly starring an accordion. The rest are conventionally suave: 41329, a fair routine perfor- mance of Love is a Dreamer by the Casa Loma and a lively Lady Luck, featuring some neat fiddle and guitar work, by Smith Ballew’s orchestra; 41331, rather colorless versions'of Sweetheart We Need Each Other and You’re Always in My Arms by the Sparton Syncopators; and 41332, a quiet, very slow One Minute in Heaven waltz coupled with a smooth but more swinging performance of The World’s Greatest Sweetheart, both played by the Carolina Club. Columbia “first” group is led by Ted Lewis with de- lightful revivals of the famous Farewell Blues and Wabash Buies which is on (2029-D), first rate performances that star Ted’s clarinet, although his singing is conspicuous by its absence. Not far behind are Lombardo’s Royal Canadians in an easy-going Singin’ in the Bathtub and a quiet Little by Little (2045-D), the latter distinguished bv particularly fine instrumental tone; and Fred Rich with some full-blooded muscular playing in Dixie Jamboree coupled with a pretty good version of He’s So Unusual (2043-D). For the rest, Paul Whiteman takes Should I and A Bundle of Old Love Letters very slowly and songfully (2047-D) ; Vic Meyers couples a slow sentimental If I’m Dreaming with a quiet, pleasingly romantic, but more danceable Beside an Open Fireplace (2049-D); the Ipana Troubadiours do well with a vivacious Alone in the Rain and much less well with a slow and not particularly in- teresting performance of Molly (2052-D); the Columbia Photo Players play routine versions of Take Everything But You and Love Made a Gypsy Out of Me (2048-D) ; Will Osborne couples a quiet, largely vocal version of They All Fall in Love with a duller I Knew We Two Were One— announced with a “Cheerio! This is Will Osborne’s latest Columbia record” that adds nothing to the disk’s attrac- tiveness (2044-D) ; Ted Wallace is conventionally suave in Lucky Me—Lovable You and Love Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues (2046-D) ; the Columbia Photo Players appear again with very unsensational performances of What is Life Without Love and To Be Forgotten (2030-D) ; and Marion Hardy’s Alabamians do some interesting, if somewhat ec- centric playing in Georgia Pines and a fox trot version of Rube Bloom’s prize-winning Song of the Bayou (2034-D). The Victor list is a long one, with Ted Weems success- fully contesting Reisman for first honors. Weems’ latest disks have all been good, but he appears at his best in very catchy, danceable versions of Remarkable Girl and There’s Too Many Eyes (the latter particularly interestingly treated), on 22157, and a very springy, attractive Sophomore Prom, coupled with Charles Dornberger’s gracefully vivaci- ous Campus Capers, on 22215. Leo Reisman is not left far in the rear, however, with very ple*asing smooth versions of Why* Was I Born? and Here Am I (22187), an easy but piquant Sweeter Than Sweet and more fervently songful A Year From Today (22194), and a yearning Through, the latter coupled with SHilkret’s rather colorless Why Do You Suppose— Shilkret appears to better advantage in a spirited coupling of Don’t Ever Leave Me and ’Twas Not So Long Ago (22188). He also plays a nicely scored version of Chant of the Jungle and a fair That Wonderful Something (22203), a fairly good Georgia Pines coupled with Horace Heidt’s much more striking darkly colored Turn on the Heat (22195) ; I can Do Wonders With You and My Man is on the Make (22185), Canto Siboney and Me Odias? (22198) : —the latter two disks are only so-so. Much more striking is the very tricky and effective performance of Why? by Ohman and Arden (22205); the coupling, It’s You I Love (also from “Sons O’ Guns”) doesn’t come off quite as well, but the former piece is very fine. Rudy Vallee offers character- istic fare in Believe It or Not and I Love the Moon (22196), A Little Kiss Each Morning and I’ll Be Reminded of You (22193) ; the High Hatters do well with brisk, well modul- ated versions of If I Can’t Have You and You Can’t Be- lieve My Eyes (22190)—starring accordion and fiddle) ; the All Stars are merely conventional and methodical in Deep in the Arms of Love and I’ll Close My Eyes to the Rest of the World (22197) ; Phil Baxter provides very strange, highly reverberant performances of I Ain’t Got No Gal Now and Down Where the Blue Bonnets Grow (V-40160— uncommonly interesting); Blue Steele plays an extremely slow Shadows of Love waltz and very fervent Tennessee Memories (V-40161); and Sunny Clapp’s orchestra, lately appearing with Okeh, vigorously recorded performances of We Can’t Use Each Other Any More and Down on Biscayne Bay (V-40152). The last three disks are outstand- ing in the “Native American Melodies” supplement, former- ly the “Southern Series.” —Rufus. Foreign Records International. The following disks are singled out for detailed review under the regular classifications elsewhere in this issue: Victor 7150, Lohengrin excerpts by Pertile, Tellini, and Fanelli;; 7152, Tannhauser and Barber of Seville excerpts sung by Apollo Granforte; V-50017, Pagliacci Fantasy played by Marek Weber’s Orchestra; 35920, hymns by the St Olaf Quartet: 35990, symphonic marches by Creatore’s Band; V-56037, Tiefland Fantasie played by Viebig and the Berlin State Opera Orchestra; V-11009, two Dohnanyi pieces conducted by the composer with the Budapest Philharmonic: V-62006, La Gioconda Potpourri played by the Royal Italian Marine Band. Odeon 3274, Marinarella Overture conducted by Dr. Weissmann. and the Berlin State Opera Orchestra; Odeon 3277, Tiefland Fantasie, also conducted by Dr. Weissmann; Odeon 85220, songs by Emanuel List. The leading Columbia Interna- tionals are 59058-F, Medley of Neapolitan Melodies by the Columbia Orchestra; 12122-F, Love of a Gyps}' and Greetings of Springs Waltzes by the Russian Novelty Or- chestra ; 59056-F, Santiago and Abandonado waltzes by the Columbia International Orchestra; and 12118-F, a re-record- ing of the old laughing record success, The Spoiled Cornet. Victor V-23 is a rather interesting coupling of two slow, exotic gypsy dances played in suave fashion by the Gypsy Wanderers The Ferruzzi Orchestra’s Bayadere and Doris (Odeon 3552) and Dajos Bela’s Medley of Viennese Tunes (3550) were reviewed in last month’s issue. In addition there accordion solos by Vacher on Odeon 3551—Flirtation Waltz and Wordly Dreams. Armenian. Columbia issues an interesting double of popular songs sung by Armenian Chorus of 35 voices (28012-F). Bohemian. The only releases are Victor V-1012-3, hits from “Hucky the Robber” played by Hruska’s Orchestra, and waltzes by Hermannova’s Orchestra. Cajun. The Cajuns are Arcadians or early French set- tlers of Nova Scotia, who were transported by the British to Louisiana before the United States came into being. Victor is the only company to issue records under the name: 22183, violin-accordion duets; 22184, accordion solos. Colum- bia issues “Arcadian-French” records: 40509-F, Arcadian Waltz played by Adam Trehan; 40508-F, songs by Falon and Breaux. Croatian-Serbian. The leading releases are Columbia 1148-F, folksongs by Jelenic and Konstantinovic, and Vic- tor V-3028, band pieces by the Mjuzika Kraljeve Garde. Cuban. Brunswick leaders are 40811, original danzonetes by Aniceto Diaz and his orchestra, and 40821, songs by Enrique Bryon, tenor. Victor issues some sixteen disks featuring the Trio Matamoros, Orquesta Felix Gonzalez, etc.; Columbia 3801-X and 3802-X are by the Grupo Quisqueya. Chinese. Miss Lee Fee Fung, now starring in the Chinese Theatre in New York, sings two six-part works, Leung wu ti hay (Victor 43863-5) and Jair Yuk Eus (43866-8). Finnish. The best' are the folk songs by Ernest Paananen on Columbia 3132-F; songs by Jukka Ahti, tenor, and Dr. Henry Holm, baritone, on Victor V-4055 and V-4052 respec- tively. French. Victor is alone with a notable list of Parisian