Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 5 (1930-02)

176 The Phonograph Monthly Review February, 1930 Columbia (International list) 59059-F (D12, $1.25) Strauss: Emperor and Wine Women and Song waltzes, played by Jacques Jacobs' Ensemble. Previously issued in the domestic catalogue under No. 50058. Columbia 50198-D (D12, $1.25) Liszt (arr. Bargy): Liebes- traum, and Rimsky-Korsakow (arr. Bargy): Song of India, played by Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra. Is Roy Bargy, Whiteman’s pianist, to take Ferdy Grofe’s place as arranger? He has a style of his own, not strik- ingly original, by praisworthily free from the blight of any delusions of grandeur. The arrangements here are dances rather than concert pieces, dreamy and smoothly un- dulating, with no impotent excursions into quaisi-oriental or symphonic idioms. The orchestral tone is good in the quieter passages, but the tuttis lack sonority. Withal a very pleasing record either to dance or listen to. Qdeon (International list) 3554 (DIO, 75c) Amadei: Ile- na-Tango, and Circassia: Cherkess—Tango Oriental, played by Dajos Bela’s Tango Orchestra. The Ilena Tango is quite as good as Dajos Bela’s me- morable record of Carmencita, which is saying a great deal. The coupling is pleasing, but not as distinctive. Again the piano and accordion parts are ingenious and played with exceeding deftness. Anyone unfamiliar with this fine tango series will find this an excellent introduction and one that is likely to lead to further acquaintance. Band Victor (International list) 35996 (D12, $1.25) The Geisha— Selection, played by Creatore’s Band. The Geisha music is pretty thin pseudo-Japanese fare, but Creatore’s performance is intensely vigorous, and the recording—particularly of the percussion effects—is ex- cellent. Columbia (German list) G-55176-F (D12, $1.25) Floren- tiner Marsch played by the Grosses Parlophone Streichor- chester, and Feuert Los-Marsch, played by the Grosses Odeon Orchestra. Re-pressings from the brilliant Odeon march series. The Florentiner March is especially mellifluous without any lack of vigorous swing. R. O. B. Popular Vocal and Instrumental The February releases bring nothing in the way of start- ling surprises. The old campaigners are on hand with their usual styles—one longs for a newcomer of distinction and originality. Two film stars make their record debuts, but after the conventional fashion. I prefer Jeannette Mac- Donald singing Dream Lover and March of the Grenadiers (Victor 22247) to John Boles in Romance and After a Mil- lion Dreams (Victor 22230). Both are musical comedy stars of repute, currently starring in the talkies. Boles has a clear sure voice and quite good diction, but the inevitable romantic manner. Miss MacDonald has a rather oddly colored voice, but one that apparantly has been well trained. Her March of the Grenadiers is a spirited affair, backed up by a good orchestra and male chorus. The month’s leaders, however, are veterans. First, Lee Sims with a fine characteristic piano versions of Don’t Ever Leave Me and Why Was I Born? (Brunswick 4639), and a less striking double of Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Gotta Feelin’ For You. Annette Hanshaw is very piquant in I Have to Have You, and genuinely touching in When I am House- Keeping for You (Okeh 41351). Marian Harris makes a welcome return to records with smooth, tender versions of Funny Dear What Love Con Do and Nobody’s Using It Now (Brunswick). Ruth Etting is in good form in a melting tune, Crying for the Carolines (Columbia 2073-D). One Nick Nichols emerges from obscurity with a fine two- part version of Frankie and Johnnie (Columbia 2071-D). sung in a free, resilient manner (the vocally asterisked verses are tantalising). One of the best of the race re- leases is Okeh 8747, whereon the Hokum Boys discourse in haphazard and lighthearted fashion on the Folks Down Stairs and the Gin Mill Blues—catchy pieces and clearly sung. Bessie Smith is not particularly good in You Don’t Understand and Don’t Cry Baby, but Jimmie Jihnson's piannying is as sensational as ever (Columbia 14487-D). But the gold-medal race record, perhaps the gold-medal- list of the month’s free-for-all is Okeh 8755 (a number to jot down) whereon two such maestri as Jimmie Johnson and Clarence Williams (no less) join forces to direct a chorus known as the Grea,t Day New Orleons Singers in two startling opera. You’ve Got to be Modernistic and Shout On! The former, a secular ballad, is the less effec- tive, for all its hair-raising effects, but the revival scene is a knockout. The song itself is irresistible, but the high point of the record comes after the music’s climax, when the meeting disperses and the exhortations and avowals fade into the distance—a splendidly original and striking passage. It goes without saying that the piano playing is surpassingly hot and intricate. Turning back to the more orthodox output of the month we have from Vic.tor: Chick Endor in easy-going, catchy versions, with very deft accompaniments, of Singin’ in the Bathtub and Lady Luck (22245); the Revelers in pseudo- Southern ballads by Geibel—Kentucky Babe and Little Cotton Dolly—fine disciplined singing well recorded (222- 49); Paul Oliver in well sung and pleasingly mannered Should I? coupled With Lewis James’ Bundle of Old Love Letters (22239); Jesse Crawford in movie organ stiicke on 22243 and 22242; Amos ’n’ Andy maintaining their regulation repartee in the Dairy and At the Bull Fight, exceptionally well recorded (22234) ; Welcome Lewis in slow, sad versions of Love Made a Gypsy Out of Me and Look What You’ve Done to Me (22235) ; Gene Austin offering typical fare in My Fate is in Your Hands and All That I’m Asking is Sympathy (22223) ; Bob MacGim- sey whistling Mother Machree and Sweet Adeline (22237) ; Gladys Rice and Franklyn Baur in well made duet ver- sions of I May Be Wrong and I Think You’re Wonderful (22226) ; and sacred music dispensed by Seagle and Stokes on 22224. For Okeh Seeger Ellis appears on a specially labelled disk singing, very languidly, A Little Kiss Each Morning and Have a little Faith in Me to his own piano accom- paniments (41349) ; Charles W. Hamp waxes unrestrained- ly melodramatic in Pretty Little You and A Year from Today (41343) ; the Roy Smeck Trio features highly slurred hawaiian guitar work in Missouri Moon and By the Way (41340); Lew Bray is sentimental, but reasonably so, in Sitting by the Window and Please Come Back to Me (41347) ; Christine Gray claims The Reverend is My Man and—with Joe Lawrence —Just Like You Walked In You Can Walk Right Out Again, both to fine piano accom- paniments (8757) ; Edith Johnson blues Ain’t No More to be Said and Heart Aching Blues (8748) ; Snitcher Roberts, possessor of a fine voice, is heard in fair Low Moanin’ Blues and the Duck’s Yas-Yas-Yas (8750); and the Har- moy Four chant highly spirited versions of I’m Sailing On and He’s a Wonderful Savior to Me (45399). From Columbia there is Lee Morse in better voice than ever, but not free from her newly acquired and ill-becoming style, in I Love You Believe Me and A Little Kiss Each Morning (2063-D); Oscar Grogan Asking for Sympathy (2074-D) ; the Sunshine Boys in I Have to Have You and Does My Baby Love! (2075-D); Charles Lawman sing- ing lush but good voiced versions of Molly and That Won- derful Something (2058-D) ; Vernon Dalhart in Be Careful What You Say and Song of the Condemned (2061-D); and James Melton in Mary and A Bundle of Old Love Let- ters (2065-D). The remaining Brunswicks include the Ritz Quartet in a medley of old time ballads that will bring a reminiscent tear to many an eye (4598); Dick Robertson in affected