Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 7 (1930-04)

April, 1930. The Phonograph Monthly Review 249 Love Parade and Nobody’s Using It Now (22285), You’ve Got That Thing and Paris Stay the Same (22294). His somewhat painfully precise enunciation is hardly neces- sary, since his accent in no way destroys the normal clari- ty of his singing. His characteristic manner is irresistibly charming; here is one of the real personalities of the talk- ing screen. I hope that sometime he may be given ma- terial really worthy of his talents. (I note that some of the delightful French songs he sang in his first film, In- nocents in Paris, have been released in France, although only the English theme songs have appeared in this coun- try). Other film stars crowd the Vic.tor lists. Bebe Daniels appears to much better advantage in hits from “Love Comes Along” (22283—Night Winds and Until Love Comes Along) than in her first, release. One would still like to hear her sing with less obvious sense of effort, and with greater flexibility and animation. Her voice is a good one, but her manner does not always match it. Fannie Brice is her characteristic self and in excellent voice in a heart- breaking ballad, When a Woman Loves a Man, coupled with a livelier ditty. Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love—both from her new picture, “Be Yourself” (22310). John Boles is robustly romantic in West Wind and The One Girl 22229), and Donald Novis —a western coast star reveals a pleasant voice in mildly sentimental versions of Molly and Alone in the Rain. For the rest there are Jimmie Rodgers in the sixth edition of his interminable Blue Yodel (22271); Welcome Lewis in sympathetic ver- sions of A Darn Fool Woman Like Me and Watching My Dreams Go By (22297) ; Johnny Marvin in catchy perform- ances of Blue Eyes and Cryin’ for the Carolines (the lat- ter with some effective breaks into double time) on 22302; organ transcriptions of Cryin’ for the Carolines and What is This Thing Called Love? played by Jesse Crawford on 22320; old fashioned and sacred songs by the Higgins Sis- ters and Seagle and Stokes on 22318 and 22289; and final- ly those roistering pals, Bud and Joe Billings, recounting again the exploits of Barnacle Bill and discoursing on the art of making love (V-40043 and V-40102). Besides the piano records mentioned earlier, honorable mention on the Columbia list goes to Lee Morse in ex- cellent voice, singing an intensely poignant version of Blue Turning Grey Over You, and a more conventional Until Love Comes Along (2101-D); and also the Negro Male Quartet, the Four Dusty Travelers, in catchy arrange- ments of the Great Gcttin’ Up Mornin’ and March Down to Jerdon, which they sing with immense gusto and anima- tion (14499-D). The recording of both disks is exception- ally good. The other Columbias include James Melton in characteristic Irish tenor versions of Were You Just Pre- tending? and Sally (2100-D) ; Irving Kaufman waxing very Jolsonish in bombastic, declamatory performances of Singing a Vagabond Song and There’s Danger in Your Eyes Cherie (2108-D) : Art Gillbam singing sweetly lvrical versions of Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder) a touch of irony is introduced, curiously enough) and Have a Lit- tle Faith in Me (2119-D); What Do I Care? and. Gone sung smoothly but not too lusciously bv Charles Lawman (2118-D); a very sobbv version of Falling in Love With You sung by Oscar Groeran, coupled with a spirited, in- fectious performance of Happv Davs Are Here Again by a capable new male ensemble—the Rondbliers,— the or- chestral accompaniments deserve special praise (2133-D). In the race lists are Clara Smith, hoarsely exhorting Let s Get Loose, coupled with a sad renunciation, You Can’t Stay Here No More 14497-D); Lerov Williams in artless but singular cornet solos, sauced with vocal wa-was—Lullaby Baby and Welcome Stranger (14500-D—an unusual rec- ord) ; and Mattie Hite in fair versions of St. James Infirm- arv and Texas Twist 14503-D). Best of the southern series is 15508-D, where on Chris Bouchillon discourses in cheer- ful song—to his own guitar accompaniments—on the Girls of Today. Leading the remaining Odeons is Annette Hanshaw’s attractive version of When a Woman Loves a Man and Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love (41370). Smith Bal- lew sings Congratulations and What Do I Care? in dulcet if somewhat throaty tones, and not offensively intimate man- ner (41376); Segar Ellis's St. James Infirmary is not as interesting as some of the other versions out this month, but his Shine On Harvest M,oon is better, albeit taken extremely slowly (41362) ; The Harmony Four harmonize My Friend Divine and I’ll Know Him in somewhat jazzy fashion for religious songs—the arrangments are not es- pecially interesting (45419); Johnny Dodds sings Frankie and Johnny in an edition that varies somewhat from the other recorded versions — the coupling. Railroad Boomer, with yodels, is less effective (45417) ; Lonnie Johnson goes in for the fantastically ma- cabre in his blues—She’s Making Whoopee in Hell To- night and Death Valley is Just Half way to My Home (8768) ; Johnson sings with Spencer Williams in the Mon- key and the Baboon and with Clarence Williams in Wipe It off, both spirited ditties with much wa-wa work (8762). Eddy Thomas tops the Brunswick list with a fine sonor- ous performance of Gone, easily the best recorded version. To Be Forgotten, the coupling also shows his voice to ad- vantage, but it is taken slower and more sentimentally (46- 68). Belle Baker has a big-voiced, rather striking version of Cryin’ for the Carolines, coupled with a lamenting, Just Can’t Be Bothered With Me (4714) ; Freddie Rose contrib- utes smooth tributes to Molly and Mary. (4693) ; Charles Kaley avoids the over-saccharine in his quiet but neat ver- sions of Should I? and Bundle of Old Love Letters (4718); Dick Robertson is rather overshadowed by the merits of his orchestra accompaniments in his variant on St. James Infirmary, coupled with a rather colorless Springtime in the Rockies (4720) ; Burtne.tt’s Biltmore Trio is almost unbear- ably Hawaiian in Across the Sea and May Day is Lei Day (4338)—there "is a certain whispered interjection caught by the microphone before the first piece begins. In the race series, mention goes to Bob Call and Speckled Red who provide pianny solosi—31 Blues and House Dance Blues — on opposite sides of 7137; both are rather monotonous and not particularly well made. Also Sylves- ter Kunbrough, who manipulates a high quavering falsetto to odd effect in his enigmatically titled Garbage Can Blues and Bird Liver Blues (7135). Dance Records All the companies boast a number of major dance disks, so it is less practicable to attempt to segregate the win- ners this month. Since the Columbia list is unusually ex- tensive and meritous it should be given position of honor. First medal is divided among the Charleston Chasers, Paul Whiteman and Ted Lewis. The first-named make a wel- come reappearance in an ingeniously treated fetching tune, Cinderella Brown, coupled with a piece that cultivates the Negro styles, Sing You Sinners,—The vocal ^ choruses are particularly good (2133-D). Someone in Whitemans band has been listening to Petrouchka, and he has worked a fragment or two rather cleverly into Nobody’s Sweetheart. The coupling, After You’ve Gone, is also played in buoy- ant, animated fashion, making the disk one of Whiteman s best in several months (2098-D). Ted Lewis adds to his notable revival series with the grand old Aunt Hagar Blues and San, the former done with some. stimulating changes in pace, and the latter with some magnificent clari- net work and an astonishing end. The tone qualities are ucommonly good (2113-D. Fred Rich is close behind the leaders with well modulat- ed versions of What is This Thing Called Love? and What Do I Care? (2099-D) ; Paul Specht couples an interesting treatment of a piece called Harbor of Mv Heart with a less striking When You’re Smiling (2106-D); Lombardo s Royal Canadians do very graceful performances of Where the Golden Daffodils Grow and Just Can’t Be Bothered With Mle on 2122-D, contrasting with the more sweetly smooth With You and There’s Danger In You 0 r in e ^ s ” ve ^ slow, but deftly constructed and played—on 2107-D Rube Bloom and his Bayou Boys offer an intricate version ° - • Tames Infirmary coupled with a peppery performance, of the Big Man from the South, in which Rube himself sings a brief solo (2103-D) Ted Wallace plays slow, richly sonorous