Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1930-10)

October, 1930, Vol. V. No. I 29 —sung with immense seriousness in a way to rouse many a reminiscent tear in the eyes of their auditors (Brunswick 4894). The Three Boswell Sisters do some remarkable vocal side-slips, boops, and overtone harmonizations in the Heebie Jeebies and My Future Just Passed, (Okeh 41444): Milter and Farrell warble dulcet versions of Under Vesuvian Skies and I’m Needin’ You (Victor 22509); the Mariners Trio do neat, light but not exceptionally distinguished harmonizations of Mam’selle and I Don’t Mind Walking in the Rain (Okeh 41449): and Randolph's Royal Hawaiians sing of What Aloha Means and Honolulu I Love You (Brunswick 4886). Crooners The lists are long, but not highly distinguished. Bruns- wick: Freddie Rose sings clear versions of Wonder and Old New England Moon (4862) You Left Me and Just Another Night (4832); Chester Gaylord is exceptionally, tender in Little White Lies and If I Could Be With You (4873) Con- fessin’ and So Beats My Heart for You (4871). Okeh: Segar Ellis has two vocal discs in addition to his piano solos men- tioned above. On 41443 he sings I Wpnder How it Feels and Little White Lies, and on 41441, Confessin’ and Good Even- in’. Best of the Columbia stars is Willard Robison, although he does not measure up to his work in Tall Timber and In the Wilderness (2268-D). His songs are good, but the ac- companying orchestra loses much of the characteristic color of Robison’s most original work. Ruth Etting whispers very fervent and pathetic versions of Don’t Tell Her and Kiss Waltz (2280-D): Charles Lawman sings buoyantly in If You for You (2278-D); Irving Kaufman shouts vigorously in To- morrow is Another Day and This Side of Paradise (2281-D): and Art Gillham sings saccharine and subdued versions of Confessin’ and My Heart Belongs to the Girl Who Belongs to Somebody Else (2265-D). Race The Dunham Jubilee Singers are the best colored ensemble of the month, doing swinging and more than a little jazzy versions of I Dreamed of the/ Judgment Morning and Will He Welcome Me There? (Columbia 14540-D). Blues Bird- head offers the best novelty disc, Harmonica Blues and Mean Low Blues on a virtuoso and very blue harmonica (Okeh 8824), while Clara Smith is the best solo blues singer (lament- ing versions of Down in the Mouf’ and Don’t Fool Around On Me Columbia 14553-D), and Spivey and Grey the best dialoguists (a two-part recording of Gotta Have What It Takes—Victor V-38609). Brunswick brings back Speckled Red in his own Blues and Lonesome Mind Blues—slow rough piano solos (7164), and introduces Mozelle Alderson in bright and vigorous performances of Tight Whoopee and Tight in Chicago (7159). DANCE Tangos The Victor International Release lists a series of five tango discs by Marek Weber's and Dol Dauber’s tango orchestras. The former’s performances are easily the best and Two Tears (coupled with May I Ask for the Next Tango? on V-55), and Drinking to Your Health (coupled with an unusually spirited tango—Wfere You True to Me?—on V-51) are among the best in Weber’s series. Dol Dauber’s orchestra is a little heavier, but it boasts a good accordionist, and they do quite good versions of Flowers of Spain and A Tango With You V-52), Can You Pardon Me? and Twilight (V-53), Wanda and Your Sad Eyes (V-54). Revivals Red Nichol’s Pennies in their various metamorphoses go in strongly for the hits of the past, dressed up in new and strictly 1930 vestments. The Pennies resurrect the Sheik on Brunswick 4885, in a smooth yet deceptively warm perform- ance, coupled with a vigorously flowing and colorful version of Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble. Miff Mole’s Molers also do the Wabble with great energy and back it up with an interesting performance of After You’ve Gone, featuring some nice piano work and changes of pace (Okeh 41445). (But echoes of the Charleston Chasers’ never-to-be-forgotten version of After You’ve Gone still linger in my ears. Will there ever be an orchestra again to equal the Pennies-Molers-Chasers of those days?) For Columbia Paul Whiteman brings back the Nola, fleet- er and more light-footed than ever, coupled with a fast and furious performance of the New Tiger Rag on 2277-D—all proving that the Whiteman band has many a trick left up its sleeve. Ballroom Dancing Brunswick: Earl Burtnett and Isham Jones lead, the former with a very brisk version of I’m Doin’ That Thing and a catchy intimately-styled Go Home and Tell Your Mother (4872), and an interesting arrangement of I Wonder How It Feels coupled with the most animated performance of Little White Lies yet recorded (4881). Jones plays dashing per- formances of Miss Hannah and the super-peppy song, There’s a Wah-Wah Girl in Agua Caliente (4868). Ben Bernie puts in a full month playing well-turned versions of “Follow Through” hits—Peach of a Pair and It Must Be You (4892), Sharing and Kiss Waltz (4837), Venetia and Fr’instance (4869). Abe Lyman is extremely bumptious in a collegiate Football, but less energetic in If You’re Not Kissing Me (4891); Tom Clines does songful version of the popular Bye Bye Blues and I’m Needin’ You (4864) ; the Colonial Club are amusing in Out of Breath and I’m Only Human (4848); Meyer Davis plays As Long as I Have You and Looking for the Lovelight (4870); while the Anglo-Persians scoop the field with the first recordings of hits from “Viennese Nights” —music by Romberg: I Bring a Love Song and You will Remember Vienna, smoothly if somewhat seriously per- formed. Columbia: In addition to the Nola-Tiger Rag disc men- tioned above, Paul Whiteman is heard again a dapper fan- tasy—Wedding of the Birds—skillfully arranged, and a more or less barbaric Song of the Congo (2263-D). The Cavalierd cash in on the waltz craze with very bland performances of Kiss Waltz and All Through the Night (2267-D), When the Organ Played at Twilight—a very touching morceau—and When I look to the West (2279-D). Ted Lewis is on vaca- tion this month apparently, but Guy Lombardo is very much in evidence and in his best form in a! very brightly turned version of Go Home and Tell Your Mother—one that will be hard to beat. The coupling is I’m Doin’ That Thing, played in the more conventional and polished Lombardo tra- dition (2276-D). Will Osborne plays dreamy versions of When I Close My Eyes and So Beats My Heart (2269-D); Ben Selvin cultivates a smooth semi-South- ern style in Somewhere in Old Wyoming and Moonlight on the Colorado (2266-D); Paul Specht offers ingenious arrange- ments and infectious performances of I Wonder How It Feels and What’s the Use (2264-D) ; Ted Wallace’s Don’t Tell Her and Tomorrow’s Another Day and on the quiet, suave order (2275-D); and the Ipana Troubadours follow suit in their performances of I Don’t Mind Walkin’ in the Rain and My Blue Bird Wlas Caught in the Rain—titles which do not signify that the disc is all wet (2271-D). Oke>h : Fred Gardner’s Texas University Troubadours prove themselves a capable band in neatly turned perform- ances of Loveless Love and Papa’s Gone (41440). Victor: Waring’ s Pennsylvanians —invariably admirable— plays Little White Lies and Gee But I’d Like to Make You Happy (22492), the former in symphonic style, the latter dapperly, very perky and light-footed, a highly amusing and effective performance. Johnny Johnson offers a mildly amus- ing travesty on the Stein Song (I’d Like to Find the Guy that Wrote the Stein Song) and a vigorously swinging and sonorous version of what’s the Use (22493); Bernie Cum- mins plays sweetly dreamy performances of Lonely and Fr’- instance (22494); Rudy Vallee features his own crooning in Good Evenin’ and Just a Little Closer (22489) and again in Confessin’ and My Bluebird Was Caught in the Rain (22505). For more vigorous dance material there is Ted Weems, not far behind the Pennsylvanians in steadily maintained ex- cellence, heard this month in highly danceable performances of My Baby Just Cares for Me and A Girl Friend of a Boy Friend of Mine (22499). Similarly energetic is Gus Amheim (Continued on Page 36)