Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 4 (1931-01)

138 The Phonograph Monthly Review in the Brunswick disc, but possibly adding a little to the restrained atmospheric qualities of the piece. The coupling here is a lugubrious, slow, bewailing piece of considerable interest (it is also by Ellington), but by no means as striking as the Mood Indigo, alias Dreamy Blues. Is Ellingtons band also the Harlem Music Masters? Their performance of Ring Dem Bells (Okeh 41468) is very closely akm to that of Ellington in his splendid Victor version of the same piece. Again the jaunty flow, fine coloring and wa-wa work calls for emphatic phrase. (The coupling is provided by Louis Armstrong and his Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra m a version of Body and Soul that contrasts refreshingly with the average performances, and which is played and sung with far more genuine feeling and force.) Ellington’s current Victor disc (23022) is one of his virtuoso feats. Old Man Blues is a grand rollicking tune, played to a standstill by the entire band, with the Duke’s piano well ahead. Jungle Nights in Harlem contains some more amazing piano and orchestral effects (Rimsky-Korsakow would rub his ears on hearing some ol the tone colors here!) Note the parabolic flights in particular. Fantastic music, astoundingly played. Various Negro Bands Armstrong is heard again on Okeh 41463, with both sides to himself playing You’re Lucky to Me and Memories of You. The former performance is one of Armstrong’s few less interest- ing ones but Memories of You with its heartful trumpeting and singing is characteristic. The Okeh lists are alsp the source of a Clarence Williams disc, whereon that indefatigable musician leads his Washboard Band in a. j aunty Lovm^ and a singular but almost interminable Papa De-Da-Da, enlivened by some virtuoso legerdemain upon the washboards. Bi uns- tick allots two discs to Andy Kirk. He takes his Twelve Clouds oj Joy to Travelling That Rocky Road and Honey Just for You (4981), but except for the nice swing and trumpet obbligatos, the performances are not up to his best standar s. The 1 even Little Clouds oj Joy are heard to better effect on 7180 in that catchy hit, You Rascal You, and Gettm Off a Mess both distinguished by some very fine pianoing. bo urn bia brings back Fletcher Henderson in a very welcome return, o aving an intensely spirited, fast and furious Chinatown My a rudelv vigorous Somebody Loves Me (2329-D) • the vocal chorus is noteworthy. Clarence Williams is hoard from again via Victor’s Race lists, playing a very slow, poignantly melodic I’m Not Worrying and an amusingly cross rhythmed, pattern piece, Touch-Down (V-38630). Two White Hot Bands Onlv two of the paler faced orchestras cultivating the steamy side of Izz are represented this month: Nichols’ Pennies and Grai/Srown, torturing . fleet pinole “U Deep Down South ^ Blue despite its title, is likewise gay. I he naaimg vsuei harmonics 1 !) and guitaring need no recommendation to Venu and Lang’s admirers. Victor Red Hot List The Victor Red Hot Dance Tune List contains the Venuti discs mentioned above, the Ellington l Dldtoto and Tungle Nights in Harlem reviewed under The Duke, and the McKinney Never Swat a Fly and Laughing; a Life reviewed among the ballroom dance recordings. In addition there are releases from Jelly-Roll Morton and Benme Moten. The former plays a good humored That’ll Never Do and a singular verv sad Fickle Fay Creep, featuring some fine trumpet and tuba work (23019); and Moten plays far less distincbve ver- sions of Liza Lee and Get Going. kufus. FOREIGN International. Most important is the repressing of Dr. Wjeissmanns Parlophone recording of Mozart’s Kleine Nacht- musik on Columbia G-55227-F and G-55228-F (2 D12s, $1.25 each, reviewed under “Orchestral”). The Grand Salon Or- chestra, conducted by H. Schmalstich, plays energetic, but rather coarse versions of Ziehrer’s Viennese Maidens Waltz and Zeller’s Adam Waltz on Victor V-50O29. Brunswick contribu- tion is John Wiljahrt’s Concertina Orchestra in At the Mill and Dudes’ March, played with considerable verve and pep- pered with wild shouts. For novelty there are amusing street organ performances of La Paloma and O Sole Mio, powerfully recorded on Victor V-59. French. The inimitable Chevalier may be heard in the French versions of his hits from “Playboy of Paris” “Le Petit Cafe” in the Paris version)—Mon Ideal and Dans la Vie quand on tient le Coup (“It’s a Great Life” !), on Victor 22549 Paris music hall singers are represented on Columbia 34269-F ( Doc Gilles Amiot du Matou-Botte in Szule’s Paris and Barnabe). Victor V-5517 ( Rene Marchais ), and V-5523 (M. Wolff de l’Eldorado). German. Schmalstich and the Grand Salon Orchestra are heard again in Waldemann’s Hold Blum’ der Mannertreu and Darras’ Aus schoner Jugendzeit, both featuring very sentimen- tal vocal solos by Herr Pechner (Victor V-56059); Ernil Velaz- co plays neat organ versions of Schon ist die Jugend, Du du liegst tuir im Herzen, etc. (Columbia 5201-F); the popular current hit—Zwei Herzen im Ya Takt is now out in ^ very vigorously recorded Berlin street organ solo (Victor W-6094); and Harry Steier, with the Parlophone Chorus and Orchestra sings a very bombastic Der Soldat hat eine Sabel, and a heav- ily sentimental Waldeslust (Columbia G-5199-r). Hungarian. There are vocals by Laszlo Imre (Columbia 10242-F) and Pallo Imre (Victor V-11057), both with gypsy orchestras and both very interesting. The Burn Sandor or- chestra of Budapest plays alone on Victor V-110o5, the pel formances are very emotional, but full of curious instrumental effects. Italian. Mention goes to Brunswick’s three releases from the Banda Marranzini (58221-3), Columbia Banda Itahana m military marches on 14626-F, Victor specially labelled records of Ihe Marcia Reale and Inno di Garibaldi played without great animation by Creatore’s Band W-f^ieVfandthe Nmited potpourri of Neapolitan songs played by the Banda Rossi (V-62018). Of more than usual interest is Eugenio Cibelhs simple and moving singing (in Latin) of three Megliocco son j^ —O Salutaris, Tantum Ergo, and Ave Maria (V-12162) and the Fratelli Bruzzese in Zampogna and Cornamusa duets on V-12159. A Zampogna is a bag-pipe or shawm; a Cornamusa Cornemuse is also a type of bag-pipe popular with the peasantry of France and Flanders, as well as parts of Italy (Pratt). . , Philippine. Cecilio Joaquin and Mary Farber sing vocal duets on Columbia 4273-F, and Pedro ReoEdmhn sings an Ilocana love song and Philippine Blues on 4201-1. Porto-Rican. The Flores ensemble sings boleros and songs on Brunswick 41115 and 41117. Victor releases five records from its export lists. The Grupo lndiano and Canano and his company are featured. Okeh’s stars, Los Jardirwros are h RussTa^UkrIinIa 4 ; 6, The orchestra of M. TVebera playing fox trot and tango by Strock proves to be our old fnen^Marek Weber gone Russian in very catchy and deft performances (Victor V-21055). The Krestyansky) orchestra plays very spirited polkas on Columbia 20241-F, and Elena Horwatt sings lively versions of Solve) and Ras Dwa Tn-the latter sounding very much like Hinky Dinky Parlay-Vous embroidered with S£2“ special Interest are tuT VanZ’s guitar solo s- Granadinas and Fandanguillo-on Bmns^ c k 41198; the Band« MunicivaVs songful performances of Sobre las Olas and Das Mananlas (Brunswick 41153); energetic dances by tbe Orq^ste Concertina on Okeh 16757; a vocal arrangement of Granados popular Spanish Dance sung by if^losia and a 30110—coupled with a very sprightly^ For la Gelosia , ana a gracefu?°du^>—Lara’s Despierta: Clave Bolero a hunting tune—sung by Cueto and Armzui on Victor 46982. »• * •