The record changer (Feb-Dec 1948)

Mills still has a new idea or two to spring, and now gives us a second special series for Pathe — this time serials in 11000. While the numbers used in this series do not coincide with those in the 11000 series on Pe., they are for much the same purpose — solos and hot or "race" efforts. As a matter of fact, we have now arrived at a point where the whole Mills set-up is churning in a complete welter of confusion, what with all those series of numbers, different labels and criss-cross use of house band names. It is unfortunate that this highspot in chaos should coincide with the very point where the interest of most collectors begins to quicken, yet such is the case. Along about now we run into a profusion of sides by Nichols groups, Pettis, Ellington and others to add to the Hendersons, Memphis Fives and Rollinis of which we have been seeing so much 'up until now. Tough as the 'going will get, however, we had better plunge in, after first recapping our serials, controls and masters to get a line on just where we stand. Remember, this is at the beginning of 1926 : 36350:32300:25 ioo ; i iooo 14500:12300:11500 9900 1600 PART THREE OF A THREE Now let's see what we can find out about the Nichols situation as of this time. We are familiar with the Red Heads on Pa.-Pe.; the earliest coupling I know of is Headin' For Louisville/ Nervous Charlie on Pa. 11069 and 36347, Pe. 14528. (Notice the inconsistency ? the special serials for hot are used for one Pathe issue but not for the other or for the Perfect.) We should take a look also at Poor Papa (106602) by the same boys on Pa. 11104, Pe. 1456g. This piece, a very popular novelty' number in its day, can also be found on other labels of the same vintage as follows: Missouri Jazz Band, (6463) Re. 8022; Dixie Jazz Band, Or. 59L ; Jimmy Johnson's Rebels, Pu. 11449. I haven't heard these sides ; but I'll' guess that at least the Re. and Or, are from the same master. I don't know about the Pu., not even being sure as to its status with Mills, or whether this record was produced from a Mills master. The real question in my mind, though, is whether by any chance some of these sides are by Nichols, possibly from the Pa.-Pe. master. a* lidii Don't overlook that Regal serial, by tl way ; it's our annual series change. Whi the Re. series got to 9999, they started ov< at 8000. And has this confused the disco; raphers ! Don't make the same mistakeremember that Regal serials of 9000 a always from a period earlier than those < 8000. To get back to Nichols, he and his bo; may be found on records by Joe Candul and his Orch. (sometimes his Everglad Orch.), the Indiana Five, Perry's Hot Dog Six Hottentots, Six Black Diamonds ( ? Dixie Jazz Band, Jay C. Flippen and h Gang ; probably on some Golden Gate Ore and Missouri Jazz Band. However, most < the infrequent good or fais numbers und< the two latter names are by Pettis or Rolli personnel — but of course there is always tl possibility that Nichols sat in on one or tv of the sessions these boys made! Confusiic fj. ain't it? ! 4tl tan Among the following sides are some th are almost certainly Nichols, some th may be, and some that certainly aren Not all duplicated titles are by the sari recording group — but a good many are: Steppin' Fool (6284) Re. 9965 Perry's Hot Dogs (6284) Ba. 1656 Six Black Diamonds Nervous Charlie Stomp (6683) Re. 8335 Six Hottentots Ba. 1800 Joe Candullo Orch. Ba. 6009 Six Hottentots Or. 691 Dixie Jazz Band Pa. 36347, 1 1 069 Pe. 14528 Red Heads Hard to Get Gertie (106727) Pa. 36428 Pe. J4609 Indiana Fi Or. 685 Dixie Jazz Band Rosie Cheeks Ba. 1962 Six Hottentots Re. 8289 Six Hottentots Bway. 1070 Six Hottentots Or. 883 Dixie Jazz Band St. Louis Blues (6806) Re. 8150 Joe Candullo's Orch. (6806) Ba. 1839 Joe Candullo's Orch. (6806) Do. 3956 Joe Candullo's Orch. Or. 952 Dixie Jazz Band I'm In Love Again (7173) Re. 8289 Six Hottentots (7173) Ba. 1964 Six Hottentots (7173) Do. 3935 Six Hottentots (7173) Bway. 1059 Six Hottentots Pe. 14824 Southampton Soc. Orch. Sometimes I'm Happy (7174) Ba. 6008 Six Hottentots (7174) Do. 3975 Six Hottentots Pe. 14824 Southampton Soc. Orch. Several other interesting things show t in the above listings. There's our first Broa way (bear in mind that this label was n owned by Mills) ; and the Regal maste have changed to a (6000) series. This mti have taken place in 1927, when the old seri was about to touch (2000) So don't both to look for those other four thousand record But this isn't all ; Mills a'way^ has exb a 1*1 A; to a 10 Site 1 net* fti) ;J'J is! tan : 4; ! t'lo J'T 'Sit 1 ! payi y, rabbits in the topper. At about this point 01 begins to find, on a good many sides, tu control numbers pressed in the wax outsii the label. One is the regular four-digit co trol to which we have become accustomed the Ba.-Re.-Do. subgroup — it has reachi (7000) by this time. The other has tindigits, and seems to have been an Ork: control ; two sets of books were being ke). ^ apparently. My suggestion : pay no attenti< to the three-digit numbers — -they have 1 weight in determining order of recording. And here are a couple of items that Mi! really threw the book at. The first is Hel Cutie, as by Sam Lanin's Orch. on Bwo Win 1 ,1 it a lei