The record changer (Jan-Dec 1953)

15 Rare: Jenny Lind made a private recording, in 1887, her only disc. This single wax cylinder is now reputed to be in the possession of the Danish Royal Family. Should be the rarest celebrity item of them all. New: Label called Windin' Ball, with headquarters in Springfield, 111., has recorded eight solo sides by Bunk's boy, pianist Don Ewell. . . . Jimmy Ryan, whose 52nd Street New York bar has held out for traditional jazz for lo these many years, has branched out, opening the new Blue Note on West 46th St. on Fridays, Saturdays, and other special occasions, the place features the hard-driving young Red Onion Jazz Band, headed by trumpeter Bob Hodes and drummer Bob Thompson (also celebrated as a Record Changer record reviewer). Pops: Louis' recent European tour — a big success as usual — featured Trummy Young, Bob McCracken, Marty Napoleon, Arvell Shaw, and Cozy Cole, in the revised "All Stars." Data: In case anyone is interested, the oldest known Victor record is one made in 1898 by Eldridge R. Johnson. Title: I Guess I'll Have to Telegraph My Baby, written by George M. Cohan. . . . Gathering dust in the Columbia files for almost fifty years was an unissued 1906 master by Bert Williams: I've Such a Funny Feeling When I Look at You, recently rediscovered. Expiration: The MGM label has lost its rights to the old Musicraft masters, some of which it has issued over the past few years. Sides include a lot of the basic early bop numbers. Our Own Ho-Hum Dept.: Down Beat had its ignorance showing again recently. In an account of an LP calling itself "From Barrelhouse to Bop: A History of Jazz Piano" by John Mehegan, the Beat's record reviewer called all but the demonstrations representing Tatum and Shearing "admirably authentic." The fact is that Mehegan's playing of pieces he describes as "crude" and "primitive" is generally sloppy and completely without any feel for cross-rhythm and shift of accent. But even this is unimportant compared with the way he has oversimplified the music. Whole phrases and answering motifs are left out of Joplin's Maple Leaf and the piece's wonderful bass figures are hardly even hinted at. The same sort of things happen to Jelly's King Porter, and the Pinetop number is bowdlerized practically out of existence. Mehegan, who is academically trained — he teaches at Juilliard — should have known better. As for the Down Beat review, maybe he thought Mehegan was "improvising." By the time this reaches print, the new Will Buy RECORD COLLECTIONS ANY AMOUNT. I have 100,000 records: hot sweet; everything, everyone. Sand wants. Will Trad*; Sell; Buy Race; Bluet; New Orleans; Personality. Jacob Schneider 128 WEST 66TH STREET. N. Y. C. "Bunk Johnson Sada," a series of LP's on American Music should be out. Bunk plays piano; Bunk talks about Bolden; Bunk whistles; Bunk tells about Tony Jackson; Bunk blows his horn, talks about his theory of jazz, plays solos, plays with the band. Wonderful stuff from Papa Bill Russell's private collection, meaning that Jelly Roll's Library of Congress series now has a serious rival. records noted (Continued from Page 12) as one among strange bedfellows. It does, however, lend dignity to the performance. Lonesome, whose composer is listed as "Traditional," has some more "serious" mo-, ments than its disc mate. After the usual ricky-doo, Danny Alguire (cornet) leads into a few ensemble choruses in a more familiar idiom. A group of Cadets, now disguised as farmers, inject a vocal strain. As "blues" it is not very convincing. The Five Plus Two, in spite of my scolding, provide us with a lot of fun. It is hoped that the jazz standards exhibited in their previous recordings such as Down Where the Sun Goes Down and Yes Sir That's My Baby will not be forgotten. It is also hoped that Tom Sharpsteen will be permitted some solo spots on future releases. So with no further ado I'll get my joy buzzer and we'll all shake hands. (Good Time Jazz 73) (R. L. T.) the banjo kings pickin' the banjo, the burglar buck The Banjo Kings, Dick Roberts and Red Roundtree, are a couple of sports that are red hot at the vanishing art of exhibition banjo playing. People such as myself, over whom the sound of a banjo manifests a strange and magnetic appeal, are eager to do all they can to preserve this species. Methinks if I could change my form to one less conspicuous I would live in symbiosis with a banjo. good fime Yeftf from . . . Pickin' is, of course, just what the name implies. A very raggy piece, it would do well as a band tune. Incidentally, it was composed by banjo king Roberts. The Burglar Buck smacks of Merrie Olde Englande with syncopation added. Again the title is just right. 'Tis easy to visualize old Burglar sneaking around, lightly and speedy, buck and wing style. There are many standard and often amusing licks to be found in this banjo style. In some ways it reminds one of those old Vess Ossman, et al., sides that turn up in the course of a collector's junk shop tours. The Kings are assisted by Stan Wrightsman (piano), George Bruns (bass), and Monte Mountjoy (drums). This is more fortification than old V. Ossman had. But good, but good. (Good Time Jazz 76) (R. L.T.) Subscribe Today The (£ecw4 Changer 125 LA SALLE STREET, NEW YORK CITY 27, N. Y. Please enter my subscription to your magazine for □ I year; □ 2 years; □ 3 years. My remittance is enclosed. United States I year $3.50; 2 years $6.50; 3 years $ 9.00 Canada and Foreign I year $4.00; 2 years $7.50; 3 years $10.50 Name _ Address