Pops Concert III.A: Metropolis, Dengozo, Destiny Watlz

From 1928, Paul Whiteman's Concert Orch. performing Ferde Grofe's Metropolis (based, at least in part, on themes by Matty Malneck and Harry Barris), which was issued in four parts, one per 12"-78 side. These I have divided into two files. This work works for me, though I could live without the contrived finale. The spooky whole-tone sections (there are many) should put us in a Halloween mood, if the weather hasn't been doing the trick. Around these parts, it has been.

Latin pop (as we know it) didn't start with SAP (Space Age Pop), of course. And no one, hopefully, is claiming it did. But did you know that the genre was fairly old news even by the time of this 1914 recording of Dengozo? I say this as someone slightly surprised, a while back, to discover that Emil Waldteufel's Estudiantina was composed in 1883. And is my blog starting to sound like a journal, or what? Which isn't a bad thing, necessarily.

And... two recordings of Sydney Baynes superb Destiny Waltz (1912), the first from 1914 (the Victor Military band, again), and the second from 1927 (Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band). McElroy's Spanish Ball Room, says a Google search, was a Portland, Oregon dance hall. A busy one. The label had had me thinking this was a Spanish orchestra, per se, but, no--it's a band associated with a Spanish ballroom. The house band (hall band?).

We'd better get to the music: Pops Concert III.A
(Don't worry about the "III-A" on the file name ((vice III.A)). You're at the right place.)

PLAYLIST

METROPOLIS (A BLUE FANTASIE) (Ferde Grofe), Parts 1-4--Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orch., 1928. From 78s.
DENGOZO--BRAZILLIAN MAXIXE (Ernesto Nazareth)--Victor Military Band, 1914. From 78.
DESTINY WALTZ (Baynes)--Victor Military Band, 1914. 78.
DESTINY--Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band, 1927. 78.


Lee

McCain and Palin come out fighting

"HYAAAAAAAA!!! KARATE!!"











"HIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"



Lee

Pops Concert III--First Piano Quartet Plays Ernesto Lecuona

From 1948, two-thirds of a superb set of Ernesto Lecuona compositions, as played by the First Piano Quartet. Wish I had the whole album, but four-sixths of a brilliant collection is way better than none.

I'm going to have to seek out more by these guys--that's all there is to it. Andalucia is my favorite Ernesto Lecuona number, at least for the moment, and this version even manages to surpass Raymond Paige's orchestral reading. And I've always wanted to type "orchestral reading."

Here's proof that pop instrumental can be flashy, novel, and dazzling without the space age and without the ping pong. And in one channel, to boot.

Click here: First Piano Quartet Plays Ernesto Lecuona

PLAYLIST--First Piano Quartet, 1948.

DANZA DE LOS NANIGO (Dance of the Negroes)
LA COMPARASA (Carnival Procession)
ANDALUCIA
ARAGONESA

All selections by Ernesto Lecuona. From RCA Red Seal album set CO-41, minus two selections.



Lee

Sunday morning gospel--Sacred shellac for Sep. 7

Ten sides ripped from shellac, plus two vinyl tracks (in stereo, no less) by the Challengers Quartet to fill out the playlist. Not only do we get three songs by gospel songwriting great Charles H. Gabriel, we get to hear Charles sing on two 1922 sides--in solo fashion on the extremely low-volume/low-fidelity Home of the Soul, and in a duet with Homer Rodeheaver on the slightly better-sounding Where the Gates Swing Outward Never. Charles isn't in best voice on these sides, but keep in mind he was 66.

The three Gabriel songs, by the way, are Glory Song, Where the Gates..., and All Hail, Emmanuel.

None of these 78s were cleaned with alcohol, though a few sound like it, especially the solo Gabriel. Two words: worn grooves. But such wonderful grooves, regardless.

Experienced grooves, we could call them.

To the sacred shellac: Sunday morning gospel--Sacred 78s.

PLAYLIST

WHERE THE GATES SWING OUTWARD NEVER--Charles H. Gabriel and Homer Rodeheaver, 1922.
I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY--Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, 1910.
AVE MARIA (Bach-Gounod)--Elizabeth Wheeler, 1910.
TAKE THE NAME OF JESUS WITH YOU--Harrison and Anthony, 1908.
THE HOLY CITY--Henry Burr, 1900.
HAPPY DAY--TRINITY CHOIR, 1913.
GLORY SONG (O, THAT WILL BE GLORY)--Haydn Quartet, 1905.
ALL HAIL, EMMANUEL--William McEwan, 1912.
OLD TIME RELIGION (Tillman)--Criterion Quartet, 1910.
HOME OF THE SOUL--Charles H. Gabriel, 1922.
RESURRECTION MORNING--The Challengers Quartet.
TURN YOUR RADIO ON--The Challengers Quartet.


Lee