Yes, we got snow

Eleven inches. Savio was loving it, as you can see. He's probably the most accomplished tripper of all the cats--witness the way he throws himself in front of Daddy's feet. "Shy" is not one of the words one would use to describe Savio--"low-energy" is another.

The snow stopped today, and our neighbors plowed our driveway. All I had to do was shovel a path to the van and then unearth it. If the rest of our road gets plowed, I'll be able to get to church tomorrow morning....

The first shot shows Bev and Savio. Savio did a fabulous pose on top of the van, but my digital camera goes into 15-second delay when I try to take a series of shots. So, a classic shot lost. Time for a new model.

78s from the 78 era!--Honky Tonky; Pork and Beans; Take Your Finger Out of Your Mouth (I Want a Kiss from You); and more!

I find 78s from the 78 era to be the best kind--the most authentic, really. I also feel very passionately that no one should have to spend his or her time on Earth without at least the option of hearing Take Your Finger Out of Your Mouth (I Want a Kiss from You)--and, so, today's playlist includes just that number. Plus a lot of great jazzy/raggy numbers (yes, jazzy/raggy), including two pretty lively rags from Prince's Orch., a very lively Creole Belles from Sousa's Band, a trio of fabulous vintage big band arrangements (of the jazzy/raggy type) from Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orch., an excellent orchestral rag from Conway's Band, and a fast, bluesy Honky Tonky from the Victor Military Band. If one could ask for more, what would that be?

Oh, Baby! (Don't Say No, Say Maybe) is one of Fred Waring's all-out jazz sides of the 1920s--you'll believe me when you hear it. Back to Prince's Orch. with Chinese Wedding Procession, which has a very strong Grofe/Whiteman sound, only five years before either made their shellac debut. Things close with a very good "hot" Sam Lanin side from 1927. I don't know if any "name" people are on it, though it wouldn't surprise me.

All of these were ripped by me over the past several days from items in my too-large collection of 78-era 78s.

To the sounds: ZIP FILE NO LONGER AVAILABLE

PLAYLIST

PORK AND BEANS (Luckey Roberts)--Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Orch., 1917.
CREOLE BELLES (Lampe)--Sousa's Band, 1912.
SAND DUNES (Byron Gay)--Oriental (One-Step)--Earl Fuller's R. Novelty O., 1918.
SPANIOLA--Same.
RIGOLETTO RAG (Henneberg)--Prince's Band, 1917.
RAG-A-MINOR (Lenzberg)--Same.
FLIRTING WHISTLER (M.L. Lake)--Conway's Band, 1915.
CHINESE WEDDING PROCESSION--Prince's Orch., 1915.
OH, BABY! (Don't Say No, Say Maybe)--Waring's Pennsylvanians, 1924.
HONKY TONKY (McCarron-Smith)--One-Step--Victor Military Band, 1916.
TAKE YOUR FINGER OUT OF YOUR MOUTH (I Want a Kiss from You)--Fred Rich's Dance Orch., 1927.
I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR LEAF CLOVER--Sam Lanin's Dance Orch., 1927.


Lee

1914 mandolin club 78 is over-the-top amazing

I managed to get two decent label shots out of several--I chose this because it's closer to the label's actual color. It's aqua, but it refuses to come out that way. But this is not important. (Note: Improved hue courtesy of Bob, who tweaked things much closer to the actual color.)

What is important is the incredible performance we're about to hear--a two-selection medley by the Williams College Mandolin Club, 1914. The second strain, taken from Sousa's Corcoran Cadets March, breaks loose into plantation-orchestra territory, with a busy drum backing and (I swear) at least one banjo in the mix. I eagerly await listener feedback, since it's often hard to tell exactly what instrumental line-up you're hearing on an acoustical recording, especially one as casually recorded as this.

"Purely African-American," I decided on my first listen. Sure enough, though the Williams College Mandolin Club was very likely without a black participant, what we're hearing here seems to be imitation-African-American, as black mandolin clubs are described in Lynn Abbott and Doug Seroff's Out of Sight: The Rise of African American Popular Music, 1889-1895.

An initial check suggests that discs like this are rare as hen's teeth. Mandolins show up a lot on 78, but not mandolin clubs. This specific type of string band, from the looks of it, was way under-documented.

This 78 was included for free with an eBay purchase--the dealer figured I'd like it. I like it.

Oh, and dig the talking at the close of the disc--the last three words almost sound like "...carry the backbeat," though I doubt I'm hearing it correctly. Needless to say, the chatter was unintentional.

To the amazing music: The Royal Purple--Come Fill Your Glasses--Williams College Mandolin Club, 1914.


Lee

Sunday (barely) morning gospel--The Looper Trio: Life Beyond Death

(Repost from 6/24/07 and 7/13/08)

This is one of two Looper Trio LPs donated to my blog by Val and Gene Johnson.

You know, I was almost afraid to listen to this one, given that the Trio's Holy Hills of Home is one of the best gospel efforts ever stamped on vinyl. Like, how could this album hope to measure up?

Well, for the most part, it does. A little slower-moving, but nothing wrong with that. The same great voices, the same Smith's-Sacred-Singers feeling in spots, the same utter honesty, the same excellent production, the same sheer, message-filled entertainment. I'm impressed. Uplifted. Delighted.

And I even find a message in the plain packaging of the LP--the way it contrasts with the great stuff inside. It's a matter of essence, not adornment. A very Christian message, there. (Then again, that is a nice photo.)

To the music: The Looper Trio--Life Beyond Death (Rite Record Productions)

Tracklist (credits as listed on LP):

Life Beyond Death (Melba Montgomery-Earl Montgomery)
We'll Have a Good Time (Unknown)
One More Valley (Dottie Rambo)
Don't Take My Cross Away (P.D.)
Walk Around Me Jesus (Traditional)
Too Much Sinnin' (Unknown)
On the Other Side of Jordan (Unknown)
Too Much to Gain to Lose (Dottie Rambo)
I'm on My Way (Unknown)
What a Wonderful Savior Is He (W. Bruster)
What Will the Coming of the Lord Mean to You? (P.D.)
Here Today--Gone Tomorrow (Kitchen and Benson)

(Midwest Gospel Sound 27403/27404; Mfd. by Rite Record Productions; year unknown)


Lee