Great quotes of the 20th century, Part 89

Referring to Gertrude Stein's "senseless poetry," dissonance in modern music, among other trends:

Far be it from us either to endorse or to discourage these newer developments. Everything new had to start and in fact did start at some time or other. Future time may give the verdict.

From Think for Yourself, by Robert P. Crawford, 1937.

It's Polka Time, Part 5!!

This blog is your source for vintage polkas! In case there was any doubt on that point. Today's polka playlist goes back to 1910 (!) and travels as far as mid-WWII, with the emphasis on "Bohemian" bands and performances. One has to admire these starving artists for staying so focused on their art, at least long enough to get through the recording session.

Oh, wait--wrong "Bohemian." Anyway, these are all from 78s in my collection, and the condition, to put it tactfully, varies. All selections are listenable, albeit with some rough moments, such as the beginnings of the 1927 Orkiestra Witkowskiego sides, our two Polish selections for today.

The 1910 Czech Trio from Prague numbers are cool and amazing--all the Vetrniku Polka needed was a faster tempo, and it would have been right at home in a 1965 Lawrence Welk episode.

Walter Grabek's orchestra is the best of today's bunch--these guys might have had Spike Jones' players weeping with envy. Just incredible musicianship. To the polkas, obereks, etc.:

Polka Time, Part 5



TRACKLIST

HI TOOTS!--Walter Grabek and His Krakow Orch. (Victor V-727; early 1940s)
HELENA POLKA--Same.
YOUNG WIDOW--POLKA--Bacova Czech Band (Vocalion 15943; 1935)
GOODNIGHT--POLKA--Same.
MARTA--John Wilfahrt's Concertina Orch. (Perfect P-927; 1928)
CALIFORNIA--Same.
SAILOR'S LOVE--POLKA--Peter Muller's Band (Decca 2977; 1940)
KEEP STEADY--LAENDLER--Same.
MUJ KONICKU MARCH--Czech Trio from Prague (Victor 16726; 1910)
THE VETRNIKU POLKA--Same.
LIVELY OBEREK--Orkiestra Witkowskiego (Victor 80308, 1927)
THE WEDDING IN THE HOUSE OF WITOS--Same.


Lee

Sunday morning gospel: Assorted gospel

"Assorted gospel" sounds better than "Miscellaneous gospel," and so I chose it. Nearly half of today's selections come from the LP, Rex Humbard Presents..., Vol. 1, inside of whose gatefold cover the above image (stitched by Scan-n-Stitch Deluxe) originates. Six of the Humbard tracks are by the Cathedral Quartet, an offshoot of (or replacement for?) the Weatherford Quartet. Rex sings with them on Last Mile of the Way. Here is their LP photo.

The Humbard tracks are 1965-ish. I love putting "-ish" after a year. It's so retro-ish.

Besides these, we have the Chuck Wagon Gang, the Statesmen Quartet, 16 Singing Men, keyboardist Gene Smith, organist Lew Charles, and the Apostolic Christian Church Choirs. The latter collective choir consists of "125 choir members of the Apostolic Christian Churches within a 200 mile radius of Mansfield, Ohio," the respective jacket tells me. In this playlist, you will encounter quite a mixed and variegated variety of diverse, different, and varied assortedness. To the mix:

Assorted Gospel

PLAYLIST

DO RIGHT AND COME SMILING THROUGH--Statesmen Q.
BRIGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE (Gabriel-Ogdon)--Gene Smith
I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW--Cathedral Quartet
NEARER HOME--Cathedral Quartet
OH IT IS WONDERFUL (Gabriel)--Lew Charles, Famous NBC Pipe Organ, 1958.
OLD GOSPEL SHIP--Maude Aimee
WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN--Chuck Wagon Gang
JOY TO THE KING--The Kingsmen
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW (Bacharach-David)--New World Singers, 1969.
LAST MILE OF THE WAY--Rex Humbard and the Cathedral Q.
HE THE PEARLY GATES WILL OPEN--Cathedral Q.
HE BOUGHT MY SOUL AT CALVARY--Cathedral Q.
HOW ABOUT YOUR HEART--Apostolic Christian Church Choirs
I WOULDN'T TAKE NOTHING FOR MY JOURNEY NOW--Cathedral Q.
PRECIOUS MEMORIES--16 Singing Men


Lee