[78-L] Ancient Japanese record...help!

[Mark Hendrix 78L]

Hello, Taylor:

I'm sure our Japan-based friend Hopkins/Kato will have more information.
And I can't give your interesting post the attention I would like to right
now.  But the Nipponophone label did put out single-sided records (with a
logo of an eagle perched on a gramophone) and I wonder if what you have is
perhaps some export version.  You can see a rather washed out scan of this
label here:

http://www.tedstaunton.com/labels/1910-1919.pages/Nipponophone/nipponophone.
htm

Nipponophone was eventually gobbled up by Columbia, and, interestingly,
Japanese Columbia in the immediate postwar era produced a gold on black
Eagle record for sale to US servicemen stationed there, featuring Japanese
music.  (I believe the same selections are available to Japanese public on
the regular maroon Columbia label).

There are many examples of Western-styled dance music recorded by Japanese
orchestras prior to World War II.  The book "Blue Nippon" suggests that many
of the earliest of these styled themselves after Paul Whiteman,
unsurprisingly.  I have a couple of Japanese CDs that feature a few samples
of this material, but as they are compilations (of Victor material) spanning
the late 1920s through the mid-1950s, there are only a few samples.  I'm
blanking on the names of the CDs.  Naturally, you'd have the best luck
finding more 78s like these in Japan.

I hope what little I know helps, and isn't too riddled with errors.

--Mark Hendrix

PS, Shizuko Kasagi rules!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
> [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com]On Behalf Of Taylor Bowie
> Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 6:53 PM
> To: 78-L Mail List
> Subject: [78-L] Ancient Japanese record...help!
>
>
> Some time ago I bought a one-sided Japanese record...the label says "The
> American Record.  Japanese Song with Samsen.  2001.  The Japan American
> Phonograph Mfg. Co. Ltd."
>
> The rest of the label is in Japanese.  I haven't listened to a
> lot of really
> old Japanese records (Tokyo Boogie-Woogie is more my usual era) but this
> thing totally blew me away.  I don't know how else to describe it
> except to
> say that it sounds like a Japanese version of country blues with guitar.
> The singer seems to be a sort of raw-voiced woman and she uses
> two voices on
> the record,  as if she's having a musical conversation.  It is great
> music...I am so glad I took a chance on the thing for a few bucks.
>
> Can anyone give me any info on the label,  issue date,  etc. or (now I'm
> pushing my luck) any info on the artist and/or song?   The thing looks
> ancient...a very somber black label with gold printing,  and an
> eagle device
> near the center hole.  Just from the look of it I would guess
> around 1910.
> Is there a web site in English which talks about Japanese 78s?  Are there
> any records of Western-style dance bands in  Japan,  pre-WW2?
>
> Thanks for any help or info.
>
>
>
> Taylor B
>
>
>
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