[78-L] Rex Battle, or not?

[David Lennick]

The odd thing is that Rex Battle DID record classical piano solos for Apex 
before 1925, and there's an unissued and unnumbered off-air recording with a 
Compo label of Battle playing something (I forget what, but I have it). I think 
Rust identifies it as the Bar Harbor Society Orchestra (Banner 1525 etc). 
Actual matrix numbers should be 5890-1 and 5891-1, as well as 2626-1 and 2627-1 
(presumably split among Banner, Domino, Emerson and Regal). 21053 is another 
Apex issue number (Domino Canada). Sterling 10000 is yet another Compo issue 
number.

dl

Stephen Davies wrote:
> Folks,
>         I have a disc which is attributed to Rex Battle & his dance 
> orchestra:
> 
> Apex 8333-A (Mx 10000=A ?): The midnight waltz
> Apex 8333-B (Mx 21051=A ?): I've found my sweetheart Sally (a.k.a. I found 
> my sweetheart Sally)
> 
>         Is this the disc from which Battle, a classical musician, 
> distanced himself in later years?
> 
> http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0000220
> <<<
> His few 78s for Apex as a pianist (in Chopin and Liszt) and accompanist 
> (to Ernest-Gill Plamondon and Leon Kofman) are listed in _Roll Back The 
> Years_, as is an Apex 78 whose attribution to 'Rex Battle and His Mount 
> Royal Hotel Orchestra' has been disputed by Battle.
>         If Battle really didn't wax this disc, whose tracks are on it? The 
> matrices are wildly far apart, and the songs were both very popular about 
> ten years before Battle started his band in 1934.
>         Thanks in advance for any help.
> 
> Labels are viewable at: 
> http://bigband-smallband.blogspot.com#8433007726184425144
> 
> - Stephen D
> Calgary
>