[78-L] EFHJREM

[David Lewis]

Mike Biel wrote:

 

> Last night at the Jazz Bash I saw a rather unusual sight. One of the> dealers had a large amount of 78s unsold, including some that were still> in about a half dozen boxes under the table. He bequeathed them to> Scott Wenzel of Mosaic Records who at first said they would be 50 cents> apiece until he looked at them. In those boxes were EFHJREM -- Every> Freaking Harry James Record Ever Made. HUNDREDS of them. MANY hundreds> of them. Including sleeves with three or five records in them -- all of> the same record. A few did find other homes, even Dan Morgenstern took> a couple of 'em. I picked up his Eli Eli, always wondered what that> sounded like. But when I left there were still a table full of 'em. But> I think we can be well assured that there will not be a Harry James box> set coming out of Mosaic.>> Mike (I wonder if the two Black cleaning guys are interested in Harry> James) Biel mbiel at mbiel.com


>>>

 

Indeed, when the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati ejected their 78 rpm collection in 1988 there was another large instance of EFHJREM. And it's a pity they are so prevalent, as they are really very good records, but they survive in such high numbers that makes them undesirable. I also tend towards his later LP albums from "The New James" on -- no one suspected he would become such an outstanding bop player; moreover he retained the same measure of expressiveness and bravura that makes his early work so exceptional. I can do without the string section he had in the early 40s; indeed, so could have James as he once noted, but it was there for commercial purposes.


Uncle Dave Lewis uncledavelewis at hotmail.com



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