[78-L] MAJESTIC Records questions

[Dan Van Landingham]

I had a number of those Majestics as well as a few on Varsity.The one Majestic vinyl rec-
ord I have left is "Hangover Square" by Ray McKinley's orchestra.Some time ago,I bought
a book on the subject of be-bop.According to the author's discographic notes,"I Stay in
the Mood" by Billy Eckstine's orchestra came out on the Hit label;it had the same cata-
logue numbers as the Majestic recording.Hit was owned by a former RCA Victor A&R man
Eli Oberstein.In the late '40s,Mercury Records bought the label and it was out of business
by 1950;Musicraft Records was started in 1937 and recorded classical music at first then
Albert Marx became A&R of the label and signed Georgie Auld,Dizzy Gillespie amongst
others.The circa 1946 Varsitys had a great sound:I used to have four Louis Prima sides
one of which,"Saint Louis Blues" was a great favourite of mine.As for the quality of the
Robin Hoods,I never bought those I saw.I remember his recording of "Robin Hood" and it
left me cold.I have an old Laser Light CDs of the Louis Prima and it's a great CD.The
Majestics were horrible.




From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: [78-L] MAJESTIC Records questions
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2009, 5:57 PM


No, I know, Musicraft never owned Sonora..that label fell into Obie's hands as 
well.

David Lennick wrote:
> Some Varsity Majestic sides were re-pressed on good vinyl, and also remastered 
> from the 16" lacquers so they actually sound GOOD! And Canadian pressings of 
> some of the later issues (post-Majestic) were done by Compo. Amazing to hear 
> Louis Prima's "Robin Hood" in good sound. I think the vinyls were album sets 
> (in paper packets, not albums).
> 
> Varsity and Royale also re-pressed Sonora material, so sometimes you don't know 
> what you have, especially when the remastering results in similar looking 
> cuttings. (And Sonora reissued the anonymous Gilbert & Sullivan sides that had 
> been on "Masterpiece" which was at one time distributed by Musicraft..and then 
> Musicraft owned Sonora..ay ay ay)
> 
> dl
> 
> david.diehl at hensteeth.com wrote:
>> Mercury purchased the entire Majestic Record operation in 1948, including Bob Fine's brand new studio. Mercury kept the Alfred Newman sides and the Eddy Howard stuff and a couple of other things but quickly resold the vast majority to Oberstein. He reissued everything from Dale Evans to Louis Prima. Bob Porter did a matrix listing in Record Research. Some of the Guarnieri sides originally came out on Majestic in the 75-cent white label 1000 series. The Varsity sides came out in 1948-9, a few of these were pressed by Columbia and sound great.
>> Which sides do you have on the Varsity label?
>> DJD
>> Visit the Blue Pages: the Encyclopedic Guide to 78 RPM Party Records
>> http://www.hensteeth.com
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: David Lennick [mailto:dlennick at sympatico.ca]
>> Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 10:08 AM
>> To: '78-L Mail List'
>> Subject: Re: [78-L] MAJESTIC Records questions
>>
>> There are certain numbers from Majestic which Eli Oberstein took with him. Some of them had even appeared on Obie's labels previously, like all the "3 Suns" sides. Some Louis Prima discs, the Jimmy Durante-Eddie Jackson sides, the Percuy Faiths come to mind..they probably have a specific prefix.dl
>> Julian Vein wrote:> Steven C. Barr wrote:>> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Thomas Stern" >>> 78discography has listings for the 1940's issues, prior to the 1948>>> bankruptcy, dissolution and>>> sale of Majestic Records.>>> there are news items in Billboard indicating the record operation was>>> revived in Hollywood c.1951.>>> Does anyone have information or listings of the records issued?>>> In particular, records in a 100 series, designated 78-1nn....???>>>
>>>> Majestic basically took over Obie's HIT label and extended its 1xxx and>> 7xxx series(es). I have NEVER heard of/encountered a 1xx series; however,>> there were other seies, most notably a 12xxx, issued during Majestic's 1945->> 1948 existence. Note that the "discographitazion" of the post WWII period>> is minimal...logically so, given the huge number of "ephemeral" labels of>> that period! I have YET to see any discographic mention of my "Okie">> record...nor do I expect any...?! Some of the short-lived labels of this era>> may have issued a dozen...or even ONE...record during their brief lives,>> and their "ledgers" (IF they existed?!) are probably lying in some landfill>> some-unknown-where...?!>>>> Should any 78-L listener see fit to rise to this implied challenge, note >> that>> the complete run of Billboard is accessible via Google...and many record>> releases were either announced or advertised therein! Mr. Daniels' "sequel">> to my Dating
 Guide is currently out 
o
> f 
>>  print, AFAIK; other works in that>> area are nowhere nearly as orginized nor usable?!>>>> Steven C. Barr >>>> _______________________________________________
>>> I have three Varsitys (293, 294, 295) by Johnnie Guarnieri, which are > ex-Majestic (or vice-versa?), but do not appear to be listed anywhere. > Any others?> > Julian Vein> l
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