[78-L] Alice Hall [was Art van Damme]

[David Lennick]

Capitol also issued a white label promo called "What Is This Thing Called Bop". 
Wish they'd pressed it on superflex instead of worse than usual shellac.

dl

Geoffrey Wheeler wrote:
> Julien Vein says: Alice Hall did a couple of hip sides for Capitol in 
> 1949. She hums along
> with her squeezing a la Slam Stewart.
> 
> Yes, the Alice Hall Trio did record two sides for Capitol issued in the 
> short-lived 57 dash “Bop” series: 57-60006 “Pennies from 
> Heaven/Caravan.” The 32 sides issued in the series were all recorded 
> between January and May 1949. Of the major labels with any involvement 
> in Bop, Capitol was the only one to create a special catalog series 
> largely devoted to vocal and instrumental Be-Bop. This was the 57-60000 
> series that ran from 57-60000 to 57-60015. In an article headlined “Cap 
> Capturing Top Bop (Mop!),” James B. Conkling, head of Capitol’s artists 
> and repertoire division, announced in the February 1949 issue of 
> Capitol News [page 4]: “Bebop performers who have aroused wildly 
> fanatical followings in the New York area recently are being signed 
> almost daily to exclusive contracts with Capitol Records Inc.”  Why 
> Capitol thought Alice Hall (or Dave Barbour) would fit in this new 
> category with the likes of Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Lennie Tristano, 
> Babs Gonsalez, and Dave Lambert is anyone’s guess. These records 
> retailed for $1.05 each, which was more expensive than the regular 
> Capitol issues, which retailed for 89¢ (I think). Many younger critics, 
> those born A.C. (after Coltrane) refer to the Davis sides as “Birth of 
> the Cool.” When the records were released, they were labeled “Bop 
> Instrumental,” which was consistent with the purpose of the series. 
> “Birth of the Cool” came into being as an identifier in 1955 when the 
> first 12-inch LP was issued with 11 of the 12 tunes. Left out was the 
> Kenny Hagood vocal on “Darn That Dream.” It was not until 1971, 16 
> years later, that all 12 tunes were finally reissued on (Dutch) Capitol 
> Jazz Classics Vol. 1 (M-11026).