[78-L] Sidney Bechet's Bluebird recording of "Strange Fruit"

[Michael Biel]

If the serial numbers on the 45 after the D1VW are very low, like 0003 
or 0025, this can be a re-numbered matrix and the 1941 represented by D1 
would be possible.  Very few recordings got re-numbered.  Since they did 
use that matrix system after the ban, if the serial numbers are of 
normal high numbers, then the fuzzy imaging of D1 is wrong, I suppose.

Mike Biel   mbiel at mbiel.com 

Han Enderman wrote:
> Rust gives Bechet's Strange Fruit on Vic 27-0127 only, plus some European HMVs.
> In Jazz Directory, v.1 (1949) it is still listed as unissued.
> I do not have a 78 label image of it, but all available images in this 78rpm 27-0xxx series  (range 27-0114 - 27-157) are 
> the white "RCA Victor / Record Prevue / coming attractions" label, and all are (re)issues of much earlier recordings. 
> 27-0140 is Jacquet's Black Velvet, recd 6 April 1949.
> Evidently the 78s were only for radio promotion (not for sale).
> In "Days Beyond Recall" (how appropriate for Bechet research; also not released at the time of recording), 
> this was discussed on the list. The commercial issues were in a 42- series at the time.
>
> Thus the orig. issue is 45rpm RCA 27-0127 (in box WPT-31) or 10" LP LPT-22, both called "Sidney Bechet", and
> issued in the Treasury of Immortal Performances series. 
> The LP mxs on label are E1VL-3416/17, but the 78s have earlier mxs. The 45 single has prefix D1VW (guessed from
> a bad image). Can the 78 or 45 be dated more accurately, and were the singles issued before the LP?
> Or are the HMVs the first release?
>
> Han Enderman
> ===
>   
>>>> ...the David Margolick book about the song claims that, while Bechet's instrumental version was
>>>>         
> recorded in September 1941, RCA Victor was so scared of the thing that they didn't release it 
> for several years. Exactly when *did* they first issue it, either on 78 or LP?... 
> King David MacKenzie 
> <<<