[78-L] Dick Robertson [was Brunswick 4411 vocalist question.]

[simmonssomer]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Geoffrey Wheeler" <dialjazz at verizon.net>
To: <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 7:41 PM
Subject: [78-L] Dick Robertson [was Brunswick 4411 vocalist question.]


Al Simmons says: “In my humble opinion Chick Bullock was the very best
of the studio singers.
  The rest of 'em, including Smith Ballew, Dick Robertson, and Scrappy
Lambert
  are better left in the vaults along with assorted  hack females like
Vaughn DeLeath and Lee (ugh) Morse.
  O.K. I'm ducking.”

Chick Bullock had a pleasing baritone voice. He enunciated and phrased
carefully to make each song listenable and likable. He could
comfortably handle a wide range of material, from ballads to rhythm
tunes. Sound engineers and producers probably appreciated him because
he knew his way around studio mics to achieve the best possible sound.
Because he was experienced, like Gene Kardos, he was probably a
one-take man. On alternate takes I have heard of studio recordings,
Bullock isn’t the problem; it’s the musicians.

Regrettably, little is available on CD under his own name. I checked
Worlds Records and found only one CD. I only have two LPs under his
name: “1932-41” on Lyric 3302, and “Chick Bullock and His Levee
Loungers, 1933/41” on (Swedish) Everybody’s 1001. He, of course,
appears on a number of LPs as a vocalist under other leaders. One that
features obscure recordings on Vocalion and Columbia is “Vic Berton and
His Orchestra, 1935” on Harrison LP-O. One less-than-PC gem is “(Down)
In Blinky, Winky, Chinky Chinatown.” Or his vocal with Joseph Robechaux
of “That’s How Rhythm Was Born.” Jerry Valburn issued a two-LP set of
Robechaux but I don’t remember if that tune is on it.
_______________________________________________


I know a guy who has 250 Chick Bullock titles on CD.
250 under his own name that is.
There's always a way if there's a will.

Al Simmons