[78-L] VJM article: British Jazz Albums of the 1930s and 1940s

[Michael Biel]

Michael Biel wrote:
> Han Enderman wrote:
>   
>> A SUGGESTED LIST
>>     
>> Crosby (Bob) Album No. 3 : Decca F7592 to F7595 incl.
>>     
>
>   

I have found another little plastic bag with some British supplements 
from the 30s and early 40s, some Decca and some Brunswick.  In the 
November 1939 Decca they announce:

Decca Album No. 12  Bob Crosby Showcase No. 2,  discs F7151 to 7156. 
   Six 10-inch records complete in Art Album with explanatory leaflet 
14/6, Single records 2/- each. 

So now we know the disc numbers of the second and third British Decca 
Bob Crosby albums   Since I hae the supplements here, the other Decca 
Albums included in that supplement are:

No. 3  Salon Music  Harry Horlick and His Salon Orchestra  F6940 - 6944
     Complete in Special Art Album with leaflet 12/6

No. 7  Sousa Marches   American Legion Band of Hollywood, California
     Directed by Joe Colling  F7010 - 7014  12/6  singles 2/-

No. 9   The Street Singer  (Arthur Tracy) F7141 - 7145 12/6  singles 2/-

No.10  Reminising with Ambrose and his Orch F7202 -7207  14/6 , 2/-

No. 11 Viennese Waltzes  Harry Horlick and His Orch  F7070-7074  12/6, 2/-


The December 1939 Brunswick supplement lists six albums, all 
un-numbered, including one jazz album not mentioned in the VJM article 
nor in any of the list postings.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have 
an American equivalent


Chick Webb Memorial Album  .Vocals by Ella Fitzgerald  02792 - 02796
    Five records complete with Album with descriptive note 17/6  single 
3/- each

Victor Herbert Album  Bing Crosby 02761, 02850, Bing & Frances Langford 
02849,
    Florence George 02851, Rudy Vallee 02852, Frances Langford 02853
    Complete in Art Album with descriptive leaflet  21/-  single Records 
3/-

Bing Crosby Favourites (Old and New)  02805 - 02810
   Complete in Fine Art Album with photographic reproduction of Bing Crosby
   Six 10-inch records 21/-  Single records 3/- ea.

Vincent Gomez Album  (Guritar Solos) 02820, 02865, 92866 
   Complete in Art Album with descriptive leaflet  12/6   single 3/- each

Gershwin Album Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orch.  0140 - 0144
   Complete in album with leaflet, 22/6, Single Records  4/-

Deanna Durbin  0147 12-inch,  02370, 02804, 02803, 02486, 02705
   The last five 10-inch records in fine Art Album  18-, single 3/- ea

Actually it looks like the British were not stupid enough like American 
Decca to include a 12-inch in the same album as 10-inchers.  That 12 of 
One Fine Day/Spring In My Heart is usually broken or missing from her 
U.S. album.

I was hoping to find a supplement that listed any of the other albums 
discussed, but these were the two earliest ones that mentioned albums.  
The February 1939 Brunswick did not mention albums, and the combined 
Decca/Brunswick supplements of Sept 36 and Jan 37 even listed classical 
recordings of longer works in single record form only. 

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com 



> Now that I have seen the original VJM article, it answers my Bob Crosby 
> question that there were three albums, and the article specifically 
> states  that they did not duplicate the American Decca album with this 
> title, #32  plus a second American album of his that came out in 1940, 
> Dixieland Jazz  #142.   The article also discusses  some of the albums 
> and discs that remained in print even into the 50s, and which were 
> master pressings and which were dubs.  There are some records they 
> discuss that were master pressings in England but dubs in the U.S.   And 
> some of these things are rare even in England, and the author thanks 
> Morris Humphery of Diskery in Birmingham England for some of the rare 
> albums discussed. 
>
> Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com