[78-L] Frankie Carle or ? on Philharmonic

[David Lennick]

A few weeks ago, we discussed an anonymous album of Piano Solos on Philharmonic which appeared to be identical to Frankie Carle Columbias. I found the album this morning and it includes 6 sides from the "At The Piano" album (C-23, 35570/3) and 2 from "Encores" (C-70, 36331/4). These are the Columbia sides, from a 1942 catalog and Ty's online listing, with the Philharmonic numbers shown first.

 

FR 29/35571 FRANKIE CARLE STUMBLING 27524 (C23-3) CO27524 6/23/40 

FR 29/36333 FRANKIE CARLE AFTER YOU'VE GONE HCO222 - - 1/30/41  

FR 30/35572 FRANKIE CARLE SWEET LORRAINE CO27523 - 23-6 

FR 30/35571 FRANKIE CARLE ESTELLE 27521 (C23-4) CO27521 6/23/40 

FR 31/36334 FRANKIE CARLE THE ONE I LOVE BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE HCO221 

FR 31/35570 FRANKIE CARLE LOVER'S LULLABY / SUNRISE SERENADE 27519=1 6/23/40

FR 32/35570 FRANKIE CARLE HINDUSTAN 27520=1 - CO27520 6/23/40   

FR 32/35572 FRANKIE CARLE TWELFTH STREET RAG CO27525 - C23-5 6/23/40 

 

The first 6 of the Philharmonic sides have the same matrix numbers and are definitely laminated and pressed by Columbia, but the remaining 2 sides aren't! Hindustan and Twelfth Street Rag have matrix numbers W-197 and W-198 and they COULD be Columbia pressings (but unlaminated) or they could be by whoever pressed Obie's other stuff at this time. They also both have D33 in the wax. As well, the Columbia pressings have "Air Chief" at the top of the label and a bunch of stuff about "for phonographs in homes" around the bottom of the label, while the odd disc doesn't have either.

 

David Diehl mentioned the possibility of these all having been recorded by someone else, but 6 of the sides clearly have the same matrix numbers as the Carles..so who is on the other sides? And why would 2 of them have been rerecorded? (Unless Obie just happened to have them on hand from old Varsity masters.)

 

dl