[78-L] Voice Of America Dates

[Alan Bunting]

Point taken Mike.

These pressed discs (of which I only have taped copies) were part of a series of music library discs containing tracks featuring artists such as Percy Faith, Kostelanetz, Richard Maltby et al.  

All of the numbers I quoted in my original post are Percy Faith recordings, many of which are straight dubs of his Columbia and Majestic recordings, so dating those is no problem.

However there are also numerous "different" arrangements of these recordings (sometimes completely different, some featuring different solo instruments and a few with an added choir) and, most interesting of all, recordings which were never issued commercially.

My guess is that many of these were, like the BBC's "Radio Play" discs, second or unused takes from his commercial sessions, although one or two tracks are "live" recordings with an audience (some of which also appeared on AFRS discs of complete Percy Faith programmes.)

I'm also guessing that they all date from the early to mid-50s but we all know how dangerous it is to make assumptions. 

Any help in contacting Mike Gray would, of course, be much appreciated.

Alan Bunting

 
--- On Mon, 31/5/10, Michael Biel wrote:

> From: Alan Bunting <alanbuntinguk at yahoo.com>
> > can anyone come up with issue dates for Voice Of
> > America 16" transcriptions with catalogue numbers from PO 28 to PO
> > 141.
> > Just blocks of numbers with the year of issue would be
>  >sufficient.

> > Alan Bunting
> 
> Actually the lack of response about the topic itself is due
> to the unfamiliarity with what these would be.  I assume that
> they are pressings since you mention "issue" dates.  VOA
> material could not legally be distributed in the U.S. by the VOA itself, > so we don't see these in the U.S.  Mentioning what the content is
> would help.  Are these talks, narrated music programs, music library 
> discs? 
> The expert on these might possibly be Mike Gray who was record librarian
> for VOA for many years.  
> 
> Mike Biel