[78-L] Decca calypso series

[David Lennick]

The Decca Books list them in the Chicago series but at the back of the  book under Trinidad Sessions, 1938-1940.

dl
 
> From: jcenderman at solcon.nl
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 17:53:27 +0200
> Subject: [78-L] Decca calypso series
> 
> The Decca 17000 series starts with Cajun.
> I have images in the range 17000-17050, with Decca sunburst & block labels, and even with
> Decca script labels (17016 & 32). Apparently some were kept in print for a longer time.
> The word 'Cajun' appears at 3h for the first time on my scan of 17017 (mx 60795).
> Surprisingly all known following issues write 'Cajin' (17025-50 range).
> 
> I have calypso images in range 17250-17471.
> Maybe the Decca or ethnic dgs give a more accurate range, but apparently over 200 records 
> were released.
> De 17250-51 omit the mx.nrs on the sunburst labels, and thus are early Decca issues.
> Early mxs are in the 39000 series, and followed by mxs in range 60986-62019.
> Then mxs in range 91370-91976 (Decca 17349-449); all with 'Recorded in Trinidad' on the labels. 
> Since Barr lists these 90000-series mxs as a Chicago series, were they reprocessed in Chicago?
> 
> Han Enderman
> ===
> >>> From: "Steven C. Barr" <stevenc at interlinks.net>
> > For the most part, discographers don't include West Indian (mostly calypso 
> > at that time) recordings; they were usually issued on limited-circulation
> > "ethnic" series. Both Decca and ARC recorded such discs; I have run across
> > a VERY limited number of these, and always find them pleasant listening...!
> 
> It is astonishing how many Calypso records were issued on American Decca
> in the 1930s that nobody knows about. They were not listed in Decca's
> "Popular" catalog, When photographing album 78 titled "Decca presents A
> Special Collection of the World-Famous Music of Trinidad - CALYPSOS By
> Wilmouth Houdini and His Royal Calypso Orchestra" I was astonished to
> see a listing of SIXTY FOUR Decca releases on the back page of the
> booklet (dated 11-39). They were all in the 17000 series, but the three
> discs in this album were in the 18000 series. This album is like a
> promotional sampler because although only one performer is featured, the
> are many photographs inside of other groups, as well as that catalog
> listing. An English collector had given us a presentation at the 2001
> ARSC/IASA about these records but I had no idea until I saw this list
> how truly extensive the series was beyond the few that were in the
> catalog and show up, such as "Joe Louis". The subtitle on in the
> booklet is "The World-Famous Topical Song of Trinidad" and two of the
> songs in the album is "Roosevelt Opens World's Fair" and "The Welcome of
> Their Magisties". 
> 
> The description includes "Having been unable to resist the purchase of
> Calypso records in Trinidad, tourists bring them home in great
> enthusiasm as something new and fascinating to introduce to their
> friends. . . . At the same time many people wished to buy the records
> that had heard locally, but they were very difficult to obtain. Decca
> has been for years the principal recorded of this type of song and has
> exported many thousands of records annually to the West Indies and it is
> the Decca Records that have been brought back home and about which you
> have read interesting articles in The New Yorker, Esquire, Cosmopolitan,
> Newsweek, and other leading publications. . . . The complete catalog of
> Decca Calypso Records by all of the leading Calypsodians is now
> available domestically in response to wide demand and in consideration
> of the mounting interest Decca is pleased to present this first album
> collection of Calypsos containing six new numbers by the famous Wilmoth
> Houdini, one of the first ever to record the Calypso song and the only
> Calypsonian residing in the United States."
> 
> I can provide my photos of the cover, inside cover, booklet cover,
> booklet intro, and the booklet record listing but the size of each of
> the photos is huge -- about two megs each -- in order for you to get the
> resolution to enlarge and read it.
> 
> Mike Biel mbiel at mbiel.com 
> <<<
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