[78-L] Scranton Sirens

[Malcolm Rockwell]

Vince is correct. There are 3 articles in RR in the last 3 issues, 
#249/50, 251/52 & 253/54. The record labels you scanned appear on the 
covers of each.
Lenny posits in 249 that the 2 Sirens sides were recorded and custom 
pressed by OKeh in New York. He guesses the record was recorded in the 
Spring or Summer of 1923 but bemoans that he has no matrix numbers to go by.
The 2nd issue, vol 251, uncovers a collector who owned the record: Bill 
Challis. The mxes are SRP-S-4 and SRP-S-5 which Challis gives in his 
letter to Lenny of 07/13/92.
The last of the 3 issues, vol 253, mentions that Lenny got a cassette 
copy of the record from correspondent Gus Kuhlman c. 05/16/93. Also that 
there is an article in a 1940 issue of Metronome (or is that the issue 
number?) by Amy Lee that's is of interest in all this. There's also a 
different letter that concludes that because both the OKeh releases by 
the band has an "S" in the matrix, as do the mx numbers on the Sirens 
issue, that the private issue was indeed pressed by OKeh. Pretty thin, 
evidence, I'd say.
As we know RR 253/254 was Lenny's last issue before he passed and there 
is no more info to be had on the topic. Lenny does mention that there 
would be more from him about this in the next issue. He says that there 
"...was a fascinating (sic) from 'The Scrantonian' newsy issue dated 
Sunday, Nov. 4, 1962 which has good info. on Irving Riskin and the 
'Sirens'."
Malcolm

*******

On 12/4/2010 10:56 AM, Bryan Wright wrote:
> I recently transferred a copy of the Scranton Sirens' first record for
> an upcoming CD project. The record was privately issued on the band's
> own "Sirens" label in about 1923 (Sirens 1001) and it is notable for
> being the first known recording to feature Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. The
> tunes are "Fate" (mx. SRP-S-5) and "Three O'Clock in the Morning" (SRP-
> S-4). I have a few questions about the record that I'm hoping someone
> on the list can answer.
> <snip>
>
> 3.) Vince G. also mentioned that the record has been the subject of at
> least three articles in Record Research. I have only a small handful
> of RR magazines myself and none of them discuss the Scranton Sirens
> disc. Is there anyone here with a better collection of RR issues who
> could check to see what RR has to say about the record?
>