[78-L] First, last, and penultimate 78s

[Steve Shapiro]

1. I arbitrarily selected my most prominent record shelf.

2. From there, the most prominent section - top right.

3. The "first" records start in the middle of the section and go towards the two ends.  From the middle - on the right are 12" Maloofs, on the left are assorted 10" Latin records.

4. This query led to nice surprises, a departure from what I usually listen to.

The first 12" Maloof is 605/606, piano solos by Alexander Maloof:  Bashraf Rasd and Takseem Hejaz, "Copyright 1927".  I find most of Maloof's own performances to be on the dull side, but these two pieces are the best ones I've heard by him.

The first 10" "Latin" record is Victor 1182, Tito Schipa:  Princesita (Little Princess) and Granadinas.  A fine record, I think recorded in 1926.

5. My "last 78", namely the most recent one I listened to from a group I acquired, is Alba 1039, a Puerto Rican(?) guaracha by Johnny Goicuria y Su Cuarteto Tabu:  El Esposo de la Senora de Radio Man (The Husband of the Woman of Radio Man).  I googled this and see that someone on oyVey is selling multiple copies (5 + 2), likely store stock.  $20, postage included.  A little pricey, but the "A" side makes this a good record.  Knowledge of Spanish (better than mine) helpful.

http://cgi.ebay.com/JOHNNY-GOICURIA-El-Esposo-Senora-LATIN-78-/350359204377

http://cgi.ebay.com/JOHNNY-GOICURIA-Y-CUARTETO-TABU-LATIN-78-/380156469637

My penultimate 78 is C.M.C. 201, Paquito Cartagena:  "DECIMAS DE SAN QUENTIN a la memoria de CARYL CHESSMAN", a Puerto Rican "decima jibara", coupled with "VERGUENZA DE UN PADRE".  I remember the day Chessman was executed.  He might have survived under a stay granted by California Governor Edmund Brown (Jerry's father), but Brown's secretary misdialed the number to the warden of San Quentin and the call conveying the stay came too late./steve
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