[78-L] RCA Victor "X" series: preliminary findings

[Cary Ginell]

I did some basic research into my Schwann catalogs and examining items in my collection and was able to put together some info on the RCA Victor "X" series. I was mainly concerned with the series dubbed "Vault Originals," since those involved 78 rpm masters. There appeared to be two series using the "Vault Originals" name, indicated by the prefixes LX and LVA. The LX (10-inch) series began with issue 3000 and continued until 3009. Here are the first ten issues:


 
 
 
 
  LX
  3000
   Yancey: Blues & Boogie
 
 
  

  3001
   Rex Stewart & his Orchestra
 
 
  

  3002
   Jimmie Lunceford & his Chickasaw Syncopators
 
 
  

  3003
   Ben Pollack & his Orchestra
 
 
  

  3004
   Kansas City Jazz, Vol. 1: Bennie Moten's K.C. Orch. 

 
 
  

  3005
   Eddie Condon's Hot Shots
 
 
  

  3006
   Johnny Dodds' Washboard Band
 
 
  

  3007
   Original Dixieland Jass Band, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3008
   Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3009
   Backgrounds of Jazz: Jug Bands

 


At this point, there appears to be a gap in the series (I have been unable to identify 3010, 3011, and 3012); the series picks up again, now using the LVA prefix. I've identified all but a few of the items in this stretch of the series. 


 
 
 
 
  LVA
  3013
   Fletcher Henderson & his Connie's Inn
  Orchestra
 
 
  

  3014
   Wingy Manone, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3015
   Mezz Mezzrow's Swing Sesssion
 
 
  

  3016
   Backgrounds of Jazz: Blues
 
 
  

  3017
   Jean Goldkette & his Orchestra
 
 
  

  3018
   King Oliver's Uptown Jazz
 
 
  

  3019
  

 
 
  

  3020
   Harlem in the Twenties, Vol. 1 (The Missourians)
 
 
  

  3021
   Washboard Rhythm Kings, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3022
  

 
 
  

  3023
   Earl Hines Piano Solos
 
 
  

  3024
   Sidney Bechet & his New Orleans Feetwarmers, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3025
   Kansas City Jazz, Vol. 2: Bennie Moten's K.C. Orch. 

 
 
  

  3026
   Harlem in the Twenties, Vol. 2 (Charlie Johnson)

 
 
  

  3027
   Tommy Ladnier
 
 
  

  3028
   Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, Vol. 2
 
 
  

  3029
   New Orleans Styles (various artists)
 
 
  

  3030
   The Swing Era, Vol. 1 (Teddy Hill & his Orchestra)
 
 
  

  3031
   McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3032
   Backgrounds of Jazz, Vol. 3
 
 
  

  3033  

  Ridin' with Red Allen
 
 
  

  3034
   Swing Session: 1935 (Various Artists)
 
 
  

  3035
   Young Fats Waller: Early Piano
 
 
  

  3036
   Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang
 
 
  

  3037
   Duke Ellington, Vol. 1
 
 
  

  3038
   Kansas City Jazz, Vol. 3: Bennie Moten's K.C. Orch.

 
 
  

  3039
   Tiny Parham's South Side Jazz
 
 
  

  3040
   Paul Whiteman's Orchestra w/Bix Beiderbecke

 

In addition, there was a 12-inch LVA series, that featured pop/stage performers. I was able to identify the first 10 in this series. Couldn't find any others just yet:


 
 
 
 
  LVA
  1000  

  Young Bing Crosby
 
 
  

  1001
   Fred Astaire
 
 
  

  1002
   Russ Columbo; Love Songs
 
 
  

  1003
   Harold Arlen & Cole Porter: Composers at Play
 
 
  

  1004
   Ethel Merman & Gertrude Niesen: On Stage
 
 
  

  1005
   Frank Crumit: Gay Caballero
 
 
  

  1006
   Helen Morgan & Fanny Brice
 
 
  

  1007
   Gene Austin: All-Time Favorites
 
 
  

  1008
   Billy Jones & Ernie Hare: The Happiness Boys
 
 
  

  1009
   Ethel Waters

 


There are a couple of other series that are worth mentioning, although they are not in the "Vault Original" category. There was a short LPX 10-inch series, of which I identified four issues out of a possible five:


 
 
 
 
  LPX
  3010
   Jose Bethancourt
 
 
  

  3011  

  C. Sharpe-Minor
 
 
  

  3012
   Roy Smeck: South of the Border
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3014
   Russ Case & his Orchestra: Sleepy Serenades

 


...and then also two pop series, beginning with LXA; 10-inch series (starting with 3000), and a 12-inch series (starting with 1000). Some of the LXA pop series issues were initially released on the "X" label, but around 1955, these were switched over to "Vik." It's interesting to note that my copy of LVA 1000 ("Young Bing Crosby") is on X, but later Schwanns show the rest of the 1000 12-inch series as being on Vik, including the Crosby. I don't have any of the others in the LVA 1000 series, so it would be interesting to see if anyone has these and whether they are X or Vik designations.  I was mistaken in mentioning, in a previous post, the existence of an "LSA" prefix. This turned out to be a typo in my database for the Pick Temple Cowboy Songs 10-incher, which is LXA-3022. For what it's worth, here's what I found so far for the LXA 1000 12-inch series:


 
 
 
 
  LXA
  1000
   Spencer-Hagen Orchestra
 
 
  

  1001
   Geri Galian
 
 
  

  1002
   Geri Galian: Orchids in the Moonlight
 
 
  

  1003
   Spencer-Hagen Orchestra: Recipes for Romance
 
 
  

  1004
   George Handy: Handyland, U.S.A.
 
 
  

  1005
   Calvin Jackson Quartet
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1007
   Russ Case & his Orchestra: Yesterdays
 
 
  

  1008
   Scottish Country Dances
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1011
   London Palladium Orchestra
 
 
  

  1012
   International Concert Orchestra
 
 
  

  1013  

  Hansel & Gretel (soundtrack)
 
 
  

  1014
   Sammy Kaye w/Don Cornell
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1018
   Scottish Country Dances, Vol. 2
 
 
  

  1019
   Deep River Boys
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1021
   Sablon's Best
 
 
  

  1022
   Larry Ferrari: Puppets on Parade
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1025
   Dukes of Dixieland
 
 
  

  1026
   Gordon Jenkins' Almanac
 
 
  

  1027
   Russ Case & his Orchestra: Gypsy Moods
 
 
  

  1028
   Audrey Morris: Bistro Ballads
 
 
  

  1029
   Maltby & Love Scenes from the Cinema
 
 
  

  1030
   Freddie Mitchel: Boogie Bash
 
 
  

  1031
   Lighthouse Singers
 
 
  

  1032
   George Handy: By George!
 
 
  

  1033
   Robert Q. Lewis & his Gang
 
 
  

  1034
   Ben Light: Spotlight
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  1038
   Richard Maltby Orchestra
 
 
  

  1039
   Presenting Neal Hefti
 
 
  

  1040
   Jay & Kai: Afternoon at Birdland
 
 
and the LXA 10-inch series"


 
 
 
 
  LXA
  3013
   Ben Light Salutes the States
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3017
   Ben Light: Spotlight
 
 
   
  3018
   Susan Reed: I Know My love
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3021
   Neal Hefti: Music of Friml
 
 
  

  3022
   Pick Temple
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3025
   Tony Pastor's Best
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3027
   Page Cavanaugh Trio: All of Me
 
 
  

  3028
   Marvin "Lefty" Wright (piano boogie)
 
 
  

  3029
   Ben Light: Once Over Lightly
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3031
   Marek Weber: Strauss Waltzes
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3033
   Bill Darnel
 
 
  

  3034  

  Red Norvo: Red's Rose Room
 
 
  

  3035
   Matty Matlock: Sports Parade
 
 
  

  3036
   Roy Ross Quintet
 
 
  

  3037
   Black Dyke Mills Band
 
 
  

  3038
   Buddy Brennan: Piccadilly Dance Party
 
 
  

  3039
   Tom Jenkins: Salon Serenade
 
 
  

  3040
   Danny Duncan: Ragtime Jamboree
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3043
   Larry Green Orchestra
 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  

  

 
 
  

  3048
   Neal Hefti: Scotch Broth & Irish Stew
 

Both of the LXA series have further issues, but I only researched those here, just to determine that none of them involved 78 masters. 

Cary Ginell