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

Cary Ginell soundthink at live.com
Thu Jan 20 10:54:49 PST 2011


Sorry about the clumsy spacing in my post. I cut-and-pasted from an Excel spreadsheet and it didn't translate well to E-mail.

Cary

> From: soundthink at live.com
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:50:54 -0800
> Subject: [78-L] RCA Victor "X" series: preliminary findings
> 
> 
> 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
>  		 	   		  
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