[78-L] Why I love collecting 78's

[Mark Bardenwerper]

Returning via a circuitous route from Ames, Iowa back to Cambridge, 
Wisconsin, we decided to stop for lunch in a very unassuming, out of the 
way little town called Mount Vernon. The grill in the little restaurant 
was pumping hot eggs and hash browns and other delights for the hungry 
locals and of course us. Across the street and up a ways were several 
antique stores, one a house packed to the rafters with whatever was old 
and could hold a price tag. Fascinating, but no 78's.
Towards the end of town and easily in view was the old high school, now 
a covey of shops. Inside the lockers still remained, and the place 
looked as if the kids had just left for the summer except for the old 
tchotchkes cluttering the edges of the halls. Three shops later and we 
we on the top floor, still not a record, but a comment from one owner 
stating, "There's not much interest in those here!"
This one looked the most unlikely of all. A late middle aged lady with a 
strange hat was busy rearranging framed cut out ads from old magazines 
and a local brand of pottery on tables threatening to pour their 
contents onto the floor with a careless brush of the hip.
But there were in one room 2 stacks of 78's. The majority were badly 
worn polkas and major label commons in need of more rest. I restacked 
them with fallen hopes.
There was then a basket with records leaned haphazardly into it, half 
hidden, pushed under one of the crowded tables. Shards of black 
crescents could be seen under the pile. I told the hatted lady that I 
would be happy to find a better place for the poor things. While 
relieving the saggy basket of its contents I found a complete set of 
"Two Black Crows" on Columbia Viva-tonals nestled in with several 
crumbled records. One had a chip, but not into the grooves and another 
had some gouges. For a buck a piece I relieved them of their distress 
and rescued their companions, finding a safer resting spot next to the 
first finds.
I had paid for them and was fixing to leave when I saw another small 
room, packed with even more frames and washboards. There on the table 
were 2 more piles of 78's. This time, things went better. Their 
condition was better and so was the selection. I picked up Ella singing, 
"It's Only A Paper Moon" and Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall".
But the big find was a fairly decent copy of "Breezin' Along (With The 
Breeze)" by the Seattle Harmony Kings on Victor. Most of you know I have 
been researching and collecting Lou Breese for the time I have been 
here, so I thought this was a good enough find and that I would have yet 
another rendition of the now familiar little ditty that was Lou's theme 
song.
When I got home, I had to play it 3 times to get enough of it. It was 
AMAZing!
The beauty of this hobby is walking into a store and finding a 
delapitated, forgotten pile of old, brittle survivors, taking a few of 
them and carefully stacking them on the back seat. Then comes the long 
drive home. Slipping the shaft through the hole and waiting for the tone 
arm to drop, this one looks just like so many thousand others you have 
seen, those grooves untraveled for so many years, the sounds preserved 
there made by people long dead. After all, don't they all look alike?
But then the sound reaches you and sets your foot tapping and your heart 
racing.

This version of Breezin' is now my favorite. Fantastic trumpet and 
trombone solos surrounded by a great lively rhythm and plenty of fresh 
improvs! I found it on YouTube. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRiXTO6UGV4

Here's some background info on the Kings, actually from Chicago
http://nw-music-archives.blogspot.com/2010/03/seattle-harmony-kings-1920s.html

-- 
Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr. #:?)
Technology, thoughtfully, responsibly.
Visit me at http://www.candokaraoke.com