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

[Cary Ginell]

Beautifully written and capturing not only the essence of the hunt, but the reaping of the rewards of diligence without obsession. Sometimes you find the best records when you're not looking for them. All of us have stories similar to these, but each one is unique to us and our individual experiences. Not many collectibles can be enjoyed the way records can. Most are just looked at, hung on a wall, or displayed in an album. Records remain as useful and enjoyable as they were made to be. Good music, no matter what it is, is never out of date, never obsolete. Each record we own has a story behind it - the creation of the music and then, years later, our discovery and appreciation of it. I love this story and encourage others like it. That's what this list is all about.

Cary Ginell

> Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 00:16:46 -0500
> From: citrogsa at charter.net
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Subject: [78-L] Why I love collecting 78's
> 
> 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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l