[78-L] Kaufman's Pagan Love Song on LP

[Rodger Holtin]

I, too, have had Original Sound of the Twenties since I was in high school, and bought it new - one of my proud possessions - and the Kaufman item has puzzled me most of that time, too.  It has that over-pudgy low end that I never associated with any of the Harmony-Columbia laminated labels, but more like a bunch of Banners, Cameos and Perfects I've had.  You who have heard it know what Ryan has suggested here is right on the money.

The longer I lurk on The List, the more disillusioned I get about my beloved C3L-35.  First I learn they edited off the intro to the Gershwin, then had it confirmed that the Buddy Rogers is a silly, needless composite (I suspected that since 1965), and now the building evidence that the Kaufman is a "fake" - of sorts.

What's next?  Are all the Whitemans actually Ben Selvin and the Rudy Vallee is really Will Osborne and the Crosby really Dick Todd?

Rodger



For Best Results use Victor Needles.



.

--- On Sat, 5/28/11, Ryan Barna <ryansrecords1 at hotmail.com> wrote:

From: Ryan Barna <ryansrecords1 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [78-L] Kaufman's Pagan Love Song on LP
To: 78-l at 78online.com
Date: Saturday, May 28, 2011, 7:41 PM


To set the record straight about Taylor's question a few days ago...
 
I have the Velvet Tone issue of "Pagan Love Song" (Kaufman solo) and it is indeed an ACOUSTIC recording. I also own the band vocal he does on Harmony and it is also acoustic. I've owned the Columbia LP for years and was always puzzled about it, because the notes says it's from a Harmony but the track is clearly electric. Kaufman also recorded it electrically on Columbia as "Frank Harris" but never heard the disc to confirm. Now that Taylor has mentioned it, it seems to be more likely the Pathe/Cameo recording because of the deep bass sound it has. Ever notice?
 
Something else that was asked -- when did Harmony begin using electrical recordings? I don't know the answer to this either, but I can tell you the LATEST acoustic Harmony I've heard: "The Moonlight Reminds Me of You" by the California Ramblers ("Golden Gate Orch.") mx. 150477-2, 4/17/1930, Harmony 1152-H.
 
And something else that I've found frustrating with Harmony -- I've looked at the Columbia cards myself and the Harmony matrix numbers are always prefixed with an "H," for both acoustic and electric recordings, and the cards don't specify either one. I have plenty of Harmony electrics that don't have "W" printed in the runout, and they're still documented on the cards (and test pressings) with an "H." Brian Rust did not leave these details out intentionally in the 3rd volume of the Columbia master books, they're just not documented period.
 
I know it took a while to respond, I'm just so behind in my own work that I don't have much time for participation.
 
-Ryan Barna
www.facebook.com/Phonostalgia
                            
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