[78-L] OFF SPEED RECORDINGS

[Jeff Sultanof]

David,

With all due respect, it was not unusual at all for dance bands to play in
the key of A and E. Fletcher Henderson wrote in those keys all the time. I
just edited La Paloma arranged by Gil Evans, the first part of which is in
the key of E major. I've seen several arrangements for Benny Goodman from
the early forties which were in sharp keys as well.

This does not mean, however, that they speeds on these sides are indeed
faster than the norm. But one can't base an argument on the key of the
arrangement as evidence as far as I'm concerned. Are there vocals on these
records? How do they sound?

Jeff Sultanof

On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 3:23 PM, David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>wrote:

> Another word about records made at weird speeds (it was discussed on this
> forum, right?)..there are Guy Lombardo sides made in Chicago for Columbia
> that
> are a good 4% off. It was Jeff Healey who pointed this out to me years ago
> when
> we were working on a Lombardo project, and what he said matched up with the
> "correct key" situation for dance band recordings. "I Can't Do Without
> You" on
> Columbia 1395-D, at 78RPM, plays just slightly below A! No dance band would
> play in A. A flat, yes. B flat, yes (but that would mean going up more than
> 5%). "I Love You Truly", from this same session, is also this far off
> speed,
> which must have caused some fancy dancing when it was played at weddings
> over
> the years. (The flip of 1395, Waitin' for Katy, only needs to go down 1.5%
> so
> they weren't too careful about running the cutting tables at specified
> speeds.)
>
> dl
>
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
>