[78-L] OFF SPEED RECORDINGS

[David Lennick]

Ah but those were bands that could actually play! To expect virtuosity from 
Lumbago in 1927 is to wish for the moon..I don't believe how many clams are in 
both these sides, and they're the 4th takes. Vocals are by Carmen and/or the 
trio, of course, so that tells you nothing. And I believe Columbia's Chicago 
recordings were exceptions to all sorts of rules. I've found 4% variations in 
some New York Columbias as well, piano recordings by Percy Grainger that had to 
go UP 4%.

dl

On 8/27/2012 5:47 PM, Jeff Sultanof wrote:
> 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
>>
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