[78-L] Ellington + Caravan, was Re: Fiend and the Jazz

[David Lewis]

"Caravan" was very swiftly integrated into the books of other bands; Benny Goodman's Ork was captured doing it in a live broadcast on 8-17-1937 (my birthday! on "Jazz Concert No. 2" aka "The King of Swing" aka "On the Air" via Columbia/Sony.) So I suspect that 1937 is the earliest likely date for the Fiend session, though the problem of General Television Corp.'s apparent demise on 1-1-35 is still a point of contention.  However, I suspect the date is 1938; look at the mx. numbers -- "19381" and "19382" could be read as "1938-1" and "1938-2" i.e. the first and second GTVC records made in 1938. Incidentally, Andre Kostelanetz' justly celebrated recording of "Swamp Fire" was made in about August or September of 1938. This sounds like a job for Donna Halper, but she's probably too busy to go chasing after this. But GTVC was based in Boston.

Uncle Dave Lewis
uncledavelewis at hotmail.com