[78-L] Help ? dating 1918-19 Paramounts

[Malcolm Rockwell]

On 4/12/2013 4:54 PM, dc wrote:
> The lack of Paramount particulars has me in a quandry  -- anyone with any solid info, leads, or suggestions on this?
>
Nope. My sources are all vague on these. Read on...
>
> Paramount 30088,  "Hindustan" by Master Saxophone Sextet is mx 402. That recording (or at least that song, by that group)  is listed in the Jan. 15, 1919 issue of  Talking Machine World , in their "Advance Record Bulletin" -  presumably indicating that the company intended to issue that side soon. I am assuming the record would have already been master before that announcement - at least a couple of weeks before.
>
>   
Yes, but beware trying to second guess recording dates!  Rust tried it 
for unconfirmed dates in the Gennett catalogue and has been proven to be 
incorrect by later Starr ledger sheets and/or recording cards that 
surfaced well after he published. The New York dates are generally off 
by from 2 days to a couple of weeks depending on how long it took the 
masters to ship from New York and arrive in Richmond, Indiana, where 
they were pressed.
It is possible the same scenario played out with Paramount recordings 
cut in New York.
I will second guess a recording date but I always indicate that that is 
what I have done in print. I'll even third guess a release date if I 
cannot access any solid recording or (secondary source such as TMW or 
other trades) release dates, and I will indicate that, as well.
>
> Rudy Wiedoeft made three Paramounts that were issued in the 50000 series, all of which have matix numbers earlier than "Hindustan" (378, 379, and 380) ("Llewellyn Waltz," "Saxophobia" both 50026, and "Valse Erica" 50027).
>
>   
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> Question: Would it be incorrect to estimate that Wiedoeft's sessions for these matrices took place earlier than the "Hindustan" (mx 402) session?
>
>
>
Yes, if the matrix numbers were issued in a linear fashion - I believe 
Paramount matrices were - and you're dealing with take -1 only. Many 
times later takes were recorded out of sequence (at a later date and not 
at the same session) for one reason or another. My primary source gives 
no recording or issue date for mxes 378, 379 & 380.

Malcolm