[78-L] Info wanted GENERAL Records G-10 Belgian Congo Denis-Roosevelt Expedition

[Peter Fraissinet]

Here is the OCLC record for this set (which incidentally also shows that 3 libraries own it, so it definitely was issued):

Title: Belgian Congo
Publication: [New York?] : General Records Co.,
Year: 1930s
Description: 6 sound discs : analog, 78 rpm ; 10 in.
Language: Niger-Kordofanian [Other]
Music Type: Dance forms; Songs
Standard No: Publisher: G-10; General Records Co.; 941; General Records Co.; 940; General Records Co.; 978; General Records Co.; 979; General Records Co.; 980; General Records Co.; 981; General Records Co.; 982; General Records Co.; 983; General Records Co.; 984; General Records Co.; 985; General Records Co.; 986; General Records Co.; 987; General Records Co.; LCCN: 2001-572981
Contents: Chansons manbelu -- Chansons babira -- Danse des Bapere -- Danse du Chef Karumi -- Xylophone -- Pygmees manbuti -- Danse des pygmees batwa -- Tambours royaux des Watuse -- Chant et danses bahutu -- Circumcision ritual.
Accession No: OCLC: 46859338

I agree that the Commodore album has the same contents (I have seen it).

I own the below version of the 78 album, missing one disc.  Here is the OCLC record for that set (which I believe was likely published in Belgium or France, not USA):

Title: Denis-Roosevelt African Expedition
Mission cinématographique Denis-Roosevelt.
Author(s): Denis, Armand. 
Roosevelt, Leila. 
Corp Author(s): Institut des parcs nationaux du Congo belge. 
Conf Author(s): Denis-Roosevelt African Expedition  (1935-1936)
Publication: [United States?] : A. Denis Productions ; Bruxelles : Institut des parcs nationaux du Congo belge,
Year: 1940s
Description: 6 sound discs : analog, 78 rpm ; 10 in.
Language: Undetermined; Sung in various Congolese languages.
Music Type: Folk music
Standard No: Publisher: R-941; Armand Denis Productions; R-940; Armand Denis Productions; R-978; Armand Denis Productions; R-979; Armand Denis Productions; R-980; Armand Denis Productions; R-981; Armand Denis Productions; R-982; Armand Denis Productions; R-983; Armand Denis Productions; R-984; Armand Denis Productions; R-985; Armand Denis Productions; R-987; Armand Denis Productions; R-986; Armand Denis Productions; LCCN: 00-534695
Contents: Manbetu songs = Chansons manbetu -- Babira songs = Chansons babira -- Bapere dance = Danse des Bapéré -- Chief Karumi's dance = Danse du chef Karumi -- Xylophone = Xylophone -- Mambuti Pigmy music = Pygmées Mambuti -- Batwa Pigmy dances = Danse des Pygmées Batwa -- Royal Watusi drums = Tambours royaux des Watusi -- Pigmy orchestra = Orchestra [sic] pygmée -- Bahutu chant and dances : Chant et danses Bahutu -- Babira circumcision ritual = Rites de la circoncision chez les Babira -- Bapere circumcision ritual = Rites de la circoncision chez les Bapéré.
Note(s): A. Denis Productions: R-940 (matrix)/R-987 (matrix)./ Recordings made by the Denis-Roosevelt African Expedition of 1935-36, under the leadership of Armand Denis and Leila Roosevelt./ Program and ethnographic notes in English on shelf with discs.
Other Titles: Mission cinématographique Denis-Roosevelt; Title on container:; Dark rapture :; Belgian Congo records; Belgian Congo records; Title on accompanying notes:; The Belgian Congo records : primitive African music : stirring rhythms and unusual melodic tunes as played by the people of the Great Equatorial Forest; Primitive African music
Material Type: Musical recording (msr); 78 rpm (78s)
Document Type: Sound Recording
Accession No: OCLC: 45123434

Peter Fraissinet
West Danby NY
________________________________________
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com <78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com> on behalf of David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 10:28 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Info wanted GENERAL Records G-10 Belgian Congo      Denis-Roosevelt Expedition

I've had the EMPTY ALBUM for this (it's among stuff packed away from my garage)
and may have one or two of the discs somewhere, but it definitely exists.

Reeves was a recording studio. I didn't know they put out records on their own
label. Those R- prefix numbers are on a lot of small labels, including General
(the Jelly Roll Morton sides) and Continental (Bartok plays Bartok, among
others..those have S prefixes).

dl

On 4/1/2014 10:18 PM, Thomas Stern wrote:
>
>
> Can anyone supply information on GENERAL G-10 ??
> I've seen references to it, dated 1937, and seen an offer for a booklet which would have
> accompanied the album, but haven't found the album/discs catalogued in any sources to which I have access.
>
> Was the GENERAL set actually issued?
> Can you supply the matrix nos., catalog numbers and label information ??
>
> There is a 6 record 78rpm set issued by REEVES SOUND,
> and catalog entries listing mx.R-940 through R-987 (this would be 24 sides!!!!)
> for the Belgian Congo recordings (articles indicate the discs are dubs of the soundtrack from film).
>
> Did the REEVES issue actually cover 24 sides - in how many albums - anyone have detailed contents listing
> (or is the matrix number range a typo...??. is this simply a reissue of G-10 or an issue of the
> recordings if GENERAL failed to release the set ??????????????)
>
> What was the relation of GENERAL and REEVES issues ??  dates ??
>
> COMMODORE issued an LP of recordings from the Denis-Roosevelt Expedition (1934-35)  DL 30,005
> The same material was again issued by MAINSTREAM S/6021
>
> Since COMMODORE owned the GENERAL masters, it is likely that their LP would be a reissue of the G-10.
>
> all insights and info welcome - Thanks!
> Best wishes, Thomas.