Columbia 2652-D – Ted Lewis and his Band – 1932

Posted on June 6, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Is everybody happy?

Columbia’s custom sleeve and label dedicated to Ted Lewis.

In addition to Jimmie Lunceford, June 6 also marks the 126th anniversary of Ted Lewis’ birth. Here’s one of his most popular records of the 1930s, as well as one of my personal favorite Ted Lewis vocal performances.

Ted Lewis was born Theodore Leopold Friedman in Circleville, Ohio on June 6, 1890. He took up playing the clarinet professionally, though some would argue that his abilities on the instrument were limited. He first recorded with Earl Fuller’s Famous Jazz Band, and soon began recording for Columbia with his own jazz band, switching to Decca in 1934. With his trademark phrase, “is everybody happy?”, his schmaltzy “talk-singing” and tendency to employ top-notch musicians made him one of the most popular musical personalities of the 1920s, and into the 1930s, alongside Paul Whiteman. However, his style faded from popularity as swing became king, and his music fell out of favor, though he continued to perform for many years. Ted Lewis died on August 25, 1971.

Columbia 2652-D was recorded March 15 and 22, 1932 in New York City. Ted Lewis’ band consists of Muggsy Spanier and Dave Klein on trumpets, George Brunies on trombone; Ted Lewis and Benny Goodman on clarinet and alto sax, Sam Shapiro and Sol Klein on violins, Jack Aaronson on piano, Tony Gerhardi on guitar, Harry Barth on string bass and tuba, and John Lucas on drums.

The quintessential Depression-era tune “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town”, introduced in the motion picture Crooner, became one of the most popular songs of 1932, both for Ted Lewsis and for other artists. In my opinion, this is one of Lewis’ best vocals.

In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town, recorded March 15, 1932 by Ted Lewis and his Band.

On the other side, Lewis and his band do a fine job with “Sweet Sue – Just You”, featuring a great clarinet solo by Benny Goodman.

Sweet Sue – Just You, recorded March 22, 1932 by Ted Lewis and his Band.

Decca 129 – Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra – 1934

Posted on June 6, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Today, June 6, we remember the great bandleader Jimmie Lunceford on the 114th anniversary of his birth. This record was his first to be released on Decca, swingin’ in 1934.

James Melvin Lunceford was born June 6, 1902 in Fulton, Mississippi. Like Andy Kirk, Lunceford studied under Wilberforce Whiteman in Denver, learning to play reeds. He went on to attend Fisk University and became a phys-ed instructor at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where he organized a student band called the Chickasaw Syncopators. The Chickasaw Syncopators cut two sides for Columbia in 1927, and two more for Victor in 1930. By 1934, Lunceford’s orchestra had evolved into a hep swing band, and he landed a gig at the Cotton Club in Harlem, following in the footsteps of Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. By the height of the swing era, Lunceford’s was one of the leading swing bands in the nation, equal to that of Ellington or Calloway. On July 12, 1947, after playing McElroy’s Spanish Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, Lunceford collapsed and died during an autograph session in a record store. He had been suffering from high blood pressure, though some suggest he may have been poisoned deliberately by a restaurateur who was displeased to be serving black people, as some of his band members also fell ill after dining at said restaurant.

Decca 129 was recorded September 4 and 5, 1934 in New York, Jimmie Lunceford’s first and second sessions for Decca. The band features Jimmie Lunceford directing Eddie Tompkins, Tommy Stevenson, and Sy Oliver on trumpets, Henry Wells and Russell Bowles on trombones, Willie Smith and Earl Carruthers on clarinet, alto sax, and baritone sax, LaForest Dent on alto sax, Joe Thomas on clarinet and tenor sax, Edwin Wilcox on piano, Al Norris on guitar, Moses Allen on string bass, and Jimmy Crawford on drums and vibraphone.

First, they play Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady”.

Sophisticated Lady, recorded September 4, 1934 by Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra.

Next, seemingly as an answer to the previous side, they play “Unsophisticated Sue”.

Unsophisticated Sue, recorded September 5, 1934 by Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra.

A Guide to Properly Packaging 78 RPM Records

Posted on June 4, 2016 by R. Connor Montgomery

Don’t end up on the wall of shame! Pack it right!

In brief…

Never use an LP mailer to ship a shellac 78!
Secure the disc in-between two or more cardboard squares.
Fill a box measuring approximately 12 x 12 x 6 inches with packing material of your choice (e.g. peanuts, wadded paper, etc.).
“Float” the record sandwich in the middle of the box, topped off with more packing material to ensure ample shock absorption on all sides.
Seal the package and mail.

To elaborate…

There are plenty of guides for packaging fragile shellac records for shipping, there’s Bryan Wright of Rivermont Records’ excellent guide, the dandy one by the NESPRS, and even one drawn by the legendary cartoonist R. Crumb (courtesy of Mr. John Heneghan). Unfortunately, there’s also no shortage of woefully inadequately packed records flying through the mail getting broken, so here’s another step-by-step guide on how to properly package records. The most crucial elements to the survival of the records are in boldface text.

Far too many people ship 78s in LP mailers. While they are fine for flexible vinyl records, they are too thin to offer sufficient protection to fragile antique 78s, and all but ensure that they will break in shipping. Do not use LP mailers to ship 78 RPM records!

If possible, have the record in a sleeve.

Records should be sleeved, if possible.

It is vital to understand that 78s are not made of vinyl, but rather a very brittle and fragile shellac mixture, and if not packed with great care, they will break in shipping. Their survival hinges on a package’s ample shock absorption and a complete inability to flex. To properly pack 78s, you will need a few materials: a sturdy cardboard box, corrugated cardboard squares cut to the size of the record (10 inches, typically), and packing peanuts, newspaper, or another packing material.

If at all possible, see that all records are sleeved in a protective envelope, especially if shipping more than one disc together. If sleeves are not available, paper tucked between the discs will suffice. Ideally not newspaper, however, as the newsprint can rub off on the records.

Arrange corrugation in opposite directions.

Arrange the cardboard squares so that the corrugation runs in opposite directions, as shown in the image to the left.

Place the record(s) in-between the squares of cardboard, ideally with at least two squares on either side of the disc, for optimal protection, making a “cardboard sandwich”, so to speak.

No more than ten records should be packed in the same “sandwich”, and if shipping that many, it is best to put another cardboard square between every two or three records.

Affix the "sandwich" together in some way.

Seal the record securely between the squares.

Next, affix the sides of the “sandwich” together around the record to prevent the disc from shifting. Packing tape is ideal for this, and rubber bands will work as well (I used rubber bands here so as not to waste cardboard on a record I’m not actually shipping). Scotch magic tape or masking tape are not ideal, as they tend to tear in shipping. Many dealers will put a small piece of paper between the tape edges of the record to prevent it from tearing the sleeve or leaving residue on the disc.

For extra protection, add a layer or two of bubble wrap around the “sandwich”.

Packing fragile shellac records sandwiched between cardboard squares is the most critical element of ensuring their success in navigating the rigorous postal system.

The sandwiched record is “floated” securely in packing peanuts.

Now, fill the bottom of a very sturdy, larger cardboard box with packing material. Styrofoam packing peanuts, wadded newspaper, or something comparable will work. The box shown measures six by twelve inches, a perfect size, though shorter ones will work fine as well. Place the sandwiched record on top of that layer of packing, and then fill the box up the rest of the way to surround the protected record completely, such that the disc is suspended in the middle of the box. This prevents the record from taking direct blows from other packages or careless postal workers. In the trade, this method is called “floating”.

Finally, seal the package tightly and securely. While I sincerely doubt that it really matters if you write “fragile” on the box or not—I’ve never seen evidence that postal workers actually pay any mind to it—it can’t do any harm, so I’d recommend it just to play it safe.

All ready to go to the post office!