[Dixielandjazz] FW: FIRST JASS RECORDING

[Tito Martino]

=20
To Anton and others interested in Jazz History;=20
This is the answer of Jimmy LaRocca to my query about Anton posting.=20

Recently Steve Barbone forwarded a nice N.Y. Times review about a N.Y.
Concert of the ODJB from Nick's heir.

I managed to bring to Sao Paulo the whole ODJB (plus a banjoist, they
hate banjos!) to play with my Band and the Portena Jazz Band from
Argentina, at the Armstrong Memorial Concerts I produced in 14 & 15
Dec.2000.

They made a real hit. That's what he talks about at end of his mail.

Tito Martino
cl, as, ss
Sao Paulo Brazil

-----------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: jimmy756@msn.com [mailto:jimmy756@msn.com]=20
Sent: sexta-feira, 9 de agosto de 2002 21:16
To: tmartino@terra.com.br
Subject: first jass recording

Mr. Tito Martino----in regards to the first (jass) jazz recording i'll
quote=A0=A0 from the book (The Story Of The Original Dixieland Jazz =
Band) by
H.O. Brunn ....
=A0
On page 65 quote ( after two numbers the musicians {ODJB} were paid and
ordered from the studio. Columbia had washed its hands of jazz. The
master record was filed away for business reasons and forgotten .)
=A0
On page 71 quote ( It was not untill "Livery Stable Blues" had become a
smash hit that Columbia recovered the master from its dead files and
made pressings of "Darktown Strutters Ball" and "Indiana" on a2297)
=A0
Mr Brunn was in constant contact with Nick LaRocca while writing this
book......
=A0
I was told by Nick LaRocca (my father) that the Columbia recording was
done first but was not released until the Victor recording was a smash
hit.......................
=A0
As far as the matrix numbers for the two sides(77086 and 77087) I can't
explain=A0...........I'll take the word of Mr. LaRocca (Nick). If any =
one
knew, he did!!!!!!!!!
=A0
Enjoyed the trip to Brazil---great Concert.......like to do it again
soon.........
hope to see you soon,---------------------Jimmy LaRocca=A0
=A0
=A0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


<<<<Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 18:38:21 +1000
To: DJML <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
From: Anton Crouch <a.crouch@unsw.edu.au>
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Original Dixieland Jazz Band>>>>

<<<<Hello all

Some months ago we discussed Brian Rust's finding that the two Columbia
sides made by the ODJB ("Darktown Strutters Ball" and "Indiana") were
recorded on 31 May 1917, not 30 January 1917. The story of the ODJB
recording first for Columbia, but the sides not being issued until after
the Victors of 26 February 1917, is part of the orthodoxy of jazz
history.

The response was mixed - some (eg Bill Haesler) agreed with Rust; others
(eg Steve Barbone) had doubts. I was sympathetic to Rust's conclusion
but had some small doubts. I doubt no more - I now agree with Rust.

My doubts have been dispelled after going through the material in Rust's
"Columbia Master Book Discography, volume 2" (Greenwood Press, 1999).=20

The matrix numbers for the two sides (77086 and 77087) lie within a
block of numbers for other material not challenged as being recorded on
31 May 1917 (Byron Harlan, Jim Doherty, Lewis James & James Harrod,
Prince's Orchestra, and Riccardo Stracciari) and there is no gap in
matrix numbers for the period 18 January 1917 to 28 February 1917 (
matrix numbers 47298 to 47395). The probability that Columbia assigned
two 70000 series matrix numbers to a date in January 1917 is, for
practical purposes, zero.

Rust's findings are not in conflict with the evidence for a visit to the
Columbia studios on or about 30 January 1917. The ODJB probably did
play, ie audition, for the Columbia people, including the recording
engineer, but there was no recording. =20

All the best
Anton>>>>



=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=20