[Dixielandjazz] The "other" "Barrelhouse Jazz."

[Dingo]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rev M J (Mike) Logsdon"

> I read that Columbia, back in the early
> days of HI-FI, would often take two tape recorders into the back
> stairwell of its New York studio and re-record certain master tapes for
> "echo" effect.

This was - unfortunately - a fairly common practise in those days and, from
what I read on another ML, still happens today with some CD reissues of
pre-WW2 mono material. Columbia issued a CD back in the 1980s of the Benny
Goodman 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert ....... the echo/reverb effect was
diabolical !!

Back in the late 1970s/early 1980s the TelDec label (a collaboration of
Telefunken and Decca) re-issued (on LP) many of Milt Gabler's 1940s
Commodore label recordings in "electronic stereo". They were not consistant
in that some LPs were so "enhanced", some were not even though the label
indicated otherwise. The enhanced tracks gave me problems on my jazz
programme as, for the most part the channels were out of phase and not mono
compatible. Were we just an FM stereo only station this would not have
mattered too much, but we also radiated in low-fo mono AM which meant that
such enhanced material was unusable due to channel cancellation and other
undesirable effects.

Because this Commodore material was so important and demanded airplay I
spent many 'happy' hours in the production suite de-enhancing these
bastardised tracks as best I could so we could play them for the benefit of
both our FM, AM and telephone audience. Yes, we had a telephone audience ~
at least two as I recall. Both international telephone exchange operators.
One in Cork, Eire the other in Perth, Australia.

Unless one is a completist collector, or material is only available as back
stairwell/enhanced issues, the best place for them is a landfill site.

Why do record companies do this sort of thing ? Why, $$$$ of course.

~=~
 John,
        Suffolk, England.
                    ?
___o00o__(°¿°)__o00o___
  You Play It - I'll Mix It
   =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=



----- Original Message -----
From: "Rev M J (Mike) Logsdon" <mjl at ix.netcom.com>
To: "m - Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: 24 September 2003 08:30
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The "other" "Barrelhouse Jazz."


> Hey, there.  Just thought I'd share a recent "discovery."
>
> Some time ago, maybe even here, I read that Columbia, back in the early
> days of HI-FI, would often take two tape recorders into the back
> stairwell of its New York studio and re-record certain master tapes for
> "echo" effect.  Presumably, the intent was to "increase" the fidelity
> (sic).
>
> Recently, I've managed to obtain "EP" versions of each of Turk's first
> four Columbia LPs, to complement my LP collection.  Little did I know,
> but the EP version of the first, "Barrelhouse Jazz," was in fact
> subjected to said "back stairwell" treatment!  I was listening to "Ace
> in the Hole" when I simply had to exclaim, with volume, "Hey! This
> simply ain't the same!"  A quick comparison with the original, and the
> New York back stairwell materialised before my mind's eye!  I checked
> the other EP-version albums, and "Barrelhouse" was the only one that was
> so subjected.
>
> What this means is, collectible-folk, is that, strictly speaking,
> there's TWO entirely different issued "versions" of each take that went
> into Turk's first Columbia LP.
>
> Onward into the fog!......,
> --
> Etc,
>
> Rev M J "Mike" Logsdon, Deacon
> http://www.naorc.org