1959: Today at the 30th Street Studio

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DMortensen, Jan 15, 2019.

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  1. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 25 and 26 (Saturday and Sunday):

    No sessions either day.
     
  2. GLouie

    GLouie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
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  3. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    That 1959 Project is really great in its focus on jazz and finding lots of interesting material. I'm back to early March so far.

    One thing I've found which is interesting is that they are saying Billie Holiday's last session was on March 11, and there are a couple of pictures of her by Milt Hinton in plaid pants that I thought I had seen in pictures I have of her in 30th St. . Of course I'm not finding them right this minute, as I think they are on another computer.

    Still, the pictures of that date don't look like 30th St.: music stand is different, mic suspension looks unfamiliar, etc..

    There is also an entry there of her recording on March 4 with a correct picture of her by Don Hunstein using an M49, but it says that picture is from 1957, so, no.

    I couldn't find where those sessions were, except that they were for M-G-M; anybody know?
     
  4. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    I had a long and tiring weekend plus some things today, so I'm taking a break and enjoying reading that 1959 Jazz Project Blog. I'm liking all I'm reading so far. (The blurry text on the main page disappears when you open an individual entry.)

    One thing, though: on the February 26 entry, none of the documentation I have matches up with the dates either on the blog, which alleges a session in 30th St. for Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges for that date, or the album notes, which name the date as February 20, 1959 in NYC but not specifically at 30th St..

    The 1959 Project - February 26, 1959

    The notes that I have say that on both days, the studio was occupied fully by other people. If my notes are correct and those other sessions actually took place, there would be not time available for other sessions in 30th St. on the 20th or 26th. Also, Ellington presumably rated a Report each time he recorded and there are no Reports for Ellington on those days.

    Ellington and band did have two 30th St. sessions on the 19th, and one on the 25th drifting over into the 26th, but the songs recorded as listed in the Reports don't contain the three songs listed as recorded on the 26th/20th.

    Since the Reports noted the internal Columbia tracking numbers for each song, one would hope that they are complete.

    There was that session on April 1 where the songs listed were "S - S" and "A & P" "Ellington originals", but those initials don't match the song titles of any of the three songs, for what that's worth.

    Also arguing against April 1 being the correct day, the musicians employed and paid on that session were the full Ellington band and not the limited number including non-regular band members as listed on the album cover (Duke, Hodges, Harry Edison, Al Hall, Leslie Spann, Jo Jones).

    So another nice mystery.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2019
  5. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 27 (Monday) 1 of 3:

    There are no sessions in the Reports for today, so our information will be very limited.

    From 10am-1pm, Les Elgart and His Orchestra did a Tracking session, with Al Ham as Producer/A&R Man.

    I think I asked this question before and didn't get an answer, although it may have slipped through my brain colander, but what is the difference between a "Tracking" session and a regular session? Is everybody there recording but the star?
     
  6. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Generally, as I know it, "tracking" just means recording. It's possible that CBS used "tracking" to describe something specific, but I'm not aware of what that would be.
     
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  7. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 27 (Monday) 2 of 3:

    From 2:30-5:30pm, Gloria Lambert was the star, with Mitch Miller A&R/Producer.

    Gloria is the singer we met earlier who was later with the Chicago psychedelic group Haymarket Square.
     
  8. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 27 (Monday) 3 of 3:

    From 7-10pm, there was another Tracking session, this time with Tony Bennett and with Al Ham as producer/A&R.

    Thanks for the reply, Luke. If those sessions were all the same (tracking and regular), it seems odd they would call out Tracking sessions specifically.
     
  9. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Are there any other sessions that seem like they could be related? How are they noted?
     
  10. Pelvis Ressley

    Pelvis Ressley Down in the Jungle Room

    Location:
    Capac, Michigan
    You bounder, you cheat!
     
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  11. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Maybe overdubbing? (Which, in those days of 3-track recording, was a wee bit difficult. Very few had multi-track in those days, amongst them Columbia's own Les Paul.)
     
  12. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Don't know. If they are fixing something or pre-recording something, there is no time limit to when the previous or subsequent sessions could have/will happen.

    Certainly the artists named in each tracking session have had previous and future sessions from this date, so who knows?

    IDGI.
     
  13. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    As I've said, "tracking" was likely a euphemism for an overdubbing session, i.e. adding vocals to an already completed instrumental track. This practice, F.W.I.R., was frowned upon for years by the various unions (not only AFM but also IBEW and their ilk). Down the road Phil Spector and Brian Wilson would both catch the wrath of the unions for their overdubbing practices.
     
  14. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    No time limit, but it’s unlikely something would sit in the can for an extended period without being worked on.

    Pelvis was referring to some jokey dialogue from John Lennon after saying he wanted to “track it” after a take of Let It Be. They had decided to avoid overdubs for those sessions.
     
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  15. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 28 (Tuesday) 1 of 2:

    The first session of the day was with the Four Voices, Al Ham producing/A&Ring, from 10am-1pm, but it was cancelled enough ahead of time to be noted in the Schedule.
     
  16. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 28 (Tuesday) 2 of 2:

    From 7-10pm, George Siravo and His Orchestra recorded

    Down By The Old Mill Stream
    Oh How I Miss You Tonight
    If You Knew Susie
    Ma She's Making' Eyes At Me


    Musicians employed

    Leader:
    George Siravo
    Contractor and Bass:
    Frank Carroll
    Trumpet:
    Joseph B. Wilder
    Jack V. Morale
    Leon Merian
    Carl H. Severinsen
    William M. Beyers
    Seymour Berger
    Robert L. McGarity
    Urban C. Green
    Sax:
    Joseph A. Palmer
    Stanley G. Webb
    Al Klink
    Walter Levinsky
    Nuncio F. Mundello (sic, should be Mondello)
    Piano:
    Herbert Lovelle
    Drums:
    Buddy Weed
    Guitars:
    Al Caiola
    Barry Galbraith

    compiler was ag

    Since Billy Beyers, Seymour Berger, and Urbie Green were all trombonists (couldn't find Robert L. McGarity), I think we can safely say there were at least three bones present and not eight trumpets, five saxes, and no bones.

    George Siravo had a pretty prestigious career, starting out as a member of the Cliquot Club Eskimos, working with Columbia and/or Frank Sinatra for many years, and recording some of his own albums.

    Alas, I couldn't find anything released with these songs, although these particular songs would not be high on my list for leisure listening.
     
  17. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 29 (Wednesday) 1 of 1:

    The only session in the books for today was from 7-10:30pm (Scheduled from 7-10pm), and Johnny Mathis with Abe Osser and His Orchestra recorded

    The Flame Of Love - album
    Starbright - single
    Small World - album
    The Story Of Our Love - single

    Musicians employed

    Leader:
    Abe Osser
    Contractor:
    Arnold Eidus
    Violins:
    Sylvan Shulman
    Tosha Samaroff
    Jack Zayde
    Paul Gershman
    Leo Kahn
    Emanuel Green
    Ralph Silverman
    David Montagu
    Harry Melnikoff
    Anthony Di Girolamo
    Piano:
    Harold Weed
    Bass:
    Sidney Block
    Guitars:
    Al Casamenti
    Don Arnone
    Drums:
    Robert Rosengarden
    Harp:
    Margaret Ross
    Cello:
    Maurice Brown
    Lucien Schmit
    Viola:
    David Mankovitz
    Isadore Zir
    Richard Dickler
    Archie Levin
    Harmonica:
    Alan Schackner
    Violin:
    Alexander Cores

    compiler was ag. Funny how she uses "Buddy Weed" one day and "Harold Weed" the next. Maybe he dressed better the second day?

    And also funny how ten violins weren't enough, they had to add one at the end.

    I'll let you guys find the releases for this session, if that's OK. This is a busy time for me. Thanks!
     
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  18. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Not long after that session, Mr. Siravo would do some time with Bob Shad's Time label.

    And seeing Capitol-era Sinatra sessions, the ratio of brass was usually four trumpets to four 'bones (one of which was a valve and another a bass).

    As for he who is listed as Robert L. McGarity, I wonder if that'd be Lou McGarity - who was also a 'bonist.
     
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  19. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    The previous three Mathis sessions also had 11 violins, plus four violas and two celli. (Abe/Glenn Osser's string combo ratios were as much a symmetrical nightmare as Gordon Jenkins', I.M.H.O., having seen Sinatra and Nat King Cole sessionographies.) Violist Richard Dickler was at most sessions except the one that yielded "Misty" - the single of which "The Story Of Our Love" from this session was the flip.

    Buddy Weed was a drummer, no? And Harold a pianist? Huh? Buddy's full name was listed as Eugene Harold Weed.
     
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  20. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Thank you for catching this!

    I copied the info as written in the Report, but both Buddy and Harold Weed were pianists, and Herbert Lovelle was a drummer, not a pianist, so the compiler got it wrong and I didn't notice.

    And Buddy and Harold were clearly the same guy. Just like Joseph and Barry Galbraith.
     
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  21. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Small World actually ended up on a single, released May 25:

    Johnny Mathis - Small World / You Are Everything To Me

    The Flame Of Love was released on More Johnny's Greatest Hits on June 22, which also included the recently released Small World:

    Johnny Mathis - More Johnny's Greatest Hits

    The Story of Our Love was released on September 14 as the B-side of Misty:

    Johnny Mathis - Misty / The Story Of Our Love

    And Starbright was released on February 2nd, 1960:

    Johnny Mathis - Starbright / All Is Well

    The latter two songs were both included on Portrait of Johnny, released July 17, 1961.
     
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  22. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 30 (Thursday) 1 of 4:

    From 10am-1pm there was a Transcription session for Dupont. No other information is available.
     
  23. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 30 (Thursday) 2 of 4:

    From 2:30-5:30pm, pop singer Allan Chase recorded the songs

    All By My Self
    Fool That I Was
    Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries


    No producer/A&R was listed.

    Musicians employed

    Leader:
    Michael R. Colicchio
    Contractor:
    Frank Carroll
    Violins:
    George Ockner
    Leo Kruczek
    Paul Gershman
    Sam Rand
    Felix Giglio
    Howard A. Kay
    Morris A. Lefkowitz
    Sam Shamper
    Hugo Fiorato
    Franklin Sigfried
    James A. Grasso
    Henri Aubert
    Bass:
    Rusell A. Savakus (sic) (*another session where Frank contracted but didn't play)
    Guitar:
    Joseph J. Puma
    George Barnes
    Hy White
    Charles A. Catania
    Drums:
    Herbert E. Lovelle

    compiler was ek.

    Lots of unfamiliar names there.

    Including Allan Chase. I have been unable to find anything whatsoever about him, other than at 45cat, which shows that he was active with Columbia from 1959-1962.

    Discogs had pictures of a 45 with two of the songs from today:

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    We've seen Michael Colicchio, who worked under the name Michael Coldin, several times before. While there are some familiar people named above, there sure are a lot of unfamiliar ones.

    And could there have been nothing but violins? Twelve of them.

    Seems like a lot of guitars, too, but not unprecedented.

    Other than that, I couldn't find anything about this session or Allan Chase, EXCEPT one video song by AN Allan Chase. It sounds like it could be right for this time; you can decide:

     
  24. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    April 30 (Thursday) 3 of 4:

    From 7-10:30pm, Teddy Charles with William Russo and His Orchestra recorded the songs

    East Hampton Blues
    Davenport Blues
    Swinging Goatsheard Blues
    (sic)
    Blues In The Night

    Producer/A&R was not listed in the Schedule, but we learn from the info below that it was Teo Macero.

    Musicians employed

    Leader:
    William Russo
    Leader and Vibraphone:
    Theodore C. Cohen
    Drums:
    Ed Shaughnessy
    Piano:
    Malcolm Earl Waldron
    Trombone:
    Robert Edward Brookmeyer
    Bass:
    George Duvivier
    Trumpet:
    Donaldson T. Byrd
    Sax:
    Hal McKusick
    Frank Socolow

    compiler was ag

    Teddy Charles was a vibes player who performed with a ton of great people as a sideman and arranged some interesting things, and also did a couple of his own albums that were respected. Still, he later gave it up and became a boat captain and moved to the Caribbean, only returning to New York and music performance near the end of his life.

    The songs recorded today were on an album project

    [​IMG]

    that Teo put together to showcase four different composer/arrangers, including Teddy, Teo himself, plus Manny Albam and Bill Russo.

    There was apparently another session on May 15 that recorded the rest of Teddy's songs, and other sessions at other times in 1959 to record the rest of the songs by the other composer/arrangers.

    Who knew that Donald Byrd's full name was Donaldson? Probably someone...
     
  25. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Russ Savakus was a very familiar name on a lot of 1960's folk records, including a few on Vanguard. Bass was indeed his instrument.

    As for that Chase single - that copy was a Hollywood with Bert-Co label fonts. Here's the Bridgeport stock:
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Here, at least Mr. "Coldin's" credit can be more easily read. As well as "Life Is Just ... " being on one line.
     
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