SH Spotlight Benny Goodman on RCA-Victor, 1937, recorded in Hollywood, wonderful sounding records. Give a listen

The other Benny Goodman thread here had someone tell of an OWL system and that being the best way to listen to 78s. Made the RIAA curve sound like a big deal.

 

x-posted on the other Goodman thread, but finally found this. The disc itself is in immaculate condition.
Took me a while to find. I don't know that it was ever reissued on a Circle label. I haven't seen anything before "King Porter Stomp/Sometimes I'm Happy" (VI 25090) reissued on a Circle. Post if you have (this would include VI 25009, 25011, 25021, and 25024).

 

Follow-up to post above: Architect Carl Jules Weyl's sketch for the building RCA built in 1930 for film and music recording at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard. So many great sides cut here:



detail from the building permit filed with Los Angeles county:


Weyl designed a number of other significant buildings in Los Angeles, including the Brown Derby restaurant on Vine Street, and the complex of offices and courtyard at 6528-6540 Sunset Blvd for cowboy movie star Fred C. Thompson (later owned by Edgar Bergen and used for his TV show). He was also an accomplished set designer for The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938 - for which he won the Academy Award), and Casablanca (1942).

 

There's an RCA Orthophonic thread you might be interested in:

SH Spotlight - What is an RCA-VICTOR Orthophonic recording?

 

Will read. Maybe it will shed some light on why on earth Victor decided to add all that echo effect in the 1950s. YUK! I can't even listen to my LPs from that era anymore. "The Golden Age of Benny Goodman", which I grew up on in the late 1980s, is unlistenable now that I'm properly obsessed with the shellacs.

 

This is very interesting. Other than your masterings of Bing and our friend's of Nat King Cole, I have heard very few high quality pre-1950s recording of particularly high quality.

 

Very nice.

 

The Trio and Quartet sides are so delightful. I'm still stuck on the 1935-36 band. If you haven't listened to Madhouse, you should. A gem written and arranged by Jimmy Mundy. I've bought a couple of extra shellacs just so I can wear 'em out!

 

It leads off the Hep Mundy CD. Sure sounds good here! The Hep Goodman CDs - all 78-sourced, I believe - are highly recommended.

 

Yes Indeed! I pulled that HEP CD out to jog my memory on Mundy's arrangements. Those are very clean 78 to CD transfers for peeps who don't want to shellac. Highly recommended.

 

That "Changes" is addicting! Sounds great

 

Want vs afford, unfortunately. I think I have two or three of those Mundys on 78. I’ll have to check.

 

I only have "You Can't Pull the Wool Over My Eyes" and "Sing Sing Sing" (parts 1 and 2). I see that the flip side of the former is "The Glory of Love", which also was arranged by Jimmy Mundy but is not on the Hep CD. I assume Hep could have continued with a Benny Goodman Plays Jimmy Mundy Volume 2 (or more). I assume the same holds true for Fletcher Henderson (i.e., Hep could have issued one or more additional volumes).

 

I just found and purchased two and a half milk crates full of Goodman Victors, mostly Scrolls. Most were in Victor sleeves and there is a fair number that look like they had never been played. Nary a scratch and no dull shellac spots. The sound on some of these is unreal.
WOW is all I can say. The more 78s I find, the more I appreciate them.

 

Great find!

 

All were duplicates of titles I already have, but in much, much cleaner condition. Couldn't resist. The sound is so good and clean.

 

And might I add…
With these very clean discs and an RIAA curve remover on my 78 turntable, even at my age, I’m hearing elements on these records I’ve never heard before. I’ve been listening to Goodman since the late 1980s, and some of these discs are coming alive in ways I never knew existed. Granted I was listening to the horribly reprocessed LPs of the 1950s so it’s not too surprising. Hearing the crash of Krupa’s cymbals is especially thrilling. But I’m finding the greatest reward in some of the quieter ballads and trio/quartet sides.

 

What does an RIAA curve remover do and what does it look like. Is it something you can easily buy?

I asked this question elsewhere before and someone linked to a technical article, which wasn’t helpful. I need a basic layman’s explanation.

 

Hep did issue a vol. 2 of Goodman plays Henderson, but it’s pretty scarce. Its releases of Henderson playing Henderson are great too. Other good sources are RCA’s “black and white” compilations on CD and LP.

 

I meant a volume 3 for Henderson. I have the two that exist. Great stuff.

I keep hearing contradictory opinions about the Jazz Tribune CDs and LPs. Is that what you are referring to?

 

It is a tiny little box you plug in between your turntable(s) and amp. In layman’s terms, it boosts the treble to match the EQ on 78s and adjusts the bass based on which label/year you’re playing. In effect it more closely matches the eq on the discs since the RIAA curve was developed for vinyl. You wouldn’t need this if you only play vinyl or it is unnecessary if you only have a few 78s but the difference is noticeable to me. I found one online and can share if you’re interested.

 

Is there a single “setting”, or does it vary depending on the label or year or whatever?

I would like to see what one looks like. Are they all vintage, or is there someone who makes these today?

 

In connection with my question about the above, see the earlier comment by SH (reposted below). I assume these are two different processes.