New Desor numbers explained | Ellington 78 rpm Labels |
Last update 2012-07-12 |
Duke Ellington began his musical career in Washington, DC, his home town, before moving to New York in 1923. New York bandleader Wilbur Sweatman hired Sonny Greer from Washington to play drums, but Greer would only go if Sweatman also hired his friends Ellington and Otto Hardwick. In March 1923, Sweatman's group opened at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem. | |
1 | Choo Choo
Blu-Disc T1002-B The Blu-Disc Record Co., New York Matrix T2005-2 The Washingtonians (Bubber Miley, Charlie Irvis, Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, Geroge Francis, Sonny Greer) New Desor DE2402a Recorded November 1924 Blu-Disc session, NYC Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Blu-Disc T1002-B shows the title as Choo Choo; the complete title on the sheet music is Choo Choo (I Gotta Hurry Home). Red label Blu-Disc pressings date from 1924 and are extremely rare and valuable. More about the Blu-Disc label here. Additional notes re Blu-Disc Record Company: In 1924 Leroy Smith and his orchestra appeared in a stage production in New York, and the newly formed Blu-Disc Record Company recorded two selections introduced by his band in the show. The record was available at the theater's cigar counter and postcard sized flyers (see photo) were provided to help generate sales. Unfortunately it appears this was the only place Blu-Disc records could be purchased. As a result, the Blu-Disc Record Co. may hold the dubious distinction of being the shortest-lived record company in history. Its catalog seems to begin and end in the month of December 1924. Supposedly, the company issued the records listed on the flyer, ...some of these records have never been found, and there is doubt as to whether they were all actually pressed. Needless to say, Blu-Disc records are among the rarest known. (Courtesy of the Montgomery archive) Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection Added 2012-01-23 |
2 | Choo Choo
Blue Disc 5001 Blue Disc Records Co., Glendale Calif. Matrix T2005-2 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians (Bubber Miley, Charlie Irvis, Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, Geroge Francis, Sonny Greer) New Desor DE2402a Recorded November 1924 Blu-Disc session, NYC possibly at Emerson Recording Laboratories (DEMS/093/4) The "B" side of Blue Disc T1002 shows the title as Choo Choo but the complete title on the sheet music is Choo Choo (I Gotta Hurry Home). Expert Steven Lasker advises me Blue Disc blue labels are dubs pressed in 1948 in Glendale, California. Red label pressings (label name Blu-Disc) dated from 1924 and are extremely rare and valuable. More about the Blu-Disc label here. Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2009-01-24 |
1 | Rainy Nights
Blu-Disc T1002-A The Blu-Disc Record Co., New York Matrix T2006-2 or T2006-1 The Washingtonians New Desor DE2402b Recorded November 1924 Blu-Disc session, NYC Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection There is some question as to whether the matrix is T2006-1 (stamped in the wax runoff and shown on New Desor page 1) or T2006-2, as printed on the label. At page 16 of DEMS 1998/4 Steven Lasker wrote: "I am certain that -.1 was the only take issued, but an explanation is in order. All 78 issues I have encountered are "pressed from the same master, and are the same take, with the same terminal groove configuration, but the information seen stamped in the run-off area is contradictory from one issue to another. I have examined the issues on Broadway, Triangle and Pennington, and all are stamped T 2006-2; the copy of Blu-Disc T1002 held in the Valburn collection at the Library of Congress is also stamped T 2006-2, yet my copy of this rare issue is stamped T 2006-1. Everybodys 1021 is stamped T 2006 (no take number is stamped) but bears the true take data T 2006-1 as inscribed in the central area of the master wax by the engineer at the time of recording. This hand-written (not stamped) information doesn't appear on other 78 issues, which were pressed from stampers from which the centers bearing this information had been milled out (so-called sunken-label pressings) unlike pressings on the Everybodys label, which are unmilled (flush-label) pressings." added 2012-01-23 |
2 | Rainy Nights
Blue Disc 5001 Blue Disc Records Co., Glendale Calif. Matrix T2006-2 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians (Bubber Miley, Charlie Irvis, Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, Geroge Francis, Sonny Greer) New Desor DE2402b Recorded November 1924 Blue Disc session, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2009-04-10 |
3 | Rainy Nights
Pennington 1437-A Matrix T-2006-1 The Washingtonians New Desor DE2402b Recorded November 1924 Blue Disc session, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection edited 2012-07-12 |
Deacon Jazz
Blu-Disc T1003-B Matrix T2007-1 Jo Trent and the D C'ns (Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, George Francis, Sonny Greer, Jo Trent) Hardwick plays C Melody sax on this recording Vocal Jo Trent New Desor DE2402c Recorded November 1924 Blu-Disc session, New York City, NY Deacon Jazz was used in the Chocolate Kiddies revue, which Ellington and Trent wrote the book for in 1923. The revue toured Europe for two years, and Deacon Jazz is known to have been sung by Adelaide Hall and a chorus in Europe. Image courtesy of Ate van Delden added 2010-03-30 | |
Oh, How I Love My Darling
Blu-Disc T1003-A The Blu-Disc Record Co., New York Matrix T2008-1 Sunny and the D C'ns (Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington, George Francis, Sonny Greer) Hardwick plays C Melody sax on this recording Vocal Sonny Greer New Desor DE2402d Blu-Disc T1003-A credits SUNNY GREER AND THE D C'NS, but the handbill shows Sonny Greer and The D C'ns. Recorded November 1924 Blu-Disc session, New York City, NY Image courtesy of Ate van Delden added 2010-03-30 | |
The band stayed at the Hollywood Club until it had a fire in January 1925, then went on the road in February. It returned to the renovated club, renamed Club Kentucky, in the spring. According to Mr. Lasker's notes accompanying the massive 2010 Mosaic CD release, it had several engagements there until March 1927. | |
I'm Gonna Hang Around My Sugar
Perfect 14514 Perfect Record Company, Brooklyn, New York Matrix 102650 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians Pike Davis, trumpet, replaces Bubber Miley on this record New Desor DE2501a Recorded September 11, 1925 Pathé East 53rd Street studio, NYC (see DEMS 1997/2 page 4) Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2007-12-01, specific recording date added 2011-09-18 Ted Staunton's similarly comprehensive 78 RPM pages say Perfect was a subsidiary of Pathé Frères, and describe the design as " A pair of naked females (virgins) worship the rising sun, reflecting the contemporary 'decadent' trend in art. Nakedness and flowing tresses of hair both symbolize a desire for 'perfect' innocence; sun-worship implies a longing for spiritual communion." | |
Trombone Blues
Perfect 14514 B Perfect Record Company, Brooklyn, New York Matrix 102651 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians Pike Davis, trumpet, replaces Bubber Miley on this record New Desor DE2501b Recorded September 11, 1925 Pathé East 53rd Street studio, NYC (see DEMS 1997/2 page 4). (also a very rare label). The solos are by Charlie Irvis (trombone) and Pike Davis (trumpet). Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection Upgraded 2011-11-22 | |
Georgia Grind
Perfect 104 Race Record Perfect Record Company, Brooklyn, New York Matrix 106729 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians Bubber Miley is replaced by trumpeters Harry Cooper and Leroy Rutledge in this recording New Desor DE2601a Recorded March 19, 1926 Pathé session, East 53rd Street Studio, New York City (see DEMS 1997/2 page 4) Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of Ate van Delden added 2010-03-30, specific recording date added 2011-09-18 | |
Parlor Social Stomp
Perfect 104B Perfect Record Company, Brooklyn, New York Matrix 106730 Duke Ellington's Washingtonians Trumpeters Harry Cooper and Leroy Rutledge replace Bubber Miley in this recording. Mark Tucker writes that this is Ellington's first instrumentally conceived composition to appear on disc, and it was neither copyrighted or published. New Desor DE2601b Recorded March 19, 1926 Pathé session, East 53rd Street Studio, New York City (see DEMS 1997/2 page 4) Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of Ate van Delden added 2010-03-30, specific recording date added 2011-09-18 | |
1 | (You've Got Those) "Wanna Go Back Again" Blues Gennett 3291-A Race Record Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X57-A Released June 1926 (from "6-26" on label) Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Voc. Sonny Greer Bubber Miley is replaced by two trumpeters, Harry Cooper and Leroy Rutledge, in this recording. New Desor DE2602a Recorded Mar 30,1926 Gennett session, East 37th Street Offices, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection upgraded 2010-06-08 Eddie Lambert, in Duke Ellington, A Listener's Guide, writes that this recording includes the first instance on record of imaginative scoring by Ellington - the use of Hardwick's baritone sax offset by two clarinets and the trumpets, as opposed to the conventional sax against brass scoring in the verse and the bridge of Irvis' chorus. |
2 | (You've Got Those) "Wanna Go Back Again" Blues Champion 15105 A Gennett subsidiary, Champion records first appeared in September 1925 and lasted until December 1934, outliving its parent label by four years. Decca bought the rights to the catalogue around this time, and reactivated the label in mid-1935 for about a year. Matrix X57-A Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Voc. Sonny Greer New Desor DE2602a Recorded Mar 30,1926 Gennett session, East 37th Street Offices, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2010-03-28 |
3 | (You've Got Those) "Wanna Go Back Again" Blues Buddy 8010-B Starr Piano Company Matrix X57-A Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Voc. Sonny Greer New Desor DE2602a Recorded Mar 30,1926 Gennett session, East 37th Street Offices, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2012-07-09 According to Ted Staunton, the name for this very rare label likely resulted from three separate companies who combined to market an all-aluminum phonograph, to which they presumably all contributed component parts. The label only appeared for a short time in the mid-1920s. |
1 | If You Can't Hold the Man You Love
Gennett Race Record 3291-B Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X57-A Released June 1926 Duke Ellington and His Orch. New Desor DE2602b Recorded Mar 30,1926 Gennett session, East 37th Street Offices, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2012-02-09 |
2 | If You Can't Hold the Man You Love
Buddy 8010-A Starr Piano Company Matrix X58-A Duke Ellington and His Orch. New Desor DE2602b Recorded Mar 30,1926 Gennett session, East 37th Street Offices, New York City Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2012-07-09 |
1 | Animal Crackers
Gennett 3342-A Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X190 Released September December 1926 Duke Ellington and His Washingtonians (Personnel: Bubber Miley, Charlie Johnson, Joe Nanton or Charlie Irvis, Otto Hardwick, Prince Robinson, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Bass Edwards, and Sonny Greer - source DEMS/061c.) New Desor DE2603a Recorded June 21, 1926, Gennett's East 37th Street offices,N.Y.C. Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection upgraded 2011-11-22 (very rare) Starr Piano Company operated Gennett at a loss after 1926. In December 1930, the Gennett Electrobeam label was withdrawn but the Champion and Superior labels continued, made from Gennett masters with pseudonyms replacing the artists' names. Selling for three-for-a-dollar in chain stores, Superior was discontinued in 1932, but Champion continued until 1934. In 1935, Starr sold the Champion trademark to Decca who continued to press the old Champion masters, selling them in the U.S., and in England on the Brunswick label. (Source) Note the absence of "GE" on this label. This would appear to be an acoustical recording, since "GE" was used for the then-experimental electrical recordings. See GENNETT NUMERICAL SERIES by Björn Englund Tucker writes "this time Miley made the date; the ensemble was better organized and played with verve. Although in some ways not as distinctive as "Choo Choo" and "Rainy Nights," these two sides, ... were an improvement over the Washingtonian's earlier discs for Pathé and Gennett. "Li'l Farinea," in particular, gave signs of promise for both Ellington and his band." Lambert tells us the trumpets are Miley and Charlie Johnson, and that Joe Nanton has replaced Irvis now. Lambert seems less enamored with Li'l Farina than Tucker, praising Nanton's and Miley's solos but calling the melody tawdry. |
2 | Animal Crackers
Challenge 135-A Sears, Roebuck and Co. Matrix X190 The Memphis Bell Hops (Ellington band's pseudonym for the Challenge label. Personnel: Bubber Miley, Charlie Johnson, Joe Nanton or Charlie Irvis, Otto Hardwick, Prince Robinson, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Bass Edwards, and Sonny Greer - source DEMS/061c.) New Desor DE2603a Recorded June 21, 1926, Gennett's East 37th Street offices,N.Y.C. Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2007-09-14 (very rare - Challenge was a budget Sears label from 1926-1928 and sold for 24¢ .) |
1 | Li'l Farina
Gennett 3342-B Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X-191 Released September December 1926 Duke Ellington and His Washingtonians New Desor DE2603b Recorded June 21, 1926 Gennett's East 37th Street offices,N.Y.C. Listen on Jazz Old Time On Line Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2011-11-22 |
2 | Li'l Farina
Champion 15120 B Matrix X191 Duke Ellington & His Washingtonians New Desor DE2603b Recorded June 21, 1926 Gennett's East 37th Street offices,N.Y.C. Listen on Jazz Old Time On Line Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive The quality of these two digital sound files is very different - I suspect one was created by recording from an acoustical gramophone and the other from an electric phonograph = the REd Hot Jazz is better for listening. Image courtesy of Ate van Delden added 2010-03-30 |
| Lucky Number Blues
Gennett Race Record 3403-A Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X323 Released December 1926 Alberta Jones with the Ellington Twins (Otto Hardwick and Duke Ellington) "Lulu Belle's Boy Friends" New Desor DE2604a Recorded Oct 14, 1926 Gennett's East 37th St. Offices, NYC (i)Note the Gennett serial numbers 3403A and Race Record 12-26 Updated 2012-01-21 |
1
| I'm Gonna Put You Right In Jail
Gennett Race Record 3403-B Gennett Records, Richmond, Ind. Matrix X324-A Released December 1926 Alberta Jones with the Ellington Twins (Otto Hardwick and Duke Ellington) "Lulu Belle's Boy Friends" New Desor DE2604b Recorded Oct 14, 1926, Gennett's East 37th St. offices, NYC (i)Note the Gennett serial numbers 3403B and Race Record 12-26 Added 2008-04-05 |
Started in 1917 and at first marketed in Canada, the Brunswick label was intoduced to the USA in 1920. In November 1924, Brunswick acquired Vocalion from the Aeolian Company and exactly two years later, Ellington started recording for Vocalion. Brunswick recordings were made at 799 Seventh Avenue, New York, until December 21, 1931, and then in 1932 at ARC's 1776 Broadway studios, which had opened in early 1931. | |
Mark Tucker, at page 250 of Duke Ellington The Early Years, tells us the November 29, 1926 Vocalion session was the first one where Ellington recorded only his original material. He suggests the title East St. Louis Toodle-Oo may have been chosen on this date because Vocalion wanted to increase record sales in the largely black section of East St. Louis, Illinois. | |
1 | East St. Louis Toodle-O
Vocalion A1064 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Matrix E4110W Duke Ellington and His Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2605b Recorded Nov. 29, 1926, Vocalion session, "Special Colored Recordings," Room 1, Brunswick Studio, NYC Listen on Jazz Old Time On Line upgraded 2010-06-21 read about Vocalion race records here |
2 | East St. Louis Toodle-O
Brunswick Collectors Series Album B1000, catalogue 80000A Brunswick Radio Corp. Matrix E21872 Duke Ellington and his Orchestra New Desor DE2605b Priced at 75¢, this pressing was distributed by Decca in 1943 - see the advertisements here. The label does not agree with the New Desor discography. If this was the Vocalion 1064, New Desor says it is DE2605b, recorded Nov. 29, 1926. If it was Matrix E 21872, New Desor says DE2704a, Mar. 14, 1927. Both recording sessions were at the Brunswick studio, but New Desor identifies the earlier one as a Vocalion session. The label identifies the group as Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, and lists 3 reed players. New Desor says it is DE and his Kentucky Club Orchestra. Peter MacHare's http://DEPanorama.net identifies the Nov 29 group as Duke Ellington & His Kentucky Club Orchestra: Metcalf, Miley, Nanton, possibly Prince Robinson, Sampson, Hardwick, Ellington, Guy, Shaw and Greer. MacHare lists the same personnel for the March date. Neither his lists nor New Desor include Rudy Jackson or Harry Carney, who are shown on this label. According to Timner's Ellingtonia 4th edition, neither Jackson nor Carney recorded with Ellington until October 1927. According to New Desor, Jackson and Carney joined in June 1927, and according to Scott Yanow's brief biographical notes on http://answers.com, Jackson was with King Oliver in early 1927. Benny Aasland's The Wax Works of Duke Ellington (1954) gives Vocalion 1064 for both recordings dates, i.e. matrices 4110W Nov. 29, 1926 and E21871, 21872,& 21873 Mar. 14,1927. Jorgen Gennet Jepsen's 1959 discography only shows Vocalion 4110 for the 1926 date. The label on this reissue that is part of a 4 record album (8 sides) appears simply to be the result of carelessness. If anyone can clear up the ambiguity, please let me know. Meanwhile I've showed one image as DE2605b and another copy as DE2704a. Added 2009-02-05 |
1 | Birmingham Breakdown
Vocalion B 1064 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Matrix E21641 Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2605d Recorded Nov 29, 1926, Brunswick Studio, NYC Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection Added 2007-09-28 Upgraded 2010-08-22 |
2 | Birmingham Breakdown
Vocalion B 1064 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Matrix E21641 Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2605d Recorded Nov 29, 1926, Brunswick Studio, NYC (note different layout of label) Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2008-10-12 |
3 | Birmingham Breakdown
Brunswick album B1000 (originally Vocalion 1064) Brunswick Radio Corp. Matrix E21641 Duke Ellington and his Orchestra New Desor DE2605d Recorded Nov 29, 1926, Brunswick Studio, NYC Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Added 2007-12-23 |
1 | Immigration Blues
Vocalion A 1077 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. MatrixE4321W Duke Ellington and His Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606a Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. (The studio recording sheet is headed "Special Colored Recordings") Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive added 2010-03-29 |
2 | Immigration Blues
Swaggie (Australia) S7 Matrix E4321WCC Duke Ellington and His Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606a Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. (The studio recording sheet is headed "Special Colored Recordings") Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of Bill Haesler (the Swaggie labels are 88 mm wide with a 3 mm black border that does not show in these images). According to Steven Lasker in DEMS, Swaggie S7 and S8 were pressed from parts created at Decca Records in the mid-1940s by dubbing from copies of the Vocalion 78s. He wrote that this is established by the omission of these masters from Brunswick's 1931 inventory of metal parts, by a 1944 Decca inner-office memorandum, and by reference to the Vocalion and Swaggie 78s in question. added 2010-03-29 |
3 | Immigration Blues
Biltmore 1004 Biltmore Record Company, New York Matrix E4321W Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606a Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. (The studio recording sheet is headed "Special Colored Recordings") Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive |
1 | The Creeper
Vocalion B1077 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Matrix E4323W or E4324W Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606b or c Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. (The studio recording sheet is headed "Special Colored Recordings") Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive |
2 | The Creeper
Swaggie (Australia) Matrix E4323WC Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606b Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. (The studio recording sheet is headed "Special Colored Recordings") Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of Bill Haesler added 2010-03-29 |
3 | The Creeper
Biltmore RF-7 Biltmore Record Company, New York Matrix E4323WC Duke Ellington and His Kentucky Club Orchestra New Desor DE2606b- Recorded in the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1926 Brunswick Studio, Room 1, N.Y.C. Listen on The Red Hot Jazz Archive Image courtesy of The Dooji Collection added 2012-02-03 |
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