Persons who, like myself, are afflicted with the Hoarding Fever, are probably swearing under their breath right now, even as they rub their hands together in hopeful expectation of new labels bearing new undiscovered treats. But it’s the latter feeling that will win out in the end, because that is the main thing that makes my new stack of vinyl so all-consumingly satisfying: the singularity of its constituent parts. Here’s a record by Johnny Hartman, whose vocal stylings are as rich as creme caramel, on the Bethlehem Records label circa 1956, then operating out of both New York and Hollywood. Doubtless this label and everyone associated with it is by now long gone.
Here’s a recital and some arias and duets by Fernando de Lucia on the Eterna Records label, then doing business at 141 Perry Street, New York, N.Y. Here’s Laora the Unique, evidently from Greece, since all text on the back cover is in Greek, save the label name (“Discophon”: wonderful!), and the artist’s in fancy script, and the words “HIGH FIDELITY” in the upper left corner. Here’s “Where Can I Go? and other Yiddish favorites...sung by Leo Fuld” on the Tikva Records imprint, doing business out of...where? No one can say, since the record itself does not.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [ next ]




-LPTJ-
home   archive   issues   music   contact   links