Beating The Petrillo Ban - The Late December 1947 Modern Sessions Various Artists (Kent/ Modern)

£19.38

Genre:
Rhythm & Blues
Label:
Ace Records
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDTOP2 1373

This product is also available in these versions:
Beating The Petrillo Ban. The Late December 1947 Modern Sessions (MP3), MP3 (£15.98)

While the majority of Americans were decking the halls with holly in December 1947, the recording industry was working flat-out to commit as much music as possible to acetate, before midnight on New Year’s Day 1948 ushered in the second American Federation of Musicians recording ban – like the previous one, instigated by AFM head honcho James Cesar Petrillo in response to the notion that musicians were being put out of work by the popularity of jukeboxes in venues where they had previously plied their trade.

The first recording ban in 1942 had caught everyone by surprise and lasted for 2½ years – during which time no recordings were made utilising union musicians. Nobody wanted to be short on releasable masters if the second ban were to continue as long. Record companyies cut their artists on as many sessions as they could cram in. Modern Records was no exception, as you will discover on this special 2CD collection of recordings made in the two weeks leading up to the start of the ban.

Modern’s Jules Bihari recorded every active artist on the label’s roster during the period this CD covers – sometimes more than once. The artists ranged from the Inkspots-styled Ebonaires to torrid gospel vocalist Sister Ira Mae Littlejohn, via Modern favourites Hadda Brooks and Gene Phillips and newer ones such as Jimmy Witherspoon and Butch Stone.

One version of each song recorded at every session from 19 December to New Years Eve is included in this prestigious collection – all freshly remastered from new transfers of the original Modern acetates. Wherever possible, the songs are featured in unissued different versions from those previously available.

The copious notes are set out in session order, allowing the listener to follow the recording events as they took place. Wherever possible, existing session chat has been retained to put us in the studio with the musicians.

The second ban lasted less than a year. As a result, many of the stockpiled masters did not gain release until long after their recording date – and there are a considerable number of songs here that have never been released at all prior to this CD. This deluxe 2CD set enhances the already high reputation of post-WWII West Coast R&B to a significant degree, with the music sounding as vibrant now as it did almost 65 years ago. More than that, it shows that Ace’s A&R policy is to keep faith with this side of our catalogue whenever the opportunity presents itself.

By Tony Rounce

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Track listing

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Side 1

  • 01 Preview Waterboy (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - The Ebonaires

  • 02 Preview I'll Never Do It Again (Take 4) ((Take 4)) - The Ebonaires

  • 03 Preview The Old Folks At Home (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - The Ebonaires

  • 04 Preview Poor Butterfly (Instrumental) (Take 1) ((Instrumental) (Take 1)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 05 Preview Old Fashioned Love (Instrumental) (Take 3 master) ((Instrumental) (Take 3 master)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 06 Preview Take Me (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 07 Preview The Best Things In Life Are Free (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 08 Preview This Will Make You Laugh (Take 3) ((Take 3)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 09 Preview Gravels In My Pillow (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Duke Henderson

  • 10 Preview His Majesty's Boogie (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Duke Henderson

  • 11 Preview Cake Jumps (Instrumental) ((Instrumental)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette

  • 12 Preview T.B. Blues (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 13 Preview Snuff Dipping Mama (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces

  • 14 Preview Gene's Guitar Blues (Take 2) ((Take 2)) - Gene Phillips

  • 15 Preview Broke And Disgusted (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces

  • 16 Preview Royal Boogie (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces

  • 17 Preview A Sailboat In the Moonlight (Take 10) ( (Take 10)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 18 Preview Why Was I Born (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 19 Preview Mary Lou (Instrumental) (Take 1) ((Instrumental) (Take 1)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 20 Preview Moonlight On The Ganges (Take 1) (Instrumental) ((Take 1) (Instrumental)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 21 Preview The Glory Of Love (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Art Shackelford Sextette

  • 22 Preview Play Fiddle Play (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Art Shackelford Sextette

  • 23 Preview The Jazz Me Blues (Take 4 master) ((Take 4 master)) - Art Shackelford Sextette

  • 24 Preview Beatin' The Ban (Take 1 master) ((Take 1 master)) - Art Shackelford Sextette

Side 2

  • 01 Preview Connie Lee Blues (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 02 Preview Big Fine Girl (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 03 Preview That's Your Red Wagon (Take 3) ((Take 3)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 04 Preview Sweet Lovin' Baby (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 05 Preview Grandma Grandpa (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 06 Preview Geneva Blues (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon

  • 07 Preview Piece Of Cake (Take 2) (Instrumental) ((Take 2) (Instrumental)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette

  • 08 Preview Boogie Woogie Baby (Take 2 master) (Instrumental) ((Take 2 master) (Instrumental)) - Al "Cake" Wichard Sextette

  • 09 Preview Anna Lucasta (Take 3) ((Take 3)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 10 Preview I Can't Get Started (Take 5 master) ((Take 5 master)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 11 Preview I'll Get By (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Hadda Brooks

  • 12 Preview Little Willie's Boogie (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Little Willie Jackson

  • 13 Preview Shasta (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Little Willie Jackson

  • 14 Preview Baby (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Little Willie Jackson

  • 15 Preview Someday, Somehow, Somewhere (Take 2) ((Take 2)) - Little Willie Jackson

  • 16 Preview My Feet's Too Big (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Butch Stone & His Orchestra

  • 17 Preview Put Your Brakes On Mama (Take 5 master) ((Take 5 master)) - Butch Stone & His Orchestra

  • 18 Preview Little Girl (Take 1 master) ((Take 1 master)) - Butch Stone & His Orchestra

  • 19 Preview Baby Face (Take 4 master) ((Take 4 master)) - Butch Stone & His Orchestra

  • 20 Preview Lonesome Road Blues (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

  • 21 Preview He'll Make The Way (Take 2 master) ((Take 2 master)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

  • 22 Preview What More Can Jesus Do (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

  • 23 Preview Go, Devil, Go (Take 1 master) ((Take 1 master)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

  • 24 Preview See Jesus (Take 1) ((Take 1)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

  • 25 Preview My Record Will Be There (Take 1 master) ((Take 1 master)) - Madam Ira Mae Littlejohn

Delivery & Returns

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Press quotes

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A very fine issue. ★★★★

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