TOAST OF NEW YORK
NEW PROJECTS
Updated 12/12/03
PAUL WHITEMAN - THE COMPLETE ACOUSTICS...
and MORE!!!
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Dan "Waterman" Levinson has blown us away with the ULTIMATE Toast project... The Complete Acoustic Paul Whiteman. Yup...you heard right. The King Of Jazz...arguably the most popular dance band of the 1920's. All those great Victor records toasted in their 78 RPM glory...is this a great world we live in, or what???? Dan promises more Whiteman...he has started work on the electrical recordings as well. But, let's let him tell you about it HERE Here's a report from Dan on needed tracks for this and other projects.
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We have some New Releases to list here...eventually I will add some appropriate graphics, but I didn't want to wait. These are all really exciting and interesting additions to the ToNY collection:
A new batch from our friend Nestor in Argentina. The details, with tracks lists are HERE:
From Hutch is the complete as can be determined FRANCES WILLIAMS. Frances is one singer that looks as good as she sounds, so I will be posting some pics of her soon. Meanwhile, here's the listing from Ron's new DISC.
From Dave W. some terrific compilation CD's:
Victor Program Transcriptions featuring Nat Shilkret and Paul Whitman
A GREAT COLLECTION OF SONGS FROM THE HIT SHOW (and now hit MOVIE) CHICAGO!!
From Bumby comes two outstanding compilations:
BLUEBIRDS OVER HOLLYWOOD, PART II
Here's a great new one from Henry S., it's either a little late for Xmas 2002 or a little early for Xmas 2003, but look at the track list! Henry calls it "some great Chritmas songs that didn't quite make it.
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FANNIE BRICE Here is yet another amazing new Toast project from Hutch ("Mr. Vitaphone"). Presenting the ENTIRE soundtrack to MY MAN, the otherwise lost 1928 Vitaphone feature starring the great Ziegfeld Follies star FANNIE BRICE. All 11 reels of the soundtrack are here, including the Overture and the theatrical trailer, all on 2 CD's. Also included are several commercial recordings of songs from the film, such as "My Man" by Nat Shilkret and the Victor Boys and "If You Want The Rainbow" and "I'd Rather Be Blue" by Fannie herself. You definitely are going to want this one! Fabulous! Thanks, Hutch!!
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THE HAPPINESS BOYS And what, you may ask, precisely is our "hap-hap-happiness?" Why it's those two lovable lads of radio, of course, Mr. Billy Jones and Mr. Ernest Hare.
Dr. D presents a brand-new six-CD set (directly toasted from original 78s and organized chiefly by label) of one of the most pivotal singing teams in all of popular music, the group that set the fashion for tenor-baritone duets and one of the most popular and entertaining acts in the history of the recording arts. "Say! Who the dickens are these Happiness Boys, anyway?" |
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SILENT MOVIE HOT DANCE MUSIC! |
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Here's a real treasure The 1929 silent feature "Why Be Good" starring Colleen Moore had been thought to be a lost film. Recently, through the efforts of The Vitaphone Project, the 8 discs that made up the original musical score have been found. Now, it appears the 35mm nitrate film elements have been located in a European archive! What makes this of special interest to the Toast group is the fact that the music on the rediscovered discs is almost entirely jazz/hot dance music! Musicians like Jimmy Dorsey, jazz guitar virtuoso Eddie Lang, and Phil Napoleon have been identified by jazz experts. Joe Venuti and other 1920's music greats are likely present as well. Listen for yourself! The Vitaphone Project has made this soundtrack available via toast...all 8 soundtrack discs on one CD!
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A STOCKINGFUL OF SHELLAC! |
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Holiday Greetings from BUMBY What a eclectic and creative compilation of Holiday music this is! Everything from the two Maes (West and Questal) to Patti Page, Sister Rosetta Tharpe (doing "White Christmas") and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans giving us "Christmas On The Range". Check out this amazing collection of seldom heard tunes here:
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ENGLAND IS GOING HOLLYWOOD!
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BRITISH DANCE BANDS PLAY THE MUSIC OF NACIO HERB BROWN
We *love* British Dance Bands, and likewise the happy, bouncy tunes of Nacio Herb Brown. What a perfect combination! Check out this new compilation of great Nacio Herb Brown tunes as performed by various British Dance Bands. Stepping up are the two Jacks, Payne and Hylton (and his wife!) as well as Arthur Rosebery, Carroll Gibbons (Savoy Orpheans) Henry Hall, Ray Noble, Phiilip Lewis and many others Tunes include: Singin' In The Rain, Good Morning, You Are My Lucky Star, All I Do Is Dream Of You, You Were Meant For Me, Would You? and The Broadway Melody. This kicks off a great new series of Great British Dance Bands performing the tunes of great American composers.
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NEW STUFF IN FROM ARGENTINA |
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Here's something to get excited about... A page of brand new stuff, mostly from NESTOR!! Check out the cute illustration provided! |
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THE WILLARD ROBISON SERIES CONTINUES
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Willard Robison (1894-1968) - was one of the great
auteurs of American music. A composer, lyricist, bandleader, pianist, arranger
and vocalist, he's probably best remembered for the dozens of Great American
Standards that he wrote, most famously his oft-revived 1930 blockbuster hit "A
Cottage For Sale."
Our series of Robison discs focuses attention not only on his many classic songs ("Don't Smoke In Bed," "Peaceful Valley," "Guess I'll Go Back Home This Summer," "Barrelhouse Music," "It's Never Too Late To Pray," "Wake Up Chillun" Wake up," "The Devil Is Afraid Of Music" - they're at once evocative of black culture, of middle Americana, and the church) but on his many recordings. In the mid-'20s, Robison's "Deep River Orchestra" was one of the most popular big bands playing regularly on the radio. At the same time, Robison enjoyed yet a third career, not only as composer and bandleader but as pianist and singer. His many recordings as a vocalist are way ahead of their time, intimate and swinging in a manner that anticipates the '30s and wartime era more than the "jazz age." With a little help from our friends, we have so far assembled eight CDs of assorted Robisonia, covering all aspects of this remarkable career. We're proud to say that the great contemporary entertainer MICHAEL FEINSTEIN is a Willard Robsion fan and collector, and that Willard's grand-daughter Pamela has received a copy of our project.
Late-Breaking Developments in the Field of ROBISONIA! |
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MORE BABY ROSE MARIE FROM RADIO BROADCASTS!
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HOT OFF THE PRESSES!! More from MF: - FOUR VOLUMES of REALLY RARE RADIO material by BABY ROSE MARIE! Unfortunately, we have no track list of any kind on this, but I've heard some of it - it's mostly from the '30s, there are some things from at least as early as 1934, then a few more examples of her teenage show in 1938, and I did hear one or two things from the '40s as well. Anyhow, anybody reading this is welcome to glom a set and make a rudimentary track list for us! We'd appreciate it and you'll have a good time besides! |
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ROSY McHARGUE
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The most important new disc is a collection devoted to that great musician and beloved pedagogue: Rosy McHargue - as assembled by his greatest protegee. Don't miss this one! |
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OZZIE NELSON IS IN THE BUILDING!
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Toast of New York is proud to announce: THE COMPLETE OZZIE NELSON! Everybody's favorite all-purpose dance band! A co-production of Uncle Alsci and Aldie Aldrich! By George, John and Alsci promised this by now, and did they ever deliver! Yes indeedy! (The track lists, prepared by Aldie and Eric M are also especially nice!) A class act all around. Anyone who doesn't care for this band is immediately expelled from the group! Do not pass go, do not collect $200. |
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FINALLY IT'S HERE! AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
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THE COMPLETE AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA: 1927 - 1932 The mystery is why it took a bunch of yanks to do this one! (Although I confess we did have some help, of course, from several major British collectors, including John A B.) Produced by Uncle Alsci and Uncle Aldie, this contains all but a meagre handful of the complete output of this major dance band. Fourteen (14!) discs in all, this is only the beginning, it contains all the HMVs and early Deccas, and someday we hope to include the Brunswicks and later Deccas as well. But here it is, the glory years of everybody's favorite British dance band, complete with those two great vocalists, Sam Browne and Elsie Carlisle. Someday, we also hope to start a seperate series representing the various Ambrose spinoff bands, such as the Blue Lyres, The Blue Mountaineers and The Picadilly Buttkissers (or whatever they're called). |
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UKULELE IKE!
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CLIFF EDWARDS: By a coincidence, Waterman and Nestor have also both done new projects on the Great Ukelele Ike. Now available, The Complete Columbia Recordings, Vols One & Two and Cliff Edward and his Hot Combination, 1925-1926. (Hmmm.... I have to compare this one to the one Waterman did a few years ago.) We're almost ready to do the COMPLETE CLIFF EDWARDS, and are only missing like one title, "Chip-Chip-Chipewa" or something like that. Help! |
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ISHAM JONES AT DECCA AND BRUNSWICK
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ISHAM JONES: By yet another coincidence, Waterman and Nestor have also both done new toasties on the Great ISHAM JONES AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Waterman has a two CD set of Ish's great Decca sessions while Nestor offers an electic assortment of Ish: 1920-1926. (Waterman has already done the Complete Isham Jones Victors in four volumes, a great set, if you don't have 'em. See below. And while we're at it, here's a classic piece of Isham Jones sheet music for you to feast your eyes on!) |
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An ongoing project:
THE CALIFORNIA RAMBLERS
(and other ED KIRKEBY GROUPS!)
Here are some developments in our continuing attempt to come up with a comprehensive toasting of the CALIFORNIA RAMBLERS and related Ed Kirkeby-managed bands. A complete series, particularly of the Ramblers unit itself, is a long way off, but Toast of New York is on the case! For a complete list of all our Ramblers-related projects, click here!
Check out the Ramblers playing Pretty Little You from 1929.
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BUDDY CLARK One Of Our Favorite Singers: BUDDY CLARK!
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BUDDY CLARK THE LATEST: A new Volume Four has been added to the Buddy Clark on Columbia series...and it's a honey, drawing rave reviews from Uncle Wilsci: "what great stuff! Love It! Not a bad track on the thing, not even "An Old Sombrero (and a slightly worn jockstrap)" and "I Wish I Knew The Name Of The Girl In My Dreams Who Tries To Look Like You" This is great pop music!"
Thanks to Uncle Bumby and to Bob the Kempster (if you object to these nicknames, let me know!) there's a lot of Sammy Goldberg (aka Buddy Clark) in the middle of being toasted. For a complete list of what' available now, click here! |
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PEGGY LEE
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Well I'm a big PEGGY LEE fan anyway! PEGGY LEE RARITIES Unreissued 78s, thank you Bumby! Actually, the ARA disc(s) pictured above are from the collection of Daddou Weinski, and are NOT on the Bumby Lee rarities disc, but they are forthcoming on a soon-to-be-released box from EMI UK, PEGGY LEE SINGLES! And in that spirit, here are some more rare Peggy Lee labels. |
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