Saturday, April 12, 2025

Pepito Arvelo's Rumba Boys: Desden + Yo Te Di Mi Corazon (Coda 5119) a 78rpm disc recorded and released in the US in 1950

Up next is a 78rpm disc featuring Pepito Arvelo's Rumba Boys, one of three they recorded for the New York-based Coda record label in 1950.

Arvelo (September 5, 1917 - April 30, 2001) was a Puerto Rican guitarist and vocalist who traveled to New York at the age of 15 to work in the music industry. In 1934 he helped form the Marcano Trio (which may be performing here as the Rumba Boys -- documentation is not as clear as I would like), and eventually began working for Cuban bandleader Xavier Cugat from 1946-58.

In 1950 he recorded six sides for the Coda label. The first song here is an instrumental bolero which translates as "Scorn" and the B-side is a vocal bolero.

    


   
Equipment used in this transfer: 
Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 minutes in clean water.
Turntable: Technics SL-1200
Cartridge: Shure M78S
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 96kHz resolution

Software: Audacity, Izotope Elements, Fission, and xAct


downloads:
very high resolution lossless FLAC files

these lossless files can be burned to CDR

highest quality mp3 files possible 


Conjunto Bernal: Melinda + Dios de Mi Vida (Ideal 1284) a 78rpm disc recorded and released in the US in the late 1950s

Up next is a 78rpm disc released on the Ideal Records label sometime between 1955-60 and featuring the group Conjunto Bernal.

According to Discogs, "Ideal Records, one of the most influential regional recording companies for Mexican-American music during the post–World War II era, was founded in 1946 by Armando Marroquín (with partner and distributor Paco Betancourt) in Alice, Texas. Marroquín started recording local artists during the 1940s."
    
 
        
Conjunto Bernal, founded in the early 1950s by two teenaged brothers from South Texas, is considered one of the most innovative and influential groups in the history of Mexican-American music.

Conjunto is an accordion-based music popular in Texas. It usually has a fast tempo with a strong backbeat. This, together with the use of accordion, has often led to it being compared to polka music. Conjunto is certainly joyous party music that is very fun to see live. 
     

Equipment used in this transfer: 
Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 minutes in clean water.
Turntable: Technics SL-1200
Cartridge: Shure M78S
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 96kHz resolution

Software: Audacity, Izotope Elements, Fission, and xAct

downloads:

very high resolution lossless FLAC files


these lossless files can be burned to CDR


highest quality mp3 files possible 


    

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Leo Rowsome: The King of the Pipers [Claddagh CC 1] an LP recorded and released in Ireland in 1959

We now present an LP of Uilleann pipe music by Leo Rowsome which was recorded and issued 66 years ago. The Uilleann pipes also known as Union pipes and sometimes called Irish pipes, are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Martin Leo Rowsome (5 April 1903 – 20 September 1970) was a well-known piper who recorded several 78s but only this one LP before his sudden death at the age of 67.

   


The album notes are as follows:

SIDE 1 — The pieces on this side of the record are played on concert pitch pipes.

Ri na bPiobairi (The King of the Pipers) — a double jig. Also known as The Knights of St. Patrick, after the illustrious and exclusive order of Saint Patrick, founded by George III.

O' Carolan's Concerto—Planxty Davis. The blind harper, Turlough O'Carolan (1670- 1738) was one of the great figures of cighteenth century Ireland. Swift translated the words for one of his melodies and in a famous essay, Goldsmith describes Carolan's contest with a continental musican, presumably Geminiani:
"He accordingly played over on his fiddle the fifth concerto of Vivaldi. Carolan, immediately taking his harp, played over the whole picce after him, without missing a note, though he had never heard it before; which produced some surprise; but their astonishment increased when he assured them he could make a concerto in the same taste himself, which he instantly composed, and that with such spirit and elegance that it may compare (for we have it still) with the finest compositions of Italy".

Planxty Davis (see also No. 8 below) more correctly known as Dha Uilliam Daíbhís (The Two William Davises) was probably composed by Carolan's predecessor, the harper-composer Thomas Connellan. The tune is a variant of the Scottish tune Killiecrankie, and Connellan spent much of his time in Scotland, where he may have composed it.

An Chulfhionn (The Coolin) refers to an ancient Gaelic method of wearing the hair in a long lock on the back of the head. Prohibited by English law in the thirteenth century, the Coolin became a patriotic symbol and source for a famous song.

The Pipe on the Hob—The Bride's Favourite. Two fine examples of the Double Jig. Pipers often performed at weddings, hence the title The Bride's Favourite.

The Fox Chase. A brilliant descriptive piece, based on an Irish foxhunt. It opens with the Gallop of the Horses; then the scent of the fox is caught and the tempo quickens to the Chase. The horns sound, followed by the barking and baying of the hounds in full pursuit. Again the horns sound and the yelping pack close in for the Kill. Slowly the horns sound a Lament for the Dead Fox.
The Fox Chase was composed by a blind Tipperary piper named Edward Keating Hyland (1780-1845) in the year 1799. When he visited Dublin, Hyland played before him in what would now be called a command performance. The King presented him with a set of pipes costing 50 guineas.

An Buchaill Caol Dubh (The Dark Slender Boy). In this song by Seán Scanachain (Scán Aerach) The Dark Slender Boy is a synonym for alcohol accompanying the poet on his travels. The author of this song lived in the mid-eighteenth century near Glin County Limerick.

Jenny's Wedding — Lord MacDonald. Reels are traditionally the test piece of a piper and here we have two fine examples.

Planxty Browne. A Planxty is a sportive tune, usually composed in honour of a patron or host, who gives his name to the tune.


SIDE 2 — The pieces on this side of the record are played on flat pitch pipes.

Cath Eachdhruime (The Battle of Aughrim) March. On the twelfth of July, 1691, the Irish and French forces under St. Ruth and Sarsfield were defeated at Aughrim Hill, near Ballinasloe, by the Williamite forces. It was the end of the old Gaelic and Norman aristocracy, most of whom departed into exile, to fight under the banners of France and Austria.

The Kerry Jig — The Ballintore Fancy. Two excellent examples of the single jig, once very popular in Ireland, it is one of the most graceful dances in the old piping tradition.

The Old Man Rocking the Cradle. In this special piper's variation on the old lullaby, the first part represents the old man singing the lullaby, the second the rocking of the cradle. This lullaby is traditionally supposed to have been sung by Saint Joseph to the Infant Jesus: "Oh I'm weeping and wailing and rocking the cradle and praising a Child that's none of my own"

Molloy's Favourite - My Sweetheart Jane. Two joyful and spirited reels which have been unjustly neglected.

Madame Bonaparte. One of our very fine set dance tunes. The title pays homage to our ancient ally, France, in the person of the Empress Josephine.

The Death of Staker Wallace. An old lament commemorating a famous Limerick patriot. His name derives from the fact that he defended a breach in the Walls of the City with a stake.

Will You Come Down to Limerick? -- Hardiman the Fiddler. Two jolly examples of the Slip or Hop Jig. as played by famous fiddlers and pipers of the past century. The Hop jig is not as popular now as the Reel, the Hornpipe and the Double Jig, but it is an essential part of our heritage, illustrating, like the Single Jig. the rich diversity of our old dance tunes.

The Derry Hornpipe. One of the most popular of all hornpipe tunes. Played with all the intricacy of the old piping tradition, it stands as a salute to all the musicians of the past who have helped to preserve our tradition by handing down their art, from father to son, from master to pupil.


LEO ROWSOME

Leo Rowsome comes of a long line of pipers. His grandfather, Samuel Rowsome, a farmer piper from Ballintore, Ferns, Co. Wexford, was a close friend of the famous John Cash and learned much of his piping from the Shangarry piper "Jemmy" Byrne. His three sons, John, William and Thomas were all excellent pipers and when William moved to the north side of Dublin he brought the family piping and pipe-making tradition with him. He in turn had three piping sons, the most famous of them being Leo Rowsome, who inherits all the skill of the Cash and Rowsome traditions. A many times winner of the Feis Ceoil, Leo Rowsome is now responsible, through his post at the Municipal School of Music, for the training of most of the young Irish pipers. Beside frequent broadcasts, he has appeared on television at home, in England and America and in several of the Ardmore films, like The Big Birthday and Home is the Hero. He is President of the Pipers Club (from which sprung Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eircann) and performs regularly at concerts in England and Ireland.


THE UILLEANN OR UNION PIPES

There are two historic forms of the Irish pipes, the original mouth-blown war pipes (an piob mór) and the later bellows-blown Uilleann or Union pipes developed from them. The latter were introduced in the sixteenth century; when Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice speaks of "woollen bagpipes" he probably means the Uilleann pipes. The Gaelic word "uilleann" (i.e. elbow) which describes the method of inflation by an under-arm bellows was probably later corrupted to "Union".

The Uilleann or Union pipes are played sitting, with the drones lying across the The present day examples are very complex in structure: a standard set consists of bag and bellows, chanter, drones and regulators. The chanter is the flutelike part on which the melody is played. The three drones, tenor, baritone, and bass, each sound a note continually during the playing of a piece.

The regulators are three pipes, stopped at the end, with closed keys which lie under the piper's wrist. By depressing two or more of the keys accompanying chords can be sounded. The earliest sets of Uilleann pipes had no regulators, and only two drones, while many nineteenth century sets have up to five regulators and six drones. Sets of pipes vary from the modern concert pitch through half tones to three whole tones below; the lower the pitch the longer the chanter, from 14 to 18 inches. There are two sets of pipes played on this record, a concert pitch set and a flat pitch set one and a half tones lower. Apart from the chanter of the flat set which comes to him from his father, both sets of pipes are made by Leo Rowsome himself.

Recorded in Ireland by Peter Hunt Studios, Dublin for Claddagh Records Lid., 29 Raedh na nartharach. Baile Atha Cliath. Cover Printed in the Republic of Ireland by the Dolmen Press Lid., Dublin.


Equipment used in this transfer: 
Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 minutes in clean water.
Turntable: Technics SL-1200
Cartridge: Audio-technica AT33MONO
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 96kHz resolution with 32-bit floating point

Software: Audacity, Izotope Elements, Fission, and xAct


downloads:
very high resolution lossless FLAC files


these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that


highest quality mp3 files possible 



Sunday, March 16, 2025

Clark Kessinger: Sweet Bunch of Daisies (County 747) an LP recorded in the US in 1966

We now present a lovely and energetic 1966 album by "Old-time" fiddler Clark Kessinger (July 27, 1896 – June 4, 1975). Originally released on Kanawha Records, this particular copy was reissued on County Records in 1974. This is extremely energetic dance music -- full of melodic twists and turns -- which reveals a delightful level of virtuosity.







Equipment used in this transfer: 
Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 minutes in clean water.
Turntable: Technics SL-1200
Cartridge: Audio-technica AT33MONO
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 96kHz resolution with 32-bit floating point

Software: Audacity, Izotope Elements, Fission, and xAct


downloads:
very high resolution lossless FLAC files


these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that


highest quality mp3 files possible 

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Folk Songs of Uttar Pradesh (Odeon MOCE 1027) an LP recorded and released in India in 1964

Up next is a compilation album of folk and popular songs of Uttar Pradesh, which is the most populated state of India, with 241 million current inhabitants. There are some charming individual and choir songs on this album, which appears to be part of a series of albums that EMI released with the general title of, "Folk Songs of [name of Indian state]."

    







Equipment used in this transfer: 
Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 10 minutes in clean water.
Turntable: Technics SL-1200
Cartridge: Audio-technica AT33MONO
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 96kHz resolution with 32-bit floating point

Software: Audacity, Izotope Elements, and xAct


downloads:
very high resolution lossless FLAC files


these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that


highest quality mp3 files possible 

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Abdel Halim Hafez: Ressala Min Taht El Maa (IMD TC-GSTP 20) a cassette recorded in Egypt in 1973

We return after a hiatus with a cassette by the great Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez (June 21, 1929 – March 30, 1977) featuring a live recording made in 1973. This cassette was issued in Lebanon at an unknown date.

Hafez was as an Egyptian singer, actor, conductor, businessman, music teacher and film producer who recorded many albums of wonderful music.





Transfer: Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck, extensively refurbished and rebuilt.
Pre-amplification: refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 24bit/96kHz resolution
Software: Audacity and xAct.



downloads:

very high resolution lossless FLAC files


these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that


highest quality lossy mp3 files possible