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:

24bit, 96kHz mono FLAC files (137MB)

very high resolution lossless FLAC files

16bit, 44.kHz mono FLAC files (40 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR

320 kbps dual mono mp3 files (19 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible