Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Discussions on Records, Recording, & Artists
User avatar
audiophile102
Victor IV
Posts: 1219
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 12:50 pm
Personal Text: Say to yourself I am so happy hurray!
Location: Brookfield, Illinois

Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by audiophile102 »

I have a modest collection of 1920's jazz records and all are 10 inches in diameter. I have come across plenty of 12 inch classical records from the period, but not too many 12 inch jazz records. Are they particularly rare or was there an artist that recorded more 12 inch jazz records I should look for?
Thanks. :)
Last edited by audiophile102 on Sat Jun 29, 2019 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"You can't take the phonographs nor the money with you, but the contentment the phonographs bring may well make your life better, and happier lives make the world a better place."

epigramophone
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5204
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by epigramophone »

All the ODJB's recordings for UK Columbia were issued in the 12 inch format, even though some would have fitted on a 10 inch disc.
The majority of Ciro's Club Coon Orchestra's UK Columbias were also 12 inch. They are not easy to find.

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by gramophone-georg »

audiophile102 wrote:I have a modest collection of 1920's jazz records and all are 10 inches in diameter. I have come across plenty of 12 inch classical records from the period, but not too many 12 inch records. Are they particularly rare or was there an artist that recorded more 12 inch records I should look for?
Thanks. :)
The 12 inchers are scarce but pop up once in awhile. There are 12" releases by Paul Whiteman, Red Nichols, Carl Fenton, Guy Lombardo, Dorsey Bros. Orchestra, George Olsen, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Louis Armstrong, Victor Young, and others that I have. While a few are from the acoustic era, most of these issues are from 1927 on and the majority of them seemed to be issued during the early Depression (aside from Whiteman discs) which accounts for their relative scarcity as they were more expensive.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

estott
Victor Monarch
Posts: 4172
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:23 pm
Personal Text: I have good days...this might not be one of them
Location: Albany NY

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by estott »

A lot of 12 inch jazz records are "Concert Jazz" compositions - many recorded by Whiteman. I've found few 12 inch records of jazz dance music - same for the Swing era. It see,s as if most popular music didn't fit well into the extended format.

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by gramophone-georg »

estott wrote:A lot of 12 inch jazz records are "Concert Jazz" compositions - many recorded by Whiteman. I've found few 12 inch records of jazz dance music - same for the Swing era. It see,s as if most popular music didn't fit well into the extended format.
A lot of the "concert jazz" selections are really quite good IMO. This topic got me going through some of my 12- inch popular series records and I also have releases in this format by Rudy Vallee and Anson Weeks. In the swing era there are great 12" sides by Fats Waller, Tommy Dorsey, Casa Loma,
Artie Shaw, Bunny Berigan, and Benny Goodman, to name a few. Dorsey/ Sinatra did a fine one- "Without A Song". Then there are Berigan's "I Can't Get Started", Goodman's "Sing Sing Sing", Artie Shaw's "Concerto For Clarinet", "Summertime", "The Maid With The Flaccid Air", etc., and even a very early Stan Kenton on a 12" Decca. I have to find it and get the titles.

Goodman recorded some great Columbia sides on 12" with Helen Forrest also.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

epigramophone
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5204
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by epigramophone »

Another UK 12 inch record not often seen is HMV C2885 "Origins of Jazz" in which Jack Hylton acts as compere, introducing several different recordings of "Tiger Rag" and "St.Louis Blues".

AmberolaAndy
Victor V
Posts: 2417
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 10:15 pm
Location: A small town near Omaha, Nebraska

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by AmberolaAndy »

I have a couple of 12in Paul Whiteman and Joseph C. Smith and Fred Nichols.

User avatar
Roaring20s
Victor V
Posts: 2550
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:55 am
Personal Text: Those who were seen dancing were thought insane by those who could not hear the music. Nietzsche
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by Roaring20s »

Here are a few not mentioned, that I enjoy... :coffee:

Mary Lou Williams on Asch 1002
Frankie Carle on shaded Decca 15037
Miff Mole on Commodore 1518

James.

bfinan11
Victor I
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:49 pm

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by bfinan11 »

Art Tatum on ARA and Comet in 1944-48 too, the original trio sessions and the solo album "Piano Impressions", many of which ran over 5 minutes and used every possible second of the 12-inch format.

User avatar
Wolfe
Victor V
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:52 pm

Re: Question About 12 inch 78rpm Records

Post by Wolfe »

Commodore label is pretty low hanging fruit, as well some other recent mentions. Some V-Discs could be mentioned too. But the OP is asking about 1920's era.

Post Reply