When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bobbin' Along (Sam Lanin)

[bart1927]

Here's another peppy recording from my small collection: Sam Lanin and His Dance Orchestra with "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bobbin' Along" on Imperial 1651, recorded 24 June, 1926. Both the record label and Brian Rust credit Arthur Fields as the vocalist, but I'm pretty sure it's Irving Kaufman.

https://app.box.com/s/1z17y9wwiz56xi9jr5utfwxjgjjxfnk8

[52089]

Here's another peppy recording from my small collection: Sam Lanin and His Dance Orchestra with "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bobbin' Along" on Imperial 1651, recorded 24 June, 1926. Both the record label and Brian Rust credit Arthur Fields as the vocalist, but I'm pretty sure it's Irving Kaufman.

https://app.box.com/s/1z17y9wwiz56xi9jr5utfwxjgjjxfnk8

Tough call on this one. The vocals sounded a bit high pitched, so I put the MP3 in Goldwave and slowed it down about 5% and it sounds kind of like Fields, but it also sounds kind of like Kaufman

[bart1927]

Here's another peppy recording from my small collection: Sam Lanin and His Dance Orchestra with "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bobbin' Along" on Imperial 1651, recorded 24 June, 1926. Both the record label and Brian Rust credit Arthur Fields as the vocalist, but I'm pretty sure it's Irving Kaufman.

https://app.box.com/s/1z17y9wwiz56xi9jr5utfwxjgjjxfnk8

Tough call on this one. The vocals sounded a bit high pitched, so I put the MP3 in Goldwave and slowed it down about 5% and it sounds kind of like Fields, but it also sounds kind of like Kaufman

I always play close attention to speed and pitch, and at 78.26 rpm, this record sounded pretty spot on. Usually these budget label records (Imperial, but also Perfect, Banner, Oriole, etc) play at 80 rpm, so I was pretty surprised that this one played at 78. Slowing it down 5% brings it to 74,3%, and that's really slow. That's practically a semitone. You could be right, nevertheless, but even at 74 rpm it still sounds more like Kaufman to my ears than Fields.

[WDC]

I am also very certain that it's Irving Kaufman. He has a very distinctive pronunciation that even a wrong pitch (or not) cannot eliminate. I like the hot solo at the end, great record!

[bart1927]

I am also very certain that it's Irving Kaufman. He has a very distinctive pronunciation that even a wrong pitch (or not) cannot eliminate. I like the hot solo at the end, great record!

Pitch is a tough one. I had some piano lessons as a kid, but I don't know a lot about musical theory. At 78 rpm the arrangment has no sharps or flats, so if I'm not mistaken that means it's in C. When I drop the speed 5% you drop almost a semitone, which means, and correct me if I'm wrong, the piece now lands in B. And from what I've read dance bands never play in B.

I must admit at 74 rpm Irving sounds more natural, but the orchestra sounds a bit sluggish.