2 songs by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra 1930

[melvind]

Here are both sides of a Victor record from 1930. Side A, "What is This Thing Called Love?" was hard to transfer. It is so soft at the beginning and during the vocal refrain that there is surface noise. Then the record gets loud for a bit, then really soft again. Side B is pretty normal for the period. I like both songs. They are from a record in so-so shape, but turned out pretty well I think.

“What is this Thing Called Love?” by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra 1930

(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)

https://youtu.be/vXRP7fwweZM

"She's Such a Comfort to Me" by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra 1930

(Double-click the video above or click this link to watch the video on YouTube in HD.)

https://youtu.be/ooIN0np0DaU

[gramophone-georg]

Hey Dan- not to pee in your Wheaties but the third or so pic with the guy at the piano in the first vid is actually Joe Reichman, not Leo Reisman. Great Bubber Miley on these sides.

I think these came out really well, considering these records were hardly recorded with the RIAA curve or anything even close. Most of the Reisman records with Bubber Miley seem to be like this, I have noticed.

[melvind]

Well the RIAA curve standard didn't go into effect until the mid-1950s so nothing from the 30s would have that. But, you are correct, they are recorded very strangely that made it hard to transfer them for sure. I just did a few equalization trial-and-error tricks and got good sound from them.

[Wolfe]

These probably still have the Western Electric curve which have bass turnover at 300 Hz. Still sounded pretty good.

I quite like that version of WITTCL.

[melvind]

Hey Dan- not to pee in your Wheaties but the third or so pic with the guy at the piano in the first vid is actually Joe Reichman, not Leo Reisman.

Yikes, you are correct. I never pee in my Wheaties, but I might have to in my All Bran!

I put a note about the error on both videos. No sense in removing and correcting something that will only be seen by handfuls of people.

[gramophone-georg]

Well the RIAA curve standard didn't go into effect until the mid-1950s so nothing from the 30s would have that. But, you are correct, they are recorded very strangely that made it hard to transfer them for sure. I just did a few equalization trial-and-error tricks and got good sound from them.

I think Bubber's style vs. a whole orchestra might have been hard to record as he was growly, yet subdued. I have noticed this on some of his Ellington recordings as well. Might have been quite a challenge for the engineers.

For someone who professed a strong dislike for jazz, Leo sure knew how to make it happen and swing at times, then suddenly switch gears to all society dance band in the same number like his mom was watching. Sometimes I wonder if Reisman was where Jimmy Dorsey got his "contrasting music" gimmick- then again, the Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra kind of did the same thing on some of their early OKeh sides.

Hope you don't mind my ADHD ramblings. If you do just tell me to shaddup.

[gramophone-georg]

Hey Dan- not to pee in your Wheaties but the third or so pic with the guy at the piano in the first vid is actually Joe Reichman, not Leo Reisman.

Yikes, you are correct. I never pee in my Wheaties, but I might have to in my All Bran!

I put a note about the error on both videos. No sense in removing and correcting something that will only be seen by handfuls of people.

You are not the first to confuse the two, either.