The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

epigramophone wrote:

bbphonoguy wrote:My least favorite records are anything by Evan Williams. How that man was even allowed to make records is beyond me. The fact that any of them sold at all is nothing short of astonishing. He has a voice like an asthmatic can opener. He is the only Red Seal artist whose records I pass up without even considering buying them.

Evan Williams was very popular in his day, before the 1918 influenza epidemic claimed him, and was considered good enough for an entry in Michael Scott's "The Record of Singing".

Yes he recorded some bland material, but if you get the opportunity listen to "Sound an Alarm" from "Judas Maccabeus" on G&T 02079 from 1906. It may change your mind.

I have no problem with the material he recorded, it's the quality of that sound he makes which people refer to as his "voice". Listening to him sing is like having someone rub sandpaper on one's brain.

Actually, I like Evan Williams - especially his " Sound An Alarm". Of course, I also like Uncle Josh, Hawaiian music, and the OKeh Laughing Record.

epigramophone wrote:

bbphonoguy wrote:My least favorite records are anything by Evan Williams. How that man was even allowed to make records is beyond me. The fact that any of them sold at all is nothing short of astonishing. He has a voice like an asthmatic can opener. He is the only Red Seal artist whose records I pass up without even considering buying them.

Evan Williams was very popular in his day, before the 1918 influenza epidemic claimed him, and was considered good enough for an entry in Michael Scott's "The Record of Singing".

Yes he recorded some bland material, but if you get the opportunity listen to "Sound an Alarm" from "Judas Maccabeus" on G&T 02079 from 1906. It may change your mind.

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1 ... ite.langFR

Even if you don't like his voice you have to admire his breath control and enunciation.

Williams was an Oratorio singer - it's a style that has gone out of fashion, not opera or concert but something between them.

estott wrote:

epigramophone wrote:

bbphonoguy wrote:My least favorite records are anything by Evan Williams. How that man was even allowed to make records is beyond me. The fact that any of them sold at all is nothing short of astonishing. He has a voice like an asthmatic can opener. He is the only Red Seal artist whose records I pass up without even considering buying them.

Evan Williams was very popular in his day, before the 1918 influenza epidemic claimed him, and was considered good enough for an entry in Michael Scott's "The Record of Singing".

Yes he recorded some bland material, but if you get the opportunity listen to "Sound an Alarm" from "Judas Maccabeus" on G&T 02079 from 1906. It may change your mind.

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1 ... ite.langFR

Even if you don't like his voice you have to admire his breath control and enunciation.

Williams was an Oratorio singer - it's a style that has gone out of fashion, not opera or concert but something between them.

He's better than his accompaniment in this recording! Not the best wind ensemble playing!
Bob

I was not a fan of Williams either until I found Sound an Alarm. His records are common here in Southern Ontario . The reason of course was he sang here amazingly often in the years before 1918. He also reproduces well acoustically which is another reason the records sold well.

did Evan Williams really make ten million records? It seems like it, and they all put me to sleep.

My personal bete noir is Alfred Picaver, whose voice simply never opens up and whose singing shows absolutely no interpretive insight.

phonojim wrote:A vocal by Irving Kaufman has marred many an otherwise great hot dance/jazz record.

I'm starting to agree with you there. Just recently played yet another fairly hot dance band side that I was enjoying - when you know who (uncredited on the label) shows up.

Wolfe wrote:

phonojim wrote:A vocal by Irving Kaufman has marred many an otherwise great hot dance/jazz record.

I'm starting to agree with you there. Just recently played yet another fairly hot dance band side that I was enjoying - when you know who (uncredited on the label) shows up.

There are some records however, on which he uses a completely different singing style, more like a crooner. When you hear those for the first time you can hardly believe it's him.

It's not just Kaufman, though. I don't know what it is, but lots of vocalists on those 1920's dance band records seem to think they're singing opera's. It's that strange posh pronunciation with rolling r's and thin l's that gets on my nerves. Singers like Franklyn Baur and Lewis James suffer from the same problem.

I wouldn't say I despise them, though. The only singer I really can't stand is Al Jolson.And, come to think of it, I also really don't care for Rudy Vallee.

I like Jolson a lot. He's also historically important as an entertainer and purveyor of the popular songs of those days.

The thing I like about Rudy Vallee records is the piano playing and the orchestra but I have gotten to like Rudy as well.