The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found this picture online and wondered 1

That's a Nimbus horn (Nimbus Records), an earlier incarnation reputed to be better sounding than the later and much larger one they made. They used these horns for transfers of historic recordings to CD, with controversial results. It's shown in that photo coupled to an EMG base unit by emgcr. I've heard it myself in that location - stunning, but not as good as a Xb Oversize!

The Nimbus system yielded variable results. I have always felt that the earlier the recording, the better the results, and always found the Caruso CD's to open a new dimension of listening. It was, I believe, wasted, or wrong-headed, with electrics.

Here is a link to this gramophone in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MA957TfmIs

I have also been fortunate enough to hear this machine playing "al-fresco".
The sound is awesome even in the garden, and I can only imagine what it must have been like in the Wyastone concert hall.

As to the "When?" and "Who's" of the thread topic, FH recorded "Clarinet Marmalade" twice: Dec. 8, 1926, and March 19, 1931. Judging by the solo sequence, this appears to be the 1926 version. The trumpet solo work is by Tommy Ladnier, clarinet is Buster Bailey, tenor sax Coleman Hawkins. Other sidemen are Russell Smith, Joe Smith (trpts.), Benny Morton (trb.), Don Redman (clar. + sax, also arr.?), Charlie Dixon (banjo), June Cole (tuba), Kaiser Marshall (drums), and of course Fletcher (piano). This version was issued many times, on Vocalion, Brunswick, Decca, and Coral. The tune itself is the work of white New Orleanians Larry Shields and Henry Ragas, of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, who were the first to record it, around 1917. Already dated by 1926, by 1931 it was almost pre-historic, as it were. (sources: Leonard Feather, "The New Encyclopedia of Jazz"; Walter C. Allen, "Hendersonia: the Music of Fletcher Henderson and his Musicians".)

A great example from the early "big band" era, transitional between the small groups like the ODJB and the 13+piece bands of the Swing Era!

Yes, 1926.