Sunday Oct 01, 2023
Volume 144: Where Jazz is Buried - Woodlawn
Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl
Extensive and Eclectic and we hear them as is with skips, scratches, and pops. Being a radio and mobile DJ for a decade and a half, I collected several hundred albums. I had nothing on my dad who owned more than 500 (33 1/3) LPs and over 100 78 RPMs at the time of his death in December 2019. I had no idea he had so many. We found them spread all over the house when we prepared for the estate sale. I went through every one and categorized them on an app called Discogs. I thought so many were unique, I decided to start a podcast called Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl. Each episode will feature an album. I’ll tell stories about the family listening to these albums and I’ll give other info about the album and the time it was released.
Listen on:
Episodes
Episodes
Sunday Sep 24, 2023
Sunday Sep 24, 2023
Of course my dad loved his opera. What music collection in any Italian household was without some of the world’s finest music.
Several of the songs on this album had special meaning for my parents. It’s music from a singer they saw at least once in concert. He held a special place in both their hearts as one who could deliver Italian music at its purest.
So, get ready to hear one of the best to ever sing music from this region of Italy in Volume 143: Neapolitan Pavarotti.
Credits and copyrights
Luciano Pavarotti – O Sole Mio Favorite Neapolitan SongsLabel: London Records – OS26560, London Records – OS 26560Format: Vinyl, LP, Club EditionReleased: 1979Genre: ClassicalStyle: Opera, Romantic
'O Sole MioWritten-By – Eduardo Di Capua, Edward Teschemacher
Torna A SurrientoWritten-By – Ernesto de Curtis, Giambattista De Curtis
'O Surdato 'NnammuratoWritten-By – Aniello Califano, Enrico Cannio
'O MarenarielloWritten-By – Gennaro Ottoviano, Salvatore Gambardella
Maria Mari'Written-By – Eduardo Di Capua, Vincenzo Russo
Funiculì FuniculàWritten-By – Giuseppe Turco, Luigi Denza
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Sep 17, 2023
Sunday Sep 17, 2023
Here’s another gem of a find from my dad’s collection. Not only is the album cover attention grabbing with five stuffed TIGERS playing various instruments. But how they’re the wrong animals according to the album title. Faulty album cover aside, this is true roots of dixieland music with a twist.
So get ready for a Sousa good time with Volume 142: Parading Bobcats.
Credits and copyrights
Bob Crosby And His Orchestra – Bobcats On ParadeLabel: Coral – CRL 57061Format: Vinyl, LP, AlbumReleased: 1957Genre: JazzStyle: Big Band
Washington Post MarchWritten by John Philip Sousa
King CottonWritten by John Philip Sousa
Bobcats On Paradewritten by George Cates and Sonny Burke
The ThundererWritten by John Philip Sousa
High School CadetsWritten by John Philip Sousa
Semper Fidelis MarchWritten by John Philip Sousa
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
This is the third of eight records my dad had of this orchestra leader. He was an innovator who used the voice as an instrument, not as a vocalist. The previous episode we featured Ray on is my most viewed on YouTube…by a lot! Let’s hope this one gets past the copyright police unlike the first time I featured this artist.
So get ready to hear a multi-million selling recording musical style in Volume 141: Conniff Memories.
Credits and copyrights
Ray Conniff And His Orchestra & Chorus – Memories Are Made Of ThisLabel: Columbia – CL 1574Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, MonoReleased: 1960Genre: JazzStyle: Big Band, Easy Listening
Memories Are Made Of ThisWritten by Richard Dehr, Frank Miller, Terry Gilkyson
Young Lovewritten by Carole Joyner, Ric Cartey
Love Letters In The SandMusic written by J. Fred Coots
Three Coins In The Fountainwritten by Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Unchained Melodywritten by Hy Zaret, Alex North
Love Me Tenderwritten by Elvis Presley, Ken Darby, George Poulton, W.W. Fosdick
No Other Lovewritten by Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard RodgersBoy, we play a lot of their music on this show.
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Sep 03, 2023
Sunday Sep 03, 2023
Here’s another album in my dad’s collection that featured a group of jazz musicians recording an album before playing the same music on live TV days later. This time, the live TV show was a drama about a jazz trumpet player in the 1920s. Several of the musicians you’ll hear had speaking parts in the show as well as playing some great music.
So get ready to hear Ruby Braff as Spencer Lee playing mostly jazz standards in Volume 140: The Magic Horn.
Credits and copyrights
George Wein's Dixie-Victors Featuring Ruby Braff – The Magic HornLabel: RCA Victor – LPM-1332Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, MonoReleased: 1956Genre: Jazz, Stage & ScreenStyle: Dixieland
We will hear 6 of the 9 tunes on this record.
Banjo – Danny BarkerBaritone Saxophone – Ernie CaceresBass – Milt HintonClarinet – Bill Stegmeyer, Peanuts HuckoDrums – Buzzy DrootinPiano, Creative Director [Musical Director] – George WeinTrombone – Vic DickensonTrumpet – Jimmy McPartland, Ruby Braff
Struttin' With Some BarbecueWritten By – Louis Armstrong
The Magic HornWritten By – Ben Ross
Loveless LoveWritten By – W. C. Handy
A Monday DateWritten By – Carl Hines, Sid Robinc
On The Sunny Side Of The StreetWritten By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
Dippermouth BluesWritten By – Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 27, 2023
Sunday Aug 27, 2023
While my dad had a handful of polka records, I had at least heard of the songs and musicians on them. Not this one. In fact, I’ll have to use the album cover to…uh…cover the info I usually do on each episode. The internet not only had no idea who the band leader was, but had no idea who wrote any of the music. That doesn’t matter. This music always means there’s fun to be had.
So get ready to hear music that had its origins more than a century and a half ago in Volume 139: Party Polkas.
Credits and copyrights
Wally Mateck & His Polka Faces – Polkas For PartiesLabel: Design Records (2) – DLP 34Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, MonoCountry: USReleased: 1957Genre: Folk, World, & CountryStyle: Polka
Cover photo by Ed Moore
Coalbucket PolkaKapoosta PolkaPretty Polly PolkaMama Daddy PolkaPittsburg PolkaDapper Dan PolkaBlock Party PolkaSligo Rock Polka
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Latin jazz, especially Cuban music, was wildly popular in the 1950s and my dad’s collection has plenty of examples of that. That popularity is partly because of the artist you are about to hear. He’s really known for his mambo recordings. This style of music is just a slower tempo. But not much slower.
So, get ready to hear The King of Latin Jazz in Volume 138: Cha Cha With Tito.
Credits and copyrights
Tito Puente And His Orchestra – Let's Cha Cha With Tito Puente And His OrchestraLabel: RCA Victor – LPM-1392Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Indianapolis PressingReleased: 1957Genre: LatinStyle: Cha-Cha, Guajira
We will hear 6 of the 12 songs from the album.
Lindo Cha-ChaWritten by Tito Puente
Let's Cha-ChaWritten by Ray Coen
HabaneroWritten by Ray Coen
Just For YouWritten by Johnny Conquet
Cha-Cha FiestaWritten by Johnny Conquet
CubaramaWritten by Tito Puente
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 13, 2023
Sunday Aug 13, 2023
We pull out the second of five records my dad has from this artist. His career started in the late 1930s and spanned almost three decades where he found success and recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. So get ready for him to meander through some older hits in Volume 137: Nat is Ramblin'.
Credits and copyrights
Nat King Cole – Ramblin' RoseLabel: Capitol Records – T 1793Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Scranton PressingReleased: 1962Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & CountryStyle: Easy Listening, Country
It was also available in stereo.
We'll hear 8 of the 12 songs on this record.
Ramblin' RoseWritten-By – Joe Sherman, Noel Sherman
Wolverton MountainWritten-By – Claude King, Merle Kilgore
He'll Have To GoWritten-By – Audrey Allison, Joe Allison
When You're SmilingWritten-By – Joe Goodwin, Larry Shay, and Mark Fisher
Goodnight, Irene, GoodnightWritten-By – Huddie Ledbetter, John A. Lomax
Your Cheatin' HeartWritten-By – Hank Williams
Skip To My LouArranged By – Edith Bergdahl, Nat King ColeWritten-By – Traditional
The Good TimesWritten-By – Lee Porter, Ron Miller
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 06, 2023
Sunday Aug 06, 2023
Here’s an album I used to steal so much from my dad’s collection I thought it actually might be mine when I went through his records. This entertainer had an unmistakable voice, an unmistakable style, AND unmistakable cool. He seemed to always sing the most recognizable version of most of the standards. And he only ever needed one name to introduce him. So get ready to hear from who I think is the most outstanding showman of all time in Volume 136: Sammy Record 1.
Promised link: Highway Of Agony: How Traffic Safety Films Introduced Millions Of Kids To Scenes Of Real Death
Credits and copyrights
Sammy Davis, Jr. – SammyLabel: Sessions (2) – ARI-1001Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, CompilationReleased: 1976Genre: Jazz, PopStyle: Vocal, Swing
What The World Needs Nowwritten by Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Mr Bojangleswritten by Jerry Jeff Walker
Singin' In The RainWritten by Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed
What Kind Of Fool Am IWritten by Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley
Talk To The Animalswritten by Leslie Bricusse
For Once In My Life written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden
I've Got You Under My Skinwritten by Cole Porter
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Former DJ Trying His Hand at a Podcast
Although I’m currently working in public relations and marketing, I spent 16 years in radio broadcasting. Some of that as a news and sports reporter, but mostly as a disk jockey.
My first two years in radio were spent learning from giants in the business at the nation’s number one nostalgia station, WBBG in Cleveland. That station is now long off the air.
From 1982 to 1984 I worked with and for my father’s favorite 1950s DJ Bill Randle, who helped put Elvis Presley on the musical map north of the Mason Dixon line. My dad was so excited when I told him I would be the intern writing his newscasts. Even after I took a full time position at the station, I relished the opportunities to have conversations with Bill about the radio business. He once told me a great Elvis story as I drove him to the bus station for one of his weekend trips.
I also can’t forget the influences of other on air legends like Carl Reece and Ted Alexander who now has his own internet show of oldies.
This collection isn’t made up of just a bunch of albums I found in my dad’s house after he died. I listened to these albums. Mostly at Sunday dinners. But I wore a few of these out on my own turntable. So I know this collection and I think you’re going to enjoy some of the unique selections.
My dad and I had very similar taste in a lot of music. I also have over 400 albums in my personal collection. Even after his death I found some of my albums in his collection and visa versa.
I consider myself a bit of an amateur music historian. I’ve always loved music that came way before I was born, although I’m still partial to Led Zeppelin.
Additionally, extra understanding and appreciation of much of what you will hear in my dad’s collection came from a great upper level class I had in college: The History of Jazz.
I do know one thing. It will be fun to get behind a microphone again and share some great recordings.