carrick
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Posts posted by carrick
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Today's upload is a recording made by Bertini and his dance band, accompanied by Reginald Dixon at the 2/10 Wurlitzer. The side was recorded in the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool on the 26th of February 1933.
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Following up from last Friday, here is side two of Reg's first request medley. Teddy Bears Picnic, Dinah, Down at the Old Bull and Bush, Just a Wee Deoch and Dorris, She's a Lassie from Lancashire and of course, I do Like to be Beside the Seaside. This side was a little rough, but that's sadly part and parcel of transferring 78rpm records, it's all down to your Donald duck!
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The 16th of October marks what would be the 119th Birthday of Reginald Dixon. This isn't one of his 78rpms, but it is a tribute to Reg, played on Hammond organ by Nicholas Martin who was, like so many, inspired to play by Reg.
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Reginald Dixon recorded five of these request 78's which take in some of his most requested pieces. This is side one of the first of those records (Released in May 1936) that starts off, naturally, with his signature tune.
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9 hours ago, peter ellis said:
Extraordinary organist - He was a young organist at Methodist chapels in Yorkshire, I often wonder what he was like at getting a non-conformist chapel roaring away.
He had quite the luxury (as some might see it) of having lessons on the Cavaille Coll at Sheffield's Albert Hall, as well as the organs at Birley Carr Methodist Church, Hillsborough Methodist Church, and the Victoria Hall in Sheffield, as well as holding positions of organist at Birley Carr and Hillsborough. I've heard a recording of him playing the Royal Albert Hall, though in "cinema" mode as the audience would expect, and before the acoustic baffles were in place so there's plenty of "room" in the recording. There are also several photos of him playing classical organs in private, so he never lost his love for the instrument, with or without the wobbly bits.
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Following up from last Friday, side two of Dixon Hits No.11, released in March 1937. Reg plays "In the Chapel in the Moonlight"; "The Way You Look Tonight" and "When a Lady Meets a Gentleman Down South" on the 3/13 Wurlitzer at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool.
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When the Poppies Bloom Again; I Dream of San Marino and I'm in a Dancing Mood - Dixon Hit's No.11 - One of Reg's snappy Rex recordings from the 1935-1940 period, recorded on the 3/13 Wurlitzer of the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool and released in March 1937.
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49 minutes ago, S_L said:
On another site she has been lambasted - with some terrible comments. And nearly all from organists!! Someone has suggested that the thread be removed!
I notice that nobody on here mentioned the 'Prom' she gave. It is worth pointing out, and I think 'The Times' did, that 10 years ago there might have been 40 or 50 people at an organ concert that finished at 23h30. There were 5,000 people there!
I hold this lady in the highest regard - she might, very well, be the salvation some of us are looking for! Long may she continue to present programmes of diversity and of quality that challenge our imagination and, perhaps, the perceived vision the general public has of 'the organist'!!!
Anna isn't doing anything all that different from anyone else. From film music, orchestral transcriptions, and the usual organ fare. She's been lucky enough to have been in the right place, at the right time, and used that, her skills, and her personality to promote the instrument in a friendly and enthusiastic manner across social media. She's had great success doing so and is bringing new people to the organ every day. I wish we had an Anna on the theatre organ side of things, nobody out there is doing what she is doing on the wobbly machines.
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Today's upload is the very first recording of Reg's famous improvisation on a theme of a storm, recorded on the original 2/10 Wurlitzer of the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool. This record was released in March 1933 - over 90 years ago.
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43 minutes ago, Colin Pykett said:
Many thanks for this fascinating info about (literally) cleaning up old records. Re worn down shellac, I once calculated that the pressure on the groove created by a typical massive 1930s pickup head playing via a steel needle at a tracking weight of around 8 ounces (getting on for 230 gm) was about 30 tons psi! No wonder playing a new record just once physically ruined it thereafter in those days. Terrible pity really.
Those were the days! But I think we're still fortunate to have a goodly number of players who can help recapture the spirit of those times with their breathtaking technique. I find this one still raises the hairs on the back of my neck every time I play it:
Just unbelievable!
I also love to listen to Reg Dixon playing the same piece in one of his several arrangements I have in my CD collection.
The amazing thing is, Richard here, in his "Blackpool" version of Tiger Rag, is playing some of the very same pipes Reg played, as a chunk of the original 2/10 Wurlitzer from the Tower Ballroom (Later 3/13 from the Empress Ballroom and BBC Manchester Studios organ) is incorporated in the organ at Worthing.
Back to those old needles... they were brutal, and people didn't bother to replace the needle after each play either, so they were attacked with blunt needles. A couple of my records are in so poor a condition, they have been played to death, they're just not worth copying in, there's not much left to copy in them! -
5 hours ago, Colin Pykett said:
Yes, these recordings are interesting. Thank you. I have a considerable number of them on the Sterndale 'Dixonland' CD compilations from the 1930s where they have been rather heavily CEDAR-processed, so it will be interesting to compare the sound quality of those with yours. 1950 is quite late for a 78 rpm recording, so this one is pretty good in terms of noise level compared to earlier ones as one might expect. Have you processed them in any way before uploading them? Audio issues apart, his technique was fabulous when he really got going, and so was the Wurli organ action in being able to articulate it so precisely.
I physically clean the records first, and it would amaze you just how much dirt comes out of the grooves of a 78rpm, dust, worn down shellac, probably coal dust, and nicotine in there as well. Once they go through that process I copy them in and digitally clean them, and then do some work on the equalization to get them sounding at least decent, and somewhat resembling how these things sound in the flesh. The only downside to 78rpm records is that many of them do have that horrible inner groove distortion which you just can't do anything about. It's the best they had at the time and we just have to live with it. I have found that the best quality records from his 78rpm output are those on Regal Zonophone, the shellac quality is outstanding, and the organ is picked up nice and clear which is just what you want on a 78rpm.
Re- Reg's technique, it was absolutely fantastic, particularly when he got some swing into it, cymbal taps on the backbeat on 2nd touch, and fingers flying, you can't help but tap your toes, and if it doesn't put a smile on your face... Though in all of his 300 78rpm records, I don't think any of them ever truly capture him, there is always some restraint, listening to live broadcasts from the 30s, 40s and 50s is where you get to hear the "raw" Reg and it's electrifying, especially when he's backed up 5000 people in the ballroom whistling and shouting for more. -
I thought this may be of interest to some. I am already partway through my project to upload my collection of Reginald Dixon 78rpm records and thought it would be of interest here on the group to post them when I post them elsewhere. Friday is the current day for uploads.
Here is the most recent upload to get the ball rolling. It's Part Two of his "Hit Parade Medley No.1" from November 1950.
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It's not just on here. I have noticed it across all organ forums/groups across the internet. It's always the same few people posting and nobody else bothers. Makes me wonder why they people bother to join!
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A recording from 1927, I believe, from my own collection, digitally copied and cleaned ... Harry Goss-Custard performing Lemmens's "The Storm". One that's new to my ears!
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Blackpool Tower Ballroom is, I think from memory, £275 for a basic package. A little extortionate maybe, but you have the ballroom to yourself and that in itself is stunning. You are really paying for the experience of playing the most famous instrument of its kind in Europe, and the history that comes with it. There are other cinema organs available to play all over the UK though for far less, the COS and TOC would be best to contact if you want to go in that direction.
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My lastest transfer of Reg Dixon at the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer in Blackpool. It's a great example of why he became a household name and not at all what people today think of as being "Blackpool". Once again, as he often was on the Rex records, he is on fire!
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We in the UK have never had the opportunity to experience the Chicago Stadium organ, except for those who were fortunate enough to visit when it was still operational. After the stadium was demolished in the early 1990s, the majority of the contents were lost in a fire after they were removed to storage. After restoring the sound to a certain degree, I have re-uploaded a video of the organ in action. While the organ wasn't in great shape in the recording, the sound gives an idea of how it sounded from the console when the stadium was empty. When recorded in the 90s, it seemed to do quite well out in the arena. However, from the console, it must have been near impossible to hear above the sound of the crowds.
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Here is a nice clear video released today by the RAH. She's singing out with authority all through it.
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A march in March... Reginald Dixon plays Hermann Starke's "With Sword and Lance", released 86 years ago in March 1936.
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Richard Hills at the very distinctive and unique Wurlitzer of the Musical Museum at Kew for their annual Christmas concert. Almost two hours of musical and Wurlitzer bliss.
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Given it's that time of year, I thought it might be appropriate to pop this Readers Digest recording in from the 60s. Reginald Dixon accompanies the London Symphony Chorus in "Winter Wonderland". I am sure it's one you will all enjoy.
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On 05/07/2021 at 22:48, Contrabombarde said:
Fascinating I grew up near there and had no idea such a grotty dump of a building housed a Wurlitzer. The theatre, long on a risk list, seems to have recently gained a new lease of life, sans orgue. l found photos of the Beeb's Wurlitzer here.
There are a few reasons behind the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer (ex Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer) ending up at the BBC. The organ could easily have been kept in situe and the console moved to the position of the current new organs console, something which Ernest Broadbent had suggested. However, Reginald Dixon had just retired from the Tower Ballroom, but the BBC had nothing for him to broadcast on. How convenient it was when the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer was sold. It was also sold for considerably less than the £1000 mentioned above.
Frankly, it never sounded it's best in the BBC studios. It was geared up towards playing in the Empress Ballroom - which is larger than St Georges Hall in Liverpool, just, and so it was very much in your face in the studios. When the BBC decided to sell it, Blackpool Winter Gardens did make tracks to purchase it and put it back in the Empress Ballroom, however they were beaten to it, and it was subsequently broken up for parts for the Worthing Wurlitzer. -
Reg Dixons spine chilling 1937 take of his improvisation on the theme of a storm at sea. A very clean copy of the record too. Best to close your eyes on this one and let your imagination do all the work.
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Well. Here it is, the recording that sparked it all off. Reg Dixon at the 2/10 Wurlitzer of the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool in 1932, with Guilty, even complete with Vocals. Compared to the contemporary Blackpool style we all know today, it is very tame, but at the time it was revolutionary!
https://youtu.be/u8Zn3M3lMcI
Reginald Dixon MBE - The 78rpms
in General discussion
Posted
It's Friday once more, and as promised, here is another slice of Blackpools musical history from Bertini and the Blackpool Tower Dance Band featuring Reginald Dixon at the 2/10 Wurlitzer in the Tower Ballroom. This was recorded on the 26th of February 1933.