New-York tribune., 1921-09-04
Clarence Clarinet's Cacophonists

cording room. Several hours may be con-
sumed in determining which Jubilator will
be nearest the horn. "A saxophone soloist who
strays few inches back from his post in the
exuberance of his playing may necessitate
repetition of the "Blues" Master records of
the "Blues" are made without end One record
now on the market was made sixteen times be-
fore the disk satisfied the requirements of the
committees
Although monographs in record cata-
logues give the impression that the Jazzbo
Jubllators record with the pianist lying on
the floor, the clarinetist performing shirnny
and the cornets pumping cadenzas into each
others ears, such scenes somehow fail to
occur IN the laboratory. The Jubilators are
a workmanllke crowd of instrumentalists. The
fantastic costumes which appear in the pic
lures are not to be seen i'm the laboratory.
Shlrt sleeves seem to be the standard wear.
and IN hot weather shirts may be de trop.
Fashlon note: 1t may not be proper to 90
1urther, but sometimes the Jubilators do.
Any father who is looking for career for
his son might do we'll to raise his bov to be a
Jubllator. The Jubilators record for a dozen
companies. Sometimes the Jubilators masouer
ade under several names. If you have detect
ed similarity between the records made hv
the Jubilators and Tom Trapdrun's Toddle
Tappers and Clarence Clarinet's Cacophonsts.
do not charge one of these organizations with
servile imitation. They may play identic
notes. One company may acquire all rights
to the Jublators' name, in which case the
variations in records by the same plavers nav
startle you. Yoa never can tell-but the
horn will.
Photographs make strange bedfellows. and so
Two lenoWs are stranger in one bed than the
TWO selections which may be on opposite sides
Oh tne same disk The head of phonograph
recording laboratory is haunted at all hours
by phantoms known to the trade as "mechani
cal men. These ubiquitous salesmen are
publishers representatives, who are assigned
to the task of inducing phonograph companies
10 record their output. Their game is not 80
much to get hit recorded as to plant a COM
monplace on the same disk with one The
law sets definite royalty which must be
PAID to the publisher for every record sold.
and If Hot Tamale Rose" of which no one
ever heard, is doubled with "Dardanella." the
proprietor of the unknown selection will
achieve moderate fortune by the connec-
ton
These pluggers," observes one recording
man. will do anything to win your favor If
fell for them I'd never have to paw for a
meal, show or a week end. They'll supply
you with cigarettes, hats, liquors, wives-any
thing you want
these stratagems are less subtle than the
wlles employed by singers and instrumental
ISIS who feel that monograph company will
never rise to distinction without their serv.
ices Many ambitious novices come to
laboratories with commendatory letters from
local record dealers Usually, the net result
IS the loss Of one customer for the dealer. but
at least one celebrated phonograph star ar
rived via the shop route. About fifteen wears
ago this man walked into record emporium
and requested permission to play disk whiA
ne had brought with him. The dealer was
surprised at the beauty of the voice and asked
it's identity
made that record abroad said the
visitor. when | was studying"
The dealer. took the singer to the CON-
pany's headquarters, and the man developed
INTO one OF the most popular recorders that
ever sang into horn.
Singing teachers frequently direct asoirants
to laboratories, and successful disk makers
often can be induced to give letters to COM
panies- Volunteers rarely disclose any
talents that commend them to the officials in
charge. Even when the test records are
passable the applicants cannot understand
why there would be no commercial value IN
them.
But I'm very popular at homer is the
general rebuttal. Everybody in Port
Chester will buy my records"
Every day brings inspired letters to phono-
graph companies exalting some obscure per.
former.
One solution for the omnipresent desire for
immortality in wax has been found hy a
laboratory which supplies personal service"
for any one who can afford it Here the
logical successor to Caruso and the twentieth
century Jenny Lind may make records to the
limit of their economic ability. For the be-
ginner who wishes to have disks of the voica
the best advice is for him to roll his ewn.