St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-06-01
THE WEEK IN
RECORDS
BY Albert Anderson
Record Breaking Volume

record breaking Volume
The record business, apparently
on It's way to fulfilling predictions
that dollar volume would reach an
all-time peak in 1856, has com
pleted one Of the best quarters in
It's history. Statistics at this time
are not all-inclusive, but diskeries
such as Columbia, Capitol, RCA
and Decca are having their big
gest year sales-wise. The continu-
ed growth Of the package record
market according to officials, ac-
counts for most Of the upsurge.
Mercury Records has announced
plans for a unique package mer-
chandising promotion, in June and
July. marking the first use of the
1-cent premium sales plan in the
record industry.
Every purchaser Of a 1898 Mer-
curry, Wing or EmArcy will re-
ceive a premium coupon which en-
titles him 10 purchase two or more
LIP for S3.9s-S3.9s for one and
1-cent for the other.
RCA Victor broke its Save on
Records" coupon plan last April
with one eye peeled on July as the
month for its first free record
record bonus. Customers can be
expected TO visit stores where they
originally bought their coupon
books during that month 20 pick
out the gratis disks. Knowing that
increased store traffic can be ex-
pected, RCA is prepping what It
calls a choice pickage of new al
buns for June release, albums
which win be on dealers shelves
during the July bonus record"
month. Among the new albums
are 12-inch disks by Harry Belle
fonte, Tony Martin and Elvis
Presley
Epic's Best Seller
Until recently, the top LIP on the
Epic label has been The Lillian
Roth Story" But in a short period
Of three weeks, Epic's new COM
plete minstrel show album, Cen
uemen BE Seated" has sayrocket-
ed TO the No. 1 position on the
labels all-time best seller list and
sales continue to grow rapidly.
Columbia's Record Of the
Month" promotional idea got off
10 a noteworthy start with the
teaming Of Rosemary Clooney and
Duke Ellington on the same 12-
inch disk, BLUE Rose" The al
bum, sold at a dollar below the list
price, has had tremendous success
during this month. Replacing IT on
dealers shelves ruring the month
Of June win be Castles In Spain"
featuring the music Of Spain by
Michel Legrsnd and his orchestra,
and "Rachmanioff Concerto No. 2
in c Minor for Piano." featuring
Eugene Istomin at the piano, with
Eugne Ormandy and the Philsdel-
phia Orchestra.
Prestige Records is readying for
release a Prestige Jam Session"
LIP, led by saxophonist Gene Am
mons. Other artists participating
on the label are Art Farmer on
trumpet, Jackie Mclean on alto
sax. Candida on bongo and conga
drums, Duke Jordan on piano, Ad-
olson Farmer on bass and Art
Taylor on drums.
Jar From Germany
Decca has released two records
which showcase many Of Ger
many's leading modern jazz ar
lists. "Das list Jazz" and From
Germany were recorded at the
1854 German Jazz Festival at
Frankfort-on-Main, organized by
the German Jazz Festival Jutta
Hipp, the unsteady astute Ger
man Jazz pianist who is now do
ing singles in America, is by far
the best artist heard on the disks.
The second most entertaining per
former Is tenor saxist Hans Roller,
whob lows in the Stan Getz man
ner.
George Sheariug's Quintet has
recorded II hear Music" a MGM
LIP that is Hght-hearted. easy
listening you're sure 10 like, A
mong the many favorites are Il
Hear Music" over the Rainbow
"A Ghost Of a Chance" and How
High the Moon"
Both Chris Corners and Meg
Myles have fsst-sellng records
Of Past the Age Of Innosence," on
Atlantic and Capital labels. res
pectively
Auantic's Clyde McPhatter and
the Drifters have another poten-
tial hit in their new sides, Money
Honey" and The Way I Feel"
les Paul and Mary Ford have
another Capitol best seller in
san Antonio Rose" backed on
the flip side by "Cimarron.
King Records has teamed saNa-
phonist Earl Bostic and organist
Bill Doggett on a real gone disk,
playing The Bo-Do Rock" and
sFNF,,. r. NJ