1928 Marie Grinter Supertone acc. State Street Ramblers

$

125

   Hello again, fellow 78 buffs.  I'm back after a three-year hiatus (just got laid off again !) with numerous lots of ten-each 1920's jazz and dance band 78's, along with some interesting singles I'll be listing over the next couple of weeks.  There'll be at least some occasional jazz and scarce label items mixed into the multi-lots, and some nice jazz, blues, and hillbilly single listings, so be sure to scan them thoroughly to ensure that you don't miss out on something you need for your collection.  Please bear with my sometimes lengthy item descriptions; I love these old records, and this is about the only place I get to talk about them !  Shipping will cost more than eBay's misinformed maximum of four bucks, and I'll have that total after the auction concludes (depending on combined shipping and/or your election of either Priority or Media Rate shipment),  but I promise I'll keep shipping at no more than actual cost.

   ROAD HOUSE BLUES / ST. LOUIS MAN BLUES: MARIE GRINTER, on Supertone 9304; both sides recorded in Richmond, Indiana, Wednesday 18 July 1928.  Puerto Rico-born Angelo 'Alvin' Fernandez from Erskine Tate's Vendome Orchestra in Chicago (and who contributed so essentially on clarinet to the State Street Ramblers sides recorded this date), noodles mellifluously around Grinter's tremulous delivery.  Pianist Jimmy Blythe and bassist Bill Johnson's relaxed collaboration contributes as well to a sultry 'buzz' unlike the stomping drive of the date's other sides.  (NOTE: Discographical confusions notwithstanding, one can clearly hear Buddy Burton referring to this clarinetist as "Fernandez" on "Endurance Stomp" and "Brown Skin Mama.") 

   The 78 Quarterly 'rarity' cadre made this one out to be a super-rarity on Gennett, although the Supertones weren't discussed.  "St. Louis Man" was reportedly non-existent on Gennett and "Road House" as only two or three known copies - so how scarce is this Supertone issue ?

   Although the playing surfaces look in the G+ to V- range, both sides actually play fairly strongly and clearly over relatively light-to-moderate, even (not brash) surface noise, sounding like a V+, with no skips, significant digs, or repeats (it sounds better than the copy Johnny Parth used on his RST CD reissue of the State Street Ramblers !)  The labels, on the other hand, are heavily rubbed and scuffed - significantly more so on the "Road House" side.              

                                                                 PLEASE SEE MY OTHER 1920'S JAZZ, DANCE, BLUES, HILLBILLY, ETC. 78'S FOR SALE THIS MONTH.