Dear Tom,

I do not know anything of the current ownership of the facility.

Happy Thanksgiving,

DDR

On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 2:20 PM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi Dennis:
>
> Does the Nola family still own that business? If so, it must be at least
> 3rd generation by now.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Rooney" <
> [log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 1:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription Disc
> Label
>
>
> Apart from the venues so interestingly and entertainingly described by Tom
>> Fine, Nola Studios at 250 W. 54th Street is a familiar venue for auditions
>> for musical theatre, opera, acting and voice-over auditions. It occupies
>> space in that building's 11th, 5th and 6th floors. One can rent a studio
>> to
>> make a recording, but apart from supplying a tuned piano (either upright
>> or
>> grand, depending on space) the rooms are either acoustically unsuitable or
>> too noisy to to recording beyond a simple audition.
>>
>> DDR
>>
>> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 10:18 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> OK, thanks Dave.
>>>
>>> So Google Maps put Steinway Hall at a different location than listed on
>>> the Nola disk, which is par for the course.
>>>
>>> So it was STEINWAY HALL on 57th Street where Tommy Nola's Nola Penthouse
>>> Studio was. The Broadway address was Tommy's father's original studio,
>>> which I think was a rehearsal and demo studio, although I do think some
>>> commercial recordings were made there.
>>>
>>> As for the PL7 number, that is indeed a phone number from the early days
>>> of 3-number exchanges. In modern parliance, the phone number is
>>> 212-757-0750. I agree with John Haley, you might as well dial it up and
>>> see where that leads you.
>>>
>>> Back in 2005, TapeOp magazine interview Jim Czak, who I think was the
>>> last
>>> owner of Nola Studios:
>>> http://tapeop.com/interviews/49/jim-czak/
>>>
>>> -- Tom Fine
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Lewis" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 9:21 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription
>>> Disc
>>> Label
>>>
>>>
>>> Tom,
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Here are box.com links for the two images:
>>>>
>>>> https://app.box.com/s/a86fcmc2jafb83fjl4sb6filnvpz5f84
>>>>
>>>> https://app.box.com/s/7g830mxccty0ubhq4y9tepfu1dtxmff2
>>>>
>>>> Dave Lewis
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 7:27 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Nola Studios -- as I understand the history, Tommy Nola's father started
>>>>
>>>>> the business, in a part of Carnegie Hall or in the area. The space was
>>>>> originally a rehearsal studio, used by dance bands and then swing
>>>>> bands,
>>>>> among others. At some point in the disk-recording era, Nola Sr. put in
>>>>> recording equipment, and many demos and some commercial recordings were
>>>>> cut
>>>>> there. Tommy Nola built Nola Penthouse Studio, maybe in that same part
>>>>> of
>>>>> Carnegie Hall. It was definitely in the immediate Carnegie Hall area,
>>>>> because it was just down the block from Fine Recording (located in the
>>>>> Great Northern Hotel, down 57th Street from Carnegie Hall). When Fine
>>>>> Recording was under construction, my father arranged a deal with Tommy
>>>>> Nola
>>>>> where he could run sessions at Nola and feed the audio down the block
>>>>> to
>>>>> the control room at Fine Recording. I don't know why they didn't just
>>>>> run
>>>>> tape at Nola -- Bob Eberenz told me it had something to do with union
>>>>> rules
>>>>> -- but in any case, several jazz albums and many TV commercials were
>>>>> made
>>>>> this way during the several months it took to restore the Great
>>>>> Northern's
>>>>> Ballroom space and build a recording studio in it. My father built a
>>>>> control room/mixing/mastering facility in the Great Northern's
>>>>> penthouse
>>>>> floor, and the feed from Nola came into that space. Tommy Nola ran a
>>>>> successful studio throughout the 60's. A lot of excellent jazz was
>>>>> recorded
>>>>> there. His space was distinct because there were big gold-colored
>>>>> drapes
>>>>> all around, probably covering windows and also used to kill off
>>>>> standing
>>>>> waves. The ceilings were high and the space volume large enough that it
>>>>> provided a very nice sound for small-ensemble jazz groups, but some
>>>>> larger-group sessions were also held there. Among the albums recorded
>>>>> at
>>>>> Nola were the Jazztet albums made in NY, plus solo albums by Art Farmer
>>>>> and
>>>>> Benny Golson, also some Roland Kirk albums for Mercury. Jack Tracy,
>>>>> Mercury's jazz producer in the 60's, liked working at Nola, and used it
>>>>> often. He'd use Fine Recording, A&R or Capitol NYC for larger-group
>>>>> sessions. I think Nola transitioned his business more to
>>>>> sound-for-picture
>>>>> and other commerical recordings, as did my father (music albums didn't
>>>>> pay
>>>>> as well, and ad agencies paid their bills on time as opposed to some
>>>>> record
>>>>> companies).
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't know when Nola moved into Steinway Hall, which is down near
>>>>> 43rd
>>>>> Street.
>>>>>
>>>>> -- Tom Fine
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Haley" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 3:42 AM
>>>>>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription
>>>>> Disc
>>>>> Label
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Dave, I know nothing about these records or Nola, but the number
>>>>>
>>>>> PL7-0750 looks like a phone number!  The "PL" has to be for "Plaza" (as
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> recall, that is "7-5").  In the 1950's, we had the two letters as the
>>>>>> first
>>>>>> two numbers, which were the "exchange," to help us remember the phone
>>>>>> numbers.  The two "artists" probably put their phone number on the
>>>>>> label
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> case someone fell in love with their song and wanted to contact
>>>>>> them.  I
>>>>>> guess you could always call the number and see who answers ... Or try
>>>>>> googling it first, preceded by your choice of area codes.  But
>>>>>> probably
>>>>>> only if you fell in love with the song ...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There is an easier way, assuming you wanted to find these guys (I take
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> Steve Lewis is not a cousin of yours).  Look in the ASCAP database for
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> song title.  It might not be there, but it's an idea.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>> John
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 12:51 AM, David Lewis <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Since we're on the subject, I could use similar help with these two.
>>>>>> They
>>>>>>
>>>>>> arrived as someone used them as packing material for a Homer
>>>>>>> Rodeheaver
>>>>>>> record that I ordered. From the sound and style of the 'music' I
>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>> place them about 1958, but is there something here that can date them
>>>>>>> more
>>>>>>> definitely?
>>>>>>> I had thought that the "1657 Broadway" address given for Nola
>>>>>>> Recording
>>>>>>> Studios -- which moved out of the Steinway Bldg. just last year --
>>>>>>> might
>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> a clue,
>>>>>>> but that is still Steinway Hall where it always was. With the other
>>>>>>> disc,
>>>>>>> does the number "PL-7-0570" mean anything to anyone?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> By the way, the designation "BAD" on the Nola disc certainly fits;
>>>>>>> it's a
>>>>>>> sentimental 50s pop song, with a piano that does not obey the harmony
>>>>>>> implied by the
>>>>>>> melody line and amateurish sax breaks.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1OUF9sGAJwvSGk1MjRxTGtnX00
>>>>>>> https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1OUF9sGAJwvUVpnSjR0TnQzTWM
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> best,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dave Lewis
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 11:30 AM, John Haley <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> > That's great, Matthew.  That looks like very useful info.  Maybe
>>>>>>> there
>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>> > some way Jesse could compare what he has (the sound file) to the
>>>>>>> > Jackson/Lomax tapes, if they have ever been made available in some
>>>>>>> format,
>>>>>>> > from which he could make a definite conclusion.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Jesse, the paper labels were always glued on, in my experience, and
>>>>>>> they
>>>>>>> > often do come off (bits of the one on your disc are still there).
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> don't
>>>>>>> > know if the paper labels had glue already affixed that just needing
>>>>>>> > wetting, but I have always assumed so.  We find acetate discs with
>>>>>>> many
>>>>>>> > kinds of paper labels on them, many bearing logos (just look up
>>>>>>> > "transcription disc" on Ebay), which is what I was referring to.
>>>>>>> The
>>>>>>> > Presto logo here is embossed into the blank disc that was used.  If
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> > Matthew is suggesting were correct, the disc copy could have been
>>>>>>> made
>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>> > any point in time after the original recording was made, so dating
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> > blank itself would not be very useful.  If you knew that the disc
>>>>>>> itself
>>>>>>> > was a live recording, that would be different, but as Matt
>>>>>>> suggests,
>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> may
>>>>>>> > be a copy of the original recording.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > That is a common disappointment with instantaneous records, when
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> think
>>>>>>> > you have found something really important, only to discover that
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> > have is a copy of a recording that is already "out there" and
>>>>>>> sometimes
>>>>>>> > even a commercial recording.  You often can't tell that until you
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> > dubbed the record and compared it.  I recently went thru exactly
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> > exercise myself, finding that the rare looking two-sided acetate
>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>> just a
>>>>>>> > copy of readily available commercial records.  But like I always
>>>>>>> say,
>>>>>>> if
>>>>>>> > you don't look, you don't find.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Even if your disc is a copy, that does not mean it is worthless.  I
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> > found an instance where the original source had deteriorated to the
>>>>>>> extent
>>>>>>> > that an old copy of it made way back there was a good thing to
>>>>>>> have.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Back to your label for a minute, the small clues that can be got
>>>>>>> from
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> > is left there are two typed word fragments, the first being "dier"
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> > second being "ulation" or "olation."  These match two of the song
>>>>>>> titles,
>>>>>>> > "Christian Soldier" and "The Church's Desolation," but I am sure
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> > already figured that out, and this doesn't help.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Good luck with this.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Best,
>>>>>>> > John Haley
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 10:50 AM, Barton, Matthew <[log in to unmask]
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > > Hello Jesse,
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > This disc may have been copied from the field recordings of
>>>>>>> Sacred
>>>>>>> Harp
>>>>>>> > > Singers made by George Pullen Jackson and Alan Lomax in the
>>>>>>> summer
>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>> > 1942
>>>>>>> > > in Birmingham, AL. By this time, the Library of Congress had the
>>>>>>> means
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> > > make disc copies of original field recordings for artists and the
>>>>>>> public.
>>>>>>> > > Given that this is an aluminum based-disc, the copy may have been
>>>>>>> made
>>>>>>> > > after the war, or the Library's sound lab might still have had a
>>>>>>> supply
>>>>>>> > of
>>>>>>> > > aluminum-based lacquers. I checked, and all four of the titles
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> > provided
>>>>>>> > > were recorded by Jackson and Lomax in Birmingham. One of them,
>>>>>>> Christian
>>>>>>> > > Solider, was recorded twice with different leaders. As you
>>>>>>> probably
>>>>>>> know,
>>>>>>> > > there was an album release of 18 songs from these sessions, but
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> > titles
>>>>>>> > > you provided are not on it.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > As you point out, these were popular hymns and all might have
>>>>>>> been
>>>>>>> sung
>>>>>>> > at
>>>>>>> > > any given Sacred Harp gathering, but I thought I'd put this
>>>>>>> theory
>>>>>>> > forward.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > I hope this helps.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > Matthew Barton
>>>>>>> > > Library of Congress
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> > > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:
>>>>>>> > > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jesse P. Karlsberg
>>>>>>> > > Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 10:01 AM
>>>>>>> > > To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>>> > > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp.
>>>>>>> Transcription
>>>>>>> > Disc
>>>>>>> > > Label
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > Dear Tom, Franz, John, Steve, and others,
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > Thanks to all for sharing insights and resources in response to
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> > > question yesterday about dating a Presto transcription disc
>>>>>>> label.
>>>>>>> To
>>>>>>> > add a
>>>>>>> > > bit more information:
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > 1. From examining the disc my impression was that the paper label
>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>> > > home-made and pasted over the Presto logo and has since largely
>>>>>>> been
>>>>>>> torn
>>>>>>> > > off. The Presto logo underneath is blue-green and appears to be
>>>>>>> stamped
>>>>>>> > or
>>>>>>> > > printed directly on the acetate.
>>>>>>> > > Franz: is that what you're referring to when you mention a "green
>>>>>>> stamped
>>>>>>> > > Presto," and what leads you to associate such a label with the
>>>>>>> late
>>>>>>> > 1930s?
>>>>>>> > > John: what is a "logo label"? In this case it doesn't look like
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> label
>>>>>>> > > was stuck onto the disc, but rather, that it was printed directly
>>>>>>> onto
>>>>>>> > the
>>>>>>> > > acetate if that's possible.
>>>>>>> > > 2. As John speculates, the disc is aluminum and is covered by
>>>>>>> acetate
>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>> > > some similar substance. Although the disc is indeed delaminating
>>>>>>> we
>>>>>>> > > fortunately were able to have it digitized by Michael Graves of
>>>>>>> Osiris
>>>>>>> > > Studio before any serious damage was done to playability.
>>>>>>> > > 3. The material on the recording itself doesn't help us date the
>>>>>>> item.
>>>>>>> > The
>>>>>>> > > disc contains four songs sung by a medium-sized group of Sacred
>>>>>>> Harp
>>>>>>> > > singers. The sound is more consistent with a live singing
>>>>>>> convention
>>>>>>> than
>>>>>>> > > with a studio setting. For those interested, the songs are
>>>>>>> "Raymond"
>>>>>>> (p.
>>>>>>> > > 441 in The Sacred Harp) and "Cowper" (p. 168) on side A and "The
>>>>>>> Church's
>>>>>>> > > Desolation" (p. 89) and "Christian Soldier" (p. 57) on side B.
>>>>>>> All
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> > > relatively common songs that have been in active use over the
>>>>>>> entire
>>>>>>> > period
>>>>>>> > > when the disc could have been recorded. The person from whom the
>>>>>>> Sacred
>>>>>>> > > Harp Museum purchased the disc believed that the recording had
>>>>>>> been
>>>>>>> made
>>>>>>> > > some time in the 1940s in East Central Alabama but had no
>>>>>>> specific
>>>>>>> > > information.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > What I am hoping is that others may have encountered identically
>>>>>>> designed
>>>>>>> > > stamped Presto labels. I recognize that the disc might have sat
>>>>>>> around
>>>>>>> > for
>>>>>>> > > a while before it was used, but am hopeful that if any other such
>>>>>>> discs
>>>>>>> > > have been dated it might at least help us approximate the
>>>>>>> earliest
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> > > recording could have been made, and may offer other clues as
>>>>>>> well.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > One last question: in the 1940 Presto catalog linked from the
>>>>>>> > Preservation
>>>>>>> > > Sound blog, the final page in the second file lists various discs
>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>> > sale.
>>>>>>> > > (http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-
>>>>>>> > > content/uploads/2011/09/Presto_1940_cat_2.pdf) All but one, the
>>>>>>> > "monogram"
>>>>>>> > > disc, mention a colored seal, yet the monogram disc has a
>>>>>>> "composition
>>>>>>> > > base." Is the stamped label on the disc in question a "monogram"?
>>>>>>> What
>>>>>>> > is a
>>>>>>> > > composition base?
>>>>>>> > > Does anyone have access to earlier or later Presto Recording
>>>>>>> Corp.
>>>>>>> > > catalogs with different listings of available Presto discs?
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > Thanks again for all your help. I appreciate it.
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> > > Best,
>>>>>>> > > Jesse
>>>>>>> > >
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>> --
>> 1006 Langer Way
>> Delray Beach, FL 33483
>> 212.874.9626
>>
>>
>>


-- 
1006 Langer Way
Delray Beach, FL 33483
212.874.9626