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
>>>>> > >
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
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