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
>
>
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