In a message dated 5/2/2016 9:19:10 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
This historic and pioneering show is again on Broadway - lots of reviews
and
profiles, newsclips etc. on youtube
NOT quite right Thomas. The Broadway show is NOT Shuffle Along. It is
"shuffle-along-or-the-making-of-the-musical-sensation-of-1921-and-all-that-follow
ed". It INTERPOLATES spongsand part of the story but it is not the
original Sissle/Blake/Miller/Lyles show from 1921.
Now the BIG news - which I posted here a month or more ago is that
Harbinger has just released (last friday): Sissle and Blake Sing Shuffle Along.
This Cd - with great 24 page booklet of notes includes traks that were issued
on Lps but it also includes SEVEN Never heard before recordings of Sissle
and Blake from theie backers acetate for SA of 1950 - WHICH WAS NEVER
MOUNTED.
Collector and former ARSC Executive Director Peter Shambarger discovered
the original acetate almost 20 years ago (and gave a paper on it at ARSC).
With my prodding to have it transferred and preserved I hooked Peter up with
Ken Bloom of Harbinger and Ken had the Amazing Dough Pomeroy transfer the
acetate. On the acetate we hear Sissle tell the narrative and sings to Eubie
accompaniament. Other that Peter, Ken, Dough and myself, these tracks have
never been heard before (well in at least 66 years. Harbinger plans to
release the whole backers disc in the fall. Meanwhile anyone interested in
Sissle and Blake should grab the new Harbinger CD.
I'm still hoping to see the Broadway show because I like the music, Savion
Glover and Audra MacDionald. But it is a NEW SHOW. (They are hoping that
Tony's will call it a revival so that it won't have to compete with
"Hamilton" - a sure shoo-in for best NEW Musical)
Steve Ramm
|