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Swing Is In The Air
Sunday January 17th, 2021 with Bruce Walton
The Savory Collection, 1935-1940

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Bill Savory, 1916-2004, was a jazz fan and audio wizard. He made a large collection of air-check recordings of jazz played on NYC stations and national networks, motivated initially by his love of Benny Goodman. After WW II, he worked for Columbia records, where he had a hand in the debut of the 12" lp and the conversion of an old church on 30th St. in Manhattan into the studio where countless great records were made - Kind of Blue and Highway 61 Revisited being just 2 prominent examples. The Savory Collection is like a time capsule from another world, when jazz was a central part of popular culture.
Muskrat Ramble (CBS, 'Chesterfield Program' Aug 1938)
Bobby Hackett - The Savory Collection, 1935-1940 (Mosaic, 2018)
Milumbu (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Truckin' (NBC, 'Kraft Music Hall', Sept 1935)
Mildred Bailey - The Savory Collection
Boogie Woogie (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Crescendo In Drums (WNEW remote, "Carnival of Swing", May 1938)
Stuff Smith - The Savory Collection
Echoes Of Harlem (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Jitterbug Jump (Mutual Broadcasting System remote, Golden Gate Ballroom, Dec 1939)
Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Effervescent Blues (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
In The Mood (WNEW remote, Ambassador Hotel, Feb 1940)
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Blues Petite (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Improvisation # 3 (private party, Jan 1940)
Joe Sullivan - The Savory Collection
From A-Flat To C (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
China Boy (CBS 'Camel Caravan', Oct 1937)
Emilio Caceres Trio - The Savory Collection
Heat Wave (NBC, 'Swingtime at NBC', Mar 1936)
Carl Kress & Dick McDonough - The Savory Collection
Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day (CBS, 'Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm', summer 1940)
John Kirby & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Dinah (WNEW, 'Make Believe Ballroom', Dec 1938)
Lionel Hampton Jam Session - The Savory Collection
Blue & Sentimental (CBS remote, The Famous Door, Oct 1938)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Boogie Woogie Stomp (WNEW remote, Café Society, Dec 1939)
Albert Ammons - The Savory Collection
Panassie Stomp (NBC remote, Panther Room, Chicago, May 1939)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Lazy Butterfly (MBS remote, Fiesta Danceteria, May 1940)
Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Body & Soul (MBS remote, Fiesta Danceteria, May 1940)
Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Sent For You Yesterday (CBS, 'Columbia Dance Hour', Apr 1930)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
I Got Rhythm (WNEW, 'Make Believe Ballroom', Nov 1938)
Fats Waller Jam Session - The Savory Collection
Texas Shuffle (#1) (CBS remote, The Famous Door, Aug 1938)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
A-Tisket, A-Tasket (Ella Fitzgerald, vcl) (CBS, 'Saturday Night Swing Club', Aug 1938)
Saturday Night Swing Club Orchestra - The Savory Collection
He Ain't Got Rhythm (CBS remote, The Famous Door, Oct 1938)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Honeysuckle Rose (NBC remote, Savoy Ballroom, Apr 1939)
Benny Carter & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Every Tub (#1) (WNEW remote, "Carnival of Swing", May 1938)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Honeysuckle Rose (WNEW, 'Make Believe Ballroom', Jan 1939)
Jack Teagarden Jam Session - The Savory Collection
Liza (CBS, 'Saturday Night Swing Club', Aug 1938)
Saturday Night Swing Club Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Oh, Lady Be Good (CBS remote, The Famous Door, Oct 1938)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Jumpin' At The Woodside (NBC remote, Panther Room, Chicago, May 1939)
Count Basie & His Orchestra - The Savory Collection
Interactive CKCU
Joe
Hi Bruce, Thanks for bringing this great music to my ears! I believe that that is that old stereo hiss that came through when you are listening through a tube receiver. Yes, I think it’s from recording through a microphone picking up speaker waves caught by a tube receiver and amp. Pretty sure. What did you say his recording medium was? Thanks Joe

5:42 PM, January 17th, 2021
Paul
Hi Bruce, Most likely there was a dedicated phone line from the radio station to the recording studio. Some advertising agencies required proof that their clients' ads had been aired, so they paid a third party to record off the air. The acetate records were larger than the LPs we know today. Quality of the recording depended on the engineer's skill with the cutting lathe and the equipment used. My friend Hy Bloom used to provide this service in Ottawa back in the day.

6:02 PM, January 17th, 2021
Bruce Walton (host)
Thank you Joe, and Paul. I'm not sure what the recording medium was, probably aluminum disks, since that was what was found when Bill Savory's collection was discovered. As to phone lines, a direct line from the radio station to the studio would mean that tapping into the lines was only occasionally necessary.

6:46 PM, January 17th, 2021
Paul
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_transcription I see that Savory worked making transcription records for use by smaller radio stations. See the article above for more insights.

7:07 PM, January 17th, 2021
Bruce Walton
Thanks for that Paul.

11:37 AM, January 18th, 2021