General Records was a small American
record label during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Its most notable releases are piano solos recorded by
Jelly Roll Morton in December 1939 late in his career.
History
Established around 1939, General Records was a division of Consolidated Records, Inc., of
New York City. The label was owned by pioneering sound engineer
Hazard E. Reeves
Hazard Earle Reeves, Jr. (July 6, 1906 – December 23, 1986) was an American pioneer in sound and sound electronics, and introduced magnetic stereophonic sound to motion pictures. He was also the president of over 60 companies, including Ciner ...
, of Reeves Sound Studios (1939–1944) in Manhattan.
The audio fidelity is above average for the era, and most General
discs were pressed in good quality
shellac, although the quality declined as good shellac became scarce with the start of
World War II.
The most famous General Records are a series of recordings by
Jelly Roll Morton. The recording sessions in December 1939 and January 1940 were the last in Morton's career.
[Reich, Howard, and William Gaines. ''Jelly's Blues The Life, Music, and Redemption of Jelly Roll Morton''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo, 2003.]
In 1946
Milt Gabler of
Commodore Records purchased the stock, masters and rights of General Records when the company went out of production. Morton's solo piano album, ''New Orleans Memories'', and his "Tavern Tunes" series (recorded with the Morton Sextet and the Morton Seven
) were included in the purchase. The out-of-print recordings were re-released on the Commodore label.
["Commodore Buys General". ''The Jazz Record'', August 1946, page 18.]
"Recorded late in his career, the General records caught Jelly Roll at perhaps the peak of his ability, and many of these records, particularly ''Mamie's Blues'' and ''Don't You Leave Me Here'', are regarded as blues classics," " wrote ''The Jazz Record'' in August 1946. "Half the series are straight old ragtime piano, which ties in nicely with the present day revival of interest in old piano rags."
Select discography
The most notable General Records releases were piano solos by
Jelly Roll Morton. General Records 4001–4005 were reissued by Commodore Records in August 1946 in a set titled ''New Orleans Memories''.
["Piano Solos, Jelly Roll Morton" (Commodore Music Shop Advertisement). ''The Jazz Record'', August 1946, page 20.]
* General 4001
Jelly Roll Morton
"Mamie's Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 16, 1939
"Original Piano Rags" (
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin ( 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an American composer and pianist. Because of the fame achieved for his ragtime compositions, he was dubbed the "King of Ragtime." During his career, he wrote over 40 original ragtime pieces, one ra ...
), recorded in New York, December 16, 1939
* General 4002
Jelly Roll Morton
"Michigan Water Blues" (
Clarence Williams), recorded in New York, December 18, 1939
"The Naked Dance" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 14, 1939
* General 4003
Jelly Roll Morton
"Buddy Bolden's Blues" (Traditional), recorded in New York, December 16, 1939
"The Crave" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 14, 1939
* General 4004
Jelly Roll Morton
"Winin' Boy Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 14, 1939
"Mister Joe" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 14, 1939
* General 4005
Jelly Roll Morton
"Don't You Leave Me Here" (Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 16, 1939
"King Porter Stomp"
(Jelly Roll Morton), recorded in New York, December 14, 1939
See also
*
List of record labels
References
External links
"Mamie's Blues"on
YouTube
*
The Last Sessions: The Complete General Recordings' (Jelly Roll Morton) at
AllMusic
General Recordson the Internet Archive'
Great 78 Project
{{Authority control
American independent record labels
Defunct record labels of the United States
Jazz record labels