Recording the "Bat City Six": Jazz Acoustically Recorded by the Semper Phonograph Company - Video
PUBLISHED:  Sep 28, 2013
DESCRIPTION:
On September 22, 2013 the Semper Phonograph Company travelled to the home of Westen Borghesi in East Austin to record a group of local jazz musicians onto wax cylinders. The resulting records give glimpse back into the past, when electricity was not used in the recording process.

In total we recorded 5 tunes, including three alternate takes of one. The tunes were:

"Kater Street Rag"

"Dixie 'Jass' Band" One-Step

"Snake Rag"

"Kansas City Man Blues" (3 Takes Used)

"Margie"

The fine group of musicians compiled for the recording session recreated the sounds of the jazz age with extreme accuracy and precision, right down to the instrumentation.

David Jellema contributed his fantastic cornet playing on all tunes except "Kansas City Man Blues", where he switched to clarinet

Mark Gonzales played the trombone, including some phenomenal solos on "Kansas City Man Blues"

Lyon Graulty played a hot classic jazz clarinet which recorded excellently on the phonograph. His solo on "Kater Street Rag" was played with a force to be reckoned with!

Westen Borghesi contributed his fine syncopated tenor banjo playing as well as an excellent vocal a'la Irving Kaufman on "Margie".

Jonathan Doyle played the gentle giant of instruments; the Bass Sax. His excellent rhythmic drive helped to keep the tunes both Hot and jumping!

Hal Smith, the "Trap Man Extraordinaire" played some excellent Vic Berton and Baby Dodds style drumming, while on "Dixie" One-Step, staying true to the Tony Sbarbaro style use of wood blocks and cowbell! What a treat to have someone play 20s drums in the right way!

Finally, I contributed Cornet on "Kansas City Man Blues", trying to add a little New Orleans blues to the tune.

The machine used was a 1906 Edison Standard B Phonograph with a model C reproducer. The recorder is an Edison Recorder from 1905. The horn was an aftermarket one from around 1904. The Dictaphone shaving machine is from 1918. The cylinders themselves ranged roughly from 1893 to 1912 and there was an assortment of brown wax and black wax blanks.

It was a real pleasure playing and recording these guys and the resulting records were excellent! I can't wait to record them again!
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