Name: Swamp Fire by Mark Herman
Duration: 2 min 48 s
Description: Daughter of famous 20s-era organists Preston & Edna Sellers, BARBARA SELLERS (1930-2014) performs her arrangement of Leroy Anderson's "Belle of the Ball," from an album by the same name. It was recorded at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and features a custom Allen Organ built in the 1980s.

The Dave Quinlan Trio at Rudy's Supper Club
Excerpt from a longer one-hour recording of the PRO ORGANISTS BREAKFAST CLUB meeting.
June 2, 1968.
Host/Announcer: Gordon Tucker
Dave Quinlan: 2/6 Wurlitzer pipe organ
Harold Tally: Reeds
Al Nifitaly: Drums
Transferred by Matias Bombal from reel to reel tape on December 28, 2021.
The 2 manual 6 rank Wurlitzer pipe organ heard here was originally installed in Antioch, California's El Campanil Theatre.  Later in Urban Braito's 615 Club in Benicia.  When moved to Rudy's the original  style D trumpet of this instrument was replaced with a Brass Trumpet from the Oakland Paramount Theatre.

Dave Quinlan Trio- Rudy's Supper Club Vallejo, CALIF- June 2, 1968

Jesse Crawford, organ:  Lonely Hour

Decca Records 8096, "Modes in Moods."  Recorded January 2, 1953, Los Angeles.

Jesse Crawford, organ:  Pixie Parade

Recorded at the Lorin Whitney Studio, Glendale, California, 4/34 Robert Morton Organ, on March 12th, April 3rd, and April 4th, 1957.

Decca Records DL8565

Blue Skies
Lady of the Evening
Isn't This a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain?
Tell Me, Little Gypsy
They Say It's Wonderful
Soft Lights and Sweet Music
Cheek to Cheek
How Deep is the Ocean?
Say It with Music
A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody
Easter Parade
Say It Isn't So
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

LINER NOTES:

JESSE CRAWFORD
PLAYS THE MELODIES OF IRVING BERLIN

There are organists -- quite a few of them -- who take pleasure in exploiting the technical resources of the organ.  They can play havoc with the reeds, send shivers through the pipes, teach the venerable old instrument new tricks of tone and tempo, and startle the listener with weird effects in super­jazz. But Jesse Crawford is too dedicated to the tradition of his art to indulge in any of these capers.  He has devoted himself, first and last, to the poetry of the organ. 

Jesse Crawford fans will therefore joyously welcome these, his first pipe organ recordings since the advent of long­-playing, high-fidelity techniques. To the younger generation, unfamiliar with the unique musical resources of the theatre organ, the richly harmonized and tonally fresh arrangements will open the door to new and exciting musical delights; to those thousands of pipe organ devotees who regard Jesse Crawford's artistry as the acme of musical enjoyment, this collection of Irving Berlin gems will bring even deeper and greater pleasure. 

It was in Los Angeles that Mr. Crawford developed the style and personality in movie-organ playing that led to his engagement as a featured attraction at the Chicago Theatre, followed closely by stardom at the New York Paramount. During this latter period, his recordings and radio broadcasts established his name throughout the United States and in many foreign lands as synonymous with excellence in his chosen field. His high musicianship, warmth, "heart," expression and dazzlingly original concepts of organ tone coloring made him the inspiration of his fellow theatre organists. His acclamation as the "Poet of the Organ" was, and still is, richly deserved. 

And could there be a happier union than Jesse Crawford's interpretations of Irving Berlin's genius? Faithfully capturing every nuance of these popular masterpieces, Jesse projects all the varied sentiments expressed by Berlin:  the rapturous wonder of "Blue Skies," the ardent constancy of "How Deep is the Ocean?," the yearning of "They Say It's Wonderful," the joyous defiance of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," and the pleading insistence of "Say It Isn't So."

By nature a perfectionist, Jesse is never satisfied to rest on his laurels, and his unceasing studies in harmony, arranging, and composition result in constant improvement and growth. The present recordings reaffirm his artistic leadership. They are faithful reproductions of his own incomparable playing (unassisted by any "overlaying" of multiple tape "tracks") and were recorded on the Lorin Whitney Theatre Organ in Los Angeles, where Mr. Crawford again resides.

Jesse Crawford:  Poet at the Pipe Organ

4/20 Wurlitzer organ.  Original recording courtesy of Don Walker, from the library of Leroy Petry.

00:00  There's No Business Like Show Business
02:14  Jeannine, I Dream of Lilac Time
05:11  If
08:50  Louise
11:11  I Got Rhythm
13:08  Hommage to Fritz Kreisler (Arranged by Robert Hebble)
16:44  The Candyman
NUTCRACKER SUITE (Tchaikovsky)
19:35  Overture
22:36  March
24:54  Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
26:41  Russian Dance
27:47  Arabian Dance
31:25  Chinese Dance
32:12  Dance of the Reed Pipes
34:15  Waltz of the Flowers
39:45  Fugue a la Gigue (J. S. Bach)

John Seng in Concert, Oriental Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, November 1972

Daughter of famous 20s-era organists Preston & Edna Sellers, BARBARA SELLERS (1930-2014) performs her arrangement of Leroy Anderson's "Belle of the Ball," from an album by the same name. It was recorded at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and features a custom Allen Organ built in the 1980s.

Belle of the Ball

Swamp Fire

Announcer:  Louis A. Witten
Conductor, "The Royal Duotones:" Aldo Ricci
Tenor:  Paul Small

THE ROYAL DUOTONES
March:  Le Père La Victoire (Father of Victory) -- Ganne

HELEN CRAWFORD
Hello, Beautiful
Truly
Wabash Moon 
Tie a Little String Around Your Finger

HELEN CRAWFORD
Heartaches (Paul Small)

THE ROYAL DUOTONES
The Honeymoon Parade

Helen Crawford, organist, "Royal Typewriter Hour,"  CBS Radio, February 15, 1931, Part 1

Recorded January 5, 1972, in the studio of Jack Bethards, 472 Tehama Street, SF. Peter Mintun at the piano. Weber Piano, RCA-44BX microphones.

John Rothermel studio recordings

On The Air JOHN ROTHERMEL

One of the first tracks recorded at Mundelien after the organ was suitable for recording. This was experimental, the mics are in the chambers! done once, never repeated.

Love is where you find it-John Seng-Mundelien-1963

Jim Roseveare, Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, Paramount Theatre, Oakland

Swamp Fire

Mark Herman

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