Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Fred Elizalde plays a modernistic interpretation of "St Louis Blues" in his own inimitable style. Recorded in London by Decca in 1932 and never issued by the company, this is its first public release.
Three takes of this side were recorded by Decca. This is take 3, the metal mother and/or stamper for which was retained and subsequently pressed onto vinyl in very limited quantities by Geoff Milne in the 1960s or 1970s.
Unfortunately, the metal parts had corroded by the time of this pressing, causing some surface noise. This is actually quite a common feature of vintage British Decca metal masters, mothers and stampers, which were almost certainly not stored in the right atmospheric conditions over time. The noise caused by the corrosion on this pressing is not too bad and I have managed to reduce it considerably without interfering with the wanted music signal.
As far as I am aware, the original metal parts for this and all other British Decca 78s that the company held in its vaults no longer exist, as they were scrapped about 20 years ago. Although there are a number of British Decca metal masters, mothers and stampers held in private collections, and a lot of sides have been pressed up onto vinyl masters, much that was trashed was unique and irreplaceable (including unissued takes).
FRED ELIZALDE
Fred Elizalde - piano
Recorded in London, June 15, 1932
GB-4570-3…….St. Louis Blues …….Vinyl 78 rpm master pressing of unissued test
Fred Elizalde plays a modernistic interpretation of "St Louis Blues" in his own inimitable style. Recorded in London by Decca in 1932 and never issued by the company, this is its first public release.
Three takes of this side were recorded by Decca. This is take 3, the metal mother and/or stamper for which was retained and subsequently pressed onto vinyl in very limited quantities by Geoff Milne in the 1960s or 1970s.
Unfortunately, the metal parts had corroded by the time of this pressing, causing some surface noise. This is actually quite a common feature of vintage British Decca metal masters, mothers and stampers, which were almost certainly not stored in the right atmospheric conditions over time. The noise caused by the corrosion on this pressing is not too bad and I have managed to reduce it considerably without interfering with the wanted music signal.
As far as I am aware, the original metal parts for this and all other British Decca 78s that the company held in its vaults no longer exist, as they were scrapped about 20 years ago. Although there are a number of British Decca metal masters, mothers and stampers held in private collections, and a lot of sides have been pressed up onto vinyl masters, much that was trashed was unique and irreplaceable (including unissued takes).
FRED ELIZALDE
Fred Elizalde - piano
Recorded in London, June 15, 1932
GB-4570-3…….St. Louis Blues …….Vinyl 78 rpm master pressing of unissued test
