The Legends of the Rocking Dutchman - episode 102

The Old Swing-Master

The Old Swing-Master record label was a small Chicago independent label, in operation from 1948 to 1950, that was founded out of necessity. Owner of Chicago's United Broadcasting Studios, Egmont Sonderling, succesfully had kept the masters of the bankrupt Vitacoustic label, that owed him nearly 14,000 dollars, out of the hand of the auctioneers when Vitacoustic's assets had to be sold publicly. The only way to see some of his money back was to release them himself, as the market for "second hand" masters from indies had completely collapsed. And so in a joint venture with local DJ Al Benson he started his own record company, named after Benson's moniker, the Old Swing Master. Once in operation, Sonderling also used it for releasing from masters of other defunct labels that had recorded with him.

Today's show gives a nice insight in the world of the many struggling independent labels of the Windy City - and of course some unique, rare and great music.

Lot of today's information comes from the web page on the Old Swing-Master label of the Red Saunders Research Foundation - by far the best source of knowledge on Chicago's thriving Rhythm & Blues scene of the forties and fifties.

Transcript

Playlist

  1. Kitty Stevenson - I'm satisfied (Old Swing-Master 10)
  2. Kitty Stevenson - Blues By Myself (10)
  3. T-Bone Walker - My Baby Left Me (11)
  4. T-Bone Walker - She Is Going To Ruin Me (11)
  5. Four Shades Of Rhythm - Baby I'm Gone (13)
  6. Howard McGhee - Hot and Mellow (14)
  7. Snooky Pryor & Moody Jones - Telephone Blues (18)
  8. Johnny 'Man' Young - My Baby Walked Out On Me (19)
  9. Kitty Stevenson - With you (20)
  10. Floyd Jones - Stockyard Blues (22)
  11. Jimmy McCracklin - I Can't Understand Love (24)
  12. Jimmy Mccracklin - Southside Mood (24)
  13. Jimmy McCracklin - Listen Woman (25)
  14. Little Miss Cornshucks - So Long (26)
  15. Memphis Slim - Believe I'll Settle Down (1010)
  16. Memphis Slim - Country girl (1010)
  17. Sonny Thompson - The Fish (1011)

Outtro:

  • Wild Bill Moore Sextette - Bongo Bounce
The following music served as background music during the spoken parts:
  • Kirk Kirkland - The Saxaphone Rag
  • Howard McGhee - Flip Lip
  • Sidney Bechet - Egyptian Fantasy
  • Snooky Pryor & Moody Jones - Snooky & Moody's Boogie