The BLUE PAGES

A HYPER-CHRONO-BIO-BIBLIO-DISCOGRAPHY OF ELI OBERSTEIN
RECORD DATING GUIDE

Here is a list of all dated recording sessions plus supplemental material which provides useful dating information. Updated 6/5/00.

Label image list

The United States Record Corp. (1939-1940)

Unfortunately for the discographer, Oberstein was never interested in allowing collectors access to his files. The only information comes from outside producers such as George T. Simon and reports in the trade press. Early releases on 35-cent Varsity and 75-cent Royale drew heavily on Gennett (G-prefixed masters) and Crown (C-prefix) masters from the early 1930's. Most were dubbed to ensure they would operate properly on jukeboxes. Other sources include Ammor (AM) & (B), Baldwin (also B), and the European Ultraphone (P). A 12-inch red-label Royale was added @ $1.25

What are thought to be his first original recordings were done at the Muzak/Associated Transcription studios and the matrix numbers are in its 7700-7900 series. This was supplemented with a U.S. number beginning at US 1 at the end of September, 1939. The US 1000 series was instituted in October. There is also some earlier material in an unidentified AGH matrix series which may predate the formation of the U.S. Record Corp.

U.S. masters show up in all sorts of unusual places. Five INCO records were made to test newstand marketing. During the reorganization in late 1940 the Scranton pressing plant cut deals to make records. The US prefixes were overstruck to resemble 08 and may have been made without Oberstein's consent. Some were also used to press discs for Chicago's Remington Morse Shop, Service Stores
and generic Classics records. Scranton reused these stampers later to press Joe Davis records legitimately, though some Davis releases show no matrix numbers.

9/6/39 "U. S. Record's 2 Bands" [Roy Eldridge and Stuff Smith set to begin recording the second week of September at the Muzak-Associated studios.] Variety p. 33
STUFF SMITH & HIS ORCH.
(US 7792-3) Sam The Vegetable Man.......Varsity 8063
(US 7793-2) My Thoughts.................Varsity 8081, Commodore 600
(US 7794-2) My Blue Heaven..............Varsity 8081, Commodore 600
(US 7795-3) When Paw Was Courtin' Maw...Varsity 8063

10/4/39 "Oberstein's Studios" [ Recording at the new studio set to begin Oct. 15. Associated studios had been used.] Variety, p. 33

ROY ELDRIDGE & HIS ORCH.
(US 1005-1) It''s My Turn Now.................Varsity 8084, Montgomery Ward 10093
(US 1006-1) You're A Lucky Guy.................Varsity 8084, Montgomery Ward 10093
(US 1007-1) Pluckin' The Bass..................Varsity 8107, Montgomery Ward 10090, Sterling 105
(US 1008-1) I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You...Varsity 8107, Montgomery Ward 10090, Sterling 105

12/6/39 "Inside Stuff-Music" [Apparently having the head of the carpenters' union on the board didn't help Eli very much because the new studios (once the mediocre ARC studios, soon to become the pedestian U.S. Records studios) weren't ready until early December.] Variety, p.

1/26/40 SIX MEN & A GIRL
(US 1316-1) Mary Lou Williams Blues...Varsity 8193
(US 1317-1) Tea For Two...............Varsity 8193
(US 1318-1) Scratchin' The Gravel.....Varsity 8190
(US 1319-1) Zonky.....................Varsity 8190

11/6/40 "License Tempo Discs" [U. S. Record pressing new label for Musicraft.] Variety p. 40. Issues included Ceele Burke sides obtained from Ammor.

11/20/40 "Johnny Messner Sets Biz Details For Own Recording of Double Entendres" ["Johnny Messner,whose band did the controversial recording of 'She Had to Go and Lose It At the Astor' last year for Varsity records, is making plans to turn out a series of platters in the same vein with an independent recording and pressing setup. Leader explains he now owns a flock of tunes that run along the lines of 'Astor' and inasmuch as the currently established recording companies shy away from that style material figures to do 'em himself. " Tophat catalog was filled out with recycled John Ryan and new material by one Tommy Doyle and his Rhythm Toppers.] Variety p. 41
Johnny Messner Orch. as THE RAMBLERS
Oh Mr. Morton.........................................Top Hat Records 1010
Two Little Toads -vocal Don Lawrence..................Top Hat Records 1010
Peter.................................................Top Hat Records 1011
In My Own Quiet Way -vocal Don Lawrence...............Top Hat Records 1011
Whistlin' Blues.......................................Top Hat Records 1012
Tender Is the Word for You (Johnson-Johnson) vocal: Don Lawrence...TOP HAT RECORDS 1012
She Had It Taken......................................Top Hat Records 1014
When the Sun Shines Over Wyoming .....................Top Hat Records 1014
Every Little Thing -vocal Don Lawrence................Top Hat Records 1015
Always Too Tired.....................................Top Hat Records 1015
Grandma...............................................Top Hat Records 1016
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap..............................Top Hat Records 1016

Imperial/Classic Record Co. (1941-1945)

10/22/41 "Oberstein Back" [Fronting a new plan to market Imperial Records. There are some light classics with "I"-prefixed matrices released on Concertone which may predate the 11/11/41 session. ] Variety p. 45

12/31/41 "Imperial Co. Merges With Classic Record" [A.E. Middleman's Classic Record Co. of Pittsburgh, producers of the Concertone label.] Variety p. 39

3/18/42 "Inside Stuff-Orchestras" [Beginning Apr. 15 weekly releases will increase to three plus hillbilly and race. At this point Oberstein begins recycling Varsity material.] Variety p. 39

The fifty-cent Hit label was introduced in mid-1942.

In 1942 some of the Varsity catalog was leased to the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. which had virtually no tires to sell through its extensive retail operation because of war rationing. Discs were released on the Philharmonic label.

1/6/44 (Chicago) --C. WILLIAMS & Rhythm
(CR 351) Echoes of Harlem.............................Hit 8087
-- COOTIE WILLIAMS & HIS SEXTET
(CR 352) Honeysuckle Rose.............................Hit 8088
--COOTIE WILLIAMS & HIS ORCH.
(CR 353) Now I Know...................................Hit 7075
(CR 354) Tess's Torch Song (I Had A Man)..............Hit 7075
(CR 355) Cherry Red Blues.............................Hit/Majestic 7084
(CR 356) Things Ain't What They Used To Be.....Hit /Majestic 7084

8/2/44 "Classic's New Series" [75-cent "Lord's Prayer" w. Stopak and Josephine Houston] Variety, p. 31

9/27/44 "Jack Robbins-Oberstein Deal To Turn Out Lion Labeled Discs Proceeds" [1,000 discs to be sent to disc jockeys, masters to revert to Oberstein.] Variety, p. 37

10/11/44 "Robbins, Oberstein Start Record Deal" [Chu Cho (sic) Martinez recorded the previous week.] Variety, p. 35
CHU CHU MARTINEZ, vocal with RAY SINATRA'S ORCH.

--Oberstein reacquired most of the Majestic catalog from Mercury in July, 1949 so the scattering of later Majestic sessions with known recording dates will be listed.

10/18/46 JOHNNY GUARNIERI-piano, Morey Feld-drums, Leo Guarnieri-bass
(CT 984-4) Flying Home....................Majestic 1095 (alb. M-11)
(CT 985-4) Believe It, Beloved............Majestic 1095 (alb. M-11)
(CT 986-6) Stars Fell On Alabama..........Majestic 1096 (alb. M-11)
(CT 987-6R) Beyond The Moon...............Majestic 1094 (alb. M-11)

Wright Record Corporation

7/10/48 "Obie Kicks Off Varsity 39c Platters" [Initial release was slated for September.] Billboard p.1, 16
Oberstein was a strong believer in no-name covers of hit recordings sold at bargain prices. Wright also produced the Meriden and Music Club labels

6/18/49 "Col., Varsity Set Harmony Co-Op Label" Billboard p.20, 43

Rondo/Rondolette

Record Corp. of America

Wright combined with bankrupt Allegro in the early fifties and Eli couldn't resist a little shot at his former employers, RCA. His Record Corp. of America issued large quantities of 10" budget LP's on the Allegro Elite, Allegro Royale, Concertone, Royale and Varsity labels.

4/20/54 Cushing, Edward. "Ring Stolen Again" Saturday Review p.42

Before Oberstein died in 1960 the Record Corp. of America was sold to Pickwick International.

Discographies

Blacker, George. "Disco-ing In: Eli's "Hit" Man" [Elite-Hit matrix listing W 101 through R 499.] Record Research 161/2 Feb./Mar.

Porter, Bob. "Modern Eyes-zing: Majestic Masters Listing" [T497 and up.] Record Research 157/8, Sept. 1978; 159/60 Dec. 1978; 161/2 Feb./Mar. 1979

Ruppli, Michel and Novitsky, Ed. The Mercury Labels: A Discography. Greenwood Pr., 1993. [Reproduces Blacker's and Porter's Hit/Majestic material with some additional LP information.]