Kopie van Hit of the week - Durium Project

HIT OF THE WEEK Discography

Hans Koert

THROUGH

January - March 1930

In 1930, now 80 years ago, the first Hit of the weeks were released. Follow its history week after week:

HOW 1020 - HOW 1043

The first records were distributed in some mid-western markets and a few weeks later in New York City and the eastern parts of the US. The records were not sold in record shops but distributed to the 1600 news-stands in New York City and later to the c. 750,000 news stands all over the country. Mr. Don G. Sweet told me in a letter: In the summer of 1928 my parents purchased a news stand in the small town of Three Rivers, Michigan, which is in the lower part of the state.	The business also sold candy and ice cream and my father started a taxi business in the town, charging fifteen cents for transporting passengers any place within the city limits. The business was good, especially to and from the several bootlegging joints in the town, as the eighteenth amendment to our constitution prohibiting the sale of alcohol was not repealed and effective until December 1933. When the Hit-of-the-week records first came out in January of 1930, my twin brother and I used to play them on a turntable in the top of a Majestic brand radio in a room in back of the news stand where we also lived. Today I wish I had saved a copy of those records. As I was just fifteen years old the month they started selling them, I thought nothing about saving them for the future.” Don G. Sweet

A new Hit-of-the-week record is on sale at all news-stands in this city. Get yours today.- fifteen cents!


The merchandising plan became a great success. The first issue was THROUGH played by BERT LOWN AND HIS HOTEL BILTMORE ORCHESTRA (HOW 1020, issued Feb. 13th 1930). He had just started a successful engagement at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City. He was also the star in the DURIUM HOUR a radio show sponsored by Durium, to promote the new record.

Matrix number	Titel	Band name	Rec. date:	Records
1020 A ------------ 1021 A	""THROUGH" Fox Trot McCarthy Monaco - Smith Ballew vo DURIUM80 ---------------------- "HELLO BABY" Fox Trot Magidson Washington Cleary - Smith Ballew vo DURIUM80	BERT LOWN AND HIS HOTEL BILTMORE MUSIC [ 2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-v-bs vib-p-banj g-b-dm-vo]: Frank Cush tp, Ed of Eddie Farley tp, Al Philburn tb, Lou Bode cl-as or Fletcher Hereford cl-as, Paul Mason cl-ts, Sherry McGhee cl-as (or Mace Irish cl-as), Buddy Falco v, (or Mac Ceppos v), Chauncey Gray p, Tommy Felline g, Ward Lay b, Adrian Rollini bs vib, Stan King dm, Smith Ballew vo.	ca. Jan. 1930 first released ca. 13 and ca. 20 Feb. 1930	(cover + HOW 1020) HOW 1020 IAJRC CS1002-1 /ARCH 3002 ----------------- HOW 1021 MP 1021 IAJRC CS1002-1 / Swingtime 9802 / ARCH 3002 / ASA-100
1022 B --------------------- 1023 A 1023 B	"MY FATE IS IN YOUR HANDS" Fox Trot Razaf Waller - Frank Munn vo DURIUM80 ------------------------ "MY SWEETER THAN SWEET" Fox Trot Marion Whiting - Frank Munn vo --------------------------- "MY SWEETER THAN SWEET" Fox Trot Marion Whiting - Frank Munn vo	VINCENT LOPEZ ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-male vo]: ? Pete Gentile tp, Frank Munn vo	ca Jan. 1930 first released ca. 27 Feb. and ca. 6 Mar. 1930	HOW 1022 IAJRC CS1002-1 / ARCH 3002 ------------------- HOW 1023-A ARCH 3002 ------------------ HOW 1023-B IAJRC CS1002-1 / ARCH 3002


The Hit-of-the-week records were shipped to other countries too, like Europe and Japan. "I'm Following You" by Ben Pollack seems to be the first record that was exported.

Matrix number	Titel	Band name	Rec. date:	Records
1026 D 1027 C	I'M FOLLOWING YOU Fox-Trot Dreyer Macdonald - Ben Pollack vo ------------------------ "CRYIN' FOR THE CAROLINES" Fox-Trot Lewis Young Warren - BP vo	BEN POLLACK ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts f-2v-p-g banj-tu-dm]: Rudy Weinstein tp, Charlie Teagarden tp, Jack Teagarden tb, Gil Rodin cl-as-ss-f, Larry Binyon cl-ts-ss-f, Matty Matlock cl-as, Ed Bergman v, Alex Beller v, Vic Briedis p, Dick Morgan banj g, Harry Goodman tu, Ray Bauduc dm, Ben Pollack vo ------------------ BEN POLLACK'S ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts f-2v-p-g banj-tu-dm]: Rudy Weinstein tp, Charlie Teagarden tp, Jack Teagarden tb, Gil Rodin cl-as-ss-f, Larry Binyon cl-ts-ss-f, Matty Matlock cl-as, Ed Bergman v, Alex Beller v, Vic Briedis p, Dick Morgan banj g, Harry Goodman tu, Ray Bauduc dm, Ben Pollack vo	mid Jan. 1930 first released ca. 13 and ca. 20 Mar. 1930	HOW 1026 RISTIC 51 / MFC-9 / S..H. 2044 / IAJRC CS 1002-1 / MUSIC BOX THEATRE 3 / JazzOracle BDW 8026 / ARCH 3002 / ASA-100 ------------------------ HOW 1027 MP 1027 S.H. 2044 / RISTIC 51 / MFC-9 / IAJRC CS1002-1 / MUSIC BOX THEATRE 3 / JAZZ BAND EBCD 2157 / JazzOracle BDW 8026 / ARCH 3002 / ASA-100
1029 C	THERE'S DANGER IN YOUR EYES, CHERIE! Fox-Trot Richman Meskill Wendling - Frank Munn vo	VINCENT LOPEZ ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo]: Pete Gentile (?) tp, Frank Munn vo	ca Jan. 1930 first released ca. 27 Mar. 1930	HOW 1029 IAJRC CS1002-1 / ARCH 3002
1032 C	CONGRATULATIONS Fox-Trot Pinkard Goetz Green Stept - ? Frank Munn vo	BERT LOWN AND HIS BILTMORE MUSIC [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-v-p-g-bs-tu-vo]: Frank Cush tp, Ed Farley tp, Al Philburn tb, Lou Bode cl-as, Fletcher Hereford cl-as, Paul Mason cl-ts, Mac Ceppos v, Chauncey Gray p, Tommy Felline g, Adrian Rollini bas-s, Merrill (Klein) Kaye tu, ? Frank Munn vo	ca Jan.- Feb. 1930 first released ca. 3 Apr. 1930	HOW 1032 IAJRC CS1002-1 / CD202-1 / ARCH 3002
1036 C ------------ 1037 B	UNIVERSITY OF MAINE STEIN SONG Fox-Trot Colcord Fenstad - vo-4 (incl. Scrappy Lambert vo) ------------------- WITH YOU Fox-Trot Berlin - Scrappy Lambert vo <2v>	HOTEL PENNSYLVANIA MUSIC [ 2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo4]: Phil Spitalny dir., Tommy Thunen tp, unknown male vo-quartet (with Scrappy Lambert). ------------------------------- STATLER PENNSYLVANIANS [ 2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo4]: Phil Spitalny dir., Tommy Thunen tp, unknown male vo-quartet (with Scrappy Lambert).	ca. Feb. 1930 first released ca. 10 Apr. and 17 Apr. 1930 released not before Oct.l 1930	HOW 1036 HOW 1036 IAJRC CS1002-1 Swingtime 9802 / ARCH 3002 / ASA-100 --------------------------------- HOW 1037 IAJRC CS1002-1 / CD202-1 / ARCH 3002
There are two different labels. Label 1.: blue-yellow-blue lettering. The manufacterers identification is in a straight line and contains the little triangle. Released in the US c Apr. 10 1930. Label 2: green-yellow-green. The manufacterers identification is in a bowed line and contains no little triangle, like the Hit of the week records produced after ca September 1930. This second label seems to proove, that some records were reissued after the regular weekly release. (maybe to complete the so-called "Hit of the week Library")


The success was overwhelming and asked customers just for “The new HIT OF THE WEEK” when they placed an order with their news-dealer. The price of a Hit-of-the-week record was US$ 0.15, a joke, ‘cause the regular price for a “name” artist was 75¢ or more. The success stimulated other record companies to come up with cheap records and this competition would ruin the label within a few years.

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE STEIN SONG - 1040-B with an announcement

(S) This is the new Hit-of-the-week record. It is made of Durium, the great invention of a Columbia university professor. Its tone is as rich and clear as the costliest record made. It is guaranteed to play perfectly longer than any other record. It won't break if you drop it. It brings you the latest dance hits each week played by Broadway’s best orchestras, at the sensationally low price of fifteen cents! Each week ,our music jury, composed of Florenz Ziegfeld, Eddie Cantor and Vincent Lopez, selects the outstanding dance hits of the hour for the Hit-of-the-week recording. A new Hit-of-the-week record is on sale each Thursday at all news-stands in this city. Get yours today - fifteen cents! Stand by while Phil Spitalny's famous orchestra plays for you the UNIVERSITY OF MAINE STEIN SONG

Matrix number	Titel	Band name	Rec. date:	Records
1040 B (sample record) 1041 D	UNIVERSITY OF MAINE STEIN SONG Fox-Trot Colcord Fenstad - vo-4 (incl. Scrappy Lambert vo) ------------------- A COTTAGE FOR SALE Fox-Trot Conley Robison - Scrappy Lambert vo	STATLER PENNSYLVANIANS [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo4]: Phil Spitalny dir., Bob Effros (?) tp, Tommy Thunen tp, unknown vo-4 (with Scrappy Lambert). --------------------- THE NEW YORK TWELVE [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo4]: Phil Spitalny dir., Bob Effros (?) tp, Tommy Thunen tp, unknown vo-4 (with Scrappy Lambert).	Feb. 1930 first released as a promo record Apr. 1930 --- first released 24 Apr. 1930	HOW 1040 IAJRC CS1002-1 / ARCH 3002 ------------------------ HOW 1041 IAJRC CS1002-1 / CD202 / ARCH 3002
1042	nn	DON VOORHEES ORCHESTRA [2tp-2tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm]: Don Voorhees dir., Fred "Fuzzy" Farrar tp, Charlie Butterfield tb, Bill Throne tb	28 Feb 1930	rejected
1043 C	LAZY LOU'SIANA MOON Waltz Donaldson - vo	JAN GARBER'S ORCHESTRA [2tp-tb-2cl as-cl ts-2v-p-banj-tu-dm-vo]: Jan Garber v dir.	Mar. 1930 first released 1 May. 1930	HOW 1043 ?MP 1043 I IAJRC CS1002-1 / ARCH 3002

Records from the collection of Ate van Delden (The Netherlands) - Hans Koert (The Netherlands) - John Little (USA) - Dimitri Marheineke (The Netherlands) - Stewart Marsh (USA) . Thanks to Larry Tedder (USA)

Source: Hit of the week Discography 6+-edition (p.o.d.) Hans Koert

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last update 20 Feb. 2010