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Georgiana Bannister (Soprano) and John Gruen (Piano) New Songs by John Gruen

Sleeve:New Songs by John Gruen

Elektra EKLP 1 (Mono) - Matrix E1 LCC 2237 / E1 LCC 2238

Released: March 1951

Production: Jac Holzman

Engineering: Jac Holzman

Recorded: Peter Bartók studio, New York

Side 1

'Vier Stundenbuch Lieder' by Rilke

  • Da neight sich die Stunde
  • Wenn es nur einmal so ganz stille wäre
  • Lösch mir die Augen aus
  • Was wirst du ton, Gott, wenn ich sterbe?

  • Die Sirenen
  • Hälfte des Lebens

Side 2

Four songs by e e cummings

  • It is at moments After I have Dreamed
  • Spring is Like a Perhaps Hand
  • The Moon is Hiding in
  • O By the By

'Chansons de Geishas' by anonymous Japanese poets

  • Intimité
  • Fleurs qui Tombez
  • O Reves
  • A Peine M'as-Tu Dit
  • Pour une Parole Timide

12-inch album with the company credited as Elektra Records, 54 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland. A note on the sleeve says: New Songs marks the first release of Elektra Records which shall continue to offer disks of unusual and worthy musical fare.

John Gruen lived in Greenwich Village and had a varied career beyond his early composing. This included time as an art critic, dance critic, book buyer, publicity director and photographers' agent, and he went on to be a photographer under his full name of John Jonas Gruen.

The recording was done in the New York studio of Peter Bartók (son of composer Béla) and the Jac supervised the second, satisfactory, mastering at RCA himself.

This disc has also been listed (eg in Schwann June 1953) with the title 'Gruen: Poetry set to Music' but that was almost certainly an invention of the catalogue in the absence of real information.


Jean Ritchie Jean Ritchie Singing the Traditional Songs of her Kentucky Mountain Family

Sleeve:Jean Ritchie Singing the Traditional Songs of her Kentucky Mountain Family

Elektra EKLP 2 (Mono) - Matrix JH 505 A/B

Released: 1952

Production: Jac Holzman and Edward Tatnall Candy

Engineering: Edward Tatnall Candy

Side 1

  • O Love is Teasin'
  • Jubilee
  • Black is the Color
  • A Short Life of Trouble
  • One Morning in May
  • One Morning in May (version two)
  • Old Virginny
  • Skin and Bones

Side 2

  • The Little Devils
  • My Boy Willie
  • Hush Little Baby
  • Gypsum Davy
  • The Cuckoo
  • The Cuckoo (another version)
  • Little Cory
  • Keep Your Garden Clean

10-inch LP. Credited to the Elektra-Stratford Record Corp at 361 Bleeker Street, New York City. In the sleeve notes to the Rhino compilation CD ("Mountain Hearth and Home" - Rhino Handmade RHM2 7867) Jac Holzman writes that the recordings on this LP had been made by Edward Tatnall Candy over a period of time and that different recordings were at slightly different speeds.

At the time of the Jean Ritchie LP, Jac Holzman was so young that her contract was signed by Jac as 'a minor' represented by his father, Dr Jacob Holzman.

This is where the story really starts after the 'diversion' of EKLP 1. There were a few Jac Holzman 78s of folk music including sides by Jean Ritchie ("Old Virginny" c/w Jubillee" with number JH 502), Frank Warner ("Battle of Bull Run"/"Unreconstructed Rebel" c/w "Got the Whole World in His Hand"/"Hold My Hand Lord Jesus" starting the series with number JH 501 and "Gilgarry Mountain" c/w "Blue Mountain Lake" with number JH 503) and Glenn Yarbrough ("Follow the Drinking Gourd" c/w "The Reapers Ghost" with catalogue number ST-3 and matrix number JH 506 A/B) . Incidentally it was spelled Yarborough on this last disc. Some of these 78s were badged 'Stratford' (eg the Yarbrough) and some 'New York State Historical Association' (the Ritchie certainly) and I assume that the recordings on the 78s were those used on the relevant LPs, but I don't know for sure until I hear the discs. (Thanks to Joel Bresler and Cary Ginell for the track info.)

This leaves us with a gap in the JH series at 507 and also suggests that the Yarbrough record was released after Elektra started its 10-inch folk series.


Frank Warner American Folk Songs and Ballads

Sleeve:American Folk Songs and Ballads

Elektra EKLP 3 (Mono) - Matrix JH 504 A/B

Released: November 1952

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Keep Your Hand on the Plow
  • Got the Whole World in His Hands
  • Hold My Hand, Lord Jesus
  • Lord Lovel

Side 2

  • Battle of Bull Run
  • Unreconstructed Rebel
  • Gilgarry Mountain
  • Blue Mountain Lake
  • Tom Dooley
  • The Days of "49"

10-inch album. Frank was a musicologist and collector and he was responsible for the popularisation of 'Tom Dooley', one of those songs that was eventually done to death during the folk revival.

As mentioned in my note for EKLP 2, some of the songs on this Frank Warner LP were released on 78s: "Battle of Bull Run"/"Unreconstructed Rebel" c/w "Got the Whole World in His Hand"/"Hold My Hand Lord Jesus" on JH 501 and "Gilgarry Mountain" c/w "Blue Mountain Lake" on JH 503. As I don't have copies of the 78s I don't know whether they are the same recordings.


Shep Ginandes British Traditional Ballads in America Vol 1

Sleeve:British Traditional Ballads in America Vol 1Alt sleeve:British Traditional Ballads in America Vol 1

Elektra EKLP 4 (Mono) - Matrix JH 508 A/B

Released: 1953

Side 1

  • The Golden Willow Tree (Child 286)
  • The Cruel Mother (Child 20)
  • Lord Bateman (Child 53)

Side 2

  • Edward (Child 13)
  • Lord Randall (Child 12 - Welsh Version)
  • Lord Thomas and Fair Elinore (Child 73)

10-inch album. Two cover variations: the earlier with a stark black and white drawing with a black stripe angled down the left-hand side with two stringed guiter-like instruments ... and the latter with a colour wash over a line drawing of a 'minstrel' looking over towards a castle. There was no second volume of this disc and only the label mentions the 'Vol 1'.


Various Artists (Not credited) Voices of Haiti

Sleeve:Voices of Haiti

Elektra EKLP 5 (Mono) - Matrix JH 509 A/B

Released: March 1953

Production: Jac Holzman

Engineering: Maya Deren

Side 1

  • Creole O Voudoun
  • Ayazin Marché
  • Signaléagwé Arroyo
  • Zulie Banda
  • Ibo Lélé

Side 2

  • Ghede Nimbo
  • Nago Jaco Colcoto
  • Miro Miba
  • Po' Drapeaux

10-inch LP with a cover illustration by Teijo Ito. The recordings were made using a wire recorder during ceremonials near Criox-Des-Missions and Pétionville in Haiti by Maya Deren. Deren was an avant-garde film maker who had received the first Guggenheim grant for experimental film. With this money she bought the wire recorder used for these recordings, amongst others. The recordings are now held in the Boston University Library's special collections of Maya Deren. Her definitive book on Voudoun, 'Divine Horseman: The Living Gods of Haiti' was also published in 1953.


Cynthia Gooding Turkish and Spanish Folksongs

Sleeve:Turkish and Spanish Folksongs

Elektra EKLP 6 (Mono) - Matrix JH 510 A/B

Released: April 1953

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1: Turkish Folksongs

  • Sakarya (Cavalry Song)
  • Ankaranin Tasina Bak (Prisoners' Chant)
  • Eminem (Courting Song)
  • Kâtip (Love Song)
  • Al Koyun (Shepherd Chant)
  • Yashi Meral (Mountain Song)

Side 2: Spanish Folksongs

  • Dondes Vas Rey Alfonsito
  • Tres Moricas
  • Anda Diciendo
  • Conde Olinos
  • Ay, un Galan
  • Eres Alta y Delgada
  • La Molinera

10-inch album. Cover drawing by Maurice Sendak.


Shep Ginandes There was a Little Tree... American Folksongs for Children

Sleeve:There was a Little Tree...  American Folksongs for ChildrenAlt sleeve:There was a Little Tree...  American Folksongs for Children

Elektra EKL 7 (Mono) - Matrix JH 511 A/B

Released: 1953

Side 1

  • There Was a Little Tree
  • I Went Up on the Mountain Top
  • The Monkey's Wedding
  • Billie Boy
  • I Bought Me a Cat

Side 2

  • Froggie Went A-Courting
  • Oh, But I Won't Have Him
  • Ground Hog
  • Who Will Shoe My Little Foot
  • The Mare

10-inch album. Cover variations seen are printed with different coloured ink: 'green/brown' and 'red/pink'.

The cover is by Maurice Sendak and there are more Sendak illustrations in the booklet.


Cynthia Gooding Mexican Folk Songs

Sleeve:Mexican Folk SongsAlt sleeve:Mexican Folk Songs

Elektra EKL 8 (Mono) - Matrix JH 512 A/B

Released: June 1953

Production: Jac Holzman and Kenneth S Goldstein

Side 1

  • La Bamba
  • La Llorona
  • Lucrecia
  • El Palo Verde
  • La Voltereta
  • El Arreo

Side 2

  • Rosita Alvirez
  • Román Castillo
  • El Tecolote
  • General Felipe Angeles
  • Que Linda Está la Mañana

10-inch album. Heraclio Cordero plays second guitar. The sleeve features a superb line drawing by Maurice Sendak. Two variants known; one has green spot colour for the text and the other has red.


Shep Ginandes French Traditional Songs

Sleeve:French Traditional Songs

Elektra EKL 9 (Mono) - Matrix JH 513 A/B

Released: November 1953

Production: Jac Holzman and Kenneth S Goldstein

Engineering: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Chevaliers de la Table Ronde
  • V'l'a l'Bon Vent
  • J'fais Pipi
  • Jeanneton
  • Chanson de Corsaire
  • Près de la Fontaine

Side 2

  • Le Joueur de Luth
  • Ne Pleure Pas, Jeannette
  • Ma Femme est Morte
  • Complainte de Mandrin
  • Les Moines de Saint Bernardin

10-inch album.


Hally Wood O' Lovely Appearance of Death

Sleeve:O' Lovely Appearance of Death

Elektra EKL 10 (Mono) - Matrix JH 514 A/B

Released: November 1953

Production: Jac Holzman and Kenneth S Goldstein

Side 1

  • House of the Rising Sun
  • When I Was a Young Girl
  • Pretty Saro
  • Burns and his Highland Mary
  • O Lovely Appearance of Death

Side 2

  • Death Come Creeping
  • Pretty Polly
  • Locks and Bolts
  • My Dearest Dear
  • King's Highway
  • O Daddy Be Gay

10-inch LP. Lawless lists this as being titled 'American Folksongs of Sadness and Melancholy', which is the title on the label but the subtitle on the sleeve.

The cover was Bill Harvey's first for Elektra - he went on to be art director for the label - although he is quoted as saying he thought this recording was 'the most god-awful music I ever heard'. Bill's son recalls that the drawing was of his young sister Jo-Anne, sleeping.

There's no connection, but there are drawings on the walls of a Metro station in Brussels - Maelbeek - which look uncannily like Bill's line drawing on this sleeve. The booklet includes a photo of Hally, looking very cheerful indeed!


Cynthia Gooding The Queen of Hearts - English Folksongs

Sleeve:The Queen of Hearts - English FolksongsAlt sleeve:The Queen of Hearts - English Folksongs

Elektra EKL 11 (Mono) - Matrix JH 515 A/B

Released: November 1953

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • The Queen of Hearts
  • Through the Groves
  • O, Mother Go and Make My Bed
  • My Only Joe and Dearie, O
  • Queen Eleanor's Confession

Side 2

  • The Lowlands of Holland
  • Once I Had a Sweetheart
  • The Green Bushes
  • Strawberry Fair
  • The Banks of Green Willow
  • The Sprig of Thyme
  • The May-Day Carol

10-inch album. Two covers known, one showing a drawing of a young woman in a forest (signed C Brown) and the other based on a playing card motif, as used for the 12-inch reissue on Elektra 131.


Tom Paley Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians

Sleeve:Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians

Elektra EKL 12 (Mono) - Matrix JH 516 A/B

Released: November 1953

Production: Jac Holzman and Kenneth S Goldstein

Side 1

  • Shady Grove
  • The Miller's Song
  • The Lord by the Northern Sea
  • The Old Grey Goose
  • Banjo pieces: Coal Creek March; O'Sullivan Mor; Old Joe Clark; White Cockade; Flop-eared Mule
  • Guitar Pieces: Buck Dancer's Choice; Wildwood Flower

Side 2

  • Jackaro
  • The Jealous Lover
  • Deep Water
  • Girl on the Greenbriar Shore
  • Little Maggie

10-inch album with cover art by William S Harvey.


Frank Warner Songs and Ballads of America's Wars

Sleeve:Songs and Ballads of America's Wars

Elektra EKL 13 (Mono) - Matrix JH 517 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

The French and Indian War

  • Felix the Soldier
  • The Press Gang Soldier
  • The Ballad of Montcalm and Wolfe

The American Revolution

  • Doodle Dandy
  • Paul Jones
  • The British Soldier

The War of 1812

  • Perry's Victory

Side 2 - The Civil War

The North

  • The Battle-Cry of Freedom
  • The Twenty-Third
  • Virginia's Bloody Soil

The South

  • The Southern Girl's Reply
  • An Old Unreconstructed
  • The Bonnie Blue Flag

Described by Time Magazine (on April 19 1954) as 'An informal collection of old pulse-bumpers, many of them all but forgotten'.

This sleeve is one of Bill Harvey's best illustrations. 10-inch album.


Sonny Terry Folk Blues

Sleeve:Folk Blues

Elektra EKL 14 (Mono) - Matrix JH 518 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Recorded: New York

Side 1

  • The Fox Chase
  • Talking About the Blues
  • Goodbye Leadbelly
  • Red River

Side 2

  • John Henry
  • Mama Told Me
  • Moaning and Mourning Blues
  • In the Evening

10-inch album. Alec Stewart credited on guitar ... but it is actually Alec Seward aka Guitar Slim. This set wlso released on Vogue LDE 137 and these recordings, or most of them, are the ones that appear on Riverside 644 with Kenneth S Goldstein as producer and Jac Holzman credited as engineer with a recording date of December 1953 in New York.

'The Fox Chase' explains the origin of the 'Wailin and Whoopin' tour-de-force that Sonny always used to play: the harp is imitating the baying of the hounds as they chase the fox.


Sonny Terry and Alec Stewart City Blues

Sleeve:City Blues

Elektra EKL 15 (Mono) - Matrix JH 519 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Recorded: New York

Side 1

  • Chain the Lock on my Door (Sonny)
  • Little Annie (Alec)
  • Louise Blues (Sonny)
  • Down in the Bottom Blues (Alec)
  • Baby, Baby Blues (Sonny)

Side 2

  • Custard Pie (Sonny)
  • Kansas City (Sonny)
  • Late one Saturday Evening (Alec)
  • Old Woman Blues (Sonny)
  • Hard Luck Blues (Alec)

10-inch album. The disc matrix numbers accidentally reversed the A and B sides but the labels ignore the mistake and are correct. Alec Stewart is actually Alec Seward aka Guitar Slim.

Also released on Vogue LDE 165 - BBCGLI omits 'Down in the Bottom Blues' but this hasn't been checked against a disc. These recordings, or most of them, are the ones that appear on Riverside 644 - Talkin' 'Bout the Blues - with production credited to Bill Grauer or Kenneth S Goldstein and Jac Holzman credited as engineer.

Of course, despite what the label says, it is 'Changed the Lock on my Door', not 'Chain ...' and although this album is usually billed as a Sonny Terry LP, it is more of a joint effort than EKL 14 as Alec sings some of the songs.


Ed McCurdy, Jack Elliot and Oscar Brand Badmen and Heroes

Sleeve:Badmen and Heroes

Elektra EKL 16 (Mono) - Matrix JH 520 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1: Badmen

  • Captain Kidd (McCurdy)
  • Charles Guiteau (Elliot)
  • Jesse James (McCurdy)
  • Billy the Kid (Brand)
  • Quantrell (McCurdy)

Side 2: Heroes

  • Bold Turpin (McCurdy)
  • Pretty Boy Floyd (Elliot)
  • Jim Fisk (Brand)
  • Jesse James (Elliot)
  • Robin Hood and the Bold Pedlar (McCurdy)

10-inch album.

The copy of this in my collection refers to Ed McCurdy's 'Sin Songs' LP, which was EKL 24. Since this was released later it may be that this disc has more than one edition.


Cynthia Gooding Italian Folk Songs

Sleeve:Italian Folk Songs

Elektra EKL 17 (Mono) - Matrix JH 521 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Quanto Spunta lu Sole
  • M'Affaccio alla Finestra
  • Sul Capello
  • Non Ti Ricordi
  • Tenete l'Occhio Nero
  • Bella Ragazza
  • Tre Amoru
  • Peschi Fiorenti
  • O, Balis Tu, Pieri?

Side 2

  • Sul Ponte di Bassano
  • Fior di Bombace
  • Nina
  • Ses tu Benedeta
  • El Avvelenato
  • Chitarra Fiorentina
  • Canto del Carcerato

10-inch album. All the tracks except 'Chitarra Fiorentina' were reissued as half of EKL 221.

A stereo version of 'Sul Capello' turned up on the stereo sampler SMP-4X but was the original mono recording with an extra instrument added and both panned to create a stereo track.


Dick Wilder Pirate Songs and Ballads

Sleeve:Pirate Songs and Ballads

Elektra EKL 18 (Mono) - Matrix JH 522 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • The Bold Princess Royal
  • The Romantic Pirate
  • Henry Martyn
  • The Female Warrior
  • Captain Kidd

Side 2

  • The Female Smuggler
  • Bold Manning
  • High Barbaree
  • The Flying Cloud

10-inch album.


Gordon Heath and Lee Payant Songs of the Abbaye

Sleeve:Songs of the Abbaye

Elektra EKL 19 (Mono) - Matrix JH 523 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Leonard Ripley and Jac Holzman

Engineering: Leonard Ripley

Recorded: Paris, December 27-28 1953

Side 1

  • Another Man Done Gone
  • Chanson de la Mariée
  • The Youth of the Heart
  • Black Girl
  • I Wash My Face

Side 2

  • Big Rock Candy Mountain
  • Jacob's Ladder
  • J'ai un Long Voyage a Faire
  • We Will Break Bread Together
  • Wandering

10-inch LP.


Hillel Raveh Russian Folksongs

Sleeve:Russian Folksongs

Elektra EKL 20 (Mono) - Matrix JH 524 A/B

Released: 1954

Side 1

  • Krai ty moi
  • O Vol'gye i Mikulye
  • Nochenka
  • Solntse vsxodit i zaxodit
  • Tuman styelyet po dolinye

Side 2

  • Vniz po matushkye po Volgye
  • Ex, tumany
  • Burlatskaya Volzhskaya
  • Dubinushka
  • Ei, uxnyem

10 inch LP. With Anatoly Malukoff (guitar). The name is sometimes misspelled as Raven in listings but Hillel Raveh was to appear again on Elektra ... on EKL 171, 'A Concert with Hillel and Aviva'. Curiously, the sleeve notes and booklet translations are credited to 'Mrs Anatoly Malukoff' rather than giving her own first name.


Alan Arkin Folk Songs - Once Over Lightly

Sleeve:Folk Songs - Once Over Lightly

Elektra EKL 21 (Mono) - Matrix JH 525 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • A Knave is a Knave
  • Kisses Sweeter than Wine
  • Crawdad Song
  • Tom With-a-Grin
  • Colorado Trail
  • The Mad Count

Side 2

  • So Early in the Morning
  • Tobacco Union
  • I'm Gonna Marry in the Fall
  • Great Grand-dad
  • Lavender Cowboy
  • Ann Boleyn

10-inch album. An alternative title for this album was 'Folksongs (and 2 1/2 that aren't) Once over Lightly' and the label adds 'Alan Arkin sings 'em, plays guitar too!'.


Jean Ritchie and Oscar Brand Courting Songs

Sleeve:Courting Songs

Elektra EKL 22 (Mono) - Matrix JH 526 A/B

Released: 1954

Side 1

  • Hey, Little Boy
  • I Wonder When I Shall be Married
  • My Love is a Rider
  • The Keys of Canterbury
  • A Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn
  • Hog Drivers

Side 2

  • Lazy John
  • Aunt Sal's Song
  • Kansas Boys
  • My Good Old Man
  • Paper of Pins
  • No, Sir

10-inch album. With Phil Raiguel on guitar, banjo and fiddle.


Various Artists Nova Scotia Folk Music

Sleeve:Nova Scotia Folk Music

Elektra EKL 23 (Mono) - Matrix JH 527 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Engineering: Diane Hamilton

Recorded: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Side 1

Funmakers

  • The 79th Farewell to Gibraltar
  • My Ain House

Ceilidh (Party)

  • The Sailor's Love Song
  • Lullaby
  • Mouth Music

Piping

  • Marquis of Huntley
  • The Sean Truibbas

Neils Harbor

  • My Frog Went A-Courtin'
  • Oh, Birdie Tell

Side 2

Milling Songs

  • Boat Song
  • Though I Sailed in my Ignorance

Ingonish Beach

  • Haste to the Wedding
  • Speed the Plow
  • Soldier's Joy

Barra Glen

  • My Young Maid
  • In the Glen Where I Was Young

Psalms

  • 121st Psalm

10-inch album. Diane was a member of the Guggenheim family, working under a pseudonym. This set of field recordings (recorded on tape) consists of solo and group singing (in Gaelic, English and 'mouth music'), pipe and fiddle. This disc dates from the time when Diane funded and set up Tradition Records with Paddy Clancy (of the Clancy Brothers) although my guess is it was completed before the new label was set up, and hence is on Elektra.

In 1955 Diane travelled to Ireland and taped the first set of Irish traditional music to be recorded actually in Ireland. This was issued on Tradition under the title 'The Lark in the Morning'.


Ed McCurdy Sin Songs - Pro and Con

Sleeve:Sin Songs - Pro and Con

Elektra EKL 24 (Mono) - Matrix JH 528 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1: Pro

  • The Jolly Boatsman
  • How Happy is She
  • I Once had Virtue
  • The Gambler's Song
  • The Good Boy's Song
  • Good Old Mountain Dew
  • Rye Whiskey

Side 2: Con

  • Tobacco is an Indian Weed
  • Three Pretty Fair Maids
  • Young People Who Delight in Sin
  • Poor Polly, the Mad Girl
  • John Adkin's Farewell
  • Gambling on the Sabbath Day
  • An Address for all Concerning Death

10-inch album. In the sleeve notes Ed writes: "I have led a rather varied and active life - and for various reasons consider myself well qualified to sing about SIN".


Jean Ritchie Kentucky Mountain Songs

Sleeve:Kentucky Mountain Songs

Elektra EKL 25 (Mono) - Matrix JH 529 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Cedar Swamp
  • Nottamun Town
  • The Hangman Song
  • Sister Phoebe
  • False Sir John
  • Dulcimer Pieces: Shady Grove, Old King Cole, Skip to my Lou

Side 2

  • Batchelor's Hall
  • The Girl I Left Behind
  • Jemmy Taylor-O
  • Killy Krankie
  • The Lonesome Dove
  • Old Woman and Pig
  • The Little Sparrow
  • Goin' to Boston

10-inch album.


Susan Reed Old Airs from Ireland, Scotland and England

Sleeve:Old Airs from Ireland, Scotland and England

Elektra EKL 26 (Mono) - Matrix JH 530 A/B

Released: 1954

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • At the Foot of Yonders Mountain
  • The Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow
  • The Leprechaun
  • He Moved Through the Fair
  • Bendemeer's Stream
  • Irish Famine Song
  • Wraggle Taggle Gypsies

Side 2

  • Seventeen Come Sunday
  • The Foggy Dew
  • I Know My Love
  • Must I Go Bound
  • Wailie, Wailie
  • The Boreens of Derry

10-inch album.


Clarence Cooper Goin' Down the Road

Sleeve:Goin' Down the Road

Elektra EKL 27 (Mono) - Matrix JH 531 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • St James Infirmary
  • Waterboy
  • Erie Canal
  • Motherless Child

Side 2

  • Old Kentucky
  • Careless Love
  • Go Where I Send You
  • Darlin'
  • Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad

10-inch album.


Jim Fawcett Flamenco Guitar Solos

Sleeve:Flamenco Guitar Solos

Elektra EKL 28 (Mono) - Matrix JH 532 A/B

Released: 1955

Engineering: Leonard Ripley

Side 1

  • Alegrias Rosas
  • Soleares
  • Granadinas

Side 2

  • Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Tarrega)
  • Danza Mora
  • Alegrias para Baile
  • Farruca

Jim Fawcett (an American stationed with the US armed forces in Germany at the time) was not credited on the sleeve or label. In the booklet, Jac Holzman and Leonard Ripley explain that they had been advised that some people just wouldn't 'tolerate' flamenco played by an American. They considered giving him a Spanish-sounding pseudonym but decided instead to limit his credit to a mention in the booklet. In fact, Fawcett had been taught by a family of Spanish gypsies who lived in America: the only way he could find a teacher appropriate to his ability. He appeared on (AFAIK) one other LP, 'Dos Flamencos' on Liberty with Niño Marvino released in 1960; but there he does seem to have used a pseudonym, calling himself Jaime Grifo. 10 inch LP.


Gordon Heath and Lee Payant Encores from the Abbaye

Sleeve:Encores from the Abbaye

Elektra EKL 29 (Mono) - Matrix JH 533 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Leonard Ripley

Recorded: Paris

Side 1

  • Hill an' Gully (G+L)
  • Au Clair de la Lune (G+L)
  • The Foggy, Foggy Dew (G)
  • The Spinning Wheel (L)

Side 2

  • Le Roy a Fait Battre Tambour (G+L)
  • En Revenant de Versailles (G+L)
  • Scarborough Fair (G)
  • Linstead Market (G)
  • L'occasion Manquée (L)

10-inch LP. The recording equipment mentioned on the sleeve for this LP is different to that specified for the earlier Abbaye disc so these must be later sessions.


Jean Léon Destiné and Ensemble Festival in Haiti

Sleeve:Festival in Haiti

Elektra EKL 30 (Mono) - Matrix JH 534 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Engineering: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Déclaration Paysanne (Meringue)
  • Pétro-Quita (Drum Rhythms)
  • Shango (Invocation)
  • Pennywhistle Fantasie
  • Solé Oh! (Invocation-Yanvalou)

Side 2

  • Mérangue
  • Macaya Gimbo (Work Song)
  • Dié, Dié, Dié (Invocation-Zepaules)
  • Mascaron-Pignitte (Carnival Rhythms)
  • Ayanman Ibo (Ibo Rhythm)

10-inch album. While the labels refer to the 'ensemble', the cover is a little more forthcoming and credits Ti-Roro, Alphonse Cimber and others.


Yves Tessier French Troubador Songs of the 12th and 13th Centuries

Sleeve:French Troubador Songs of the 12th and 13th Centuries

Elektra EKL 31 (Mono) - Matrix JH 535 A/B

Released: September 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1: 12th Century

  • Estampie
  • No Sap Chantar
  • Lan Can
  • A l'Entrée d'Esté
  • Cil qui d'Amor
  • Pax in Nomine
  • Pastourelle

Side 2: 13th Century

  • O Dame, O Dame
  • Aisi com es Sobronrada
  • Chanson de Croisade
  • Ma Vièle
  • Can vei l'Alauzeta
  • Reis Glorios

10-inch LP. Mildred Clary plays occasional lute. Tracks also used on EKL 221 although some of the titles are given slightly differently.


Theodore Bikel Folksongs of Israel

Sleeve:Folksongs of Israel

Elektra EKL 32 (Mono) - Matrix JH 536 A/B

Released: 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Side 1

  • Dodi Li
  • Mi Barechev
  • Hechalil
  • Ptsach Bazemer
  • Karev Yom
  • Shech Abrék

Side 2

  • Sissoo Vessimchoo
  • El Ginat Egoz
  • Shomer Mah Milel
  • Hana'ava Babanot
  • Ana Pana' Dodech
  • Shim'oo Shim'oo
  • Lyla Lyla

10-inch album. This disc marks the start of a long and fruitful collaboration between Jac Holzman and Theo Bikel. Bikel was well-known as an actor but his talent for languages and natural showmanship gave him a substantial parallel career as a singer. This was his first recording and Jac Holzman tells of first hearing him at during a 'pass-the-guitar-around' at a party and eventually persuading him to record. This disc appears with both 'calligraphy' and 'atom' label designs and with extra songs added this disc was reissued as EKL 132.

Theo almost book-ends Elektra's folk era since the final 300-series album (326 - 'Songs of the Earth') was by him with the Pennywhistlers.


Elektra Playback System Calibration Record

Sleeve:Elektra Playback System Calibration Record

Elektra EKL 35 (Mono) - Matrix DBH T4X (Both sides)

Released: 1956

Production: Jac Holzman

Engineering: David Hancock

  • 1,000 cps for Level
  • Pauses at 20,000 ... 1875 cps
  • Pauses at 2,000 ... 187.5 cps
  • Pauses at 200 ... 18.75 cps
  • 1,000 cps for level

10-inch record from the days when Herz were 'cycles per second'. Only 1500 discs were produced with 500 being run from each stamper to ensure quality. The two sides were identical apart from the colour of the print on the label so that as one became worn the other could be used instead.

AFAIK, this is one of only two 10-inch albums to appear with an 'Atom' label design as well as the more usual 'Caligraphy: the other is the Theo Bikel LP EKL 32.


Josh White The Story of John Henry / Ballads, Blues and Other Songs

Sleeve:The Story of John Henry / Ballads, Blues and Other Songs

Elektra EKL 701 (Mono) - Matrix JH 701 A/B/C/D

Released: July 1955

Production: Jac Holzman

Disc 1: The Story of John Henry

  • The Story of John Henry

Disc 2: Ballads, Blues and Other Songs

Side 1

  • Black Girl
  • Free and Equal Blues
  • Live the Life
  • Sam Hall

Side 2

  • Where Were You Baby
  • Delia's Gone
  • Run, Mona, Run
  • You Don't Know My Mind

Double 10-inch album, John Henry takes up both sides of one of the two discs. Later issued as a single 12-inch disc on EKL 123.