78 rpm: 78 RPM Eddie South jazz violin LOST COLUMBIA B-625 Cheloni period RARE - HEAR IT

Vintage - jazz violinist Eddie South on a long lost Columbia recording from 1933 - possibly/probably only known copy of this extraordinary jazz violinist playing Duke Ellington's Diga Diga Do in 1933.

Eddie South, known as the Black Gypsy or Dark Angel of violin played with contemporaries like Stefane Grappelli, Stuff Smith, and Joe Venuti during the heyday of jazz - though maybe not as well known. South's career spanned from early 1920's with Jimmie Wade's Moulin Rouge Syncopators to his death in 1962.

Here's the back-story for this record: Eddie South and his International Orchestra recorded in the first half of 1933 in Los Angeles CA for a radio station broadcast. A series of shows was sponsored by Cheloni Skin Care products. It is believed that a total 26 recordings of South and colleagues were made during that six month period but only 16 have been accounted for - those 16 are known as the Cheloni recordings. This auction is for Columbia matrix B-625, previously not known of, which was recorded separately outside of the Cheloni series. The recording was made by Recording Inc, Los Angeles USA as an Electrical Transcription then pressed by Columbia. The content of the record is two performances by Eddie South and his International Orchestra. The record is narrated by a fellow named Owen Dupree (?) and was a souvenir record dedicated to Cliff Gans or Gantz and the Spur Riding Club of Los Angeles. This copy has a note written on the label - "To My Darling Mother, Sincerely Sonny". So I suspect very few copies of this record were pressed and it is unknown how many have survived.

The two performances are Diga Diga Do and La Cumparsita. Dupree announces the complete membership of the group before the performances start.

Additionally, I cannot find any other recording of Eddie South playing Diga Diga Do so this may also be special as the only known recording of Eddie South playing the Duke Ellington classic.

This is a 12" 78 rpm record, outside start.

Rated: Visually E to E- some scuffs and scrapes but plays very clearly at an E+ level.

Here is a small snippet from the record:

My record grading: I try to avoid records that are simply not an enjoyment to own due to condition or inability to play well. All records are graded using my simple categorization:

Near Mint (M-) nothing is rated mint
Excellent (E+) possibly a flea bite or hair scratch or smudge, super shiny)
(E) scuff or light scratch or two, still super shiny
(E)- slight scuffing or very slight scratches, still shiny)
Good (G+) light scuffs, scrapes or hair crack, shiny still very playable
(G) scuffs, scrapes, light cracking, some shine, still playable
(G-) scuffs, scrapes, cracking, playable, not necessarily enjoyable)
Poor (P-) wall art due to playing condition)

I pack all items carefully for a secure mail delivery. I will gladly combine shipping when possible.

Photos are of actual item for sale.

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( keywords: jazz fiddle violin gypsy alabamians Barksdale King Smith Spaulding Hinton Bertrand)