ABSTRACT
A British record issued by Levy’s of London, in 1927, featuring important blues and jazz material, mostly from the American Vocalion catalog. Levy’s Sound Studios, Ltd. was opened in Regent St. in the 1930s by Jack Levy. Trading as Levy’s Public Phono & Cycle Stores, the firm made Levaphone and Oriole records. In a series started in 1931, Oriole included material by the new Quintette of the Hot Club of France, and by Duke Ellington. That second series from Levy’s ended in 1935. [Rust 1978.]
In 1949 there was another series of Levy’s Orioles, including London-made pressings as well as American imports. Jack Levy, whose sound studios were used to record the earlier British Oriole, also made that label. These Orioles were mentioned in Gramophone in September 1949, and continued to be sold, as 78s, into early 1961. In 1954, Oriole was registered with Embassy and Allegro labels. Oriole was taken over by CBS Records, which used the name for low-cost line in Australia. CBS also took Oriole’s registered trademarks Plaza, Time Oriole, Realm, and Senator.
