ABSTRACT
U.S. tenor and comedian, born in San Francisco. He sang in New York, and made his first records there in 1892, for the New York Phonograph Co.; he was among the earliest singers on record, and one of the three most prolific recording artists of the 1890s (with George Gaskin and Len Spencer). He did show tunes, coon songs, Irish songs, war songs, and standard popular numbers-about 2,500 titles in all. On record he was often accompanied by Frank Banta, Sr. Quinn appeared in the New Jersey Phonograph Co. catalog of 1893, and Columbia catalogs of 1895-1899, with hundreds of two-minute cylinders. He made about 250 items for Edison from before 1899 to December 1902, beginning with “All Coons Look Alike to Me” (#1001). Quinn was among the first artists on the Victor label, making the number nine matrix on 29 June 1900, “Strike Up the Band” and 11 other sides on that day and the following one. His final Victor was made in 1916, his last record (for Gennett) in 1918. Quinn’s popularity faded after 1910; only one of his records remained in the 1917 Victor catalog: “At the Fountain of Youth”/“Hello Boys! I’m Back Again” (#17935). [Brooks 1979; Walsh 1945/3-5.]
A jazz ensemble formed in 1934 in Paris, the principal non-American group of its kind. Stéphane Grappelli, violinist, and Django Reinhardt, guitarist, were the star performers. The other members were Roger Chaput and Joseph Reinhardt, guitarists, and Louis Vola, bass. Various personnel changes took place later. The quintet made fine recordings for Ultraphon, HMV, Decca, and the Swing label. Its first issue, “Dinah” (Ultraphon #1422; 1934) and the second, “Tiger Rag” (Ultraphon #1423; 1934) were immediate sensations. Among the outstanding later discs were “Limehouse Blues”(HMV #K-7706; 1936), “Appel Direct” (Decca #F-6875; 1938), and “Billet doux” (Decca #F-7568; 1938). After Grappelli left the group in 1940, he was replaced by clarinetist Hubert Rostaing, and the quintet continued performing into the 1940s. There have been numerous reissues of the classic Quintet recordings on CD, notably a five-CD boxed set from JSP that includes the complete pre-World War II recordings.
