Search - California Ramblers :: Edison Laterals II

Very Important Recordings

phylogony | Cape Cod, Mass | 04/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have collected all of the Diamond Cut stuff, and this is probably the most historically important recording of the lot. It is all original unreleased material (I believe) taken from the Edison Archives. There were many famous people in this band like Jimmy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. A very nice treasure that I have added to my collection and the sound quality is great despite the fact that it was mastered in the late 20's."

Westchester County....California?

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 01/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The New York-based California Ramblers were one of the premier "hot" dance bands of the Roaring '20s. From 1922 to '27, the Ramblers recorded hundreds of sides under many pseudonyns, and for several labels. The driving force and musical heart of this band was bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini. His honking rhythm-sax typified the Ramblers "sound." Rollini's departure in 1927 (along with several others) marks the end of this orchestra's best era. The lesser group (with some new additions) continued on for several more years, adapting a repertoire better suited to their new personnel.



The twenty tracks on THE CALIFORNIA RAMBLERS * EDISON LATERALS 2 were cut in 1929 by that later band. Although not typical of the Ramblers' previous work, these examples are still quite nicely done, and show that even in musical infirmity, this bunch could still swing a dance number nicely. Sound quality is very good-- with more than a few songs here still considered perennial standards.



Album includes a 12-page booklet that recounts the California Ramblers' story in some detail.



TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 65:15"