DECEMBER 7, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1911 - Louis Prima, songwriter, bandleader, singer, trumpet player, one time husband and partner of Capitol Records artist Keely Smith, and a Capitol Records solo artist, is born in New Orleans, Louisiana

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
85 Years Ago Today In 1930 - Members of the original cast of "Die Dreigroschenoper" (aka "The Threepenny Opera"), Lotte Lenya (as Jenny), Erika Helmke (as Polly), Willy Trenk-Trebitsch (as Macheath), Kurt Gerron (as Moritatensänger and Brown), and Erich Ponto (as Peachum), with Theo Mackeben conducting The Lewis Ruth Band (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Overture",  "Liebeslied/Kanonensong", "Die Seerauberjenny", "First Act Finale", "Barbarasong/Eifersuchtsduett", "Abschied And Second Act Finale", "Zuhalter-Ballade/Lied Von Der Unzulanglichkeit Menschlichen Lebens", and " Moritat And Finale" in Berlin, Germany for Telefunken. After Capitol Records licenses the Telefunken library, it will issue the recordings on the album "WEILL-BRECHT - Die Dreigroschenoper (Three Penny Opera)" (KDM-8117). Here's side one and here's side two.
1943 - Dennis Day (on vocals),  with an unidentified orchestra, records the tracks "With A Song In My Heart", "Falling In Love With Love", "My Heart Stood Still", and a as yet unreleased take of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first three tracks on Day's album "Dennis Day Sings!" (CD-5).
1944 - The Pied Pipers' Capitol Records single "The Trolley Song", with "Cuddle Up A Little Closer" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles chart.
1944 - Eddie LeMar (aka "Buddy" Cole) and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Anything Goes", "I Married An Angel", and an unissued take of "She Didn't Say Yes" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks on LeMar's album "Manhattan Moods" (BD-43).
70 Years Ago Today In 1945 - Lois Butler (on vocals) with Paul Weston and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "A Kiss In The Dark" and "Thine Alone" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Butler's album "Lois Butler With Paul Weston Orchestra Sings Victor Herbert" (BD-30).
65 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians (lineup unlisted) recorded the tracks "Song Of The Sunset" with vocals by Eddie Bush, "Menehune Lullaby" with vocals by Gene Conklin, and the as of yet unissued takes of the tracks "Timmy" and "The Hukilau Song" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 1348).
1951 - Pianist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Maynard Ferguson, John Howell, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, and John Coppola on trumpet, Dick Kenney, Bill Russo, Harry Betts, and Bob Fitzpatrick on trombone, George Roberts on bass trombone, Stan Fletcher on tuba, Bud Shank on alto saxophone and flute, Art Pepper on alto saxophone and clarinet, Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone, oboe, and English horn, Bart Caldarell on tenor saxophone, and bassoon, Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, Ralph Blaze on guitar, Don Bagley on bass, Shelly Manne on drums, and a string section with concert master Alex Law, Earl Cornwell, Phil Davidson, Dwight Muma, Maurice Koukel, Barton Gray, Seb Mercurio, Danny Napolitano, Charlie Scarle, and Ben Zimberoff on violn, Paul Israel, Aaron Shapiro, and Dave Smiley on viola, Gregory Bemko, Zachary Bock, and Gabe Jellen on cello) record the tracks "City Of Glass, 1st Movement, Part 1: Entrance Into The City" and "City Of Glass, 1st Movement, Part 2: The Structures" at Capitol Records' studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Kenton's album "Stan Kenton Conducts Robert Graettinger's City Of Glass" (FBR-353).
1953 - The Four Knights (vocalists Gene Alford, Oscar Broadway, Clarence Dixon, and John Wallace), with Billy May (conducting his arrangements) and His Orchestra (John Best, Conrad Gozzo, and Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy on trumpet, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt on alto saxophone, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson and John Wallace on guitar, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Alvin
Stoller on drums), record the tracks "Till Then", "The One Rose", "I Was Meant For You (The Wah-Wah Song)", "They Tell Me", and "How Wrong Can You Be" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Till Then" on the group's album "" (T 346), sell the master of "The One Rose" to Coral Records who will issue it as a single (Coral CLR-57221), "I Was Meant For You (The Wah-Wah Song)" and "They Tell Me" together as a single (Capitol 2782), and "How Wrong Can You Be" as a single (Capitol 2847) with "Period" (recorded May 18, 1954) on the flipside.
1954 - Trumpet player Ray Anthony, with The Dick Stabile Orchestra (Johnny Best, Conrad Gozzo, Mannie Klein, and Uan Rasey also on trumpet, Tommy Pederson, Si Zentner, and Ed Kusby on trombone, George Roberts on bass trombone, Dick Stabile, Skeets Herfurt, and Wilbur Schwartz on alto saxophone, Morris Bercov, and Fred Falensby on tenor saxophone, Leo Anthony on baritone, saxophone, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Joe Comfort on bass, Alvin Stoller on drums, and Lou Singer on percussion), records the tracks "Hornblowers Serenade" and "Baby You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 3069).
1954 - The Al Belletto Sextet (Jack Martin on trumpet and flugelhorn, and arranger of the vocals, Jimmy Guinn on trombone and vocals, Al Belletto on clarinet, alto saxophone, and baritone saxophone, Fred Crane on piano and baritone saxophone, Skip Fawcett on bass, and Charles McKnight on drums), record the tracks "The Way You Look Tonight", an unissued take of "My Heart Stood Still", and the track "A Foggy Day" at Universal Studios in Chicago, Illinois. Capitol Records will issue "The Way You Look Tonight" and "A Foggy Day" on the group's EP "An Introduction To The Al Belletto Sextet" (EAP-1-6508).
1954 - Stan Kenton records narration vocals over excerpts from his previous recordings for the tracks "The Kenton Era: Prologue, Part 1", "The Kenton Era: Prologue, Part 2", and "Epilogue" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Kenton's box set "The Kenton Era" (WDX-569).
60 Years Ago Today In 1955 - During two sessions held today at the Riverside Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York, clarinet player Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Chris Griffin, Billy Butterfield, and Bernie Privin on trumpet, Urbie Green and Will Bradley on trombone, Hymie Schertzer and Phil Bodner on alto saxophone, Al Klink and Peanuts Hucko on tenor saxophone, Dick Hyman on piano, Tony Mottola on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums) record the tracks "Down South Camp Meeting", a rejected take of "Don't Be That Way", and the track "And The Angels Sing" at the first session then record "Goodbye", "Sing Sing Sing, Part 1", "Sing Sing Sing, Part 2", and a as yet unissued take of "Bugle Call Rag" at the second session. After two separate sessions are held on December 15, 1955 in New York City where Harry James records overdubs for "And The Angels Sing", "Sing Sing Sing, Part 1", and "Sing Sing Sing" Part 2" at the first session and then Martha Tilton records overdubs for "And The Angels Sing" at the second session, Capitol Records will issue "Down South Camp Meeting", "And The Angels Sing", "Goodbye", "Sing Sing Sing, Part 1" and "Sing Sing Sing, Part 2" on the album "Benny Goodman Plays Selections Featured In 'The Benny Goodman Story'" (S 706).
1956 - At two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted), conducted by Carmen Dragon, records the tracks "Polonaise In A, Opus 40, N° 1 ('Militaire')" and "Polonaise In A flat, Opus 53, N° 6 ('Heroic')" at the first session and "Waltz in E flat, Opus 18 ('Grande Valse Brillante')", "Waltz in C sharp minor, Opus 64, N° 2", and "Fantaisie-Impromptu, Opus 66" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the orchestra's album "Chopin By Starlight" (P/SP-8371). Angel Records will later reissue the album (Angel S-36061).
1956 - The Hollywood String Quartet (lineup unlisted), conducted by Felix Slatkin, record Schubert's "Quartet N° 14 in D minor ('Death of the maiden'), 1st movement" and "Quartet N° 14 in D minor ('Death of the maiden'), 3rd movement" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the tracks on the quartet's album "SCHUBERT - Quartet N° 14 In D Minor 'Death and the Maiden'" (P-8359).
1959 - Four of The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records albums ("The Kingston Trio", "From The Hungry i", "At Large" and "Here We Go Again") are in the top 10 of Billboard's album chart
1961 - The Kingston Trio (vocalists Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane, and John Stewart) with David "Buck" Wheat on bass, perform live at the University of California in Los Angeles, California between 8 PM and 11 PM where the tracks "Roddy McCorley"*, "M.T.A.", "500 Miles"*, " Where Have All The Flowers Gone"*, "Ballad Of The Shape Of Things", and "Goin' Away To Leave You"* were recorded. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the trio's album "College Concert" (T 1658) and The Bear Family will issue the true live and studio recordings in the CD box set "The Kingston Trio - The Stewart Years" (BCD 16161). *According to the liner notes in the Bear Family issue, these titles were remade in studio later on and issued on Capitol's release with dubbed applause from the concert tape. Both versions (live and studio) were issued on the Bear Family set.
1961 - During two sessions held this day at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California, Stan Kenton (on piano) and His Orchestra (Dalton Smith, Marvin Stamm, Bob Rolfe, Bob Behrendt, and Norman Baltazar on trumpet, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dee Barton, and Bud Parker on trombone, Jim Amlotte and Dave Wheeler on trombone and tuba, Ray Starling, Dwight Carver, Keith LaMotte, and Carl Saunders on mellophone, Gabe Baltazar on alto saxophone, Buddy Arnold and Paul Renzi on tenor saxophone, Joel Kaye and Allan Beutler on baritone saxophone, Pat Senatore on bass, and Jerry McKenzie on drums) records the tracks "If I Were A Bell", "Just In Time", and "Begin The Beguine" at the first session between Noon and 3:00 PM and "Old Devil Moon", "Reuben's Blues" (with Gene Roland on soprano saxophone), "Exit Stage Left" (with Gene Roland on mellophone), and "Blue Ghost" at the second session between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue the last three tracks on Kenton's album "Adventures In Blues" (ST 1985). Creative World Records will issue the first four tracks their re-issue of the album (ST-1025).
1963 - Peggy Lee, records the tracks "Little By Little", "I Got Lost In Her Arms", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "Unforgettable" with Max Bennett conducting the studio orchestra, and producer Dave Cavanaugh, at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for her Capitol Records album "In Love Again!"
1964 - Brian Wilson, member of the Capitol Records band The Beach Boys, marries sixteen-year-old Marilyn Rovell
1971 - Apple Records releases Wings' first album "Wild Life" which is distributed in the United States by Capitol Records
1981 - At two sessions held in Los Angeles, California The Motels, featuring Martha Davis (on vocals) record the track "Mission Of Mercy" at the first session and "Mine, Forever Mine" at the second. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on the group's album "All Four One" (ST-12177).
1998 - Filling in for an ailing Madonna, Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks and his alter-ego, Capitol Records artist Chris Gaines, are the opening act for the 1998 Billboard Music Awards. Brooks is named Country artist of the year at the ceremony.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - The Beatles' The Apple Boutique opens in London, England at the corner of Baker and Paddington Streets.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Over 2,000 people, on ships and on land, are killed in a series of air attacks executed by pilots of the Japanese Navy on the United States Naval facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii