Sultan Records
Encyclopedia
Sultan Recording Company, headquartered in Detroit, was a short-lived label started c. 1946 by Morton Sultan (1921 - 1983).
Its gimmick was "Double-header hits," meaning that two different artists shared each 78 rpm.
As far as is known only three jazz artists recorded for Sultan: Red Saunders
, Eddie Wiggins and Alphonso "Sonny" Thompson. The only other known Sultan recording is of songs in Hebrew and Yiddish, recorded in Detroit by a synagogue cantor in 1946.
"Hatikvah
", sung in Hebrew, would, in two year's time become the national anthem of Israel, while "Ich fur Aheim" was a Yiddish popular song.
in its September 1946 issue: "This is the pianist who came into the Café Society Uptown two months ago. It's said he's potentially great, but since both these sides are just so much fast flashy boogie woogie, with a meaningless pseudo-classical departure, we'll reserve our raves."
Reviewing Saunders' "Red, the Be Bop Guy", Metronome said, "Saunders' little Chicago band does a vocal novelty that sounds more like typical jump music than be bop. It's a medium-tempo blues with a good beat and some tricky alto by Nat Jones. The same Mr. Jones, who played clarinet for the Duke for a while some three years ago, plays a sweet solo on 'Vi,' but the band and performance are out of kilter and perhaps a trifle off center."
The October 1946 issue of Metronome, referring to the Eddie Wiggins sides: "This little band from Chicago, which opened at New York's Aquarium last month, jumps healthily in 'Onyx,' with good solos by alto and vibes and some spirited riffing. Nothing sensational here, but very good for an unknown band of which you expected nothing. 'Orientale' shifts the alto man to oboe for a performance that sounds alarmingly like its title and is a weird mixture of exotic sound effects and jump piano. It gets better as it goes along and turns out to be a fast blues, then back comes that oboe."
Its gimmick was "Double-header hits," meaning that two different artists shared each 78 rpm.
As far as is known only three jazz artists recorded for Sultan: Red Saunders
Red Saunders
Red Saunders was a British photographer and founder of Rock Against Racism. He has specialised in rock music photography. He is part of theatre group Complicite.-External links:* * http://www.reddogonline.eu/mcredman.htm...
, Eddie Wiggins and Alphonso "Sonny" Thompson. The only other known Sultan recording is of songs in Hebrew and Yiddish, recorded in Detroit by a synagogue cantor in 1946.
Series 2500
Its three jazz 78s were recorded in Chicago in June 1946:- 2501 - Side A: "Orientale" (Wiggins) - Eddie Wiggins Sextette - Musicians: Eddie Wiggins (as-2; ob -1); Gene RussellGene RussellGene Russell was an American pop, jazz, and soul keyboardist who played acoustic and Fender Rhodes.He is mainly known for the albums he released on Black Jazz Records.-Discography:*1967: Takin' Care of Business*1967: Up and Away...
(p); Red Cody (vib); Frank Gassi (eg); Jack Fonda (b); Steve Varela (d). - 2501 - Side B: "Red, the Be Bop Guy" (Red SaundersRed SaundersRed Saunders was a British photographer and founder of Rock Against Racism. He has specialised in rock music photography. He is part of theatre group Complicite.-External links:* * http://www.reddogonline.eu/mcredman.htm...
and his Band) which included an unannounced guest appearance by Buster BennettBuster BennettBuster Bennett was an American blues saxophonist and vocalist. At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. He was known for his gutbucket style on the saxophone...
- Musicians: Saunders (d, voc, ldr); George "Sonny" Cohn (tp); Joseph "Buster" Bennett (voc, as -1); Nat JonesNat JonesNat Jones is an American artist working primarily in comic books and film. Jones is best known for his work on Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer.-Penciller:*Crypt of Dawn *The Crow / Razor: Kill the Pain...
(as); Leon WashingtonLeon WashingtonLeon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son...
(ts); Porter Derrico (p); Mickey SimsMickey SimsRobert Anderson "Mickey" Sims is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina State.Mr...
(b).
- 2502 - Side A: "South Side Boogie" (Thompson) - "Sonny" Thompson, Prince of the Ivories;
- 2502 - Side B: "Onyx Jump" (Wiggins) - Eddie Wiggins Sextette;
- 2503 - Side A: "Vi, Tell Me Why" (Dean-Saunders) - Red Saunders and His band;
- 2503 - Side B: "Sonny's Boogie" (Thompson) - "Sonny" Thompson, Prince of the Ivories;
Series 1000
- 1000 - Side A: "Hatikvah"; Side B: "Ich fur Aheim" - CantorHazzanA hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
Hyman Adler of Congregation B'nai David in Detroit.
"Hatikvah
Hatikvah
"Hatikvah" is the national anthem of Israel. The anthem was written by Naphtali Herz Imber, a secular Galician Jew from Zolochiv , who moved to the Land of Israel in the early 1880s....
", sung in Hebrew, would, in two year's time become the national anthem of Israel, while "Ich fur Aheim" was a Yiddish popular song.
Critical reviews
The two Sonny Thompson sides were reviewed by MetronomeMetronome magazine
Metronome Magazine was a music-guide magazine published from the 1881 until 1961.The magazine in its early years catered for musicians in marching and then dance bands, but from the swing era, Metronome focused primarily on the genre of Jazz music appealing to fans...
in its September 1946 issue: "This is the pianist who came into the Café Society Uptown two months ago. It's said he's potentially great, but since both these sides are just so much fast flashy boogie woogie, with a meaningless pseudo-classical departure, we'll reserve our raves."
Reviewing Saunders' "Red, the Be Bop Guy", Metronome said, "Saunders' little Chicago band does a vocal novelty that sounds more like typical jump music than be bop. It's a medium-tempo blues with a good beat and some tricky alto by Nat Jones. The same Mr. Jones, who played clarinet for the Duke for a while some three years ago, plays a sweet solo on 'Vi,' but the band and performance are out of kilter and perhaps a trifle off center."
The October 1946 issue of Metronome, referring to the Eddie Wiggins sides: "This little band from Chicago, which opened at New York's Aquarium last month, jumps healthily in 'Onyx,' with good solos by alto and vibes and some spirited riffing. Nothing sensational here, but very good for an unknown band of which you expected nothing. 'Orientale' shifts the alto man to oboe for a performance that sounds alarmingly like its title and is a weird mixture of exotic sound effects and jump piano. It gets better as it goes along and turns out to be a fast blues, then back comes that oboe."