I was recently invited to make a lecture about early sound recordings in North Africa and the Middle East at Paris Music Library. For those who can understand French, the video of the lecture is now available online. Thanks to all those who helped me preparing my presentation: Jonathan Ward, Mehdi J Blige, Henri Chamoux, Will … Continue reading Lecture about early sound recordings in North Africa and the Middle East at Paris Music Library
New Year’s Eve 1929
Nice Odéon advertisement from 1929. Source: Le Petit journal, December 24th, 1929 - Gallica.
“Sentencing saphir machines to eternal silence…”
"The Court concludes that it is urgent to forbid bad talking machines to deform the public's artistic sense and unanimously sentences saphir machines to eternal silence". Fascinating example of the commercial battle between the Gramophone Company and Pathé in France in the early 20th century! Source: Le Matin, January 26th, 1910 - Gallica.
“L’homme qui a un poète à sa solde ne peut lutter avec l’homme qui a un Phonographe Edison”
An advertisement from 1907 for the French branch of the Edison Company. Source: Le Matin, December 5th, 1907 - Gallica
To each age its legal issues
Interesting story: in 1928, two Opera artists take legal action against the French P.T.T. (Posts, Telegraphs and Telephons). Source: Le Petit Journal, December 24th, 1928 - Gallica.
Grock, 1931
A portrait of Swiss clown Grock in an advertisement from 1931 for Odéon records. Source: L'Intransigeant, June 26th, 1931 - Gallica.
Music and genealogy: an interview on La Gazette des Ancêtres
I was invited by my fellow Gallicanaute Sophie Boudarel to answer some questions on her blog La Gazette des Ancêtres about the links between music and genealogy. How can genealogy tools be useful in a research on an artist, a label or record dealer? What does a records collection tell us about an ancestor? Read … Continue reading Music and genealogy: an interview on La Gazette des Ancêtres
What will be the future of phonograph? A retrofuturistic text from 1929
While browsing Gallica, I came across this fascinating and very visionary text published in 1929 in French newspaper L'Intransigeant. Its author wonders about the future of phonograph and writes about music, cinema, radio, TV and... internet! Source: L'Intransigeant, October 21st, 1929 - Gallica
A great cabrette solo from French Auvergne by Martin Cayla
Today's post features a great solo of cabrette, the Auvergne’s traditional bagpipe, by Martin Cayla. Starting the late 1920's, Cayla recorded extensively on his own label "Le Soleil", which first shop was located 26, rue des Taillandiers, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, before moving to 33, rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement (the … Continue reading A great cabrette solo from French Auvergne by Martin Cayla
A guest mix of North African 78s for the Vinyl Factory
I made a mix of North African 78 rpm records from my collection and wrote a piece on 78s collecting for The Vinyl Factory. It will let you hear both folk and popular music recordings made in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia from the 1930s to the 1950s. It starts and finishes with hypnotic gasba flute performances … Continue reading A guest mix of North African 78s for the Vinyl Factory
Ceints de bakélite 