Tape Trail

2-track of "Didn't It Rain"

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Marantzguy

I just acquired a copy of a late fifties 2-track on Bel Canto called "Didn't It Rain".
This is foot-stomping Black Gospel music with Evelyn Freeman leading The Exciting Voices.
I have it an audition today, but it sounded rather shrill to me.
Otherwise, I have been told that it is quite an interesting and very realistic recording.
Any opinions from those of you who are familiar with this tape?

Edits: 07/11/14

Follow Ups:

RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - orthophonic 12:14:36 07/18/14 (0)
I have the 4 track version of the tape and it sounds superb, maybe
slightly midrange forward but not shrill. I also have the UA release
of the 45 single and the album, the 45 sound great, the LP sounds thin.
RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - Botanico92007 10:00:50 07/14/14 (0)
Hi Richard:

I've had this tape for a long time. It's a very realistic recording, and the foot stomping can shake the room. Evelyn Freeman's wailing is near screaming at times, but live gospel singing can be this way with female voices. I've never thought of the Bel Canto tapes recorded in L.A. as being shrill.

I heard a live performance of Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2 yesterday in our local library. The three young virtuosos were coached by a Russian couple who both studied under Shostakovich in his composition class. The couple is responsible for the iPalpiti Festival (the full chamber orchestra performs in Disney Hall). I was in the third row, the performance was very aggressive and loud at certain points, and the room acoustic is less than ideal. It was a knockout performance, but I have to say there were moments of shrillness. I considered them part of the performance.

Still doing dumpster diving? I miss your field reports.

--Jerry
RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - ironbut 12:03:06 07/12/14 (0)
Hey Richard,
Long time,..

I have a few very early Bel Canto's myself and I don't recall any of them being shrill.
Perhaps this is a release of a field recording or otherwise made in less than idea circumstances.
And maybe there were some unwanted low mid sounds that were filtered out leaving the highs forward?
Just a WAG. But that's what I do!
RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - jamestavegia@gmail.com 18:40:49 07/11/14 (2)
Now it is your turn to put your Mastering Engineer's hat on and make it great.
Jim Tavegia
- RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - Marantzguy 19:20:58 07/11/14 (1)
  Hi, James:
  
  I could indeed re-master this recording and re-eq the entire thing.
  
  I was just surprised by the quality of the sound.
  
  I wonder if the actual master tape still exists?
  
  Incidentally, the title tune was released as a 45 around the early sixties and it was actually a very popular item then.
  - RE: 2-track of "Didn't It Rain" - jamestavegia@gmail.com 03:58:02 07/12/14 (0)
    I said that only because I have an LP of some very early Nat King Cole Trio performances from radio broadcasts and the recording quality is pretty bad. The techniques of mic placement needed to make great recordings just was not up to par. I know this as the spoken word part of the presentations is very clear and full bodied.
    
    It is too bad as the performances from the Torcodero Club (CA) are very interesting. Even if they had some old Shure Unidynes put in the right places it would have been better than this. It is hard to fix now.
    Jim Tavegia

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