Hello all!

I'm glad to see a thread beginning concerning music machine recordings.
Perhaps more subscribers will contribute "reviews" of recordings currently
available. I have two new CD's I can recommend:

(1) "The Royal American Shows' Grand Gavioli Band Organ"
    - recorded by Circus World Museum.

This is an Gavioli 89 No. 4, 89 keyless Fair Organ that was recently
restored by Richard Lokemoen and James Rhoda, under the direction of Fred
Dahlinger Jr.  Fred is the Director of the Robert L. Parkinson Library and
Research Center at Circus World Museum, and he is one of the worlds'
leading experts on Fairground Organ history.  (Hello Fred and Johann, if
you're reading this!)  The organ is 'on loan' to the museum for a period
of 10 years, and is actually owned by The Royal American Shows.

This is an excellent recording IMHO; the organ is in fine tune.  There are
19 songs on the CD, for a total playing time of 52 minutes.  Also included
is a very informative insert detailing the history of the organ and Royal
American Shows' dedication to the preservation of this historic instrument,
through RAS's owner, C.J. Sedlmayr, Jr.

The organ was converted from roll operation back to 89 book music, so the
music heard here is from entirely new books, which take full advantage of
the organ's capabilities.  The music is mostly 'Circus themed', and
includes a very nice selection of songs:

•  1. Fanfare #1
  2. Ringling Bros. Grand Entry
  3. Quality Plus
  4. Valse Blue
  5. Barnum & Bailey's Favorite
  6. Broadway One Step
  7. Father of Victory
  8. Roses of Memory
  9. International Vaudeville
  10. Royal Decree
  11. Liberty Bell
  12. Whistler and His Dog
  13. Blaze Away
  14. Stop It
  15. Soldiers in the Park
  16. The Cascades
  17. With Sord and Lance
  18. Hindustan
  19. Colossus of Columbia

•I believe some of these songs were arranged especially for this organ and
are not heard on any other G-4 Gavioli.  I don't know if Circus World
Museum sells by mail-order, but it's worth a go:

   Circus World Museum, 426 Water St.,
   Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913-2597 U.S.A.
   Telephone: 608-356-8341 ; Fax: 608-356-1800

(2)  "Street Organ, The Violanta, Volume 1"

A very nice recording of a marvelous (and original) 50-key Limonaire
Street Organ.  This beautiful organ attended the recent MBSI Organ Rally
in North Tonawanda, and performed very well .. in spite of the rain.

The CD is 63 minutes of gorgeous, lilting music, though I think the drums
are just a tad too loud.  Here's the tune list:

•  1. Second Waltz
  2. Amsterdam Medley #1
  3. Corso March
  4. This Is My Song
  5. Some Broken Hearts
  6. La Bohemienne
  7. Eleni
  8. Golden Heart/Ninon
  9. Rondo Russo
  10. Vivre/Prince Eitel Fridrich March
  11. Stars Over Hawaii
  12. Return to Habenera
  13. Serenade #3
  14. March Medley #1
  15. Dear One/Waltz Suite
  16. Don't Stop Our Song
  17. Greeting to Breda
  18. Ice Waltz/Schwartzwald Waltz/July Serenade
  19. Lilliputter March
  20. Vinken Waltz
  21. Kleine Cafe

•The organ is owned by Ton Van Der Heyden, and the CD is available from his
company:

   Violanta, Inc., P.O. Box 126
   Buttzville, NJ 07829 U.S.A.
   Telephone: 908-453-3111 ; Fax: 908-453-2604

These are both very fine recordings.

If you know of other CD's available from English or European sources,
please tell us about them, including an ordering address, if possible.
Theredon't seem to be very many available right now, but hopefully that
will change.

Ron Yost,¶
Paso Robles, California U.S.A.