Coda 

The OKeh Record Card and Venuti’s Copyright list “Running Ragged” only as the title of the composition. Thus, the subtitle “Bamboozlin’ the Bassoon” was not part of the original title of Venuti’s “Running Ragged.” From the evidence provided here, it is clear that the subtitle “Bamboozlin’ the Bassoon” was added by Parlophone when it issued the record in 1930.

It is not the first time that Parlophone modified the title of an OKeh record. A particularly relevant example is Bix Beiderbecke’s “In Mist.” Here are scans of the OKeh and Parlophone record labels. The OKeh record(9) was released in 1927, the Parlophone record(10) in 1928. 

Figure 9: OKeh 4096 Record Label. Courtesy of the late Joe Giordano. 

Figure 10: Parlophone R3504 Record Label. 

It will be seen that the title “In A Mist,” assigned to the piece by the composer (Bix Beiderbecke) in his copyright filing,(11) is displayed on the OKeh record label. 

Figure 11: Copyright of “In A Mist.”

In contrast, the Parlophone record label gives the title as “Bixology” with the subtitle “In A Mist” added in parentheses. Note also the misspelling (twice) of Bix’s family name. 

In 1934, Parlophone(12) re-issued ”Bixology” but this time “In A Mist” was not even cited as a subtitle! Bix’s last name was still misspelled. 

Figure 12: Parlophone E 1838 Record Label.

In 1896 the Parlophon Parlograph Company was established in Germany as a subsidiary of the Carl Lindström Company. British Parlophone was created on August 8, 1923 as a subsidiary of Parlophon with Oscar Preuss as manager. 

The Columbia Phonograph Company was founded in 1887 in Washington, DC (hence its name Columbia) by Edward D. Easton and a consortium of investors. In 1922 the company sold its British subsidiary, the Columbia Graphophone Company, to a group of British investors. In 1925 a reversal took place and the (American) Columbia Phonograph Company was purchased by the (British) Columbia Graphophone Company. 

In 1926, the Columbia Graphophone Company took control of the Carl Lindström Company, including Parlophone. In 1931, Columbia Graphophone Company merged with the Gramophone Company and became Electric & Musical Industries Limited (EMI). 

OKeH Records, named after the initials of its founder, Otto K. E. Heinemann, a German-American manager for the U.S. branch of Odeon Records (owned by Carl Lindstrom), was founded in 1918. In 1926 OKeh was acquired by the British Columbia Graphophone Company. As indicated above, the same year Columbia had taken possession of Parlophone. 

Thus, through a circuitous path, Parlophone and OKeh were co-owned by the same company, British Columbia Graphophone. 

As a result of this fortuitous set of circumstances, OKeh’s stellar collection of jazz recordings became available to Parlophone which became the dominant jazz label in the United Kingdom in the 1920s and 1930s.The jazz Parlophone records appeared in the 1920s in the R-3000 and R-100 series. In November 1929 Parlophone launched the “New Rhythm Style Series” with Edgar Jackson, the first editor of the influential magazine Melody Maker, as director. The series lasted until April 1932 and was replaced by The Second ‘New Rhythm Style Series.” Sixty records (120 sides) were issued in the first “New Rhythm Style Series.” Joe Venuti’s “Running Ragged” was number 13 and was coupled with number 14, “Basin Street Blues” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra. Interestingly, [9] Joe Venuti ranked second in the number of sides issued in the “New Rhythm Style Series” (15) with Louis Armstrong being first (37). 

According to Norman Field [10], “The Parlophone label, possibly more than any other, was crucial to the development of Jazz Appreciation in this country (N.B. UK). They were the label that knew what they were doing in the 1920s, that Golden Age, that crucial, heady period when Jazz progressed so fast! At least, I think they thought they knew what they were doing! They seemed to carefully sift the OKeh listings for good material, and followed it up fairly systematically. Naturally, the function of a record company is to sell records; that goes without saying, but it seems to me that Parlophone kept on issuing things that got good reviews from the newly-arrived magazines like the MELODY MAKER and GRAMOPHONE. This shows a dedication to the promotion of what was then called ‘Modern Dance Music’ that was as commendable as it was unique for the time.” 

It is well-known that Parlophone record labels included additions to the information listed in the original OKeh record labels and files. 

There are numerous examples of discographical annotations included on the labels of Parlophone records. Compare the label of the original OKeh record(13) for “Three Blind Mice” with that of the Parlophone record.(14)

Figure 13: OKeh 40903 Record Label.

Figure 14: Parlophone R 105 Record Label. 

The label of the OKeh record simply gives the title and the names of two of the musicians in the orchestra. The label of the Parlophone embellishes the title by adding “Rhythmic Theme in advanced Harmony” and provides the names of four musicians. British jazz aficionados were enthusiastic about Parlophone’s efforts to provide names of the instrumental stars that were present in their recording sessions. Unfortunately, in several instances there were serious errors: Joe Venuti did not participate in the recording of “Three Blind Mice,” and the pianist was Irving Riskin, not Arthur Schutt. 

Another example: The OKeh 40871 issue of “For No Reason At All In C” identifies the musicians as “Tram, Bix and Eddie (In Their Three-Piece Band).” The Parlophone R 3419 Parlophone record label gives Frank Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbeck [sic], Ed Lang and Arthur Schutt (In their Four-Piece Orchestra). It turns out that four instruments were used in the recording, but only three musicians were present--Beiderbecke doubled on cornet and piano. Thus, the musicians were: saxophone (Trumbauer), guitar (Lang), cornet (Bix), piano (Bix). Pianist Arthur Schutt was not a member of the band. 

Parlophone often used pseudonyms instead of the names of the original artists listed in the labels of OKeh records. Here are some examples. 

• Frankie Trumbauer’s “Louise” (OKeh 41231) was credited to Will Perry’s Orchestra 0n Parlophone E 6208. 

• Frankie Trumbauer’s “Borneo” (OKeh 41039) was credited to The Goofus Five and Their Orchestra on Parlophone R 203. 

• The Travelers’ “Fine and Dandy” (OKeh 41471) was credited to The Dorsey Brothers and their New Dynamiks [sic] on Parlophone R 993. 

• The most egregious substitution: Duke Ellington’s “Black and Tan Fantasy” (Okeh 8521 and 40955) was credited to Louis Armstrong’s Original Washboard Beaters on Parlophone R 3492.