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Friday, March 25, 2011

The Fabulous Fingers of Irving Fields

Hawiian (this is how it is spelled on the front cover) War Chant
The Fabulous Fingers of Irving Fields
Grand Piano Records IF-4444

Here is a bit of a mystery. When I purchased this album I thought I was buying a private press lounge recording made by an artist lost to history. But, of course, Irving Fields has deep roots in the music business. He made a number of collectible space age records including Champagne and Bongs, Bikinis and Bongs and Bagels and Bongos. According to online sources, Fields was proud of his roots in lounge work.

He also blended Hebrew or Yiddish music into his lounge work which proved popular with the Catskills crowd. Hawaian (this is how the word is spelled on the back cover) War Chant is a blend of forms.

Now the mystery. The Wikipedia's discography, which claims to be incomplete, lists as Field's first record as: Irving Fields Trio: The Fabulous Fingers. But that record is on the Fiesta label. I was able to find a mention of the Fiesta press on Billboard. They list two of the tracks found on the Fiesta version in that short review. Those tracks are not on this record. I thought that, possibly, this album was a later private press reissue. I can't find this album online, nor can I find an instance of the sample track above.

1 comment:

  1. I know Irving and his manager. still plays at age 95, I think, several days per week. check out Julio cruet on Facebook-he's irvings good friend and occasional manager. Irving is amazing

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