Mendez Recordings

Claes-Tilly · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 2:50 am Post subject: Mendez Recordings

Here in Sweden Rafael Mendez is not that famous as in the states. I heard a very interesting "class" ( sorry don´t find the english word) by Leonard Candeleria in a ITG conference in Gothenborg a few years ago. I was now looking for recordings at my favorite brass store spaeth and Schmid in Germany and they have a lot. For example one called The worlds greatest trumpeter wich includes 12 cd:s. Are someone here familiar with it. Maybe Dave Hickman can recomend some other recordings with mr Mendez.
Greetings from a very dark Sweden
Classe.

trpt.hick · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:10 am Post subject:

Through considerable efforts, I managed to reissue all of the Mendez recordings on CDs through Summit Records. It took years to get a license from MCA (Decca) which controls 12 or his CDs. MCA granted us a license for three years which is now past. So, these Decca CDs are out of print again.

You can still purchase two CDs of the pre-Decca recordings Mendez did on some small labels, mainly Coast Records. Both are available through:

www.SummitRecords.com

We are now planning a DVD on Mendez, but this may not come out until Spring, 2006.

DH

Claes-Tilly · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 7:45 am Post subject:

Thanks Dave! I will order everything i can come over

Classe

Ps I played the Teleman for you in Bremen around 1995. I am still working on it with your comments in mind Ds

Skip · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject:

Dave,

Are they available on LP? Thanks.

trpt.hick · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:09 am Post subject:

Skip:

No, just CD.

DH

Skip · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:35 am Post subject:

Thanks Dave,

I've got the CD's, but I'm getting back into vinyl, and was hoping that the LP's or reissued LP's were available. I should have kept my original LP's (humm, wonder if mom still has them). Thanks.

Dr. Stu · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:29 am Post subject:

oj · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:13 am Post subject:

Stu,

Look here http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/mendez/cd/ .. and you will find all 12, with pictures etc.

Ole

Dr. Stu · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:59 pm Post subject:

Muchas gracias, oj.

-Stu

Dr. Stu · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:

Well, I just managed to get my hands on 8 of the 12 Summit reissues,

Trumpet Showcase
Magnificent Mendez
The Majestic Sound of Rafael Mendez
Trumpet Spectacular
Trumpet Magic
Presenting Rafael Mendez
Trumpet Extraordinary
Mendez and Laurindo Almeida...Together

Only 4 more to go.

Mendez in Madrid
The Singing Trumpet
Concerto for Mendez
Love and Inspiration

Dave, there is something I don't understand. Why are these Mendez albums (CD's) no longer being produced? If you managed to get these 12 albums released as CDs several years ago, why wouldn't MCA or Summit want to/ be able to renew the license?

Forgive me, I don't really understand this business, but it's not as if there is a glut of Mendez CD's to choose from (only The Legacy and Legendary Trumpet Virtuosity, as far as I know), and while I'm sure there isn't a great demand for Mendez CDs say, as compared to Miles, or Diz, etc., I do see box sets of Bix Beiderbecke and Fats Navarro and other much less popular artists.

It just seems a shame to me that such a technical virtuoso has completely disappeared from the record racks. I mean, I haven't even seen a bin card with his name on it.

-Stu

trpt.hick · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject:

Stu:

It took years of hard work to convince MCA to license the 12 LPs to Summit Records. The two Mendez sons had to use all of their political influence to persuade the president of MCA/Universal to send word down to the MCA people to make it happen.

I don't think that MCA thought that there would be much money in it for them because the market for these recordings was pretty much depleated shortly after Mendez died in 1981. We, as trumpet players can see the beauty of having these recordings reissued on CD, but in comparison to many current pop artists on the various labels owned by MCA, the Mendez stuff was insignificent. Like I mentioned, it was really the Mendez' influence on the prez of Universal that did the trick. (The son of the prez was engaged to a daughter of one of the Mendez brothers!)

The license was for five years. When that term ended, the CDs ceased to be sold. Summit has been seeking a new license but it has not been granted yet. The Mendez brothers are wanting to see the CDs reissued again in 2006, the 100th birthday year of Rafael. So, there is a push again to make it all happen once more. Hope it works out.

The two CDs still available through SR are from pre-Decca recordings and are not owned by MCA. These older recordings are owned by the Mendez estate. They were happy to license them to Summit.

So, there you have it.

DH

PS: The revised and expanded 100th birthday biography is almost ready to take to the printers! I will announce when it when it is available. It looks TERRIFIC!!!

Dr. Stu · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:04 pm Post subject:

mateo · Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:56 am Post subject: mendez recordings

(prof. hickman) here is a question: do you know what recording mendez did with mariachi? Miguel Martinez said that he played with mendez when he was really young on a recording for a mexican duet called hermanas padilla. Miguel can't recall which one it was because he has literally recorded hundreds of albums with different artists. I am curious myself and I know that jonathan clarke one of the most established mariachi historians is working on finding stuff like that. If you have any input please let me know.
thanks
mateo

trpt.hick · Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject:

Mateo:

It's hard to say, but if you know the label or title of the tune(s), you could easily find it in the recordings listing in the back of the MAGNIFICENT MENDEZ book. See if you can give me more information.

Mendez recorded numerous 78 rpm records early in his career for the PanAmerican, Azteca, and Exclusive labels (in Mexico). These did not feature him all that much. He later recorded 22 solos for the Coast label in Los Angeles. Those led to his 12 LP albums for Decca.

The Rafael Mendez Library has numerous other recordings for small labels, live radio broadcasts, and live appearances with high school and college bands and orchestras. All are listed in the back of the book.

Dave

trumpaholic · Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:55 pm Post subject:

I was lucky enough to hear Rafael in Barrie Ontario in 1956 when I was 12 years old. He was my inspriation then and I can still hear that wonderful sound so brilliant and big!

mateo · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:08 am Post subject:

from what I understand Mariachi vargas used to have a contract to record exclusively for RCA Victor from early 50's through late 70's, but I know that they all used to make money on the side by recording on other labels, panamerican being one. Because RCA owned their name for the recordings they (members of Mariachi Vargas) went with other groups or just called the whole group something else: mariachi los apaches, Mariachi los mensajeros, mariachi los monarchas that I'm aware of...hope that can help you help me! thanks
mateo

trpt.hick · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:39 am Post subject:

I will be doing other research in the Mendez Library over the weekend. I'll see if I can get the names of the groups as they appear on the older mariachi records.

DH

trpt.hick · Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:36 am Post subject:

Mateo:

OK, I did a small amount of research in the Mendez library last night. There are dozens of old 78 rpm records with Mendez for the Mexican labels I listed earlier. The disk labels do not offer much information.

There is one record on RCA Mexicana with Mariarchi de Silvestre Vargas. One side has "Nos La Echamos" and the other side has "Las Botellas" arranged by Mendez. I am not positive that Mendez is actually playing, but I assume he is. Unfortunately, I do not have immediate access to a 78 disk player to help me judge the trumpet playing and determine if it is Mendez.

Another record features the mariachi group of F. Camacho Vega. The two tunes are: "Himno Nacional Mexicano" and "Zacatecas." Again, I can only assume that Mendez is playing on this Azteca recording.

Mendez is on several other recordings with such Mexican artists as Adelina Garcia, Carlos Duval, Consuelo Camacho, Fernando Rusas, and Tono Negro.

I did no find any record with the titles you listed.

Dave

mateo · Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:56 am Post subject:

thanks, those recordings are good too, silvestre vargas was the director and one of the founders of mariachi vargas that is still in existence today! wherever vargas was during those days, miguel martinez was sure to be on that recording along with a guy named jesus cordoba, or the brothers crescencio and pedro hernandez. But since that is already known for sure it would be interesting to see whether or not mendez was on any of those recordings too! Thanks again for all your help.
mateo

BudBix · Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:44 pm Post subject:

Maybe you all can explain something to me. What can it possibly cost MCA to license these recordings to Summit? How can it hurt MCA? If these recordings are SO insignificant to them why do they care one way or the other? What's the point of restricting the pubilc from purchasing this music?