News

This May, you can hear what only a handful of people have ever heard: the oldest recordings of banjo songs in existence, played by an African American veteran of the minstrel stage, Charles A. Asbury. 4 Banjo Songs, 1891-1897 presents four of the rarest wax cylinders in a beautiful vinyl package. It is a seven-inch 45-rpm disc in a gatefold sleeve, with lyrics and a 16-page booklet of biographical and musical notes by Grammy-nominated authors Richard Martin and Ted Olson. 4 Banjo Songs will be released May 4th, and pre-ordering will begin in April.
See the selections >

Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, Inventor of Sound Recording: A Bicentennial Tribute has received a Grammy nomination in the category of Best Album Notes. Congratulations to our colleague David Giovannoni, who so beautifully told the story of the first person to record the human voice.

Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville invented sound recording twenty years before Thomas Edison re-invented it. But his phonautograph is only one of his many accomplishments. Our upcoming release, Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, Inventor of Sound Recording: A Bicentennial Tribute, tells his story in depth. This extensively illustrated 48-page softcover book presents new research on Scott and his role as the father of sound recording. Included is a 33-1/3 flexi disc with phonautograms not only by Scott, but also by famous inventors who were inspired by him and his invention: Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and Emile Berliner. A link to stream or download the audio is included as well.

The next volume in our Phonographic Yearbook Series, 1909: “Talk of Your Scand’lous Times,” is now available and shipping immediately. You can hear samples,  see the full tracklist, and order at 1909‘s catalogue page.

All in-stock volumes of our Phonographic Yearbook are on sale through March 31. We’ve got sixteen years available—take a look at the full list and catch up on years that you’ve missed. Orders that include 1909: “Talk of Your Scand’lous Times” will ship as one package when 1909 is released.

The next volume in our Phonographic Yearbook Series, 1909: “Talk of Your Scand’lous Times,” is coming late March. We’ve got the cover art, final playlist, and sound samples online now, so take a few minutes to check them out.

Celebrate Black History Month by discovering the sounds and stories of some of the great early African-Americans to record. For all of February, you can save on our single-artist releases featuring Wilbur Sweatman, Mary Stafford and Edith Wilson, the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet, and two volumes of the great Bert Williams (Vol. 2. & Vol. 3).

Waxing the Gospel has been nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Historical Album and Best Album Notes. Congratulations to all members of the production team and to the many generous collectors who shared their rare records. To celebrate the nominations, we’ve put Waxing the Gospel  on sale for $49.95 until mid-January.

Waxing the Gospel is one of the box sets included in this year's edition of The New York Times Pop Music Gift Guide. Read the recommendation and grab yours today!

The Vinyl District’s “Grading on a Curve” column has given Waxing the Gospel a terrific review and a grade of A+. “Waxing the Gospel is overflowing with humanity throughout; it’s a shoo-in for the short list of 2016’s finest archival releases.” Read Joseph Neff’s full review and order your copy today.

Pop Matters on Waxing the Gospel, released today: “A masterpiece of scholarship and curatorship, this collection sets a new standard for the presentation of early recordings.” Read the terrific first review and order your copy today.

Made in 1894 by African-American singing group the Standard Quartette, this cylinder pre-dates all extant recordings of “Swing Low” by 15 years. Read the full press release about this historic find →

Collectors of early recordings have long heard about the Yiddish-language cylinders made under unknown circumstances by the Lambert Company of Chicago, but virtually no one had ever heard them. Attractive Hebrews: The Lambert Yiddish Cylinders, 1901-1905 answers many questions and poses new ones about early recording history. A fascinating listen and an engaging read, this is also a one-of-a-kind look at early Yiddish theater. The set includes a 56-page booklet with notes and translations by well-known Yiddish expert Henry Sapoznik. Learn more, listen to samples, and order →

America’s most famous hymn writer, thought never to have recorded, to be featured on Waxing the Gospel.  Read the full press release about her first and only recording →

Our long-anticipated box set Waxing the Gospel: Mass Evangelism and the Phonograph, 1890-1900 is slated for a September 30 release. Waxing the Gospel offers a historic look at the first decade of the recording industry, presenting 3 CDs with 102 selections from the 1890s in a 408-page hardback book.

• » Trailer 1: Album Overview
• » Trailer 2: Harry Heath's 1897 field recordings
• »Trailer 3: The Standard Quartette's 1894 recording of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
• » Order today
• » Explore CD 1: The Commercial Recordings
• » Explore CD 2: The Celebrity Recordings
• » Explore CD 3: The Vernacular Recordings

Conference season is upon us, and we’ll be participating in at least three conferences and music events this spring.  Here’s the list of what’s lined up so far.

Our first release, Real Ragtime: Disc Recordings From Its Heyday is newly remastered and back in stock. The sound is better than ever, layout improved, and some textual corrections have been made. How excited are we to have it back? It’s on sale for just $7.99 until March 12. Listen to the new sound ...

Grammy nominations are out, and our Joseph C. Smith compilation Songs of the Night is nominated for Best Album Notes. This is the first nomination for author Ryan Barna, and the twelfth for Archeophone. Congratulations to Ryan on the recognition for his fine work!

Our Joseph C. Smith collection, Songs of the Night: Dance Recordings, 1916-1925 is now available and shipping immediately. The 2 CD set features 47 selections and a 32-page booklet full of new research on Smith and his innovations. Learn more and order.

Randall Roberts reviewed our Dan W. Quinn set in the L.A. Times. Read the review online >

Our next release will be a 2 CD compilation of Joseph C. Smith’s recordings. See the playlist and listen to one of the selections that didn’t make the cut at our blog >

Dan W. Quinn, Anthology: The King of Comic Singers, 1894-1917 is now available and shipping immediately. Anthology features 30 selections that trace Quinn’s career from the early 1890s through his 1910s comeback and includes a 52-page full-color booklet with extensive new research and notes. Learn more >