Pianoman wrote:

What was Bing's first stereo album?  Can't find anything about it.  Thanks for the help!

'Pianoman', welcome to this discussion forum.

An interesting question, because there is no totally clearcut answer. Issue dates and recording dates produce different answers, as does the definition of 'Bing's album'

The first recordings of which I am aware, in stereo, were those for the film 'High Society' made in January and February 1956. Given that Bing appears on five tracks on the issued album, I suppose you might say it is 'his'. But then the stereo version was not issued until several years later.

The first album that was 100% Bing,  recorded and issued in stereo was to the best of my knowledge 'Bing With A Beat' recorded in February 1957 with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band. (Unless others know better?) My memory is that the stereo version also followed the mono issue, but I could not now say what the intervening gap might have been. Those were the days of course when there were parallel mono and stereo issues, and whilst the studios were recording in stereo there was a delayed take up by the public .

As an aside I'd add that there are a number of tracks recorded in mono prior to that date with Buddy Cole and his Trio that were overlaid, very effectively, some believe, with a stereo orchestral backing after Bing's death.

I am sure others might fill gaps and might even have to hand the original issue dates.

Last edited by Richard Baker (22/2/2012 11:57 pm)

Malcolm Macfarlane wrote:

I didn't think "Bing With a Beat" was issued as a stereo LP but I could be wrong. I know that tracks from the album did turn up on a CD in stereo but the LP was mono I believe. I'd say that "Fancy Meeting You Here" was the first stereo LP.

Well, I did say -

Richard Baker wrote:

(Unless others know better?)

I have never kept much track of stereo as distinct from mono issues, but Malcolm, you have sent me back to my LP shelves and into comparisons with CDs.

And of course you are correct. The CD is in stereo (though 'Along the Way to Waikiki' seems to have little or no directional effect). My original LP is, as I knew, very definitely mono. But where I had tripped up is with the RCA double LP entitled 'This Is Bing Crosby'  and  'Stereo DPS 2066'. Here we have tracks from 'Bing With A Beat' and 'Fancy Meeting You Here'   intermingled.  All apparently stereo. But the 'Bing With A Beat'   tracks are marked with a little (e) to signify 'electronically reprocessed for stereo'.  But why on earth, RCA, issue tracks so reprocessed when genuine stereo tracks existed, as proven by the later issue of the CD?

A lesson for me to go back to original source material and not rely on either my own (as it is now evident) incomplete notes or on apparent indications of catalogue numbers.

So, 'Pianoman', the first recordings made in stereo were the tracks for 'High Society' followed by 'Bing With A Beat'. The first issued stereo album would have been 'Fancy Meeting You Here' followed by 'How The West Was Won' (mono and stereo versions were definitely issued together) and the first of the 'Singalong' albums with the genuine stereo of 'Bing With A Beat' not appearing until the CD issue of 2004.

Memory tells me that the 'High Society' album in stereo might not have appeared until the late '50s or even early '60s.

Unless others know better?

Last edited by Richard Baker (23/2/2012 3:12 pm)

I remember buying the HMV radiogram, table model and the gimmick was, as told by the manufacturer, to place the machine in a corner.
The machine had speakers each side of it and by placing it in a corner the sound would 'bounce out and hit the wall' to give a stereo effect.

I know this discussion took place almost a year ago, but I have done some looking into "Bing With a Beat."  By the way, this is a highly regarded album, with some jazz critics considering it one of the top 10 traditional jazz albums ever produced.  It certainly is one of my very favorite LP's of Bing--ranking up there with "Fancy Meeting You Here," "High Society" and "Bing and Satchmo."
I've looked at the copies of the original LP on E-bay and other outlets.  I have not found any copies of the LP in stereo.  LPM-1473.  I even found a release from Italian RCA, and it has the same number. They are all listed as "A New Orthophonic High Fidelity Recording."   The amazing thing is that they had the tracks to lay down the album and release it in stereo and didn't do it until the release of the CD.  I for one am so thankful for the remastering done in 2004 for that release.  It sounds like Bing and the band just recorded it---and I love the feel that they are just jamming informally.