Squeeze Play (album)

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Squeeze Play
Studio album by
John Serry Sr.
Released1956, New York City
Recorded1956, New York City
GenrePop, classical, instrumental
Length30:14
LabelDot Records
ProducerBen Selvin
John Serry Sr. chronology
RCA Thesaurus - RCA Victor Transcriptions
(1954) 		Squeeze Play
(1956) 		Leone Jump Sonora Records Jukebox single
(1945)
Singles from Squeeze Play
  1. "Chicago Musette - John Serry et Son Accordéon"
    Released: 1958 France
External audio
audio icon You may hear John Serry performing his arrangements of Granada and Secret Love from the album Squeeze Play as released on Chicago Musette: John Serry et son Accordéon in 1958 Here on Gallica.BnF
audio icon You may hear the complete album Squeeze Play (Dot,1956) Here on Archive.org

Squeeze Play is an Ultra High Fidelity monaural phonographic album (331⁄3 RPM) which was released on the Dot Records label in 1956 (DLP-3024)[1] featuring John Serry Sr. It includes an original composition by Serry, classical works, and popular music of the era.[2] Ben Selvin serves as the musical director/producer for the album. The works were arranged by Serry and performed with his ensemble featuring two accordions, piano, guitar, bass, drum, vibes, and marimba.[3][4][5][6]

The liner notes of the album claim that

[T]he tunes that Mr. Serry has so expertly recorded are craftily arranged, superbly performed. Each tune is a small production within itself... and look at the variety of material...What Serry has done here is present the accordion as the melodic instrument that is capable of producing beautiful sounds in a legato style...Serry has placed the accent on interpretation and in doing so has come up with twelve sparkling performances that provide a delightful contrast to the much overdone virtuoso style of accordion playing.

The album was cited in a critical review of new popular albums of 1956 in The Billboard magazine and was described as providing beautiful performances which created a soothing mood, in contrast to common entertainment.[7] The album was also reviewed in The Cash Box magazine later that year. Serry's performances were noted for establishing a variety of musical moods with grace while also emphasizing a relaxed performance style.[8][9]

In 1958 selected songs from the album were released in France by Versailles records (#90 M 1788) as Chicago Musette - John Serry et son accordéon.[10][11][12] Dot Records also released several songs from the album in Japan as part of a compilation recording including performances of easy listening music by both the John Serry Orchestra and the Billy Vaughn Orchestra (Ballroom in Dreamland, Dot #5006).[13]

A copy of the album and the composer's original orchestral score have been donated for archival purposes to the Eastman School of Music's Sibley Music Library within the Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Department for the benefit of researchers and students (John J. Serry Sr. Collection).[14][15]

Track listing[edit]

Side One

  1. "Garden in Monaco" (Composer - John Serry Sr.)[16] – 2:58
  2. "Terry's Theme" - (Charles Chaplin) – 2:39
  3. "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" - (Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin) – 2:31
  4. "Blue Bell" - (S. Stanley) – 2:15
  5. "Rockin' The Anvil" - theme by Giuseppe Verdi (See Anvil Chorus)/ music John Serry Sr.[17] – 2:35
  6. "Secret Love" - (Paul Francis Webster, Sammy Fain) – 2:18

Side Two

  1. "Granada"- (Agustín Lara) – 3:14
  2. "Side by Side" - (Harry M. Woods) – 2:18
  3. "My Heart Cries for You" - (Percy Faith, Carl Sigman) – 1:58
  4. "Hawaiian Night" - (Hans Carste, Francis Vincente) – 2:37
  5. "Button Up Your Overcoat" - (Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson) – 2:14
  6. "Rock 'N' Roll Polka" - (Mort Lindsey, George Skinner) – 2:37

Ensemble artists[edit]

Archived recordings[edit]

  • The John J. Serry Sr. Collection - within The University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music Sibley Music Library: Special Collections contains a copy of the album Squeeze Play (DLP-3024, 1954) for the benefit of researchers and students.[21][22]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Dot Album Discography, Part 2 (1955-1960)". bsnpubs.com. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  2. ^ [1] "John Serry cited as the composer of the song "Garden In Monaco" online on BMI Songview at repertoire.bmi.com
  3. ^ Who Is Who In Music International 1958, Publisher: Who Is Who In Music International, Chicago, IL. Biography File # B11719 for John Serry. See International Biographical Center, Cambodge, England as the current publisher.
  4. ^ The Billboard 1 December 1956 P. 22
  5. ^ Squeeze play, 1956, OCLC 12935411, retrieved 2017-09-18
  6. ^ Squeeze Play Featuring the Dynamic Accordion of John Serry album listing on discogs.com
  7. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1956-12-01). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ The Cash Box, Album Reviews, Cash Box Publishing, New York, 8 December 1956, Vol.XVIII, No. 12, P. 38 Review in Cash Box magazine Vol. XVIII, No. 12, Pg. 38 of "Squeeze Play" on americanradiohistory.com
  9. ^ Review of the album "Squeeze Play" in "The Cash Box" magazine - See Album Reviews column on December 8, 1956 p. 38 on americanradiohistory.com
  10. ^ Chicago Musette - John Serry on vintagemuisic.fm
  11. ^ Chicago Musette - John Serry et son Accordéon on catalogue.bnf.fr(in French)
  12. ^ Chicago Musette - John Serry et son accordéon - John Serry performing on accordion on youtube.com
  13. ^ Album: Ballroom in Dreamland featuring music by the Billy Vaughn Orchestra and the John Serry Orchestra on discogs.com
  14. ^ "Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Home". Sibley Music Library. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  15. ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: "John J. Serry Sr. Collection" - archive of compositions arrangements, performances and photographs by John Serry in "The John J. Serry Sr. Collection" at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music Sibley Music Library: Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections on esm.rochester.edu
  16. ^ BMI-Songview Catalogue - "Garden in Monaco" by John Serry on repertoire.bmi.com
  17. ^ BMI-Songview Catalogue - "Rockin the Anvil" by John Serry on repertoire.bmi.com
  18. ^ Squeeze Play Featuring the Dynamic Accordion of John Serry album credits including John Serry playing lead accordion and arranger on discogs.com
  19. ^ Squeeze Play Featuring the Dynamic Accordion of John Serry album credits including Bernie Leighton playing piano on discogs.com
  20. ^ Squeeze Play Featuring the Dynamic Accordion of John Serry album credits including Al Caiola playing guitar on discogs.com
  21. ^ "Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Home". Sibley Music Library. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
  22. ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: John J. Serry Sr. Collection - archive of compositions arrangements, performances and photographs by John Serry. See p. 19 Item 12 "Squeeze Play"" in the archive on esm.rochester.edu

External links[edit]

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