VENTURE IN MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27385, 10 May 1950, Page 10

VENTURE IN MUSIC

Recordings Of Dominion Performers POPULAR IN DUNEDIN Recordings of cowboy and popular music made in the country by New Zealand performers have been enjoying remarkable popularity in Dunedin since their appearance on the market about six months ago. The Wellington firm that makes them has decided that its purpose is to give New Zealand performers an opportunity to show their ability, and taking a lead from the United Nations, has adopted the trade name Tanza, the initial letters of the words “to assist New Zealand artists.” A Dunedin distributor said yesterday that the firm's recordings were of good quality and were very popular with the average purchaser. Cowboy and popular records were especially in demand and a series of records by a Dunedin cowboy group had been sold out almost immediately after they arrived. Some classical recordings were also being made by New Zealanders. but they sold less readily than the recordings of popular music, the Daily Times was informed. The Wellington firm, which also produces records for sale in the Dominion from master records imported from Australia and Britain, has four presses, each of which manufactures about 300 discs a day, and in time it is hoped to install more presses. But in spite of the New Zealand product—there are two companies manufacturing records in Wellington —there are not enough records to go round. About a score out of every 100 record purchasers in Dunedin buy classical records, and they seem to be well catered for, but “ swing ” enthusiasts seem to have given up hope of getting their favourite records. Although “ swing ” is regarded by many as America’s most popular export, except for dollars, there are no Amencan records on the New Zealand maxket.