Main Stage - Matinee - Featurette - Jukebox
Radio Faustina is what we call the recordings made by Orville "Chick" Braley, our grandfather, Michael's grandson, and Sam and Lou's grand-nephew. Chick lived in the Madison, Wisconsin area, but traveled extensively throughout his life as a working sax player in dance bands.
Chick made these recordings in his declining years when he got together with his old bandmates.
Other musicians participating include Frankie Barnes on piano, Charlie Johnson on guitar, Red on sax, and trumpet man "Hot Lips" Howie Nelson, with guest vocalist Pearl.
You can see where we got the name Faustina, though we don't know how long he might have been with that band, or who else was in it. That's grandma standing by the band's trailer.
The Braley Tapes
Chick apparently recorded these on 1/4" tape around 1961. Of several tapes we digitized, this material comes from a single tape recorded in March of 1962, containing, seemingly, a gig on each side. The setting is obviously a small club, perhaps in Madison, where the musicians and the patrons are practically at the same table. The tunes are mostly pop tunes from the Twenties and Thirties. Lots of conversation, lots of rough edges, and a good time was had by all.
A Good Man Is Hard To Find |
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Doin' It Wrong |
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Everywhere You Go |
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I Dream of You |
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I Just Do |
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I'm Confessin |
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Now I Don't Work Anymore |
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Sheik of Araby |
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Skirts |
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Streets of Cairo (The Snake Charmer) |
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Sweet Georgia Brown |
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Unknown |
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Unknown |
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Unknown |
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Up The Lazy River |
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Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey |
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Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams |
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You''ll Be There |
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The Chick Disks
These tunes were originally recorded by Chick on 78 rpm records, late in life, sometime around 1959-1960. He began his career in the late Twenties and played all his life. Most of these tracks were apparently recorded at home, for fun, though some were recorded in clubs.
I'm Confessin' |
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I Surrender Dear/Are You Satisfied |
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I'm In The Mood For Love |
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It Had To Be You |
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Miss You |
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Moon Medley |
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My Baby Smiles At Me/Who's Sorry Now |
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Sheik of Araby/Nobody's Sweetheart |
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Unknown |
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Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams |
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