In 1910, one of the best selling 2-minute cylinders for Edison Labs was the recording of the Polk Miller Old South Quartet singing "Jerusalem Mornin'" (this great record can be heard and read about at
"Tinfoil.com"). Six years later, in 1916, Edison was selling discs and 4-minute cylinders. People still wanted to hear that song but the original
artists were not available to re-record it. The Criterion Quartet, a white group, filled in with this comparatively wooden (but precise) performance. It was waxed as the second selection on a two-song recording, made
in February of 1916, and it was issued on both disc and cylinder. This is take "A" of three takes they made. The personnel of this group at the time was John Young (tenor), Horatio Rench (tenor), George Reardon (baritone),
and Donald Chalmers (bass). While lacking the fire and authenticity of the original Polk Miller recording, it is a professional performance and well done. Water damage on this particular disc prevented a good sample of
the first selection of the two, "Honey I Wants Yer Now," but this part was smooth and needed only light noise reduction.
(UCSB Special Collection has a sample of take "C," which includes
both selections, and the Polk Miller recording can be purchased on CD at "Archeophone".)
