Album Notes

Ahhh..Remember the days of going to the county fair and eating the cotton candy and riding the Carousel? This recording will bring back those memories of you youth. This beautiful Band Organ began its career at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, in the early 1900's. It was then moved across the boardwalk to Asbury Park, New Jersey, where it furnished music for a carousel for many years. In the mid 1960's, Paul Eakins bought the organ and completely restored it. The organ toured State Fairs and Expositions for years and was also featured at the Gay 90's Village in Sikeston, Missouri, and the Gay 90's Melody Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. It is now featured on the carousel at Kings Island in Ohio, where it is lovingly nicknamed, "The Queen of Kings Island". The Wurlitzer #157 Band Organ is a masterpiece of automation. A paper roll controls the organ which plays like a band, hence the name, Band Organ. The wind instruments are ready to play solos just like a living band. The machine has a double tracker bar, so that when one roll of music finishes playing, the other one plays. Each roll has 5 to 10 tunes. The Band Organ contains the following instruments: Bass-6 wood trombones; 6 stopped diapason pipes; 6 stopped octave diapason pipes. Accompaniments-10 stopped flute pipes; 10 open flute pipes; 10 open piccolo pipes. Melody-44 violin pipes; 22 octave violin pipes; 22 piccolo pipes; 22 open flute pipes; 22 stopped flute pipes; 16 bell bars. Traps-bass drum (automatic tension); snare drum; cymbal; triangle; double castanets; tympani. Automatic stops- 1 for bells; 1 for swell and wood trombones. Draw stops-1 for wood trombones; 1 for wood trumpets; 1 for violins; 1 for flutes; 1 for piccolos. Dimensions: Height, 8 feet 4 1/2 inches. Width, 12 feet 2 inches. Depth, 3 feet 10 inches. The front is a beautiful light cream color, elaborately carved, and decorated with gold leaf and vivid colors. The panels and screen over the swell shutters are beautifully decorated with realistic landscapes. To further set off the organ, the decorative front is wired for 34 small red, white and blue lights, thus making a wonderful display at night. This CD is perfect for carnvial or fair themed events, or children's birthday parties. It has over 70 minutes of some of the most beautiful music ever recorded. Each song has been professionally recorded by Paul Eakins himself, so you know the quality is top notch.