The Chocolate Dandies, “I Surrender Dear/I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me,” Commodore(US), Label #1506, 12” 78rpm, 1940.

Commodore, established by Milt Gabler and named for his record store in New York, is among the first independent labels to surface after the AFM recording ban. Although it was formed to record the white Chicago school of the 1920s led by Eddie Condon, its short existence resulted in some highly influential recordings by small swing bands (breaking from the deteriorating big-band era) such as Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge. This was also one of the first record companies to encourage longer performances by issuing 12” 78r.p.m. discs as seen here, which were usually reserved for classical music recordings.

These recordings feature Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins and serve as landmarks of the swing style of this time.

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