This original 10-inch shellac 78 RPM record features the deep St. Louis blues stylist Alice Moore performing "Hand In Hand Women" (Matrix 91142) backed with "Doggin' Man Blues" (Matrix 91143) on the early blue-and-gold Decca label (7380). Recorded in Chicago on 18 February 1937, these tracks feature a phenomenal, swinging small-group studio accompaniment consisting of piano, guitar, and bass. Moore’s heavy, somber vocal delivery tracks beautifully against the driving keyboard work and rhythmic string pulse.

Format: 10" Shellac Record (78 RPM)
Label & Catalog Number: Decca 7380
Recorded: 18 February 1937 (Chicago)
Personnel: Alice Moore (Vocals), accompanied by Piano, Guitar, and Bass.

By early 1937, urban blues recording sessions were moving rapidly away from strictly minimalist, solo-instrument frameworks. This release reflects the increasing commercialization and sophistication of the Chicago ensemble sound. As industrial migration reshaped northern urban centers during the mid-1930s, working-class audiences demanded music that mirrored the complex realities of city life.Lyrically, both "Hand In Hand Women" and "Doggin' Man Blues" dive straight into gritty themes of domestic strife, transient relationships, and neighborhood social dynamics. Delivered with Moore's characteristic St. Louis grit, these tracks acted as direct, empathetic urban commentaries for a displacement generation seeking familiar musical structures within a modern, fast-paced northern landscape.

The Shared Author: The center labels attribute both compositions to "Moore-Jordan," reflecting a collaborative writing process common among St. Louis musicians who frequently traveled back and forth to Chicago for Decca sessions.
Ensemble Evolution: The addition of a standalone string bass to the standard piano-guitar duo framework on this record represents an important developmental bridge toward the fully formed urban jump blues of the early 1940s.
The 1937 Studio Peak: This track was captured during an incredibly busy winter recording schedule for Decca’s 7000 "Race" series, a time when budget-priced shellac singles were the primary entertainment source in urban tenements.

Detailed Condition Report
Grade (VJM System): V+ to E- on Side A / E- on Side B.
Play Surface: Beautiful preservation retaining a strong percentage of its original factory black gloss. The shellac shows a few faint, superficial paper scuffs under bright inspection lighting, but completely lacks any deep needle gouges or gray groove wear.
Structural Note: Features a very thin, tight, stable hairline crack measuring approximately 4.2cm extending inward from the outer rim. This minor structural line is tightly closed and strictly Not Affecting Play (NAP), leaving audio tracking unharmed.
Audio Performance: Both sides track beautifully with loud, robust acoustic presence. The piano, guitar accents, and bass lines separate cleanly with minimal, non-intrusive surface texturing.
Center Labels: Clean blue-and-gold typography with minor spindle wear around the center hole. Text remains bright and fully legible. Free of writing or sticker residue.

Postage & Packing Information
We specialize in shipping highly fragile prewar shellac. Because commercial UK couriers explicitly exclude 78 RPM records from damage compensation, we assume full responsibility for structural safety via specialized, over-engineered defensive packaging designed to completely isolate the disc from external pressures, handling drops, and transit shocks:
Double-Skin Box: Enclosed within an ultra-rigid, double-walled outer corrugated shipping box.
Thick Card Packaging: Strictly sandwiched and locked securely between multiple oversized layers of thick, heavy cardboard stiffeners to guarantee absolutely zero flexing.
Bubble Wrap: Generously wrapped in layers of shock-absorbing bubble wrap to insulate it from vibration.
Void Fill: The entire internal assembly is locked in place using dense void-fill material to ensure absolutely zero movement within the box during shipping.

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