Herman Lubinsky was known to be one of the worst people in the sometimes suspect record business — someone who took advantage of the artists who worked for Savoy Records in ways both astonishing and horrible. Here’s a new website, “GOINGTHRUVINYL,” that starts off with a revealing piece about Lubinsky — supported by first-hand testimony from singer Jimmy Scott, one of Lubinsky’s victims:
http://www.goingthruvinyl.com/?p=920
You won’t believe what you read or what you hear.
JAZZ LIVES 
Michael–Your productivity amazes me, but this little opus (which you passed on to Jim Eigo) is second-hand, so the too numerous to list factual errors it contains are not your fault. It’s a barrel of laughs to those of us who have some familiarity with the history of Savoy, or Lubinsky…to see him described as a “tycoon” is something he would of course have relished. To be frank, it’s mostly a bunch of bullshit and not worthy of your imprimatur.
Herman sure was no saint, even his daughter disliked him, but no devil either. And, if I may say so, there are overtones of UK antisemitism here as well. To my eyes (or ears) at least….
Wow! Let me address this comment in two parts if I may? I would first like to address the man Dan Morgenstern, then your comments.
First I feel that I need to address you (Dan Morgenstern the writer), by saying that you, your work and your accomplishments gets nothing but the deepest respect from me (really). Getting a comment from the guy who holds that record for winning the most Grammy Awards in album notes
is something I respect and don’t take lightly. No matter how heavy handed and inaccurate your comments may be.
Secondly, I need to address your comments about my articles having factual errors in it and calling the whole opus “bullshit.” Let me begin by saying you were not the first to point these errors out. I was contacted by another Jazz Historian of sorts by the name of Bob Porter who was kind enough to list my errors (as he saw them) in an email; which I will be adding on to the end of my article. You see, I am genuinely trying to achieve accuracy in my work and know that being transparent (i.e. admitting when you’re wrong) is the first step to achieving that goal. If you or anyone reading this would also like to add to my list of errors in my article please feel free.
In my defense though, I did talk to the man himself and got my resources from the few books that are written about Jimmy Scott. Listen, I have a week to get an article together and I change from genre to genre. I don’t always have the resources to check every word or nuance that could or could not be in my articles. You see, I have never claimed to be a music historian; I’m a music fan who is excited about what he is doing. My goal is to pass on some of that excitement to people who may or may not have heard about people like Jimmy Scott or your fellow Newarker Herman Lubinsky.
Now I would like to address the really beef I have with you comment. You know, the fact that you think Herman Lubinsky is not a “tycoon” and worse yet that you infer that I may be Anti-Semitic. I think that is really unfair, insulting and totally going over the line! Just because I am writing about one man’s opinion (experience or whatever you wish to call it) with another man; does not make me Anti-Semitic. As far as the “tycoon” part goes; I as a blogger took liberty in calling a man who had people sign LIFETIME CONTRACTS with another man a “tycoon.” Unless you can come up with some evidence that these artist weren’t ripped off the sediment sticks! I have through the years read many accounts of Herman Lubinsky and ALL of them say he was a thief among thieves.
On a parting note, I really do welcome your constructive criticism and wish to put this matter behind us if that is OK with you? Lastly, I’m Canadian and not from the UK.
Best,
Jason Hoffer
GoingThruVinyl
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