Victor Mixed Chorus at Trinity Studios

A newly unearthed negative from the Victor vaults shows Rosario Bourdon conducting members of the Victor studio band billed as 'Victor Mixed Chorus' & Orchestra at Victor's 'Trinity Studios' in Camden, New Jersey.

It is significant in that not too many photos exist of this facility, despite it being recognized as one of the finer sounding recording studios ever built in national press when it was demolished in 1961. The studio pictured was known as Studio A prior to electrification - and renamed Studio B after electrification just a few years later.

This legendary Victor Studio was located at 5th Street between Market & Cooper - and it was demolished in the Spring of 1961. Today, the studio where Bing Crosby, Fats Waller, Jellyroll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, The Carter Family - and where Victor Talking Machine Co. (through Warner Brothers) recorded The Jazz Singer soundtrack (and birthed the modern sound/film industry in the process)…is a parking lot!

The RCA/Victor Trinity Studio Building (Former Trinity Church) was converted from recording studios around 1942 - and was in continuous operation as the Victor Athletic Association GYM and later RCA-Victor Family Store until the year before it was demolished in 1961.

In addition, as of January 2023:

• Building 1 was demolished in 1978 - it wasn't in disrepair - but it simply wasn't needed anymore, and thus cost more to upkeep.
• Building 2 is still standing (and contains the Victor Auditorium Studio), the last original Victor Studio in Camden.
• Building 3 was demolished partially in 1994 - and fully in 2018.
• Building 4 was demolished in 1994 due to largely environmental reasons.
• Buildings 5, 6, and 7 were given to Rutgers in the 1960s and subsequently utilized as classrooms until they were demolished (the last building demolished in 1997).
• Building 8 is still standing, awaiting redevelopment.
• Buildings 10-11-12-13-14 were slowly demolished between 1973 and 1997 - due to both reorganization, disuse.
• Buildings 15 (which contained 3 Victor Studios) and 16 were demolished to create more parking next to building 17 in 1971.
• Building 17 still stands.
• Building 18 was largely demolished along with Building 1 in 1978 - though a small portion of it remains as part of Building 8.
• Building 22 was the Victor Trinity Studio.
• Building 24 was demolished 1974, no longer needed.
• Building 25 was in South Camden, demolished in an unknown year.
• Building 53 was sold in 1971 during reorganization and subsequently demolished.

Source: Victor Talking Machine Co., Facebook page