Duke Ellington - Ellington Uptown

Styles: Big Band, Swing
Year: 1952
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:01
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:59)  1. Take the 'A' Train
( 6:36)  2. The Mooche
(13:47)  3. A Tone Parallel to Harlem (The Harlem Suite)
( 8:23)  4. Perdido
( 6:08)  5. The Controversial Suite, Part I (Before My Time)
( 4:16)  6. The Controversial Suite, Part II (Later)
( 6:49)  7. Skin Deep

Even back in the early '50s, Columbia Records took Duke Ellington seriously enough to place this album on its prestigious Masterworks label, heretofore reserved mostly for highbrow classical music and Broadway shows (later in the decade, though, it was retitled Hi-Fi Ellington Uptown and reissued on the pop series with an additional piece, "The Controversial Suite"). Also, this LP explodes the critical line that the early '50s was a relatively fallow period for the Duke; any of these smoking, concert-length tracks will torpedo that notion. The young Louis Bellson was powering the Ellington band at that time, and his revolutionary double-bass drum technique and rare ability to build coherent drum solos are put to astounding use on his self-penned leadoff track, "Skin Deep," which was quite a demonstration piece for audiophiles at the time. 

Old favorites from the Ellington hit parade are given extended treatments, with singer Betty Roche taking the A-train for a bebop-flavored ride, "The Mooche" spotlighting clarinetists Jimmy Hamilton and Russell Procope, and Ellington's boogie-woogie piano kicking off a super-charged "Perdido" for trumpeter Clark Terry. The centerpiece of the disc is a sharply drawn, idiomatically swinging, probably unbeatable performance of "A Tone Parallel to Harlem" that lays waste to any of the "symphonic" versions that turn up frequently at pop concerts. Another feature of this record is the great sound quality, a benefit of being entrusted to Columbia's best engineers. If you can locate an original Masterworks pressing, grab it and run, for the first-generation sound is astonishing for its age (the reissues in the 1980s on CD and LP had to rely upon later masterings and do not sound nearly as powerful as the original). ~ Richard S. Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/ellington-uptown-mw0000187980

Ellington Uptown

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Duke Ellington - Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3

Duke Ellington - Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 1
Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1940-1942
Time: 79:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 209,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:20) 1. You, You Darlin'
(3:19) 2. Never No Lament
(3:21) 3. Dusk (Take 1)
(2:54) 4. Bojangles
(3:10) 5. A Portrait Of Bert Williams
(3:23) 6. Blue Goose
(3:00) 7. Harlem Air-Shaft
(2:50) 8. At A Dixie Roadside Diner
(3:31) 9. All Too Soon
(2:50) 10. Rumpus In Richmond
(3:27) 11. My Greatest Mistake
(3:17) 12. Jack The Bear
(3:25) 13. Sepia Panorama (Take 1)
(3:13) 14. There Shall Be No Night
(3:17) 15. In A Mellotone
(3:19) 16. Five O'Clock Whistle
(3:09) 17. The Flaming Sword (Take 2)
(3:21) 18. Warm Valley (Take 3)
(2:43) 19. Ko-Ko (Take 2)
(3:18) 20. Morning Glory
(2:54) 21. So Far, So Good
(2:59) 22. Conga Brava
(3:20) 23. Concerto For Cootie
(2:55) 24. Me And You
(3:13) 25. Cotton Tail

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Duke Ellington - Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 2
Time: 78:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 204,8 MB

(3:01) 1. Across The Track Blues (Take 1)
(3:27) 2. Chloe (Song Of The Swamp)
(3:33) 3. I Never Felt This Way Before (Take 1)
(3:15) 4. The Sidewalks Of New York
(3:24) 5. Flamingo
(3:20) 6. The Girl In My Dreams Tries To Look Like You (Take 1)
(2:57) 7. Take The "A" Train
(3:34) 8. Jumpin' Punkins (Take 2)
(3:30) 9. John Hardy's Wife
(3:23) 10. Blue Serge
(3:23) 11. After All
(3:26) 12. Bakiff
(3:06) 13. Are You Stickin'? (Take 1)
(3:36) 14. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
(3:36) 15. The Giddybug Gallop
(3:03) 16. Pitter Panther Patter (Take 2)
(3:11) 17. Body And Soul (Take 3)
(2:47) 18. Sophisticated Lady (Take 2)
(3:09) 19. Mr. J.B. Blues (Take 1)
(2:40) 20. Ko-Ko (Take 1)
(2:46) 21. Bojangles
(3:24) 22. Sepia Panorama (Take 2)
(3:42) 23. Jumpin' Punkins (Take 1)
(2:56) 24. Jump For Joy (Take 2)

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Duke Ellington - Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 3
Time: 78:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 206,8 MB

(2:56) 1. Chocolate Shake
(3:21) 2. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Take 1)
(3:01) 3. Clementine
(3:11) 4. The Brownskin Gal (In The Calico Gown)
(2:54) 5. Jump For Joy (Take 1)
(3:15) 6. Moon Over Cuba
(3:14) 7. Five O'Clock Drag
(3:09) 8. Rocks In My Bed
(3:07) 9. Bli-Blip
(2:32) 10. Raincheck
(2:48) 11. What Good Would It Do?
(3:17) 12. I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I Got (Take 1)
(2:56) 13. Chelsea Bridge
(3:10) 14. Perdido (Take 1)
(2:39) 15. The "C" Jam Blues
(3:00) 16. Moon Mist (Take 2)
(3:27) 17. What Am I Here For?
(2:51) 18. I Don't Mind (Take 2)
(3:10) 19. Someone
(3:14) 20. My Little Brown Book
(2:51) 21. Main Stem
(2:43) 22. Johnny Come Lately
(2:36) 23. Hayfoot, Strawfoot (Take 1)
(3:04) 24. Sentimental Lady (Take 1)
(2:58) 25. A Slip Of The Lip (Can Sink A Ship)
(2:38) 26. Sherman Shuffle

Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band is a 2003 three-disc compilation combining the master takes of all the recordings by Duke Ellington's Orchestra during the years of 1940 to 1942 with an additional nine tracks, including five alternative takes and four additional masters. An expanded version of The Blanton–Webster Band, this reissue, according to Allmusic, "truly worth either an initial investment or reinvestment". All About Jazz: New York observed that these performances, from what is often considered "the band in its prime", "not only set the standard for big bands and jazz orchestras, but created an ideal near insurmountable to improve upon". The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this compilation as part of its suggested "Core Collection."

An earlier collection of recordings from this period was first issued in 1986 by RCA Bluebird containing 66 tracks. This 2003 version draws on the 1999 transfers first issued in The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1927-1973) with an additional nine tracks over the 1986 edition, including the Blanton Ellington duos "Pitter Panther Patter" and "Body and Soul".

Ellington put Blanton front-and-center on the bandstand nightly, unheard of for a bassist at the time, together with tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, thus this era of Ellington's ensemble is referred to the Blanton–Webster band.

Bassist Jimmy Blanton was only with the Ellington orchestra for two years, leaving in 1941 due to tuberculosis, and dying the following year at the age of 23. Blanton does not appear on the final 17 tracks of the 2003 collection (CD3 tracks 10-26), having been replaced on bass by Alvin "Junior" Raglin.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_No_Lament:_The_Blanton-Webster_Band

Performance: Duke Ellington – piano, celeste (on track 3.2); Rex Stewart – cornet; Cootie Williams – trumpet; Ray Nance – trumpet, violin, vocals; Wallace Jones - trumpet; Juan Tizol – valve trombone; Joe Nanton – trombone; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet, tenor saxophone; Johnny Hodges – alto & soprano saxophone, clarinet; Otto Hardwick – alto saxophone; Ben Webster – tenor saxophone; Chauncey Haughton – clarinet, tenor sax; Harry Carney – clarinet, alto & baritone saxophone; Duke Ellington – piano, celeste (on track 3.2); Billy Strayhorn – piano (on tracks 2.5 & 11, 3.8 & 10–12, 22), celeste (3.20); Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmy Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Ivie Anderson – vocals; Herb Jeffries – vocals

Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 1, Disc 2
Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, 1940-1942 Disc 3

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Oscar Peterson - Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (4-Disc Set)

Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Louis Bellson, Ray brown, Benny Carter, Martin Drew, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Jon Faddis, Dizzy Gillespie, Stephane Grappelli, Coleman Hawkins, Louis Hayes, Johnny Hodges, Barney Kessel, Neils-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker, Clark Terry, Toots Thieleman, Ed Thigpen, David Young, and more.

Oscar Peterson's recordings on the Pablo label span the years from the '50s to the '70s and have long needed this type of lavish anthology. Over the course of four discs, you get to hear five tunes by the classic trio matching the peerless pianist with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown. But the best of that particular band – arguably Peterson's finest – resides largely on the Verve label, so the Pablo years find Peterson interacting with a number of stars with whom he shared studio or concert stage time on an occasional, sometimes casual basis. The supporting cast on the Pablo years is dazzling, and the results are rarely less than deeply satisfying. Peterson sounds delightfully restrained during a charming piano duet with Count Basie, deliciously witty with growling trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and nearly intimidated by the virtuosity of Stephane Grappelli, but then again, "Nuages" is the tune this box showcases, and the violinist had a few decades after Django's death to stake his claim to that number.

Half of the 46 tracks here are live, and live recordings always bring out the flashy entertainer in Peterson. Yet even for those critics like myself who find Peterson more focused and inspired in the studio, there are ecstatic rewards in the live offerings here. A 1967 concert with the Ellington band finds Peterson navigating a strangely compelling blues line through a show-stopping "Take the A Train" that succeeds in spite of obvious showboating. Another live bit of Ellingtonia that succeeds, a medley of Perdido and Caravan at dizzying speed, comes from a 1986 Los Angeles concert where Peterson's telepathic empathy with guitarist Joe Pass equals in sheer majesty his interaction of the '50s with Herb Ellis.

There are a handful of regrettable clinkers: a misguided vocal that sounds like Nat King Cole recorded at the ocean floor, a quizzical number on clavichord, surely not Peterson's ideal instrument (as he was quick to recognize), and an overripe orchestrated tribute to the late Princess Di that resembles in sap content Ellington's tribute to the Queen. These gaffes aside, this is a sterling, well-programmed set certain to please fans of our forever-young, and arguably, greatest living pianist. ~Norman Weinstein

Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:13
Size: 169.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[4:48] 1. That Old Black Magic
[5:00] 2. Tenderly
[3:22] 3. How High The Moon
[4:40] 4. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:40] 5. You Are Too Beautiful
[4:47] 6. Smedley
[5:08] 7. Someday My Prince Will Come
[6:03] 8. Daytrain
[3:33] 9. Moonglow
[4:36] 10. Sweet Georgia Brown
[6:23] 11. C Jam Blues
[6:37] 12. Wes' Tune
[8:42] 13. Okie Blues
[6:50] 14. You Can Depend On Me

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Album:Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:59
Size: 169.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[8:40] 1. You Are My Sunshine
[6:58] 2. Caravan
[7:09] 3. Stella By Starlight
[4:43] 4. Little Jazz
[5:28] 5. Soft Winds
[6:30] 6. Mean To Me
[7:52] 7. Oh, Lady Be Good
[4:20] 8. On A Slow Boat To China
[4:26] 9. Summertime
[7:18] 10. Blues For Birks
[4:54] 11. How Long Has This Been Going On
[5:34] 12. Hogtown Blues

Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

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Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:01
Size: 174.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003

[ 5:22] 1. Blues Etude
[ 3:37] 2. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
[ 7:18] 3. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[ 6:44] 4. Just In Time
[ 4:46] 5. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[ 6:23] 6. Goodbye
[ 6:25] 7. Falling In Love With Love
[ 7:13] 8. Nigerian Marketplace
[ 6:28] 9. Sometimes I'm Happy
[13:14] 10. Perdido
[ 8:27] 11. Cool Walk

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Album: Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 4)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:47
Size: 166.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[ 5:27] 1. Take The 'a' Train
[12:57] 2. Ballad Medley 5400 North
[ 6:14] 3. Exactly Like You
[11:17] 4. Au Privave
[10:50] 5. If I Were A Bell
[ 8:05] 6. Nuages
[ 3:46] 7. Some Of These Days
[ 4:58] 8. Lady Di's Waltz
[ 9:09] 9. Stuffy

Dimensions: A Compendium Of The Pablo Years (Disc 3)(Disc 4)

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Duke Ellington Quartet - Duke's Big Four

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:25
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:13) 1. Cotton Tail
(5:24) 2. The Blues
(5:07) 3. The Hawk Talks
(5:39) 4. Prelude To A Kiss
(6:36) 5. Love You Madly
(6:04) 6. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
(5:19) 7. Everything But You

One of Duke Ellington's finest small group sessions from his final decade was this frequently exciting quartet date with guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson. Ellington's percussive style always sounded modern and he comes up with consistently strong solos on such numbers as "Love You Madly," "The Hawk Talks" and especially "Cotton Tail," easily keeping up with his younger sidemen. Highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dukes-big-four-mw0000649490

Personnel: Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Pass - guitar; Ray Brown - bass; Louie Bellson - drums

Duke's Big Four

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Duke Ellington, Count Basie - First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:13
Size: 167.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 1961/2013
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Battle Royal
[3:52] 2. To You
[3:45] 3. Take The "A" Train
[4:52] 4. Corner Pocket (Aka Until I Met You)
[6:20] 5. Wild Man
[8:21] 6. Segue In C
[4:43] 7. B D B
[3:07] 8. Jumpin' At The Woodside
[3:24] 9. One More Once
[5:49] 10. Take The "A" Train (The Count Departs) [rehearsal & Alternate Takes]
[3:13] 11. Jumpin' At The Woodside (Alternate Take)
[4:29] 12. B D B (Alternate Take)
[3:12] 13. Blues In Hoss' Flat (Blues In Frankie's Flat)
[5:54] 14. Wild Man (Aka Wild Man Moore) [alternate Take]
[6:31] 15. Battle Royal (Rehersal & Alternate Takes)

A battle of the bands? Not quite -- more like a mutual admiration society, with the orchestras of both jazz titans playing together. (The Duke is heard on the right side of your stereo/headphones, the Count on the left.) Ellington's elegance and unique voicings meet Basie's rollicking, blues-based Kansas City swing, and it works gloriously. There's no clutter, each band is focused, and they sound great together. This is not the thoughtful, reflective composer side of Ellington (listeners should check out Far East Suite or Black, Brown & Beige for that). The Duke and his band accentuate their swinging dance band side, while Basie and company have never sounded as suave and exotic as when playing Billy Strayhorn arrangements. Everyone has a good time, and that joy infuses this album from start to finish. ~John Bush

First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

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Duke Ellington - Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (3-Disc Set)

This three-CD set, which has all of Duke Ellington's recordings for the Brunswick and Vocalion labels, dwarfs all of the earlier reissues that Decca and MCA have put out of this important material. Starting with the first session in which the Ellington Orchestra sounds distinctive ("East St. Louis Toodle-oo" and "Birmingham Breakdown" from November 29, 1926) and progressing through the Cotton Club years, this essential release (which contains 67 performances) adds a few "new" alternate takes and rare items ("Soliloquy" and a few titles by the "Six Jolly Jesters") to make this collection truly complete, at least for MCA's holdings (since Ellington also recorded for Columbia- and Victor-owned labels during the same period). With such major soloists as trumpeters Bubber Miley (and his replacement Cootie Williams), Freddy Jenkins, and Arthur Whetsol, trombonist Tricky Sam Nanton, clarinetist Barney Bigard, altoist Johnny Hodges, baritonist Harry Carney, and the pianist/leader, along with the classic arrangements/compositions, this set is essential for all serious jazz collections. ~Scott Yanow

Album: Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:27

Size: 149.9 MB

Styles: Big Band, Early jazz

Year: 1994

[2:51] 1. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

[2:47] 2. Birmingham Breakdown

[3:02] 3. Immigration Blues

[2:48] 4. The Creeper (1st Take)

[2:46] 5. The Creeper (2nd Take)

[3:00] 6. New Orleans Low-Down

[3:01] 7. Song Of The Cotton Field

[2:41] 8. Birmingham Breakdown

[2:58] 9. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

[3:16] 10. Black And Tan Fantasy

[3:06] 11. Soliloquy

[2:52] 12. Red Hot Band

[3:07] 13. Doin' The Frog

[2:39] 14. Take It Easy

[2:43] 15. Jubilee Stomp

[3:08] 16. Black Beauty (1st Take)

[3:11] 17. Black Beauty (2nd Take)

[2:55] 18. Yellow Dog Blues

[2:58] 19. Tishomingo Blues

[3:15] 20. Awful Sad

[3:10] 21. The Mooche

[3:01] 22. Louisiana

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Album: Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:57

Size: 151.0 MB

Styles: Big Band, Early jazz

Year: 1994

[3:08] 1. Doin' The Voom Voom

[2:52] 2. Tiger Rag (Pt. 1 Take A)

[2:51] 3. Tiger Rag (Pt. 1 Take B)

[2:51] 4. Tiger Rag (Pt. 2)

[3:27] 5. Rent Party Blues

[2:29] 6. Paducah

[3:07] 7. Harlem Flat Blues

[3:30] 8. Black And Blue

[2:44] 9. Jungle Jamboree

[3:18] 10. Ain't Misbehavin'

[3:06] 11. Doin' The New Low-Down

[3:02] 12. Jolly Wog

[2:49] 13. Jazz Convulsions

[3:08] 14. Six Or Seven Times (Take A)

[3:04] 15. Six Or Seven Times (Take B)

[2:31] 16. Goin' Nuts

[2:44] 17. Oklahoma Stomp (Take A)

[2:40] 18. Oklahoma Stomp (Take B)

[3:07] 19. Sweet Mama

[3:00] 20. Wall Street Wail (Take A)

[2:58] 21. Wall Street Wail (Take B)

[3:22] 22. Cincinnati Daddy

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Album: Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (Disc 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:59

Size: 157.9 MB

Styles: Big Band, Early jazz

Year: 1994

Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Maori (1st Version)

[3:07] 2. When You're Smiling (Take A)

[3:06] 3. When You're Smiling (Take B)

[2:58] 4. Maori (2nd Version Take A)

[3:03] 5. Maori (2nd Version Take B)

[3:07] 6. Admiration

[2:54] 7. Double Check Stomp

[2:56] 8. Accordion Joe (Take A)

[2:57] 9. Accordion Joe (Take B)

[2:54] 10. Cotton Club Stomp (Take A)

[2:53] 11. Cotton Club Stomp (Take B)

[2:46] 12. Runnin' Wild

[2:55] 13. Mood Indigo

[2:57] 14. Home Again Blues

[2:59] 15. Wang Wang Blues

[3:10] 16. Rockin' Chair

[3:02] 17. Rockin' In Rhythm

[2:57] 18. Twelfth Street Rag

[3:16] 19. The Peanut Vendor

[3:07] 20. Creole Rhapsody (Pt. 1)

[3:18] 21. Creole Rhapsody (Take A)

[2:56] 22. Creole Rhapsody (Take Aa)

[2:20] 23. Is That Religion

Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (Disc 1,2 and 3)

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Duke Ellington - The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:33
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:12) 1. Chinoserie
(3:37) 2. Didgeridoo
(5:23) 3. Afrique
(3:04) 4. Acht O'Clock Rock
(4:43) 5. Gong
(4:46) 6. Tang
(3:36) 7. True
(4:09) 8. Hard Way

Recorded in 1971, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse reads in many ways like a follow up to the 1967 epic Far East Suite. Compelling, cosmopolitan, and organic, this music comes from Ellington's sifting of travel experiences, and it sounds as if he is using his impressions of places and people rather than appropriations of "authentic" scales and rhythms. "Chinoiserie" is boisterous and fun, with long-tone horn peals forming the melodic cornerstone. Tenorman Harold Ashby takes his place blowing pure swing. "Afrique" is a percussion-based piece, with a liberal layering of the horn players' entrances creating strains that are at first incongruous, then tie briefly together toward the middle of the affair. Preceded by the more even-tempered melodic and rhythmic structures of "Acht" and "Gong," "Tang" takes the picture to the outer limits again with strident opening horn blasts that yield to staccato call-and-responses that chill to the bone. All in all, a textured, cross-cultural treat for the ears.~ Rovi Staff https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-afro-eurasian-eclipse-mw0000675528

Personnel: Piano, Composed By – Duke Ellington; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Russell Procope; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Norris Turney; Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney; Bass – Joe Benjamin; Bass Trombone – Chuck Connors; Drums – Rufus Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves; Trombone – Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor; Trumpet – Cootie Williams, Eddie Preston, Mercer Ellington, Money Johnson

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse

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Duke Ellington, Ray Brown - This One's For Blanton

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:35
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(3:02) 2. Pitter Panther Patter
(3:56) 3. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(5:27) 4. Sophisticated Lady
(3:04) 5. See See Rider
(4:47) 6. Fragmented Suite For Piano And Bass - Movement 1
(5:08) 7. Fragmented Suite For Piano And Bass - Movement 2
(3:36) 8. Fragmented Suite For Piano And Bass - Movement 3
(4:59) 9. Fragmented Suite For Piano And Bass - Movement 4

For this set of duets, pianist Duke Ellington is teamed up with bassist Ray Brown in performances a bit reminiscent of Duke's work with Jimmy Blanton three decades before. In addition to the four-part "Fragmented Suite for Piano and Bass," the duo plays five standards (including "Pitter Panther Patter" from the Blanton days and three other Ellington-associated tunes). Delightful and often-playful music.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-ones-for-blanton-mw0000191769

Personnel: Duke Ellington - piano, composer; Ray Brown - bass, liner notes, composer

This One's For Blanton

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Duke Ellington - The Pianist

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Don Juan
(3:58)  2. Slow Blues
(2:53)  3. Looking Glass
(5:47)  4. The Shepherd - Take 1
(6:32)  5. The Shepherd - Take 2
(2:50)  6. Tap Dancer's Blues
(6:35)  7. Sam Woodyard's Blues
(3:40)  8. Duck Amok
(4:26)  9. Never Stop Remembering Bill
(2:58) 10. Fat Mess

Duke Ellington had so many talents (composer, arranger, bandleader, personality) that his skills as a pianist could easily be overlooked. Fortunately he did record a fair amount of trio albums through the years so there is plenty of evidence as to his unique style which was both modern and traditional at the same time. The Pianist has trio performances from 1966 and 1970 and finds Ellington shifting smoothly between styles and moods while always remaining himself. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-pianist-mw0000201685

Personnel: Duke Ellington – piano; John Lamb (tracks 1-7), Paul Kondziela (tracks 8-10), Victor Gaskin (tracks 8-10) - bass; Sam Woodyard (tracks 1-7), Rufus Jones (tracks 8-10) - drums

The Pianist

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Duke Ellington - Columbia Jazz Profiles

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:48
Size: 142,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Take the 'A' Train
(3:17)  2. Rockin' in Rhythm
(3:14)  3. Creole Love Call
(6:38)  4. The Mooche
(3:17)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(3:11) 6. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:19)  7. In a Sentimental Mood
(2:42)  8. Caravan
(3:09)  9. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
(3:17) 10. Crescendo in Blue
(2:46) 11. Diminuendo in Blue
(4:43) 12. Jeep's Blues
(2:07) 13. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(3:47) 14. Mood Indigo
(7:55) 15. Come Sunday
(2:44) 16. Satin Doll

Duke Ellington, byname of Edward Kennedy Ellington, (born April 29, 1899, Washington, D.C., U.S.died May 24, 1974, New York, N.Y.), American pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. One of the originators of big-band jazz, Ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in all of Western music. Ellington grew up in a secure middle-class family in Washington, D.C. His family encouraged his interests in the fine arts, and he began studying piano at age seven. He became engrossed in studying art during his high-school years, and he was awarded, but did not accept, a scholarship to the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York. Inspired by ragtime performers, he began to perform professionally at age 17. Ellington first played in New York City in 1923. Later that year he moved there and, in Broadway nightclubs, led a sextet that grew in time into a 10-piece ensemble. The singular blues-based melodies; the harsh, vocalized sounds of his trumpeter, Bubber Miley (who used a plunger [“wa-wa”] mute); and the sonorities of the distinctive trombonist Joe (“Tricky Sam”) Nanton (who played muted “growl” sounds) all influenced Ellington’s early “jungle style,” as seen in such masterpieces as “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” (1926) and “Black and Tan Fantasy” (1927). Extended residencies at the Cotton Club in Harlem (1927–32, 1937–38) stimulated Ellington to enlarge his band to 14 musicians and to expand his compositional scope. He selected his musicians for their expressive individuality, and several members of his ensemble including trumpeter Cootie Williams (who replaced Miley), cornetist Rex Stewart, trombonist Lawrence Brown, baritone saxophonist Harry Carney, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, and clarinetist Barney Bigard were themselves important jazz artists. (The most popular of these was Hodges, who rendered ballads with a full, creamy tone and long portamentos.) With these exceptional musicians, who remained with him throughout the 1930s, Ellington made hundreds of recordings, appeared in films and on radio, and toured Europe in 1933 and 1939. The expertise of this ensemble allowed Ellington to break away from the conventions of band-section scoring. Instead, he used new harmonies to blend his musicians’ individual sounds and emphasized congruent sections and a supple ensemble that featured Carney’s full bass-clef sound. He illuminated subtle moods with ingenious combinations of instruments; among the most famous examples is “Mood Indigo” in his 1930 setting for muted trumpet, unmuted trombone, and low-register clarinet. (Click here for a video clip of Duke Ellington and his band playing “Mood Indigo.”) In 1931 Ellington began to create extended works, including such pieces as Creole Rhapsody, Reminiscing in Tempo, and Diminuendo in Blue/Crescendo in Blue. He composed a series of works to highlight the special talents of his soloists. Williams, for example, demonstrated his versatility in Ellington’s noted miniature concertos “Echoes of Harlem” and “Concerto for Cootie.” Some of Ellington’s numbers notably “Caravan” and “Perdido” by trombonist Juan Tizol were cowritten or entirely composed by sidemen. Few of Ellington’s soloists, despite their importance to jazz history, played as effectively in other contexts; no one else, it seemed, could match the inspiration that Ellington provided with his sensitive, masterful settings.

A high point in Ellington’s career came in the early 1940s, when he composed several masterworks including the above-mentioned “Concerto for Cootie,” his fast-tempo showpieces “Cotton Tail” and “Ko-Ko,” and the uniquely structured, compressed panoramas “Main Stem” and “Harlem Air Shaft” in which successions of soloists are accompanied by diverse ensemble colours. The variety and ingenuity of these works, all conceived for three-minute, 78-rpm records, are extraordinary, as are their unique forms, which range from logically flowing expositions to juxtapositions of line and mood. Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and bassist Jimmy Blanton, both major jazz artists, were with this classic Ellington band. By then, too, Billy Strayhorn, composer of what would become the band’s theme song, “Take the ‘A’ Train,” had become Ellington’s composing-arranging partner. Not limiting himself to jazz innovation, Ellington also wrote such great popular songs as “Sophisticated Lady,” “Rocks in My Bed,” and “Satin Doll”; in other songs, such as “Don’t Get Around Much Any More,” “Prelude to a Kiss,” “Solitude,” and “I Let a Song Go out of My Heart,” he made wide interval leaps an Ellington trademark. A number of these hits were introduced by Ivy Anderson, who was the band’s female vocalist in the 1930s. During these years Ellington became intrigued with the possibilities of composing jazz within classical forms. His musical suite Black, Brown and Beige (1943), a portrayal of African-American history, was the first in a series of suites he composed, usually consisting of pieces linked by subject matter. It was followed by, among others, Liberian Suite (1947); A Drum Is a Woman (1956), created for a television production; Such Sweet Thunder (1957), impressions of William Shakespeare’s scenes and characters; a recomposed, reorchestrated version of Nutcracker Suite (1960; after Peter Tchaikovsky); Far East Suite (1964); and Togo Brava Suite (1971). Ellington’s symphonic A Rhapsody of Negro Life was the basis for the film short Symphony in Black (1935), which also features the voice of Billie Holiday (uncredited). Ellington wrote motion-picture scores for The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and composed for the ballet and theatre including, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the show My People (1964), a celebration of African-American life. In his last decade he composed three pieces of sacred music: In the Beginning God (1965), Second Sacred Concert (1968), and Third Sacred Concert (1973).

Although Ellington’s compositional interests and ambitions changed over the decades, his melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic characteristics were for the most part fixed by the late 1930s, when he was a star of the swing era. The broken, eighth-note melodies and arrhythms of bebop had little impact on him, though on occasion he recorded with musicians who were not band members not only with other swing-era luminaries such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Coleman Hawkins but also with later bop musicians John Coltrane and Charles Mingus. Ellington’s stylistic qualities were shared by Strayhorn, who increasingly participated in composing and orchestrating music for the Ellington band. During 1939–67 Strayhorn collaborated so closely with Ellington that jazz scholars may never determine how much the gifted deputy influenced or even composed works attributed to Ellington. The Ellington band toured Europe often after World War II; it also played in Asia (1963–64, 1970), West Africa (1966), South America (1968), and Australia (1970) and frequently toured North America. Despite this grueling schedule, some of Ellington’s musicians stayed with him for decades; Carney, for example, was a band member for 47 years. For the most part, later replacements fit into roles that had been created by their distinguished predecessors; after 1950, for instance, the Webster-influenced Paul Gonsalves filled the band’s solo tenor saxophone role originated by Webster. There were some exceptions to this generalization, such as trumpeter-violinist Ray Nance and high-note trumpet specialist Cat Anderson. Not least of the band’s musicians was Ellington himself, a pianist whose style originated in ragtime and the stride piano idiom of James P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith. He adapted his style for orchestral purposes, accompanying with vivid harmonic colours and, especially in later years, offering swinging solos with angular melodies. An elegant man, Ellington maintained a regal manner as he led the band and charmed audiences with his suave humour. His career spanned more than half a century most of the documented history of jazz. He continued to lead the band until shortly before his death in 1974. Ellington’s sense of musical drama and of his players’ special talents and his wide range of moods were rare indeed. His gift of melody and his mastery of sonic textures, rhythms, and compositional forms translated his often subtle, often complex perceptions into a body of music unequaled in jazz history. Charles Ives is perhaps his only rival for the title of the greatest American composer. Ellington’s autobiography, Music Is My Mistress, was published in 1973. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Duke-Ellington

Columbia Jazz Profiles

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Johnny Hodges - Storyville Masters Of Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:02
Size: 173,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(4:13)  2. Passion Flower
(2:56)  3. Perdido
(1:55)  4. All Of Me
(2:30)  5. C Jam Blues
(2:23)  6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(7:10)  7. In A Mellotone
(3:42)  8. Cambridge Blues
(4:37)  9. Brute's Roots
(2:51) 10. Bouncing With Ben
(5:16) 11. One For The Duke
(5:49) 12. Walkin' The Frog
(4:52) 13. Rabbit Pie
(4:17) 14. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:36) 15. Good Queen Bess
(2:53) 16. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
(5:22) 17. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(2:34) 18. Jeep's Blues
(4:05) 19. Dooji Wooji

Johnny Hodges is forever associated with Duke Ellington as one of his principle soloists, though he recorded extensively as a bandleader himself beginning in the '50s. This compilation draws from earlier Storyville releases, including a number of features for the alto saxophonist with Ellington, highlighted by "All of Me" and "Jeep's Blues." But the bulk of this CD contains all ten tracks of Hodges' earlier disc, Masters of Jazz, Vol. 9, which features the saxophonist leading two separate groups of all-stars in club settings. Six tracks come from a 1960 set at The Cellar in San Francisco, with Ben Webster providing a perfect foil for Hodges, all originals by the leader. Four selections come from a Norman Granz-sponsored European tour in 1961, where Hodges led a group of fellow Ellington veterans (Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Aaron Bell and Sam Woodyard, with pianist Al Williams). Hodges' swinging take of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" is brilliant, with the other horn providing lush background and soft rifts for the soloist. In addition to Hodges, Brown also solos in both "Good Queen Bess" and a rousing "Things Ain't What They Used to Be." Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/masters-of-jazz-mw0000547336      

Personnel: Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Herb Ellis, Fred Guy (guitar); Russell Procope (clarinet, alto saxophone); Harry Carney (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Oett "Sax" Mallard (alto saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton, John Coltrane, Paul Gonsalves, Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Harold Baker, Al Killian, Ray Nance, Rex Stewart, Shelton Hemphill, Francis Williams , Wallace Jones, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Joseph Nanton, Lawrence D. Brown, Juan Tizol, Quentin Jackson, Tyree Glenn (trombone); Victor Feldman, Duke Ellington, Lou Levy, Billy Strayhorn (piano); Gus Johnson , Sam Woodyard, Sonny Greer (drums).

Storyville Masters Of Jazz

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Duke Ellington - Sophisticated Lady (Duke's Greatest Hits)

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:15
Size: 115,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Sophisticated Lady
(3:10)  2. Harlem Speaks
(3:20)  3. In a Sentimental Mood
(3:01)  4. Merry-Go-Round
(3:04)  5. Echoes of Harlem
(2:45)  6. Caravan
(2:44)  7. Diminuendo in Blue
(3:10)  8. Crescendo in Blue
(3:06)  9. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
(3:00) 10. Prelude to a Kiss
(2:58) 11. Solitude
(3:18) 12. Concerto for Cootie (Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me)
(3:19) 13. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:14) 14. Cotton Tail
(3:19) 15. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(2:55) 16. Take the 'A' Train

"Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington.  Additional credit is given to publisher Irving Mills whose words were added to the song by Mitchell Parish. The words met with approval from Ellington, who described them as "wonderful but not entirely fitted to my original conception". That original conception was inspired by three of Ellington's grade school teachers. "They taught all winter and toured Europe in the summer. To me that spelled sophistication". Duke Ellington and His Orchestra introduced "Sophisticated Lady" in 1933 with an instrumental recording of the song that featured solos by Toby Hardwick on alto sax, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Lawrence Brown on trombone and Ellington on piano. The recording entered the charts on 27 May 1933, and stayed there for sixteen weeks, rising to number three. Ellington’s early vocalist Adelaide Hall recorded two versions of "Sophisticated Lady". In 1944 on the Decca label (Decca F. 8467) and in the soundtrack of the 1989/90 movie documentary celebrating her life entitled Sophisticated Lady. Miss Hall recorded with Ellington on several occasions in 1927, 1932 and 1933. Another version of Adelaide Hall singing "Sophisticated Lady" can be found on footage from British TV in the 1987 Terry Wogan Show. Arild Andresen, piano with guitar and bass recorded it in Oslo on March 11, 1955, as the first melody of the medley "Klaver-Cocktail Nr. 3" and "With a Song in My Heart" and "Flamingo" (His Master's Voice A.L. 3514). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophisticated_Lady

Sophisticated Lady (Duke's Greatest Hits)

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Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins - Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:47
Size: 102.5 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 1962/1995/2010
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Limbo Jazz
[5:54] 2. Mood Indigo
[4:02] 3. Ray Charles' Place
[4:58] 4. Wanderlust
[4:17] 5. You Dirty Dog
[3:51] 6. Self-Portrait (Of The Bean)
[4:47] 7. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
[5:50] 8. The Ricitic
[5:50] 9. Solitude

Ray Nance: cornet and violin; Lawrence Brown: trombone; Johnny Hodges: alto sax; Harry Carney: baritone sax and bass clarinet; Coleman Hawkins: tenor sax; Duke Ellington: piano; Aaron Bell: bass; Sam Woodyard: drums.

This extraordinary 1962 session was the realization of a promise made thirty years earlier between the maestro, Duke Ellington, and the father of the tenor saxophone, Coleman Hawkins, that they would some day make a record together. Released a mere two months ahead of the largely iconic Ellington-Coltrane meeting, the earlier date is distinguished by the creative energies and commitment both men bring to the proceedings, with Ellington producing a scaled-down version of one of his best bands and Hawkins playing like his characteristically authoritative self while becoming an integral member of the ensemble (in effect, he replaces tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves).

There are two considerations with the disc. Musically, it offers the compositional genius of Ellington and inspired solo work by his principals—altoist Johnny Hodges, cornetist Ray Nance, and trombonist Lawrence Brown. On the opening, inviting calypso rhythms of "Limbo Jazz," energized by the vocalizations of drummer Sam Woodyard, Hawkins seems all but forgotten until he slyly joins the party with a short but definitive closing solo. On "The Jeep Is Jumping" he's a more visible clean-up hitter, following the felicitous statements of the other tonal personalities with a masterful, extended sermon that leaves no doubt about who's the guest of honor. He double-times "You Dirty Dog" and sweetly converses with Ray Nance's fiddle on "The Ricitic."

"Mood Indigo" and "Self-Portrait" are all Hawkins, with the former, especially, capturing the delicate textures of Ellington's orchestral palette thanks to exceptional mixing by engineer Rudy Van Gelder. The Latin-tinged "Ray Charles Place" soon yields to an up-tempo shuffle rhythm on which the principals again shine, Hawkins' tenor ultimately chasing away any remaining clouds. The broad back-beat of "Wanderlust" suits Hodges, the underrated Nance, and baritone saxophonist Harry Carney to a tee, with Brown's trombone once again threatening to take solo honors before Hawkins' sensual entrance and building, climactic solo. ~Samuel Chell

Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins mc
Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins zippy

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Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges - Back To Back

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:43
Size: 109,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:30)  1. Wabash Blues
(8:05)  2. Basin Street Blues
(7:39)  3. Beale Street Blues
(6:58)  4. Weary Blues
(5:51)  5. The St. Louis Blues
(7:13)  6. Loveless Love
(5:23)  7. Royal Garden Blues

Here we have an oddity in the Duke Ellington collection, a small-band record that includes not a single Ellington composition and only one Ellington musician, co-leader and alto sax king Johnny Hodges. The repertoire consists of seven classic blues, including three from the pen of W.C. Handy, and the results of this informal 1959 session are nothing short of remarkable. The other major solo voice is Harry "Sweets" Edison, a Count Basie-band veteran who seems particularly inspired on this day. His embrace of the melody on "Basin Street Blues" shows great tenderness laced with simply perfect blues-based accents. Hodges offers a virtual lesson throughout in how to build solos from the ground up, nuzzling the nostalgic melodies at first before adding colorful embellishments. Meanwhile, Ellington's spare improvisations and clever comping offer bold chord choices and typically idiosyncratic timing without overwhelming the basic structure and feeling of the blues. No question, a record of old standards and easygoing statements can be just as powerful as any. ~ Marc Greilsamer https://www.amazon.com/Play-Blues-Back-VME-Remastered/dp/B0000047CU

Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Les Spann (guitar); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Jo Jones (drums). 

Back To Back

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Rosemary Clooney, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Blue Rose

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:14
Size: 101.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Big band
Year: 1956/2008
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Hey Baby
[2:57] 2. Sophisticated Lady
[2:28] 3. Me And You
[4:33] 4. Passion Flower
[2:37] 5. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:48] 6. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[4:10] 7. Grievin'
[2:21] 8. Blue Rose
[3:09] 9. I'm Checkin' Out, Goombye
[3:07] 10. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[6:28] 11. Mood Indigo
[3:01] 12. If You Were In My Place (What Would You Do )
[2:39] 13. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'

Billy Strayhorn conceived of this 1956 album while watching Duke perform in New York; it's all Strayhorn compositions arranged by the master himself, with Ro Clooney the perfect vocalist for the job.

Blue Rose

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Duke Ellington - The Cosmic Scene

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 43:58
Size: 81,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Avalon
(4:57)  2. Body and Soul
(3:03)  3. Bass-Ment
(3:10)  4. Early Autumn
(2:55)  5. Jones
(2:49)  6. Perdido
(5:07)  7. St. Louis Blues
(2:33)  8. Spacemen
(3:38)  9. Midnight Sun
(4:59) 10. Take the "A" Train
(4:46) 11. Body and Soul (alternate take)
(2:35) 12. Jones (alternate take)

Still riding the success of his triumphant concert at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Duke Ellington in 1958 decided to reduce his touring orchestra to a nonet dubbed "the Spacemen" in 1958, and recorded this lone project with them for the Columbia label. Perhaps inspired by the first orbiting satellites, Ellington is not taking cues from George Russell or Sun Ra, whose extraterrestrial inspirations led them down even more progressive paths. This large ensemble is playing mostly standards, but the arrangements and solos carve an integrated yet elasticized concept that allows for a more expanded role for the ensemble's trombonists Quentin "Butter" Jackson, John Sanders, and Britt Woodman, and select soloists. One in the solo spotlight is Clark Terry on flugelhorn exclusively, putting his fabled trumpet aside. The classic material presented includes clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton's features "Avalon" and "Early Autumn," the slinky stripper pole blues version of "St. Louis Blues" with Ellington's piano taking the lead, and two versions of "Body & Soul," with tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves completely extrapolating and re-harmonizing the main take, while faithfully playing the original melody on the alternate selection. There's a modified "Perdido," an animated and perky "Midnight Sun" that deviates from any other slow and lugubrious version of the ballad, and two attempts of "Jones" the first a real good swinger, the second with a more unified horn chart accented by a New Orleans shuffle provided by drummer Sam Woodyard. There are two originals; the blues bass of Jimmy Woode and the 'bones with plentiful piano from Duke infusing "Bass-Ment," and one of the more delightful of all of Ellington's book, the poppin' and boppin' "Spacemen," a bright happy horn chart led by Terry that is one of the more distinctive Ellington numbers of this time period. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-cosmic-scene-duke-ellingtons-spacemen-mw0000752803

Personnel:  Duke Ellington – piano;  Clark Terry – trumpet;  Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman – trombone;  John Sanders - valve trombone;  Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet;  Paul Gonsalves - tenor saxophone;  Jimmy Woode – bass;  Sam Woodyard - drums

The Cosmic Scene

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Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - The Great Summit (Bonus Tracks)

Size: 176,3 MB
Time: 75:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz, Swing, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Duke's Place (5:04)
02. I'm Just A Lucky So And So (3:09)
03. Cottontail (3:43)
04. Mood Indigo (3:57)
05. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me (2:35)
06. The Beautiful American (3:06)
07. Black And Tan Fantasy (4:00)
08. Drop Me Off In Harlem (3:50)
09. The Mooche (3:38)
10. In A Mellow Tone (3:48)
11. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (3:56)
12. Solitude (4:52)
13. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (3:29)
14. I'm Beginning To See The Light (3:35)
15. Just Squeeze Me (3:56)
16. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (5:32)
17. Azalea (5:05)
18. Duke's Place (Live) (Bonus Track) (2:20)
19. In A Mellow Tone (Live) (Bonus Track) (3:21)
20. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen (Live) (Bonus Track) (2:25)

Personnel:
Louis Armstrong (vcl, tp), Duke Ellington (p), Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d)

This release contains the complete master takes from the only full studio session ever made by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington together. The date was originally divided onto two albums: 'Together For The First Time' and 'The Great Reunion of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington'.

As a bonus a true rarity that appears on CD here for the first time ever: Louis and Dukes last preserved appearance together, promoting their album on the Ed Sullivan TV Show, as well as an additional song by Louis alone which completes all existing music from that program.

The Great Summit

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Duke Ellington - An Intimate Piano Session

Size: 168,9 MB

Time: 72:17

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2017

Styles: Jazz

Art: Front

01. The Anticipation (3:11)

02. Le Sucrier Velours, Pt. 1 (4:52)

03. Lotus Blossom, Pt. 1 (3:43)

04. A Blue Mural From Two Perspectives, Pt. 1 (1:10)

05. I'm Afraid (Of Loving You Too Much) (3:01)

06. I Didn't Know About You (3:57)

07. Loco Madi (0:49)

08. Lotus Blossom, Pt. 2 (2:08)

09. New World A-Comin' (9:20)

10. Le Sucrier Velours, Pt. 2 (2:39)

11. Melancholia (4:30)

12. Single Petal Of A Rose (2:44)

13. The Blues Ain't (4:42)

14. Come Sunday (4:52)

15. My Mother, My Father And Love (4:45)

16. A Blue Mural From Two Perspectives, Pt. 2 (1:52)

17. Black Swan (1:35)

18. The Lake (4:07)

19. Satin Doll (2:27)

20. Just Squeeze Me (5:46)

Previously unreleased music from the fingertips of Duke Ellington: An intimate 1972 session with the Duke on solo piano plus three bonus tracks from 1969.

The scene is 311 West 57 Street, New York, Mediasounds Studio A, Friday August 25th,1972. Duke Ellington was having an engagement with a smaller group at The Rainbow Grill, as he had had several times before, finishing the gig on the following night. But on the 25th, he chose also to go to the recording studio, just himself at the piano together with his two band singers Anita Moore and Tony Watkins, to record some pieces which were not played so often.

The recordings remained in his ”stockpile” until now, this being the first commercial issue of these beautiful pieces. The late Sjef Hoefsmit wrote about the session when he heard it back in 1994: ”It is difficult to understand why these magnificent recordings never have been issued”. Well, here they are at last – for all to enjoy!

Among the gems you'll find tracks such as two takes of the Billy Strayhorn composition “Lotus Blossom”, the Duke’s own “Le Sucrier Velours” and his emotional “My Mother, My Father and Love”. The latter was often performed with the Duke himself as a vocalist, reciting his own lyrics. No doubt the words meant a great deal to him, both personally and as part of his positive stories about the black communities in the USA.

The new CD contains three additional bonus tracks. On November 7th, 1969, Duke Ellington and his orchestra played two concerts in Rotterdam, in the famous De Doelen concert hall. The second concert of the evening was prolonged, as the public wouldn’t let Ellington go. So while the rest of the bandmembers left the stage, a quartet with Duke, Wild Bill Davis, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Rufus Jones stayed, and played four more numbers, much to the delight of the sold-out house.

An Intimate Piano Session   

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Duke Ellington - The Popular Duke Ellington

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Take The 'A' Train
(2:36)  2. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(3:14)  3. Perdido
(5:10)  4. Mood Indigo
(5:12)  5. Black And Tan Fantasy
(3:11)  6. The Twitch
(3:37)  7. Solitude
(1:55)  8. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(5:36)  9. The Mooche
(3:02) 10. Sophisticated Lady
(3:56) 11. Creole Love Call
(5:27) 12. Caravan
(1:59) 13. Wings And Things
(1:56) 14. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

This CD reissue from 1997 features Duke Ellington and His Orchestra running through 11 of the leader's hits and a lesser-known blues tune, "The Twitch." The 1966 version of his big band still had all of its main stars, including such major voices as trumpeters Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson, trombonists Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper, altoist Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and clarinista Jimmy Hamilton. 

All are featured on The Popular Duke Ellington. Since the material is all very familiar, and mostly quite concise (nothing over six minutes long, and a version of "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" that is under two minutes), few surprises occur. But Ellington fans will enjoy this well-played effort. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-popular-duke-ellington-mw0000529326

Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Harry Carney, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves (reeds); Cootie Williams, William "Cat" Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herbie Jones (trumpets); Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors (trombone); John Lamb (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums).

The Popular Duke Ellington

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Frank Sinatra - Francis A. & Edward K.

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:10
Size: 81,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. Follow Me
(4:12)  2. Sunny
(5:00)  3. All I Need Is the Girl
(4:12)  4. Indian Summer
(5:00)  5. I Like the Sunrise
(4:57)  6. Yellow Days
(4:27)  7. Poor Butterfly
(3:23)  8. Come Back to Me

The much-anticipated collaboration between Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington, Francis A. & Edward K., didn't quite match its high expectations. At the time of recording, the Ellington band was no longer at its peak, and Sinatra was concentrating on contemporary pop material, not standards. It was decided that the record would be a mixture of standards and new material; as it happened, only one Ellington number, "I Like the Sunrise," was included. Due to a mild cold, Sinatra was not at his best during the sessions, and his performance is consequently uneven on the record, varying between robust, expressive performances and thin singing. Similarly, Ellington and his band are hot and cold, occasionally turning in inspired performances and just as frequently walking through the numbers. But that doesn't mean there is nothing to recommend on Francis A. & Edward K. On the contrary, the best moments on the album fulfill all of the duo's promise. All eight songs are slow numbers, which brings out Sinatra's romantic side. "Indian Summer" is a particular standout, with a sensual vocal and a breathtaking solo from saxophonist Johnny Hodges. Much of the material on the album doesn't gel quite as well, but devoted Sinatra and Ellington fans will find enough to treasure on the record to make it a worthwhile listen.~Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/francis-a-edward-k-mw0000198867

Personnel : Frank Sinatra (vocals); Duke Ellington (piano); Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet); Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (baritone saxophone); Rev. Francis A. & Edward K.; Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Lawrence Brown (trombone); Sam Woodyard (drums, percussion).

Francis A. & Edward K.

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