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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Johnny Hodges - In Concert

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Swing
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:42
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. C Jam Blues
(2:27) 2. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
(3:50) 3. Good Queen Bess
(5:50) 4. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(4:13) 5. Sophisticated Lady
(1:11) 6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(2:38) 7. Don't Get Around Anymore
(2:47) 8. Just Squeeze Me
(2:42) 9. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(2:48) 10. Rose Of Rio Grande
(2:22) 11. All Of Me
(3:55) 12. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(9:36) 13. Perdido
(2:45) 14. Take The A Train
(2:20) 15. Mood Indigo
(2:28) 16. Solitude
(2:33) 17. Satin Doll
(2:52) 18. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(4:15) 19. Rocking In Rhythm
(4:04) 20. Autumn Leaves

Well-honed musicians schooled in Ellington texts. There are twenty pieces in the seventy minutes of playing time by this group. Duke Ellington was in Paris, writing the score for the film ‘Paris Blues’. There was free time for the band, so impresario Norman Granz pulled some of them together, under the leadership of Johnny Hodges, and set up a tour. One of the concerts was held at the Sportpalast in Berlin and eventually a 2CD recording was issued by the Pablo label. Another concert took place in Paris and was issued on the Fremaux label. This, the Copenhagen concert, is a new issue.

Ellington devotees shuddered at Ellington concerts when the dreaded medley was signalled. Ellington explained that many in his audience expected to hear some his popular pieces, so he assembled the hits together to get them out of the way before presenting some new work.

This album is like an extended medley: most of the pieces are around three or four minutes, only ‘Perdido’ is longer. The individual musicians go through what they longer. normally played on Ellington concerts. Johnny Hodges graces ‘Things Ain’t What They Used To Be’. Lawrence Brown slides through ’Rose Of The Rio Grande’. Harry Carney brings out ‘Sophisticated Lady’ and finishes with the long note and the circular breathing that he performed on every Ellington concert. Ray Nance, an excellent trumpet player also sings ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ and ‘Just Squeeze Me’.

Al Williams has the unenviable task of playing the Ellington role. He has the long introduction to ‘Perdido’ and that is his main contribution to the evening.

It is always good to hear these musicians. They all had their own individual sound, the sound as important as the content they played. Hodges was the most important alto player in the pre-Parker era. Strayhorn’s writing brought out his romanticism. Harry Carney’s sound was as mature and satisfying as black tobacco, always worth listening to even when he is on auto pilot. Many in the audience would leave the concert hall with a warm feeling knowing that they had seen legends: Hodges, Nance, Carney, Lawrence Brown, Sam Woodyard.

There are no surprises here and little improvisation. The absence of Ellington means that there is no one to challenge them. The main players are the spine of an Ellington band that was about to embark in the sixties on a journey that would produce the ‘New Orleans Suite’, the ‘Far East Suite’, The Afro Eurasian Eclipse’, ‘The Latin American Suite’, ‘Suite Thursday, the ‘Goutelas Suite,’,’ The Uwis Suite’, ‘The River Suite’, , ‘TheTogo Brava Suite’. Here they are relaxing on a well-paid European holiday playing pieces that they could negotiate in their sleep. You really do have to treasure them. We didn’t realise how lucky we were.

Personnel: Johnny Hodges (saxophone); Ray Nance (trumpet, violin, vocal); Lawrence Brown (trombone); Harry Carney (baritone); Al Williams (piano); Aaron Bell (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums)

In Concert

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Johnny Hodges - Triple Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1967/2015
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Take 'em Off, Take 'em Off, Pt. 1
[2:55] 2. Take 'em Off, Take 'em Off, Pt. 2
[3:45] 3. The Nearness Of You
[3:52] 4. Monkey On A Limb
[4:53] 5. A Tiny Bit Of Blues
[3:01] 6. For Jammers Only (A.K.A. Wild Onions)
[2:51] 7. On The Way Up
[3:19] 8. Big Boy Blues
[2:48] 9. The Very Thought Of You
[6:21] 10. Fur Piece
[3:18] 11. Sir John
[2:38] 12. Figurine
[4:20] 13. C-Jam Blues

Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney; Bass – Aaron Bell, Joe Benjamin, Milt Hinton; Cornet – Ray Nance; Drums – Gus Johnson, Oliver Jackson, Rufus Jones; Guitar – Billy Butler, Les Spann, Tiny Grimes; Leader, Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges; Piano – Hank Jones, Jimmy Jones, Nat Pierce; Piano – Jimmy Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves; Trombone – Benny Powell, Buster Cooper, Lawrence Brown; Trumpet – Cat Anderson, Roy Eldridge; Vibraphone – Bill Berry.

Altoist Johnny Hodges is heard in three different settings on this reissue CD. Such top swing stars as trumpeters Ray Nance, Cat Anderson and Roy Eldridge, trombonists Buster Cooper, Lawrence Brown and Benny Powell, tenors Paul Gonsalves and Jimmy Hamilton, baritonist Harry Carney, pianists Hank Jones and Jimmy Jones (the latter two sometimes together), guitarists Tiny Grimes, Les Spann and Billy Butler, bassists Milt Hinton, Aaron Bell and Joe Benjamin and drummers Gus Johnson, Rufus Jones and Oliver Jackson are heard in nonets with the great altoist. Despite the many changes in personnel, the music is pretty consistent, with basic swinging originals, blues and ballads all heard in equal proportion. As usual, Johnny Hodges ends up as the main star. ~Scott Yanow

Triple Play mc
Triple Play zippy

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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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