The five-disc, 2009 Duke Ellington collection Original Album Series brings together a handful of the legendary bandleader's 1960s albums. Included here are Will Big Bands Ever Come Back?, Jazz Violin Sessions, Mary Poppins, Ellington '65, and Ellington '66. Although these albums found Ellington attempting to compete in the post-swing rock & roll era with a more commercial sound, they are still great jazz albums that should appeal to most Ellington fanatics.
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington were (and are) two of the main stems of jazz. Any way you look at it, just about everything that's ever happened in this music leads directly – or indirectly – back to them. Both men were born on the cusp of the 19th and 20th centuries, and each became established as a leader during the middle '20s. …
This CD consists of the recordings of big-band standards that Duke Ellington originally did for Reprise in the early '60s. One suspects there was a quid pro quo here - he would cut these '30s and '40s standards, which were certain to make money, for Reprise, and that same label, in turn, would record his symphonic music. The material is done in a smooth, swinging style, more laid-back than what the Count Basie orchestra of the same period would have done with this same stuff ("One O'Clock Jump" is included here as one of ten bonus tracks), but with enough fire and boundless elegance to make it more than worthwhile. Highlights include "Minnie the Moocher," "Cherokee," "Ciribiribin," "Contrasts," "Smoke Rings," "Woodchopper's Ball," "Rhapsody in Blue," and "Tuxedo Junction"…
This two-LP set lives up to its title. First Duke Ellington and his orchestra are heard in 1952 during a period when they were being overlooked by the jazz media but still producing a great deal of worthy music. The second half of this release is taken from a European tour in 1965 and features some prime late-period playing from trumpeter Cootie Williams.
This 10CD Box set was released posthumously and actually includes recordings from Ellington's private collection. They are mainly studio recordings which he produced at his own expense, but two volumes cover a couple of dance dates at military bases in California. The whole set is essential as it includes some compositions which are not recorded elsewhere (such as The Degas Suite and The River) and generally excellent performances.
The liner notes neglect to mention in what year this April 29th birthday performance was recorded, but given the orchestra's lineup and set choices, 1953 or 1954 is likely. Unlike the majority of recently-discovered live tapes, this dance at Portland's McElroy's Ballroom was professionally recorded (by the great engineer Wally Heider) and so the sound is astonishing. This five-CD series is easily the best representation we have of Ellington's early-'50s lineup in an intimate ballroom dance setting.
This CD reissue features Duke Ellington and His Orchestra running through 11 of the leader's hits (+ 3 Bonus tracks) 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 clarinetist 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.
Eight of the selections on this interesting CD feature Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on pianos, with backup work by either Wendell Marshall or Joe Shulman on bass plus an unidentified drummer on a few numbers. Among the more notable selections are "Cotton Tail," "C Jam Blues," "Johnny Come Lately," and particularly a wild version of "Tonk." The latter's big-band selections include the initial studio recording of "The Tattooed Bride" and a lengthy exploration (utilizing Yvonne Lanauze's wordless vocals) of "Mood Indigo."