Far Duke Ellington

This 24-CD box, which dwarfs even most Bear Family sets in scope, is essentially everything Ellington cut for RCA-Victor over a 46-year period. There are gaps, especially after 1946 when he jumped to Columbia, but otherwise, this is all of it. One quickly discovers that, by virtue of its leader's taste, combined with the good sense of RCA-Victor's recording managers, this was a band that did little, if any, wrong on record…

Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band, covering the years 1940-1942 in the great composer and bandleader's career, is essentially the third time that RCA has issued this material on CD. The first was a botched job, appalling even, with its flattened-out, compressed sound, along with a chopped version of "Take the A-Train" and other sonic and editorial errors. The second version was completely remastered and corrected the editorial problems, but featured no alternate takes from the band's performances. Beyond the original 66 tracks, nine additional cuts are featured here, including four brand-new master-take issues of "Another Pitter Patter," "Body and Soul," "Sophisticated Lady," and "Mr. J.B. Blues," as well as alternate takes of "Ko-Ko," "Bojangles," "Sepia Panorama," "Jumpin' Punkins," and "Jump for Joy"…

Duke Ellington called his music "American Music" rather than jazz, and liked to describe those who impressed him as "beyond category. He remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music and is widely considered as one of the twentieth century's best known African American personalites. As both a composer and a band leader, Ellington's reputation has increased since his death, with thematic repackagings of his signature music often becoming best-sellers. Posthumous recognition of his work include a special award citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board.

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.

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. …

While listeners really should just dive right in and get the three-disc Blanton-Webster Band package from Bluebird, this single disc does a fine job of chronicling Ellington's epochal 1940 sessions. One of a few Classics discs covering that year, the 22-track collection takes in such milestones as "Concerto for Cootie," "Cottontail," "Ko-Ko," and "Sepia Panorama," while spotlighting some absolutely classic solo work by Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Rex Stewart, and Barney Bigard, among many others. And even with such essential cuts as "In a Mellotone" and "Warm Valley" missing - not to mention a handful of duets featuring Ellington and bassist Jimmy Blanton - this roundup still has more than enough bedrock jazz to keep newcomers fully engrossed.

Thus far RCA, in its Bluebird series, has released three CDs of early Duke Ellington. Although not comparable in quantity to its earlier "complete" series on French RCA LPs, this first disc is well worth acquiring and is a perfect place for collectors to start in exploring Duke Ellington's music of the '20s and early '30s. Highpoints include "Black and Tan Fantasy," "Creole Love Call," "East St. Louis Toodle-oo," the lyrical "Black Beauty," "Mood Indigo" and the remarkable "Daybreak Express," on which Ellington has his unique orchestra colorfully depicting a train ride. Some of his music still sounds futuristic today.

By 1967, the heyday of the big band was over. Rock and Roll ruled as the popular music of the day, and the financial challenges of keeping a large ensemble together for recording - and especially touring - were huge. But Duke Ellington - one of American's finest bandleaders, pianists, and composers - was more than just a genius in the field of music. He also succeeded as a business man, keeping his orchestra not only busy on the road, but also creating his finest art - what he called "American Music" - in the 1960s and 70s.
Big Bands Live: Duke Ellington Orchestra, is the second release from the Jazzhaus music label's "Big Bands Live" series, and it captures the group in top form in a previously unreleased 1967 concert recording in Stuttgart, Germany…