For Duke

Duke Ellington - The 1962 MOMA Recital - Piano Solo & Trio (2010) {La Maison du Duke MDD 001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 229 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 170 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 17 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1962, 2010 La Maison du Duke | MDD 001
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Piano

La Maison du Duke is proud to present a collection of unpublished recordings of Duke Ellington, which come from an important stock of Ellington archives (Clavié collection), acquired by the association, which only a few collectors had access to today . The CDs are reserved for members of the Maison du Duke association and are not intended to be marketed.

Duke Ellington - Welcome To The Clubs: Blue Note 1956-57, Hickory House 1957, Storyville 1959 (2014) {La Maison du Duke MDD 005}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 243 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 153 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 23 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1956-59, 2014 La Maison du Duke | MDD 005
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Big Band / Progressive Jazz

La Maison du Duke is proud to present a collection of unpublished recordings of Duke Ellington, which come from an important stock of Ellington archives (Clavié collection), acquired by the association, which only a few collectors had access to today . The CDs are reserved for members of the Maison du Duke association and are not intended to be marketed.

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.

After years of producing albums which were more pop/funk than jazz oriented, George Duke simmers down, leaves off the R&B vocals, and takes a little creative license on the self-proclaimed "mood record" After Hours. While his recent Muir Woods Suite showed off his affinity for classical music, here he's at his best on the meditative Vince Guaraldi-type trio ballads "Together as One" and "Sweet Dreams," which glide along on the improvisational and gently swinging graces of Christian McBride and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler. A whole project in this vein would have been welcome, but Duke charters other new territory, too; on the easy grooving "The Touch" and the almost new agey "From Dusk Till Dawn," he borrows the actual Rhodes from Joe Sample but winds up perfectly simulating Bob James' "Taxi" vibe, especially on the exploratory solo on the latter tune. The untrained ear might swear it's an actual James recording, but Duke's a clever enough producer to go beyond strict imitation. "The Touch" achieves an intriguing low-toned brew, as Sheridon Stokes' bass flute melody drifts gently over a hypnotic weave of Larry Kimpel's bass and Duke's Rhodes.

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.

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. Although their paths had crossed from time to time over the years, nobody in the entertainment industry had ever managed to get Armstrong and Ellington into a recording studio to make an album together. On April 3, 1961, producer Bob Thiele achieved what should be regarded as one of his greatest accomplishments; he organized and supervised a seven-and-a-half-hour session at RCA Victor's Studio One on East 24th Street in Manhattan, using a sextet combining Duke Ellington with Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars. This group included ex-Ellington clarinetist Barney Bigard, ex-Jimmie Lunceford swing-to-bop trombonist Trummy Young, bassist Mort Herbert, and drummer Danny Barcelona. A second session took place during the afternoon of the following day.

AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic album series with a re-mastered 2CD release by Duke Pearson, complete with original artwork and liner notes. Another child protégé, Duke Pearson (yes the Duke does come from his uncle’s favourite film star John “Duke” Wayne…….only joking, it is of course from the great Duke Ellington !), began piano lessons at six. However by 12 he had stopped them in favour of the trumpet, sax and mellophone. In fact so enamoured was he of the trumpet he would go on to play it through college and during his draft in the Army. It was while in the army that he met pianist Wynton Kelly and was so inspired by his playing that he immediately decided to switch back to the ivories. This did of course necessitate learning the instrument he had abandoned years ago practically all over again! Duke’s early career would include playing with R&B acts like Little Willie John before moving to New York in 1959 where he met trumpeter Donald Byrd. Byrd would use some of Duke’s compositions and he and Duke would play regularly on each other’s albums, including one of our featured sets, “Byrd In Flight”.