Duke+ellington

Take the "A" Train is the vibrant signature composition of Duke Ellington, the most important composer in the history of jazz, also a rare bandleader who held his large group together for almost 50 years. It is quite impossible for one album to capture the full flavour and rich diversity of Duke Ellington’s music and orchestra. The eight tracks here offer a remarkably well-balanced sample of the prolific repertoire – the immortal compositions, the arresting arrangements, the outstanding soloists and, not least, the distinctive solo work of the piano player, Edward Kennedy Ellington, the Duke who became King of Orchestral Jazz.

"The Popular Duke Ellington" is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington featuring many of the tunes associated with his orchestra re-recorded in 1966 and released on the RCA label in 1967.

Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins is a jazz album by Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins that was recorded on August 18, 1962 and released in February 1963 by Impulse! Records. In 1995, The New York Times called it "one of the great Ellington albums, one of the great Hawkins albums and one of the great albums of the 1960s".

This album is a collection of classic melodies from the repertoire of Ben Webster’s famous employer of many years, Duke Ellington. The album is compromised of three live radio sessions with the Danish Radio Big Band In 1969 & 1971, plus three live concert sessions with three different backing-trios (Finland in 1967, Denmark in 1969 and Sweden in 1972). Two of the tracks – with Clark Terry, Kenny Drew, Red Mitchell and Bobby Brooks – are previously unissued. Aside from one tune. All the performances with the Danish Radio Big Band are Based on Ellington’s original scores. The quartet sessions are also great, including two “reunions” – one with Ben’s boss from the early 30’s, Teddy Wilson, and the other with fellow Ellington alumnus Clark Terry. That Ben Webster was one of the undisputed jazz-greats on the tenor saxophone- both in a big band and small group context – is amply demonstrated on this fine recordings.

Two titans of jazz come together in a rare and highly acclaimed collaboration, recorded in 1962. At the time, Duke Ellington had been working with various veteran jazz artists of the day such as Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, but John Coltrane was half Ellington's age and not nearly as famous at the time as he was going to be. For these small group sessions, each headliner brought his own bassist and drummer, who play in various combinations on the seven songs.

"Blues In Orbit" captures the essence of a late-night recording date that was as much a loose jam as a formal studio date, balancing the spontaneity of the former and the technical polish of the latter. If you're just getting into jazz, this album is highly recommended as a great way to initiate your collection.

Ellington’s revolutionizing vision of incorporating a symphony orchestra in his work unfolds with "The Symphonic Ellington". This breathtaking recording is full of colorful arrangements and inspired solos. “Night Creatures”, the opening three part movement features Ellington’s effort to “make the symphony swing”. The ingenious album is a true highlight in Duke Ellington’s long established career.

Duke Ellington And His Orchestra recorded this album in Chicago, IL on 7 & 8 February 1956 for the Bethlehem label. Ray Nance has vocals on I Can't Get Started, Jimmy Grissom sings on Everything But You. The Polydor reissues have slightly more adventurous titles, as well as the track listing changed. At the same session, the orchestra recorded another 12 tracks, released as "Historically Speaking - The Duke".

Two titans of jazz come together in a rare and highly acclaimed collaboration, recorded in 1962. At the time, Duke Ellington had been working with various veteran jazz artists of the day such as Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, but John Coltrane was half Ellington's age and not nearly as famous at the time as he was going to be. For these small group sessions, each headliner brought his own bassist and drummer, who play in various combinations on the seven songs.

Whatever the coincidence or lack thereof, jazz listeners were fortunate when Armstrong's and Ellington's paths crossed in an RCA Victor recording studio in 1961, thanks to producer Bob Thiele's influence. And jazz listeners are doubly fortunate that devoted jazz re-issue producer Michael Cuscuna found the out-takes from those sessions. The result is that listeners can be a fly on the wall during the creative process as the two kind-of centeniarians develop the final recorded tracks that the public heard on the original Roulette recordings.