Ellington 1938

The Genius of Duke Ellington, bandleader extraordinaire, pianist and greatest American composer of the 20th century is celebrated in the 93 ducal masterpieces featured in this 4 CD box set. Ellington's achievements as composer, arranger, pianist and bandleader touch a bewildering variety of levels, producing music that has never been surpassed, music that has been a constant inspiration to numerous other musicians, and those who truly appreciate Ellington's achievements.

The 1938-1939 Duke Ellington Orchestra, even before bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster became members, was quite a strong band, having at least eight major soloists. With Ellington providing constant new material plus rearrangements of older tunes, there was a limitless amount of high quality music flowing from this band. On this CD, there are eight numbers from the small group of Cootie Williams, four from Johnny Hodges, and three by Rex Stewart in addition to eight big-band performances. Among the many gems are "Old King Dooji," Rex Stewart's famous feature on "Boy Meets Horn," "Slap Happy," "Dooji Wooji," "Pussy Willow," "Subtle Lament," and a pair of Duke Ellington piano solos.

Duke Ellington's very busy year of 1938 resulted in enough music (counting small group dates led by his sidemen) to fill up more than three CDs. This disc has big-band dates plus outings headed by Cootie Williams and Johnny Hodges. Although 1939-1942 is often thought of as the peak of Ellington's career, his output from 1938 was very impressive too. Among the high points of the sessions on this CD (which feature such soloists as trumpeter Cootie Williams, cornetist Rex Stewart, trombonists Lawrence Brown and Tricky Sam Nanton, altoist Johnny Hodges, clarinetist Barney Bigard, baritonist Harry Carney, and Duke on piano) are "Love in Swingtime," "Prelude to a Kiss," "The Jeep Is Jumpin'," "Mighty Like the Blues," "Battle of Swing," and "Hodge Podge."

Featuring Robert Parker's excellent transfers from original mint-condition 78s, Swing 1930-1938 covers a somewhat overlooked period in Ellington's career. Lodged between his maiden hits from the Cotton Club period and the pinnacle recordings made during the early '40s, Ellington's many fine, depression-era sides include classics like "Sophisticated Lady," "Caravan," and "Prelude to a Kiss." And while this disc does not feature any of those gems (sorry for the buildup), it does contain one of Ellington's biggest hits in Ivie Anderson's singing debut "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," as well minor classics like "Rockin' in Rhythm," "Drop Me Off at Harlem," and "Stepping Into Swing Society." And in addition to the usual surfeit of quality solos by band regulars Johnny Hodges, Joe Nanton, and Harry Carney…

1938 was a very busy year for Duke Ellington in the recording studios, whether making classics with his big band or being the pianist and organizer of sessions allegedly led by his sidemen. This disc has plenty of big-band sides and combo dates led by clarinetist Barney Bigard, trumpeter Cootie Williams, and altoist Johnny Hodges. Most notable among the selections are "Stepping Into Swing Society," "Echoes of Harlem," "The Gal From Joe's," "I Let a Song Go out of My Heart," and "Jeep's Blues," but there are no throwaways among these three-minute gems.

Here's a taste of what the jazz scene was like in San Antonio, Texas during the mid-'30s. Clifford "Boots" Douglas (born in Temple, Texas September 7, 1908) led his 12- piece band from behind the drums, playing for dancers and leaving behind a trail of tasty Bluebird 78 rpm recordings. This is the second of two volumes containing all of this band's known works. The instrumentalists are barely remembered nowadays, even such powerful participants as trumpeter L.D. Harris, an extraordinary tenor man named Baker Millian, and an alto player with the unenviable nickname "Wee Wee." Boots became increasingly peculiar in his choice of altered and abbreviated song titles…

Packed with three beautiful Reinhardt/Grappelli guitar/piano duets, one gorgeous unaccompanied guitar improvisation, 15 solid Quintet sides, and the legendary Rex Stewart "Feetwarmers" session of April 5, 1939, this excellent volume of chronologically reissued Django Reinhardt recordings occupies a position somewhere between "magnificent" and "essential." After a vigorous jam on "Them There Eyes" and a pleasantly swung "Three Little Words," intimations of developing modernity suddenly erupt during "Appel Direct," also known as "Appel Indirect" or "Direct Appeal." Django delivers some downright devilish picking during this brisk exercise in dexterity…