Ellington Popular

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.

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. …

This collection presents a personal favourite selection of popular ballads and romantic pieces of work taken from various periods of Ellington's career. They are moody, haunting, happy, sad, all are beautiful and moving and represent the mellow, soulful side of Duke Ellington.

Just the fact that Ellington's extended masterpiece "Reminiscing in Tempo" is included here in its original and continuous form is reason enough to pick up this compilation. Initially recorded in 1935, "Reminiscing" was the first thoroughly composed jazz piece and one that not only demonstrated Ellington's knack for longer forms, but also featured practically all of his singular soloists. Upon its first release, the 13-minute piece was broken up over a few 78s, later making its way into EP form. Currently, the Classics label includes it on one of its Chronological discs, but spread over four distinct tracks. So, this 1991 Columbia release might be the only way to get this great work in its seamless form as it was originally recorded. Collector's concerns aside, this CD was the audio companion to an Ellington documentary aired on PBS. Predictably, it provides something of an overview of Ellington's career, beginning with a recording of "The Mooche" from his Cotton Club days in the late '20s up through a version of "Black Beauty" from 1960.

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…

In the process of offering a survey of great Ellington vocalists, this collection provides a seredipitous overview of the sound of the band itself from the 1930s through the 1950s. Of course, Ellington's output was enormous, and enormously varied, and no one collection of 16 tracks could do the diversity of his oevre justice, but focusing on vocal arrangements provides an intriguing window on this situation. Among other pleasures, this collection provides the thrill of going to the source. "It Don't Mean A Thing," is heard here in its debut incarnation, with Ivie Anderson's stealthy opening scat, and wah-wah plunger riffs played by the very trumpet section that was in the process of defining that style for all time…

At some point in their lifetime, everyone should treat themselves to a listen of Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll." If there is ever to be a true understanding of great jazz, exposure to one of the genre's original masters is a must, and "Satin Doll" provides an ideal glimpse at the popular big band-style of music that defined the early to mid-1900s. This timeless classic can be found on the 2001 release Love Songs, an ongoing series of CD collections of the same name on Columbia Legacy Records. Fans of even the most contemporary, electrified styles are sure to appreciate the smooth horn and wind arrangements, backed by cool rhythm sections that recall the days of zoot suits, swinging pocket watches, and slicked-back hair. Vocalists fortunate enough to collaborate with the Duke Ellington Orchestra were truly given a rare opportunity to perform with a legend…