Russel Band

This two-CD set is an unusually successful sampler. Although there are a few hits among the 40 selections, many obscurities are also included, and not all of the big bands represented are major names, such as Tiny Bradshaw, Noble Sissle, Spud Murphy, Teddy Powell and Jan Savitt. The emphasis is very much on jazz, and this worthy reissue is overflowing with forgotten classics. The music is programmed in chronological order, so one can experience the evolution of big bands from Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and Luis Russell to postwar recordings from Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman.

Whether called Dixieland, traditional jazz or New Orleans jazz, it is the happiest music in the world, a music that exudes joy and found its perfect symbol and world ambassador in Louis Armstrong. Originating out of the south (particularly New Orleans), the style in its various forms was a major force in the 1920s. While overshadowed by swing in the 1930s, Dixieland made a comeback in the early 1940s with Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band being one of the first revival bands. Whether played by veterans such as Bunk Johnson and Kid Ory or newcomers of the time such as Pete Fountain and the Dukes of Dixieland, the music has been a permanent part of the jazz landscape ever since.

From New Orleans to Harlem. The most important recordings of the golden age. Mit King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone, Sidney Bechet, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, Red Nichols, Clarence Williams, Muggsy Spanier, Frank Teschemacher, Adrian Rollini u.a. 100-CD-Box with original recordings. From the early days to the late 1950s, the highlights of Swing are presented on these 100 CDs.

If you like jazz, you might as well listen to this CD, and hear where it started. Okay, so it didn't exactly start here. The ODJB didn't invent jazz - no matter what their leader, cornetist Nick LaRocca, says. But they were the first to record jazz, and they had an incalcuable influence on a lot of what came afterwards, simply because they put their music down on wax. These early recordings have been put out many times by many different labels, but according to the Penguin Guide, this issue has the best sound…

Bobby Hackett was born under the name of Robert Leo Hackett on the 31st January, 1915 in Providence , Rhode Island. Bobby, who was later to become the most important white representative of Dixieland jazz, learned banjo, guitar and violin as a child. He left school at 14 and played from then on with local dance orchestras. He eventually learned the trumpet and performed at the beginning of his career with Pee Wee Russel and Teddy Roy in Boston. During 1941–1942 he played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

This CD (a straight reissue of the original LP) features a rather notable pianoless combo: vibraphonist Milt Jackson, guitarist Joe Pass, and bassist Ray Brown. These three masterful players recorded together in many settings during the Pablo years, but only this once as a trio. The colorful repertoire (which ranges from "The Pink Panther" and "Blue Bossa" to "Nuages" and "Come Sunday") acts as a device for the musicians to construct some brilliant bop-based solos.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Rotterdam 1969 (2016) {Storyville Records 101 8440}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 489 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 187 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 8 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2016 Storyville Records | 101 8440
Jazz / Big Band / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz

Duke Ellington’s status as a legend is well-merited. This new release presents the star and his whole orchestra in full vigor at a 1969 Rotterdam concert. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra toured Europe in November 1969, a time when Duke was still at the top of his powers. It is a pleasure to be able to issue the whole of an excellent concert recorded in De Doelen Concert Hall in Rotterdam—a venue famous for its splendid acoustics. The ambience is remarkable on this live recording: The audience is audibly enthusiastic and these high spirits influence the band: Duke Ellington and the orchestra gave two concerts on November 7th, and even though this is the second one, the musicians sound nothing but lively and fresh.

Arriving in New York in 1945, on his first day in town Ray Brown met and played with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Bud Powell. He was hired by Gillespie for his small groups and his big band; "One Bass Hit" and "Two Bass Hit" were early features, and he can be seen with Dizzy Gillespie in the 1947 film Jiving in Bebop. Although not a soloist on the level of an Oscar Pettiford, Brown's quick reflexes and ability to accompany soloists in a swinging fashion put him near the top of his field. After playing with Jazz at the Philharmonic, he married Ella Fitzgerald (their marriage only lasted during 1948-1952), and for a time led his own trio to back the singer.,.