Three new Ellington Columbia reissues today!

[jazzbo]

Out today, three new Columbia Ellington reissues:

Piano in the Foreground

Piano in the Background

Blues in Orbit

I've had these for months on advance copies and they sound fantastic! Each contains extra material as well. RECOMMENDED.

[John L]

This is top drawer Ellington (IMO). I love all three.

[Stefan Wood]

I'll probably get Blues in Orbit, but I have ever heard about the other two??

[John L]

You NEED them, believe me.

[jazzbo]

Piano in the Foreground is a trio performance with Aaron Bell and Sam Woodyard. Wonderful stuff. Tunes that rarely appear anywhere else, and should, and a few standards. And the old man is just ON IT, with bass and drums thinking just as hard as they can to keep up along with him, doing the best they can.

Piano in the Background is a big band affair and one that really cooks, with mostly introductions featuring the "piano player."

Both of these had very good original sound and excellent remastering and nicely chosen extra material.

A bargain at the cduniverse price this week!

Edited July 27, 2004 by jazzbo

[jazzbo]

Blues in Orbit sounds really good as well, the cd probably sounds a bit better than the cd layer of the Mobile Fidelity SACD (but the SACD layer is still the king!) And it is expanded, including the material added to the earlier cd and then some I believe.

[Clunky]

I can't wait, I loved the last three Ellington reissues, a really good quality product

No UK release date as far as I can see. Amazon UK isn't listing them yet !!!

[Tony Pusey]

I am really looking forward to these 3, the last batch were sesational!

[J.A.W.]

I have the rare OOP Mobile Fidelity hybrid SACD of Blues in Orbit, and I'm wondering if I really need the new reissue...

[jazzbo]

You do if you want the expanded material!

12. Track 360

13. Sentimental Lady

14. Brown Penny

15. Pie Eye's Blues - (alternate take)

16. Sweet & Pungent - (alternate take)

17. Swinger's Jump, The - (alternate take)

18. Blues In Orbit - (previously unreleased, alternate take)

19. Track 360 - (alternate take)

The alternates are fun and the first three and last of the additional tracks are nonalbum tracks from another session that were on the earlier US cd release (excellent material).

Edited July 27, 2004 by jazzbo

[brownie]

I have the rare OOP Mobile Fidelity hybrid SACD of Blues in Orbit, and I'm wondering if I really need the new reissue...

Jazzmatazz says there are eight bonus tracks on that 'Blues In Orbit' reissue.

I'll buy that!

[Stefan Wood]

Order made!

[jazzbo]

Alright!

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[mr jazz]

check out half.com. I wish listed it and after a couple of emails picked up like new copy of Blues in Orbit for around $9 including shipping (seller's feedback was fine). I;ve got soooo many Ellington cds but the other two releases sound good as well so I guess I'll put them on the list. thanks for the info

[B. Goren.]

Piano in the Foreground is a trio performance with Aaron Bell and Sam Woodyard. Wonderful stuff. Tunes that rarely appear anywhere else, and should, and a few standards. And the old man is just ON IT, with bass and drums thinking just as hard as they can to keep up along with him, doing the best they can.

Piano in the Background is a big band affair and one that really cooks, with mostly introductions featuring the "piano player."

Both of these had very good original sound and excellent remastering and nicely chosen extra material.

A bargain at the cduniverse price this week!

Thanks Lon. I am convinced.

[Guest Chaney]

Consider placing your CD Universe orders via JAZZMATAZZ.

JAZZMATAZZ

[Claude]

I have the rare OOP Mobile Fidelity hybrid SACD of Blues in Orbit, and I'm wondering if I really need the new reissue...

You could sell it on Ebay and get the new CD. I've never seen the MoFi go for less than $50.

[Shawn]

Let me just say that Piano In The Foreground & Background are ESSENTIAL!!!! These are some of my most frequently played Ellington CDs, I will be picking up these reissues.

Yeah!

[ghost of miles]

I'm picking up BLUES IN ORBIT next Monday--will get the other two soon. (I have the old PIANO IN THE FOREGROUND import CD, and it's just as good as Lon says it is...)

Also not to be overlooked, coming out next week:

Duke Ellington, TREASURY SHOWS V. 10

The music on these two CD's (51 tunes) has never been released before. The music is taken from 4 radio broadcasts in New York City in 1945 – part live and part in the radio studio. Aside from providing great big band jazz for the radio audience, the point of these broadcasts was also for Duke Ellington to sell war bonds in the final year of World War II. The repertoire consists mostly of well-known Ellington numbers, plus a few rarities. These radio broadcasts are particularly important because commercial studio recordings were banned during World War II. One tune on CD 2 – "I Miss Your Kiss", featuring the great trombone work of Lawrence Brown – was never recorded commercially. Other highpoints are Johnny Hodges' smooth alto sax on "Mood to be Wooed", and Rex Stewart's trumpet work on "Emancipation Celebration".

--from Worlds Records e-mail

[BruceH]

I've got the three Columbias on vinyl, but I've been waiting for these re-issues. Blues In Orbit is one of my all-time favorite jazz albums, period. The other two are pretty nice as well.

[Chuck Nessa]

I don't understand the general drift of this conversation - all the praise of Blues In Orbit. I have absolutely nothing against it (I've had it since the lp was issued and played it two weeks ago) but I find the other two far more memorable. Is this reputation generated by it's previous cd incarnation and the fact the others have been generally unavailable?

[Big Al]

I don't understand the general drift of this conversation - all the praise of Blues In Orbit. I have absolutely nothing against it (I've had it since the lp was issued and played it two weeks ago) but I find the other two far more memorable. Is this reputation generated by it's previous cd incarnation and the fact the others have been generally unavailable?

Y'got me...... I was planning on getting the two PIANO discs before BLUES IN ORBIT.

[BruceH]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's just a very enjoyable album. Lots of nice grooves on there; nothing world-shaking, on the order of a Such Sweet Thunder or Far East Suite. Just a wonderful swing album.

[medjuck]

Duke Ellington, TREASURY SHOWS V. 10

The music on these two CD's (51 tunes) has never been released before. The music is taken from 4 radio broadcasts in New York City in 1945 – part live and part in the radio studio. Aside from providing great big band jazz for the radio audience, the point of these broadcasts was also for Duke Ellington to sell war bonds in the final year of World War II. The repertoire consists mostly of well-known Ellington numbers, plus a few rarities. These radio broadcasts are particularly important because commercial studio recordings were banned during World War II. One tune on CD 2 – "I Miss Your Kiss", featuring the great trombone work of Lawrence Brown – was never recorded commercially. Other highpoints are Johnny Hodges' smooth alto sax on "Mood to be Wooed", and Rex Stewart's trumpet work on "Emancipation Celebration".

--from Worlds Records e-mail

There's been a lot of discussion on the Duke-Lym list-serve about this sound quality (or lack there-of) of this latest release. Complaints of too much compression. I haven't heard it yet so I can't comment.

[JSngry]

The trio album is the only one I've not had on lp for quite a while, and I'm thrilled to finally get it. Duke's piano work grows in fascination for me every year (well, truthfully, every day...), and this is one "spotlight" album of him as pianist I've never heard. I expect to wear the grooves out of this cd!

But I ordered all three - the combination of Mr. Larkin's site, all the new material, and those sick CDUniverse preorder prices made it impossible not too!