Duke Ellington Centennial Collection

[brownie]

Alan Lankin's Jazzmatazz lists this Duke Ellington release due next week:

NEW Duke Ellington - The Centennial Collection - CD+DVD (RCA Bluebird) Aug 24

— the CD includes seven previously unreleased tracks from two dates from 1940 & '41 featuring the famous "Blanton-Webster" band; one tune features a rare one-minute bass solo by Jimmie Blanton; the CD opens with thirteen tunes recorded from RCA from 1927-42; transfers and mastering by Steven Lasker

— bonus DVD features performance footage by the Ellington band: "Symphony in Black" (1934), "Record Making with DE & his Orchestra (1937), five "Soundies" (1941); "Jamboree #7" (1943) plus an previously unreleased 11:00 audio interview with Duke from 1941

Any details available on these seven unreleased tracks from 1940-1941?

[Hank]

Any details available on these seven unreleased tracks from 1940-1941?

No details, but I think they might be radio broadcasts.

[medjuck]

I think they're broadcasts from Steve Lasker's private collection. I was hoping he would include one he has of the earliest known extant broadcast with Blanton but if they're from 40-41, I guess not.

Edited August 19, 2004 by medjuck

[ghost of miles]

This is definitely worth picking up, even if you already have the studio material--the live material is great, and the DVD soundies and shorts are a real treat. It's budget-priced, so you can probably find it for $8 or $9 if you look around online... although I'm wondering on what grounds Lasker withheld some of this material from the red RCA box (he states that he purchased some of the 1941 broadcasts in 1996). In any case, I've been listening/viewing with great pleasure today.

[jazzbo]

I don't know why he would have had any reason to include it in the box set, none of it ever belonged to RCA!

It's a nice cd, and the dvd has the best picture for these film items I've ever seen . . . I hardly think it will be found that cheap though!

[ghost of miles]

I don't know why he would have had any reason to include it in the box set, none of it ever belonged to RCA!

It's a nice cd, and the dvd has the best picture for these film items I've ever seen . . . I hardly think it will be found that cheap though!

I guess since this live material came out on BMG, and since Lasker was involved with the RCA box, that it seems to me as if it could easily have fallen within the parameters of that project. Technically no, it didn't belong to RCA... although they evidently have some sort of rights to it now, and it does include a period that's covered by the box (1940-42).

Hey, you're sure right about the price--I thought this was an $11.99 item, but I see that it's a much more hefty list $19.99! Never mind... got mine as a premium for pledging to my local public radio station. It is turning up for $9 used, but not quite the bargain that I thought at first.

[desertblues]

This is definitely worth picking up, even if you already have the studio material--the live material is great, and the DVD soundies and shorts are a real treat. It's budget-priced, so you can probably find it for $8 or $9 if you look around online... although I'm wondering on what grounds Lasker withheld some of this material from the red RCA box (he states that he purchased some of the 1941 broadcasts in 1996). In any case, I've been listening/viewing with great pleasure today.

I heartily agree and have been enjoying this one also - by the way the Coleman Hawkins cd/dvd is also a gem!

[brownie]

This is definitely worth picking up, even if you already have the studio material--the live material is great, and the DVD soundies and shorts are a real treat.  It's budget-priced, so you can probably find it for $8 or $9 if you look around online...  although I'm wondering on what grounds Lasker withheld some of this material from the red RCA box (he states that he purchased some of the 1941 broadcasts in 1996).  In any case, I've been listening/viewing with great pleasure today.

I heartily agree and have been enjoying this one also - by the way the Coleman Hawkins cd/dvd is also a gem!

The Ellington DVD is superb, with lots of rare soundies. Wish they had dug up a better copy of the 'Jam Session'. I have seen much better on that one.

I did not get the Coleman Hawkins Centennial until recently. This one is superb too.

The DVD includes videos I had never seen before of the Art Ford Jazz Party sessions. The video which was lost has resurfaced recently. What a treat to be enable to watch Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young side by side as they trade solos on 'Jumpin' With Symphony Sid'!

Lousy job from BMG which fails to identify the musicians appearing on those videos.

Jazz Factory (the Bastards from Spain!) issued recently a double CD 'Charlie Shavers & Coleman Hawkins' that includes all the previously released material from those Jazz Parties.