Ellington on Columbia

[montg]

I’ve been listening to a lot of Ellington from this period the last few days. Signing with Columbia in '56, after the Capitol years, reinvigorated Ellington (or provided a medium for the already invigorated Ellington). I've been listening to The Festival Session (some great Jimmy Hamilton e.g., 'Idiom '59' and Paul Gonsalves on 'Copout Extension') and Such Sweet Thunder in particular. Newport 56 is probably my least favorite from this group, not sure why. Anyway, the Columbia years in the 50s seem to have been particularly fruitful for Ellington, I’m wondering how others feel about this period. Nice studio sound,btw.

Ellington Uptown

Masterpieces by Ellington

Newport 56

Newport 58

Such Sweet Thunder

Black, Brown., Beige

Drum is a Woman

Anatomy of a Murder

Festival Session

Piano in Background

Piano in Foreground

Blues in Orbit

Cosmic Scene

Jazz Party

(this list is probably incomplete--these are the titles I'm familiar with-- and it's not chronological)

Incidentally, some of these seem to be going out of print.

[JSngry]

Helluva run, & you can add (at least) Ellington Indigos, Bal Masque, All American, Lost Session, & another "dance" album whose name I forget but it has a "French" theme to it (or is that Bal Masque?). I feel as if I'm leaving something out (besides the odd singles and such). However, Uptown & Masterpieces come from an earlier stint at the label. Not that they are any lesser for that.

I guess for sheer audacity, the last RCA-into-the-freelance period probably wins out, but still, I eman, the band was tighter than it probably ever was, before or after, Columbia was an "agreeable" label, and it was just a good time (great time, actually) for everybody concerned in pretty much every way.

Edited March 24, 2008 by JSngry

[montg]

Columbia was an "agreeable" label, and it was just a good time (great time, actually) for everybody concerned in pretty much every way.

I'm not sure who was responsible (Avakian? or Townsend?), but Columbia seems to have provided a lot of latitude and resources for Ellington....the type of stewardship that is pretty much history today.

[Ian Bradley]

another "dance" album whose name I forget but it has a "French" theme to it (or is that Bal Masque?).

Would that be Midnight in Paris? Not a particularly well regarded album but fine music, I think.

The Columbia period is my absolute favourite. I like the earlier Masterpieces and Ellington Uptown, too.

And not forgetting from the 1956-62 period my absolute favourite A Drum is a Woman. Columbia apparently had the tapes all ready to go to a double CD for the centennary in 99 and then the project was pulled for some reason. Will the CD ever see the light of day? I wish Sony BMG would do a proper re-issue of this material - the whole period - indeed all their Ellington holdings. In the digital download era has the possibility of this gone forever?

[Shawn]

Ellington thrived off his audience, the adulation was like a fix that he HAD to get (my opinion of course). When the Newport performance became instant legend, the popularity returned, the accolades from the critical establishment returned as well. Johnny Hodges coming back didn't hurt. Anyway, now the adulation jones was in full flight which triggers an AMAZING period of creativity and consistence of quality for Duke AND his band...they all sound inspired during this era.

Anatomy of a Murder is an interesting example unto itself. It was damn near unheard of for a jazz band leader to get a gig writing a score for an A-list feature starring James Stewart. The fact that the movie was brilliant only increases the resonance of Ellington's score. Duke really creates an experience during that film, he even gets that amusing on screen cameo with a small version of the band. The opening theme that plays during the credits sets the tone for the entire film. It's a playful little romp...but there's something dark flowing below the surface. The little "edge" of tension in that piece is brilliant, and indicative of the level of power Duke was operating under during this time. Imagine how hanging out with Stewart, Preminger, etc. would have helped the Ducal ego!

Of this era, my favorites are actually Piano in the Foreground and Piano in the Background. There's a personal aspect that really comes through on these recordings. Background in particular is a beautiful way to just focus on the sound of the incredible players in his band, I also love the way they arranged the tunes with Duke playing a chorus before the band kicks in. That band was HEAVY. The version of Happy Go Lucky Local is wicked, 50's equivalent of heavy metal. Foreground is just simply sublime and leads nicely into Money Jungle and the Impulse recordings with Trane & Hawkins a couple years later.

All must-haves in my book.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Shawn

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm not sure who was responsible (Avakian? or Townsend?), but Columbia seems to have provided a lot of latitude and resources for Ellington....the type of stewardship that is pretty much history today.

You can probably credit Goddard Lieberson and the "tone" he set by his hirings.

[Teasing the Korean]

Big fan of Uptown, Masterpieces, and Anatomy.

Lve the two percussion pieces on Jazz Party.

[Teasing the Korean]

I have some French compilations of CBS stuff on vinyl, and there are these crime jazz tracks on there (not Anatomy). Does anyone know what these are from, and if they've made it to CD?

[Christiern]

I'm not sure who was responsible (Avakian? or Townsend?), but Columbia seems to have provided a lot of latitude and resources for Ellington....the type of stewardship that is pretty much history today.

You can probably credit Goddard Lieberson and the "tone" he set by his hirings.

Yes, Lieberson was to music what Clive Davis isn't, but then there was John Hammond, to whom Goddard owed his job. As you know, Hammond and Duke never got along--the former could not control the latter.

[ejp626]

another "dance" album whose name I forget but it has a "French" theme to it (or is that Bal Masque?).

Would that be Midnight in Paris? Not a particularly well regarded album but fine music, I think.

The Columbia period is my absolute favourite. I like the earlier Masterpieces and Ellington Uptown, too.

And not forgetting from the 1956-62 period my absolute favourite A Drum is a Woman. Columbia apparently had the tapes all ready to go to a double CD for the centennary in 99 and then the project was pulled for some reason. Will the CD ever see the light of day? I wish Sony BMG would do a proper re-issue of this material - the whole period - indeed all their Ellington holdings. In the digital download era has the possibility of this gone forever?

A domestic CD would be nice, though this was released on CD in France, along with a few other titles (my favorite of the bunch being Rouse's Yeah). Anyway, there was some discussion of this already. DustyGroove has the Drum import and Amazon carries it to, including some used copies. No bonus tracks though. Since I have this on LP, I probably only would buy it again if additional tracks materialized.

[Swinging Swede]

But the unreleased remastered version is in stereo. And wasn't it supposed to be a 2-CD set? Lots of extra material in other words. I think it could or at least should be released as a Mosaic Single, if Sony won't release it themselves. Why not? The remastering work is already done after all.

[Swinging Swede]

For the sake of completeness, the other albums not mentioned so far are:

Jazz At The Plaza, Vol. II (with Jimmy Rushing guesting on three tunes, and also a couple of Billie Holiday tracks)

The Nutcracker Suite

Peer Gynt Suite & Suite Thursday

First Time! (w. Basie)

The Girl’s Suite & The Perfume Suite (This is one I would like to hear. According to Lord it has been on CD, but that's a CD I've never seen.)

Then there are the various French 56/62 volumes of outtakes. Some of that material has been included as bonus tracks on CD reissues.

[jazzbo]

But the unreleased remastered version is in stereo. And wasn't it supposed to be a 2-CD set? Lots of extra material in other words. I think it could or at least should be released as a Mosaic Single, if Sony won't release it themselves. Why not? The remastering work is already done after all.

That's my impression too Swede, stereo, two cd expanded edition. (Interestingly the actual tv performance used some of the recorded material but was mostly live).

I asked Michael Cuscuna if Columbia or Mosaic planned on releasing this. His succinct reply was "No plans at this time."

I would recommend the Jazz Track version of the currently available ones; it is a much nicer packaging than the CBS France cd and sounds better too. (Contains one additional track apparently used in the performance but not on the lp).

[Swinging Swede]

I have to say though that some of my most favourite 50s Columbia Ellington recordings are the 78 rpm sessions he made in 1951 with the new Bellson-Smith band. The addition of Louie Bellson makes the band sound so much more powerful and rejuvenated on stuff like Fancy Dan and The Hawk Talks (sorry, Sonny G.). I think those recordings tend to be overlooked because they came at the very end of the 78 era when Duke already had started to make LP albums, but there's some great stuff there.

[jazzbo]

I have to say. . . I never have yet warmed up to those Bellson years recordings! I admit they're different, more energetic. . . but. . . I prefer those recordings with Greer then Woodyard.

I have some (all?) of these on five volumes of CBS France cds "1947-1951" . . . so glad I have that series of discs! I paid dearly for them in the mid-nineties.

[Free For All]

Jazz At The Plaza, Vol. II (with Jimmy Rushing guesting on three tunes, and also a couple of Billie Holiday tracks)

When Miles' Jazz at the Plaza came out long ago, I remember seeing "Volume I" on the jacket and thinking/hoping that there might be a Volume II with the same band.

Turns out Volume II was the recording w/Duke's band (which was certainly not a disappointment. ).

Edited March 24, 2008 by Free For All

[BruceH]

Good God, yes! The lion's share of my favorite Ellington albums are from this period, among them Blues In Orbit, Such Sweet Thunder, Jazz Party, and The Nutcracker Suite. Then there's the live albums, and the Anatomy of A Murder score. Helluva run, indeed.

[alocispepraluger102]

indigos is an interesting recording for me. sometimes it grabs me as starkly beautiful, and other times leaves me cold.

[jazzbo]

I always love it. One of my desert island discs.

[alocispepraluger102]

I always love it. One of my desert island discs.

when it grabs, it grabs hard.

[Free For All]

Blues In Orbit

This is one I keep coming back to, definitely one of my favorite Ellingtons.

[DMP]

Did anyone ever answer the question about the Ellington "crime jazz?" Is he thinking of the Asphalt Jungle music? And, has "Asphalt Jungle Twist" ever made it to CD? (I'm also a big fan of this period and the '60's RCA's - my favorite Ellington.)

[alocispepraluger102]

(I'm also a big fan of this period and the '60's RCA's - my favorite Ellington.) me, too.