Ellington-a-thon

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 10

Barefoot Stomper 1965 [Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn]

This is kind of a "throwaway" tune from the Concert in the Virgin Islands album; Ellington and/or Strayhorn probably knocked this out in half an hour. But it's still pretty good; I'd rather hear a throwaway Ellington piece than almost anyone else's music.

Many of the titles on the Virgin Islands album are parodies of titles of then-current Broadway shows - "Barefoot in the Park," in this case. "Barefoot Stomper" is up-tempo, with a simple, riff-like melody played by the saxophone section. Which brings me to the saxophone section....

Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney. This is one of the greatest saxophone sections jazz has ever seen. It took awhile for all the pieces to fall into place. The section came together in 1950, when Gonsalves joined the band, but Hodges left soon afterwards. When Hodges returned in 1955, the section played together until late 1968, when Jimmy Hamilton left the band.

Each of these men has a highly individual and instantly recognizable sound. When they play together, they blend wonderfully, but you can hear the individual colors that make up the total sonic picture. That's jazz, baby. And that blend was captured wonderfully on the Virgin Islands album. Paul Gonsalves has a long solo on "Barefoot," and his sound has never been recorded better.

[A Lark Ascending]

Thanks for those explanations, Jeff. Just listened to the last two you mentioned in the light of them.

'Cottontail' is wonderful. The thing I became more aware of listening to this a couple of times this week was the marvellous arrangement at the end of the tune.

In fact, listening to an hour of the 1940 stuff earlier in the week I found myself focusing on the written parts more than the solos - amazing how in many tunes he varies these arrangements from bar to bar; no sense of a stock arrangement that then gets repeated every time the chorus comes round.

[A Lark Ascending]

Ellington-a-thon 11

• 
  
  Chicago Stomp Down - 1927 - [James P. Johnson/Henry Creamer]
  Ducky Wucky - (Dance) - 1932 - [Duke Ellington-Barney Bigard]
  Rude Interlude - 1933 - [Duke Ellington]
  Gal-Avantin’ - 1938 - [Duke Ellington-Cootie Williams]
  Jump For Joy - (Clary, Box And Bass) - 1941 - [Duke Ellington/Paul Francis Webster-Sid Kuller]
  Don’t Be So Mean To Baby - 1947 - [Dave Barbour/Peggy Lee]
  TATTOOED BRIDE (The) - 1948 - [Duke Ellington]
  I Left My Heart In San Frncisco - 1964 - [George C. Cory Jr/Douglas Cross]
  GOUTELAS SUITE - 1971 - [Duke Ellington]
  Hick - 1971 - [Duke Ellington]
  

Edited November 14, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 11

TATTOOED BRIDE (The) - 1948 - [Duke Ellington]

"The Tattooed Bride" is one of my very favorite Ellington pieces, and one of his best extended works, although it seems to be kind of under-appreciated. It was premiered at the November, 1948 Carnegie Hall concert and featured at many concert appearances over the next several years. Many of these concerts were recorded and eventually released; I've got three different live versions of the piece. The "official" studio recording was made in December, 1950, and appeared on the Masterpieces by Ellington album on Columbia. (If you have the 1953 Pasadena concert version, be warned that it begins about two minutes into the piece. Whether the tape was edited or Ellington actually played a shortened version, I don't know.)

TTB is brilliantly put together, built around a four-note motif that appears in various guises throughout the 12-minute work. But it never sounds contrived or mechanical sounding - it all flows beautifully. Although it's a continuous, through-composed piece, it falls pretty naturally into three movements after the introduction:

Intro

Medium tempo

Uptempo (minor key)

Slow, changing to uptempo for the last couple of minutes.

All of the melodies are built around the four-note motif - it's pretty easy to hear. Along the way are variations, contrapuntal passages, a trombone solo (Lawrence Brown through 1950; Britt Woodman later), and some gorgeous playing by Jimmy Hamilton, who is the featured soloist. This is one of those Ellington works that doesn't have a wasted note, where everything works just perfectly.

At various times Ellington explained the title to his audiences. The up-and-down four-note motif represents the four strokes of the letter "W" with which the title character is tattooed. And Jimmy Hamilton's long held note at the end marks the point when the young man first finds out that his bride is tattooed.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 11

Ducky Wucky - (Dance) - 1932 - [Duke Ellington-Barney Bigard]

A good one. Lawrence Brown introduces the bouncy melody, and Bigard and Cootie are also given solo spots. The four-piece saxophone section is heavily featured, and they sound great.

"Ducky Wucky" comes from the period when Ellington was leaving behind the older concept of structuring his music with contrasting themes. DW is all based on the theme that Brown plays at the beginning. Ellington provides all the variety the piece needs with his compositional skill in variation, tone colors, and simply knowing what soloist to call on.

The "Dance" alternate title derives from the use of a short excerpt from "Ducky Wucky" as part of Ellington's "Symphony in Black," which serves as the soundtrack of the remarkable 1934 short film of the same name.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 11

GOUTELAS SUITE - 1971 - [Duke Ellington]

Okay, I really don't want to monopolize this thread. I hope some more folks will jump in with their thoughts on these Ellington pieces. But I just love it - it encourages me to go back and re-examine pieces I haven't heard for awhile and clarify my opinions about recordings I've heard many times.

Anyway, The Goutelas Suite is a bit of a strange one. In 1966, Ellington was involved (at what level, I don't quite understand) with the restoration of of Goutelas, a 13th century French chateau. This a suite written for the opening ceremony. Again, I don't quite understand the details. But the music seems to have a ceremonial, "occasional" aspect to it. Only two of the six movements are longer than two minutes; this gives the suite a somewhat fragmentary, unfinished feel. But if you keep the ceremonial purpose of the composition in mind, it makes more sense - it starts and ends with a fanfare, and "Goutelas," the second movement, is obviously a processional of some sort. The longest movement, "Something," is full of Ellingtonian changing colors, and "Having at It" gives Paul Gonsalves a chance to stretch out; it's the only movement that has any jazz soloing to speak of.

Goutelas isn't a masterpiece, but it was probably pretty moving heard in the candlelight in the namesake chateau. Ellington recorded it in 1971, and it was issued after his death on the Pablo album The Ellington Suites.

[papsrus]

Haven't been listening to much Ellington the past few weeks, but I've been reading along Jeff and really enjoying the knowledge you're sharing. Will make a point to listen to Goutelas Suite later tonight and try to offer some thoughts (it's late). The background detail you provide is a must-read for me.

Thank you.

[papsrus]

'Something,' basically the heart of The Goutelas Suite, beautifully conveys the reverence Ellington must have had for the occasion. Quiet, subdued even, expressing that sort of humble but almost giddy joy one feels when encountering the grandeur of things like French chateaus. -- (Course, Duke was probably somewhat used to that sort of thing.)

Then, BAM, Gonsalves tears it up on the all-too-brief 'Having At It.' That's a number that leaves this listener wanting more. I want Gonsalves to go all Newport on me for a while. But Ellington knows best, and even though my ears get greedy, it's perfect in it's place, and sits in stark relief to 'Something.' (Although I was tempted, and may yet, hit the replay button a few times.)

The whole suite is over and done with all too quite quickly. But as Jeff said, when taken for what it is, it makes more sense. .... if that makes sense

[Hoppy T. Frog]

'Something,' basically the heart of The Goutelas Suite, beautifully conveys the reverence Ellington must have had for the occasion. Quiet, subdued even, expressing that sort of humble but almost giddy joy one feels when encountering the grandeur of things like French chateaus. -- (Course, Duke was probably somewhat used to that sort of thing.)

Then, BAM, Gonsalves tears it up on the all-too-brief 'Having At It.' That's a number that leaves this listener wanting more. I want Gonsalves to go all Newport on me for a while. But Ellington knows best, and even though my ears get greedy, it's perfect in it's place, and sits in stark relief to 'Something.' (Although I was tempted, and may yet, hit the replay button a few times.)

The whole suite is over and done with all too quite quickly. But as Jeff said, when taken for what it is, it makes more sense. .... if that makes sense

The story behind the even at the chateau is pretty interesting...it sounds like almost a g-rated Hermann Nitsch "aktion" (now THERE'S a collaboration that should have happened--the Duke writing music for animal sacrifice and orgies).

Edited November 21, 2010 by Hoppy T. Frog

[brownie]

Ellington-a-thon 11

GOUTELAS SUITE - 1971 - [Duke Ellington]

Okay, I really don't want to monopolize this thread. I hope some more folks will jump in with their thoughts on these Ellington pieces. But I just love it - it encourages me to go back and re-examine pieces I haven't heard for awhile and clarify my opinions about recordings I've heard many times.

Anyway, The Goutelas Suite is a bit of a strange one. In 1966, Ellington was involved (at what level, I don't quite understand) with the restoration of of Goutelas, a 13th century French chateau. This a suite written for the opening ceremony. Again, I don't quite understand the details. But the music seems to have a ceremonial, "occasional" aspect to it. Only two of the six movements are longer than two minutes; this gives the suite a somewhat fragmentary, unfinished feel. But if you keep the ceremonial purpose of the composition in mind, it makes more sense - it starts and ends with a fanfare, and "Goutelas," the second movement, is obviously a processional of some sort. The longest movement, "Something," is full of Ellingtonian changing colors, and "Having at It" gives Paul Gonsalves a chance to stretch out; it's the only movement that has any jazz soloing to speak of.

Goutelas isn't a masterpiece, but it was probably pretty moving heard in the candlelight in the namesake chateau. Ellington recorded it in 1971, and it was issued after his death on the Pablo album The Ellington Suites.

Duke Ellington performing for one of the fans at Goutelas in 1966.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 6

Creole Rhapsody Pts 1 + 2 [Duke Ellington] 1931

I just picked up a nice vinyl copy of The Unknown Session (1960, released in 1979); I was surprised to find a bit of "Creole Rhapsody" included. The last track on side one, "Creole Blues," is the same melody as the third theme of the Victor version of "Creole Rhapsody" - the one played by Artie Whetsol (and not a blues). Here it's played by Lawrence Brown - just once through, played straight. I suppose that Ellington thought it was too good a melody to let die, and I agree.

[JSngry]

The Unknown Session (1960, released in 1979);

Fine session, that one.

[A Lark Ascending]

Ellington-a-thon 12

• 
  
  
• Blem 1972 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Blousons Noir 1963 [Duke Ellington]
  
• C-Jam Blues “C” Blues - Jam Session - Jump Blues - Duke’s Place - Circle Blues 1941 [Duke Ellington]
  
• I’m Hip Too 1967 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Just Scratchin’ The Surface New Trends In Music 1956 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Just Squeeze Me ( . . . But Please Don’t Tease Me) Subtle Slough 1946 [Duke Ellington/Lee Gaines]
  
• Misty Mornin’ 1928 [Duke Ellington/Arthur Whetsel]
  
• My Friend 1948 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Poco Mucho 1973 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Feetbone 1956 [Duke Ellington]
  

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 11

Rude Interlude - 1933 - [Duke Ellington]

Before we got too far away from episode 11, I wanted to say something about "Rude Interlude." The title comes from Ellington's 1933 tour of England, during which a female fan told him how much she enjoyed "Rude Interlude," which was her hearing of "Mood Indigo."

The piece is simple and brilliant, based on just a couple of melodic ideas. It starts with dark muted brass and a low trombone countermelody, and one way to hear the piece is as a continuous "brightening" from that dark opening. The opening "organ chord" melody continues through most of the piece, usually with a countermelody on top of it. During one chorus, Louis Bacon scats a countermelody - this was recorded during the short period in 1933-34 when Bacon joined the band and made the trumpet section a four-piece one.

A great piece, put together brilliantly from simple materials.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 12

Blem 1972 [Duke Ellington]

"Blem" is another of Ellington's string-of-solos blues, which it means that it's better than 98% of any other jazz composer's output. After the slightly off-center piano introduction, Harold Ashby blows over a pedal tone for awhile; the piece ends the same way. In between there are some simple, but catchy melodies and solos by Norris Turney on alto, Cootie Williams, Tyree Glenn, Paul Gonsalves, and Harold Minerve on piccolo.

A word about Turney and Minerve - it took two alto players to replace Johnny Hodges after Rabbit died. Seriously, Ellington often used six saxophones during the 1970's instead of the usual five. I think this was in part due to Paul Gonsalves' increasing unreliability. I've seen video footage from the period which shows Turney sitting with the trombones and playing mostly tenor, so I think hiring him was Ellington's way of ensuring that there would always be at least five saxes on the stand. But having Turney and Minerve in the band led Duke to explore the flute (and its cousin, the piccolo), since both of these men played that instrument. It must have been something of a revelation to have that new color to work with after all those years of composing.

"Blem" was issued on the Pablo album Up in Duke's Workshop. On my vinyl copy, the recording dates and credits are all screwed up. Stanley Dance attributes the trumpet solo in "Blem" to Money Johnson, but it seems clearly to be Cootie to me. I don't know if the CD issue corrected the recording info, but as a public service, I'm going to post the correct information for the album below.

Duke Ellington - Up in Duke’s Workshop

Pablo

Blem

Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington, John Coles (tp) Chuck Connors, Vince Prudente, Tyree Glenn (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Harold "Geezil" Minerve (as,fl,pic) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 12, 1972

Goof

Cootie Williams, Richard Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington (tp) Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Buddy Pearson (as) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 28 & 29, 1971

Dick

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Harold "Money" Johnson, Eddie Preston (tp) Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org,p) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, February 3, 1971

Love is just around the corner

Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington, Eddie Preston (tp) Chuck Connors, Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, February 1, 1971

Bateau

Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Al Rubin (tp) Chuck Connors, Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, December 9, 1970

Wanderlust

Cootie Williams, Willie Cook (tp) Bennie Green, Benny Powell (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p,keyboard) Paul Kondziela (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, April 25, 1969

Neo-Creole

Black Butterfly

Cootie Williams, Willie Cook (tp) Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors (tb) Johnny Hodges (as) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar) Duke Ellington (p) Victor Gaskin, Paul Kondziela (b) Rufus Jones (d) Mercer Ellington (tp) Harold "Money" Johnson (tp) Bennie Green (tb)

New York, June 20, 1969

Mendoza

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Fred Stone, Cat Anderson (tp) Booty Wood, Julian Priester, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 15, 1970

Edited November 28, 2010 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 6

Creole Rhapsody Pts 1 + 2 [Duke Ellington] 1931

I just picked up a nice vinyl copy of The Unknown Session (1960, released in 1979); I was surprised to find a bit of "Creole Rhapsody" included. The last track on side one, "Creole Blues," is the same melody as the third theme of the Victor version of "Creole Rhapsody" - the one played by Artie Whetsol (and not a blues). Here it's played by Lawrence Brown - just once through, played straight. I suppose that Ellington thought it was too good a melody to let die, and I agree.

Another latter-day "Creole Rhapsody" sighting: "Neo-Creole," recorded in 1969 and issued on Up in Duke's Workshop, is a boogaloo adaptation of the first theme of the Rhapsody.

[Hot Ptah]

Ellington-a-thon 12

Blem 1972 [Duke Ellington]

"Blem" is another of Ellington's string-of-solos blues, which it means that it's better than 98% of any other jazz composer's output. After the slightly off-center piano introduction, Harold Ashby blows over a pedal tone for awhile; the piece ends the same way. In between there are some simple, but catchy melodies and solos by Norris Turney on alto, Cootie Williams, Tyree Glenn, Paul Gonsalves, and Harold Minerve on piccolo.

A word about Turney and Minerve - it took two alto players to replace Johnny Hodges after Rabbit died. Seriously, Ellington often used six saxophones during the 1970's instead of the usual five. I think this was in part due to Paul Gonsalves' increasing unreliability. I've seen video footage from the period which shows Turney sitting with the trombones and playing mostly tenor, so I think hiring him was Ellington's way of ensuring that there would always be at least five saxes on the stand. But having Turney and Minerve in the band led Duke to explore the flute (and its cousin, the piccolo), since both of these men played that instrument. It must have been something of a revelation to have that new color to work with after all those years of composing.

"Blem" was issued on the Pablo album Up in Duke's Workshop. On my vinyl copy, the recording dates and credits are all screwed up. Stanley Dance attributes the trumpet solo in "Blem" to Money Johnson, but it seems clearly to be Cootie to me. I don't know if the CD issue corrected the recording info, but as a public service, I'm going to post the correct information for the album below.

Duke Ellington - Up in Duke’s Workshop

Pablo

Blem

Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington, John Coles (tp) Chuck Connors, Vince Prudente, Tyree Glenn (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Harold "Geezil" Minerve (as,fl,pic) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 12, 1972

Goof

Cootie Williams, Richard Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington (tp) Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Buddy Pearson (as) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 28 & 29, 1971

Dick

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Harold "Money" Johnson, Eddie Preston (tp) Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org,p) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d) Nell Brookshire, Tony Watkins (vcl)

New York, February 3, 1971

Love is just around the corner

Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Mercer Ellington, Eddie Preston (tp) Chuck Connors, Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, February 1, 1971

Bateau

Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Harold "Money" Johnson, Al Rubin (tp) Chuck Connors, Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, December 9, 1970

Wanderlust

Cootie Williams, Willie Cook (tp) Bennie Green, Benny Powell (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p,keyboard) Paul Kondziela (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, April 25, 1969

Neo-Creole

Black Butterfly

Cootie Williams, Willie Cook (tp) Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors (tb) Johnny Hodges (as) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar) Duke Ellington (p) Victor Gaskin, Paul Kondziela (b) Rufus Jones (d) Mercer Ellington (tp) Harold "Money" Johnson (tp) Bennie Green (tb)

New York, June 20, 1969

Mendoza

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Fred Stone, Cat Anderson (tp) Booty Wood, Julian Priester, Chuck Connors (tb) Russell Procope (as,cl) Norris Turney (as,ts,cl,fl) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harold Ashby (ts,cl) Harry Carney (bar,cl,b-cl) Duke Ellington (p) Wild Bill Davis (org) Joe Benjamin (b) Rufus Jones (d)

New York, June 15, 1970

Thanks, Jeff. I have this album and this is very helpful.

[JSngry]

I've seen video footage from the period which shows Turney sitting with the trombones and playing mostly tenor, so I think hiring him was Ellington's way of ensuring that there would always be at least five saxes on the stand.

My memory might be bad, but I think that Turney was functioning as the third trombonist? On 70th Birthday Concert, there's only two trombonists on the band instead of the usual three.

[Mark Stryker]

I've seen video footage from the period which shows Turney sitting with the trombones and playing mostly tenor, so I think hiring him was Ellington's way of ensuring that there would always be at least five saxes on the stand.

My memory might be bad, but I think that Turney was functioning as the third trombonist? On 70th Birthday Concert, there's only two trombonists on the band instead of the usual three.

Turney once told me that when he was sitting with the trombones (playing alto) he sometimes transposed the second trombone part and sometimes made up his own part. I can't recall if he said anything more specific about exactly what he meant by "making up his own part."

Turney originally came on the band to sub for two weeks for an ailing Hodges in 1969. When Hodges came back, Duke kept him on and he shifted to the trombone section until Hodges died, and then he moved to the lead alto chair. Turney also said that at first Duke was reluctant to have him play saxophone solos for fear people would compare him to Hodges, so his first regular solo was on flute: "I was practicing the flute all the time then, so he (Duke) called me in and started playing some stuff on the piano in D-flat and he said, 'Here, play behind this,' so I played behind it, and that turned into a thing called 'Fife.' That was my first solo."

The quotes come from a 1995 story I did about Turney when I was still working in Dayton, Ohio; Turney, who was born in the area, had moved back around 1990. I'd post the story if I could find it, but for some reason it's not in the Nexis data base. I just tracked down the hard copy in my files. He was a sweet man, as was his wife Marilee, but also a tough interview. Staccato sentences, veiled emotions, a bit taciturn. Over dinner, he described at various times Billy Eckstine, Fats Navarro and John Coltrane all with the same eight words: "He was a nice guy. I liked him." He did say this about his time in the Ellington band, however:

"Duke had the greatest musicians in the world. When that band was really together, man, they really played. Such a sound you never heard before. I was in there. ... I'd be in that band with all the beautiful sounds floating around you -- there was just nothing like it. I can't explain it. It was the greatest experience of my life."

Edited November 28, 2010 by Mark Stryker

[jeffcrom]

I've seen video footage from the period which shows Turney sitting with the trombones and playing mostly tenor, so I think hiring him was Ellington's way of ensuring that there would always be at least five saxes on the stand.

My memory might be bad, but I think that Turney was functioning as the third trombonist? On 70th Birthday Concert, there's only two trombonists on the band instead of the usual three.

Turney once told me that when he was sitting with the trombones (playing alto) he sometimes transposed the second trombone part and sometimes made up his own part. I can't recall if he said anything more specific about exactly what he meant by "making up his own part."

I've always assumed that he played with the trombones unless he was needed to sub for Gonsalves, in which case he could move to the sax section. In any case, thanks for that post, Mark; I'd love to read more.

"Blem" was issued on the Pablo album Up in Duke's Workshop. On my vinyl copy, the recording dates and credits are all screwed up. Stanley Dance attributes the trumpet solo in "Blem" to Money Johnson, but it seems clearly to be Cootie to me. I don't know if the CD issue corrected the recording info, but as a public service, I'm going to post the correct information for the album below.

Thanks, Jeff. I have this album and this is very helpful.

I was hoping someone might find it helpful. I did notice that I accidentally left some vocalists in the personnel lists. There are no vocals on the album, although other tunes from the same sessions might have had vocals. The vocalists have been removed from my earlier post, so copy and paste away.

Edited November 28, 2010 by jeffcrom

[alocispepraluger102]

what a miraculous resource is this thread. thanks jeff, and others,

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 2

Band Call - 1954 Ellington

Couldn't sleep, so up early(-ish), and I was thinking about this Ellington-a-thon loose end. I had no idea what "Band Call" was when this was first posted, but since my sweet wife got me the Mosaic Ellington Capitol set for my birthday, I know now that this is the tune Ellington used to get the band back on the stand after breaks. He recorded a two-and-a-half minute version for Capitol. It's just a couple of riffs over an eight-bar form - easily expandable to any length. After a minute or so of piano and rhythm section, the saxes come in with a riff, then a trumpet player (Willie Cook, I think) solos a little over it. That's it - no brass except for the trumpet solo.

The thing that surprised me most was Ellington's choice of the saxophones to join the rhythm section. Does that mean that the saxes were the first guys back on the stand? Really? In this band? That seems unlikely to me. I would have guessed that the trombones were the straightest arrows in the Ellington band. I mean, one of the trombonists during this period (John Sanders) left music to become a priest. Well, I guess the choice of using saxes on "Band Call" was feasible if one of the other saxophonists was assigned to get Gonsalves back on the stand.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 12

Just Scratchin’ The Surface New Trends In Music 1956 [Duke Ellington]

I'm not aware of any recordings of this before 1958. Ellington played it at Newport in 1958; it opened the Columbia album from the fest. And that's what the piece was designed for - to be a swinging, medium-tempo opener. It's got a really nice sax section chorus and an excellent Paul Gonsalves solo. Not Ellington's absolute best, but I'm glad to have it.

By the way, I had to stop typing halfway through that last paragraph, because my Newport 1958 LP got to "Happy Reunion," and I had to stop while Paul Gonsalves broke my heart.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon 12

C-Jam Blues “C” Blues - Jam Session - Jump Blues - Duke’s Place - Circle Blues 1941 [Duke Ellington]

Tunes made up of simple, repeated riffs were common in the 30's and 40's, but was there ever one simpler than "C Jam Blues?" It's just eight tones, and the first seven are all on the same pitch. (I know that the main theme of "Woodchopper's Ball is even simpler - five notes, all on one pitch - but "Woodchopper's" has a more elaborate second theme.)

It first appeared on a Barney Bigard small-group session, but a big band version came along pretty soon after that. I listened to those two original versions, along with one live version from each later decade, including one from the band's last year, 1973. The soloists change, the background riffs change, but it all stays pretty simple, and I suspect little or nothing was ever written down. It's just an excuse to blow.

[A Lark Ascending]

Ellington-a-thon 12

C-Jam Blues C Blues - Jam Session - Jump Blues - Dukes Place - Circle Blues 1941 [Duke Ellington]

Tunes made up of simple, repeated riffs were common in the 30's and 40's, but was there ever one simpler than "C Jam Blues?" It's just eight tones, and the first seven are all on the same pitch. (I know that the main theme of "Woodchopper's Ball is even simpler - five notes, all on one pitch - but "Woodchopper's" has a more elaborate second theme.)

It first appeared on a Barney Bigard small-group session, but a big band version came along pretty soon after that. I listened to those two original versions, along with one live version from each later decade, including one from the band's last year, 1973. The soloists change, the background riffs change, but it all stays pretty simple, and I suspect little or nothing was ever written down. It's just an excuse to blow.

Total musical illiterate here, but the way the piano notes are stabbed out has me in mind of Monk. It's not as off-centre as Monk, but it might be leading that way.

Despite its simplicity it's a tune I never tire of in its many different guises.

Edited December 2, 2010 by A Lark Ascending