*** The Duke Ellington Corner ***

[king ubu]

I know ... but Nimbus might be. So yeah, a used copy is the better idea for sure.

[jazzbo]

[alankin]

So Ellington was on the moon, too?

Well, at least part way:

[king ubu]

Yeah, I guess he was a few steps further than most of us (goes for the jacket, too!):

[jazzbo]

So Ellington was on the moon, too?

http://www.retronaut.com/2013/07/duke-ellington-performing-with-a-moon-module/

[kh1958]

Question: what's the best way to acquire the Road Band albums? CD preferrably ... I see some 1990 Sony ones listed?

Those are what I have (Red Baron). They sound good, as do the prior LP issues.

Thanks! I'll see if I can get them for okay prices - seems offers online are a mess (confusing Vols 1 and 2 and the Collectables and those Sony/Red Baron ones). But I'll have to try, at least, since I really want to hear those!

Only have some copies of LaserLight releases. There's also a 2CD set "The Great Chicago Concerts", with Django sitting in .... this set is out again on Nimbus, but with Nimbus you might get CD-Rs, so I don't feel like ordering ...

You won't believe how great this "All Star Road Band" live recording sounds, particularly volume 1; recorded by Jack Towers.

[JSngry]

So Ellington was on the moon, too?

[JSngry]

Other question: what about those live discs released by an unknown-to-me outfit by name of Squatty Roo?

This one looks tempting:

I have several Ellington releases by that label, and find them of significant musical/historical interest. The Last Trip To Paris disc is of particular interest as it shows the band in its final days, which is at once weird, sad, scary, and overall, just a general mindfuck. But this is all part of the Ellington Saga. Accept it as such, and you will find much of value. Compare it to past glories and you will cry more than a few tears. Ultimately, consider that this was the band of a man who knew his time was running out, and was in the process of transitioning the thing over to Mercer, yet still had the creative ownership that he was congenitally incapable of relinquishing until the last breath had been breathed. Complicated stuff, really, and don't listen to it & Sirius back to back, or even in the same week, unless you're ready to go there and stay a spell.

Same thing with Rugged Jungle, only this is still Duke not yet ready to transition out.

Hey. Rugged Jungle indeed. This stuff gives me shivers and moves me to tears of truth.

It (Squatty Roo) also appears the be the type of enterprise of which it might be said that the sooner one acquires the product, the less one will have to worry about finding it in the years ahead, if you know what I mean.

As for All-Star Road Bands, get them both, any way you can. Just do it, then worry about it.

One more tip - look for a Laserlight release called Cool Rock. Trust me oin this one.

[gmonahan]

I know ... but Nimbus might be. So yeah, a used copy is the better idea for sure.

Thanks for the heads-up on this one. It had somehow slipped under my radar. Used copy is on the way!

gregmo

[king ubu]

Thanks a lot, Jim! I'll look into some of these when I have more time at my hands!

And I will try to get hold of the Road Sessions for sure! Whatever ducal dance session I've heard of the 50s and 60s was always a pleasure to hear!

[mjzee]

Dispute over Duke Ellington royalties in court - Seattle Times.

Interesting legal case.

Up.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I recall Duke being live on TV during the moon landing (was it CBS?) and playing/singing/talking...doing an original? Others will have details, but at least he was "almost" there. That looks like the set for the appearance, as I recall.

Whoops! Didn't see JSangrey's response above... ABC, not CBS.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Ted O'Reilly

[xybert]

I've been on a major Ellington bender lately. I've been a fan for a while, previously had what i thought was a semi-decent collection of about 45-50 discs; although i knew i had some holes i felt like i had enough covered in terms of the in-print essentials, and would be satisfied picking up the occasional album every now and again.

Something about seeing that video of the Perfume Suite with the stop motion puppets set me off. As i say, i was already a fan of Ellington and, you know, totally 'got' him but it's like the more i hear the more i need to hear and the greater my 'getting' gets. Some random thoughts as i was planning a big rant but i'm already running out of steam/need to get back to some urgent work:

- What a piano player, in terms of the sheer flavour. Fast becoming one of my favourites in that regard. No dull technician was he.

- What a distinctive sound on the piano! Not sure if he was ahead of his time or more just a time unto himself.

- Been watching a lot of interviews on youtube: he comes off as a really cool guy!

- His music is super addictive.

- The music, just such amazing music (no steam left to get in to it too much. It would all be pretty much variations on 'the way he does this is awesome, the way he does that is awesome' anyway).

A lot of these are going to be 'no shit, Sherlock' for long term fans... but yeah!

Anyway, i really need to do some reading, i guess. Although i know that Ellington is regarded as one of the greatest of the great, i'm still finding it hard to get my head totally around how he was perceived 'at the time'. When did he start getting attention? At what point was he regarded as a star? At what point did he start being regarded as a living legend? When were the ups and downs? How much is our perception of Ellington retroactive? How was he percieved in the sixties, the seventies? Although i was already familiar with the music and the fact that he was active in to the seventies, it's increasingly blowing my mind that he was 'around' during the time of woodstock and vietnam and Rolling Stone etc. You could go see Led Zeppelin perform and in the same week you could go see Duke Ellington perform. If you wanted to. Did anyone want to? Anyway, i'm rambling.

Cheers, just had to get some of my enthusiasm off my chest.

[jazzbo]

Always great to read enthusiasm for Duke, an enthusiasm I share. I really enjoy his music, and over the years I've come to really appreciate his scope and stance as an artist and artistic human being. He was an imp, loved life and could appear shallow and deeply complex.

I never appreciated his music enough to travel and see him perform when alive. I have seen the orchestra led by his grandson, which was a great thrill to be honest. The music was sincerely and swingingly presented. And one month in the early 'Seventies I did see Count Basie and Led Zeppelin in the same month! The Basie concert was in a church and very moving, and left a musical impression with me and had an impact on my musical life even though I spent much time watching my future wife on the other side of the aisle, on a date with another.

[Chuck Nessa]

Duke was my way into this music and Duke will probably be my way out - if I need a playlist for my exit it will be Duke's '20s material. Saw him and the band untold times. Had a very personal exchange with him in his later days. He told me I was a fool.

Edited October 27, 2014 by Chuck Nessa

[gmonahan]

Duke was my way into this music and Duke will probably be my way out - if I need a playlist for my exit it will be Duke's '20s material. Saw him and the band untold times. Had a very personal exchange with him in his later days. He told me I was a fool.

Yeah, well, even Ellington could make mistakes now and then, Chuck!

gregmo

[l p]

what's this all about?

[JSngry]

Maybe this?

http://www.tzclassifieds.com/schlitz-salute-to-jazz-festivals-i2922519/

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i just got a white label promo of 'ellington '66' and the guy that commented on my post was right, it is good arrangements, save the beatle tunes which dont work on this album for me.  i mean its just that here you have what at one point was -the- greatest band in the world...and yea but look what i really wanted to comment was if you guys like him seek out VANCOUVER '70 AT THE CAVE.  vols 1-2.  aud. recorded mono sound so it sounds like one of his old time concerts.....but its still '70... very cool.  it TOTALLY has that old school ellington band vibe.  (even better cause julian priesters on it).  i would also like to say i totally dont "get" a drum is a woman yet.  i got a really nice white label promo of it and i thought it would be my new favorite- duke orch + candido...im sold.   but candido barely is featured, and its album like an audio-musical......anyways my main beef is candidos barely featured.....

Edited November 6, 2016 by chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez

[l p]

beatles covers never work in a jazz setting. that duke photo is probably from newport jazz fest nyc 1971-73. and it looks like he has his fingers on the keys of the trumpet - was/is playing it.

[xybert]

I quite like Ellington '66.

This set was such good value, about 2/3 the price of a single CD in a brick and mortar store. Ended up buying two:

 

[mikeweil]

Nice audio from an Ellington recording session in January, 1938 - "Sonny Greer loses the band".

[kh1958]

This is a 2017 first release from the Stockpile, a mostly solo piano recording from August 25, 1972--An Intimate Piano Session (Storyville). It is sounding wonderful.

https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-Piano-Session-Duke-Ellington/dp/B06X3VLD6G/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1510584237&sr=1-1&keywords=Duke+ellington+an+intimate+piano+session

[aparxa]

"This piano is too honest"

[xybert]

Question regarding The Queen's Suite if anyone that was around at the time gets a chance: how anticipated was it's release? Were people clamouring for it or did it just kind of come out? Was the 'backstory' widely known in the years prior to it's release? Cheers.