*** The Duke Ellington Corner ***

[king ubu]

Bev, about the Private Collection: of course I understand if you want to get all of it once you start looking, but then the whole series is made up of various larger and smaller chuncks, so just having some of the better volumes might actually do quite a lot, too... there are two volumes from dances, those are marvellous - Volume 2 is one of them, not sure which is hte other, 7 I think, but there are various dates on that, so I may mix some things up... but Volume 2 I like a lot! Alas it's been a while that I played all of these, so I couldn't give an account of what to definitely get and what to likely skip.

[jostber]

Here's a couple of new reissues and releases coming up(February-March 08) with the great Duke:

[king ubu]

The Zurich and Drum discs have been out for a while, what's the Indigos? Courtesy of some Andorrans?

[thomastreichler]

I warmly recommend the following discs issued by Naxos Jazz Legends (I don't know if these sessions are also covered by the Chronological Classics series):

Duke Ellington: Original Recordings Vol. 9 1943-1945 "Black Brown And Beige"

a compilation of radio transcriptions from 1943 (outstanding sound quality) plus excerpts from "Black Brown And Beige" recorded 1944

Duke Ellington: Original Recordings Vol. 10 1945 "Air Conditioned Jungle"

radio transcriptions in excellent sound quality plus one selection where Duke is guesting with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra and one where Tommy Dorsey is featured with Duke's orchestra

Edited January 29, 2008 by Tommy T

[vajerzy]

I just started reading this thread.....I remember buying the Complete RCA box and thinking that it would be great to get the (hopefully) complete output of Duke....then I bought the Mosaic Capitol and Reprise sets....then realized that I'll need much more money and time than I can afford......so I gave up on that endeavor. The only think I have left is the RCA box because I've only listened to a third of it.

I'd like to get a healthy dose of Columbia recordings- does anyone have a suggestion? I'll also start poring through this thread for ideas.

[jazzbo]

Get the great Centennial year relesase on Columbia. . . and there's a nice overview of the label's output, a three cd set.

[king ubu]

How about that "Live and Rare" Bluebird set? Is that worth looking for? I remember it got a rather lukewarm reception, but now that my interest in ducals sounds has majorly grown I wonder...

[Pete B]

I have found Duke Ellington - A Listener's Guide by Eddie Lambert to be an invaluable guide in exploring Ellington's music.

the 1947-1952 box set was issued as a cd box in France (4 cds I think - they left out the Liberian Suite as I remember). I have the vinyls so I have never bought a copy but I see them turn up on Ebay from time to time and they don't seem to draw many bids. I'm rather fond of that period. Some of the vocal numbers are, shall we say, an acquired taste, but the bulk of this box is prime Ellington.

Edited January 29, 2008 by Pete B

[jazzbo]

I have that material from CBS France in a five volume set (volume five has Masterpieces by Ellington and the Liberian Suite.

Wonderful stuff. I spent over one hundred dollars total on all five at a time where that meant a LOT of money to me. Glad I did!

[jazzbo]

Here's a couple of new reissues and releases coming up(February-March 08) with the great Duke:

The Indigoes purports to contain all the material: the original stereo version, the tracks that are different in teh mono version, and I can't remember but to be complete it should contain the different "Autumn Leaves" track (French lyrics).

The Drum is a Woman is NOT the CBS France version released some months back but a "Jazz Beat" digipak.

If anyone is interested in a cd version of this one, and doesn't want to wait ten years when an official version MAY come out and you haven't sprung for that CBS France cd yet, hold off. . . .

Get the Jazz Beat digipak instead.

For one the cover is BEAUTIFUL. A wonderful print of the album cover, no CBS series logo at all, bigger than the CBS cover version because it's a digipak and it clearly takes it's inspiration from the highgloss Impulse digipaks.

And the sound, though slightly different is as good if not a bit better (depends how you like the sound: this digipak has a bit of a brighter more focused sound, the CBS a darker, bit muddier sound) and WITHOUT the half a dozen clicks that are on my CBS cd copy (not sure if this is lp noise or digital "switching" like noise, not too bad but. . . annoying.)

And it has an additional track (Pomegranate) which was recorded at the sessions, but never on the original album though it's reported that it was used in the tv program. . . so it's appropriately included.

In my opinion, and fully aware of the 'qualms of provenance' about the Jazz Beat version, you're better served gnabbing that one. And yes, "Hey Buddy Bolden" is right there where it should be.

[Swinging Swede]

Regarding The Complete Ellington Indigos on Jazz Beat, I did some research on what's on it and posted my results last month in another thread:

The Complete Ellington Indigos (Jazz Beat)

[Teasing the Korean]

One I like a lot that is often overlooked is "Afro Bossa" on Reprise.

[papsrus]

Very much enjoying the "Never No Lament" discs. On steady rotation since arriving yesterday. Beautiful. Also got a knock on the door last night (night!) and the UPS man had left a copy of the Newport 56 disc. Went directly to the Gonsalves solo. Wow! The band a hootin' and a hollerin' away in the background. Great stuff.

Ordered the following this morning following comments here:

[bluesbro]

Very much enjoying the "Never No Lament" discs. On steady rotation since arriving yesterday. Beautiful. Also got a knock on the door last night (night!) and the UPS man had left a copy of the Newport 56 disc. Went directly to the Gonsalves solo. Wow! The band a hootin' and a hollerin' away in the background. Great stuff.

Ordered the following this morning following comments here:

Well the Fargo concert is just...wow. Could be the greatest live Ellington ever, period. I own the Storyville anniversary edition and the sound is gorgeous.

I am not such a big fan of the Hawk date, its OK but not one my favorites.

[papsrus]

Well the Fargo concert is just...wow. Could be the greatest live Ellington ever, period. I own the Storyville anniversary edition and the sound is gorgeous.

Yes, the reviews for this one were glowing about the sound quality as well.

[A Lark Ascending]

You get loads of great info about sessions and releases here:

http://www.depanorama.net/

Thanks so much for this, king ubu. Really, really useful!

[catesta]

Well the Fargo concert is just...wow. Could be the greatest live Ellington ever, period. I own the Storyville anniversary edition and the sound is gorgeous.

Yes, the reviews for this one were glowing about the sound quality as well.

Going to put an order in for this one my damn self.

Edited January 29, 2008 by catesta

[srellek]

I never read/hear too much about the Ellington transcriptions on Circle from '43 to '45. You can still get these through George Buck at:

http://www.jazzology.com/index.php

Highly recommended.

[papsrus]

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra 1941: The Complete Standard Transcriptions

Wasn't sure what to expect with this one. Most of the material was apparently recorded solely for radio play, and only about a third of it was penned by Ellington or Strayhorn. But, what an album! ... It contains early versions of "Take the A Train" and "Perdido," also 11 tracks that were otherwise not recorded in studio by Ellington, and generous portions of Blanton and Webster. On top of that, the sound quality is superb, to my ear. The disc spills over with clear, rich soloing from Ray Nance, Hodges, Webster, Blanton, etc.

There's a new copy at amazon marketplace for $3.25! Click here. For a 2-disc set! Practically giving it away.

Not essential, I'm guessing, but entertaining certainly.

And ... have this one on order. Thanks Bev.

Edited February 1, 2008 by papsrus

[jazzbo]

Right, there was a lot of activity over those cheap copies here on the board some weeks back.

Seems a few dozen people got copies and were very pleased.

I've had my own copy for many years and paid about six times as much. . . and have been very pleased!

[king ubu]

How about that "Live and Rare" Bluebird set? Is that worth looking for? I remember it got a rather lukewarm reception, but now that my interest in ducals sounds has majorly grown I wonder...

up - anyone?

[jostber]

Some more info about the set here:

http://www.answers.com/topic/live-and-rare...t=entertainment

[jazzbo]

Flurin, I won't say "just forget about the Live and Rare" but. . .you can leave it lie for some time.

Has some nice stuff but. . .there's a reason I think that it wasn't in the big RCA box! My favorite part are the "answers" Duke gives to a number of questions that would be asked by radio staff.

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm with Lon. Unless you have 300+ Ellington items, ignore it.

If you do.........................

[papsrus]

A new arrival tonight:

This rec is right on Bev. Sunset and the Mocking Bird is indeed gorgeous, and what follows as well. The music unfolds so gracefully. I have to say I love every one of these suites that I've heard -- Far East; Such Sweet Thunder; Black, Brown and Beige; and now this one.

It's so interesting to contrast these with his earlier swinging-like-crazy big band stuff.

Lonson just mentioned the RCA Centennial box in passing. I haven't checked back into the thread yet, but of those of you who've purchased it or listened to it, how do you feel about it?

A silly question -- Maybe better: For someone (like me) just beginning to really tap into Ellington in a deeper way, is it even worth wringing my hands over this set? Or is it wiser to move through the discography picking off things more selectively (almost can't miss with that approach) before considering such a mammoth (and expensive!!) set?

I would tend to think the latter, just because there is so much to choose from (thankfully). I know I've seen some "highlights" discs from this set. Maybe that's the more prudent way to go?

Any thoughts?

Edited February 3, 2008 by papsrus