DEMS BULLETIN
DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY
02/1 April-July 2002
FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND
HONORARY MEMBER: FATHER JOHN GARCIA GENSEL
EDITOR: SJEF HOEFSMIT
ASSISTED BY: ROGER BOYES
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THE INTERNATIONAL DEMS BULLETIN DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY 02/1 April-July 2002 FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND |
Voort 18b, Meerle, Belgium
Telephone: +32 3 315 75 83
Email: dems@skynet.be
This set is copied from Steven Lasker's 1994 release titled "Early Ellington". Steven's 3CD set was discussed in DEMS 97/1-10. The only "improvement" is the fact that Definitive Records has put the alternate takes at the end of each CD. A rip-off all the same. Sjef Hoefsmit
This set contains the same selections as the Hindsight set, HBCD 501-1, -2 and -3. See DEMS 93/1-4. The same 5 selections are missing from these Capitol transcriptions sessions as were missing on the Hindsight CDs, although the sequence of the remaining 64 tracks is somewhat different, maybe to simplify the mention of the personnel. The dates in 1946 are 28Mar, 11Jul, 16Jul and 17Jul; in 1947 7Jan, 9Jun and 10Jun. The 5 missing selections are released on a very valuable LP, Jazz Supreme 102. Embraceable You is not from 10Jun47 but from 28Mar46. Kay Davis should have been mentioned in the listing for 28Mar46 (she did two numbers). Also Wilbur De Paris was in the band on 9 and 10Jun47 and it is remarkable that Duke had six trumpet-players at the same time. DEMS
This is the same as Vintage Jazz Classics VJC 1019/20-2 (DEMS 91/1-6) and Storyville STCD 8316/7 (00/4-29). DEMS
A combination of the 23Jan43 and 28Jan43 concerts was originally released on a Prestige 3 LP set and later on the double CD 2PCD 34004-2. A great part of the 19Dec44 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24073-2. All these recordings are now squeezed onto this 3CD set.DEMS
A great part of the 4Jan46 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24074-2. A great part of the 27Dec47 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24075-2. All these recordings are now squeezed onto three CDs. In the 1946 concert Al Killian was not in the band. It was Taft Jordan. Also Fred Guy is missing from the personnel listing. We believe that the last selection in the 1947 concert Blue Skies is also from 27Dec47. DEMS
With Shorty Baker, Taft Joran (sic !), Shelton Hemphill, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Wilbur De Paris, Billy Strayhorn, Ray Nance, more 1946, 1950 Studio recordings for the independent Musicraft label, plus the little-known quartet session with cellist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Jo Jones. According to a statement by a website record dealer, the booklet includes "complete documentation of recording dates and personnel. USD $10.00" Carl Hällström
This CD contains the same 13 selections from the sessions of 1946 on 23oct, 25Nov, 5Dec, 11Dec and 18Dec, which were released on the Musicraft CD MVSCD-52 and the 4 selections of 13Sep50 for the Mercer label. These 17 selections were once available together with 8 other Mercer recordings on the double LP Prestige P-24029. (The 4+8=12 Mercer recordings were also on Riverside CD CA/802/98.969 "Great Times". DEMS 85/1-3 and 88/1-4) DEMS
See DEMS 01/1-21/1
All takes are as used for the first releases on 78 rpm. That means that Ko-Ko is take -2; Dusk is take -1; Sepia Panorama is take -1; Across the Track Blues is take -1 and Pitter Panther Patter is take -2. Also for Warm Valley the first release was chosen. This was not the one from 5Sep40 as claimed in the liner notes, but take -3 from 17oct40. If you start track 15, In a Mellotone, you will miss a part of the first note. The recording starts before the counter jumps on zero. If you play track 15 immediately after track 14, you will not notice any defect. Peter MacHare
The titles are selected by Chlo, Dreyfus with a brief intro by Claude CarriSre. Is Chlo, the wife of Francis Dreyfus? Is that why Claude CarriSre selected Chlo, for the first Dreyfus Duke Ellington CD, "Koko"? The "Koko" CD has obviously been a big sales success, not just due to the fine sound but it offers a great overview of the 1940 band. Louis Tavecchio asked for a "Part Two". Here it is. It's all classic Ellington and Strayhorn from the period 1938 - 1950. Selections: 15Feb41,Take the "A" Train; 14May45, In a Sentimental Mood; 9Nov43, Things Ain't What They Used To Be; 1Dec43, It Don't Mean a Thing (-3); 10May45, Prelude to a Kiss; 10Nov47, Stomp, Look and Listen (-1); 1Dec44, I'm Beginning To See the Light (-2); 8Nov43, Rockin' in Rhythm (52-B C1-1 = 4359e) 9Jul46, Just Squeeze Me; 16Dec41, Chelsea Bridge; 11May45, Caravan; Black and Tan Fantasy; 3Mar38, I Let a Song Go Out Of My Heart (-2); 21Jan42, Perdido (-1); 14Feb40, Sophisticated Lady; 21Jan42, C-Jam Blues; 1Dec43, Creole Love Call (-3); 5Jun41, Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'; 8Nov43, Mood Indigo (53-B C1-4 = 4359z); 26Jun41, I Got It Bad (-1); 18Dec50, Solitude.
Most of you will be familiar with these takes. But hearing it after again a good job of sound restoration and as a selection of VSOP Duke Ellington, you'll love it. It will also serve as a nice gift to friends who are not so familiar with Ellington and Strayhorn. My personal favorite is Perdido, and the 8 & 9Nov43 tracks (Things Ain't What They Used To Be, Rockin' in Rhythm and Mood Indigo) were new to my ears and great versions. Loek Hopstaken
A lot of producers certainly aren't very original when it comes to Ellington album titles, are they? Any thoughts about the recording dates of the selections? David Palmquist
28Mar46, Take the "A" Train; 16Jul46, One O'Clock Jump; 28Mar46, Crosstown; 14Mar52, Mood Indigo; 11Jul46, Pretty Woman; 16Jul46, 9:20 Special; 17Jul46, Moon Mist; 11Jul46, Just Squeeze Me; 28Sep68, Happy Go-Lucky-Local; 9Jun47, How High the Moon. Sjef Hoefsmit
There is great news for collectors of the French Classics CDs. Riki Parth in Austria is releasing a series of CDs containing missing takes, which were not included in the French Classics CDs. (Remarks on Classics are between {} .) If one wants to collect the early Ellington recordings completely, one should turn to the Masters of Jazz CDs, because there are still a few gaps left in the Classics-Neatwork combination. If you are still developing your Ellington collection, the Classics series has progressed into the 1950s, while the Masters of Jazz has progressed only into the 1930s. In the following survey of the Neatwork CDs, I will not discuss the personnels, or the label numbers of the earliest releases. I will only mention take numbers and dates. The first CD in the series covers the same period as the Classics CDs 539, 542, 550 (See DEMS 91/1-4) and 559 (91/2-3), 569 (not in DEMS) and 577 (91/4-5). It contains:
539. Nov24, Deacon Jazz; Oh, How I Love My Darling. Nov24, How Come You Do Me Like You Do. 8Jun25 (and not 14May25), Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now. Mid26, Jig Walk. 29Dec26 (and not 29Nov26, same error as on Classics), The Creeper (E4324W). Still missing: Nov24, It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Winter; Parlor Social De Luxe. 14oct26, Lucky Numbers Blues; I'm Gonna Put You Right in Jail. 10Jan27, If You Can't Hold the Man You Love {but note that this missing recording was later issued as track 19 on CD # 2 of the 3 CD set Classics 24}.
542. 6oct27, Washington Wabble (-2). 26oct27, The Blues I Love To Sing (-2). 3Nov27, Black and Tan Fantasy (-B). 19Dec27, Harlem River Quiver (-2); Harlem River Quiver (-3); Blue Bubbles (-2). ±8Mar28, East St. Louis Toodle-O (2944-A); {Classics has also 2944-A. The claim in the liner-notes of Neatwork, that Classics has 108079-1, is wrong} Jubilee Stomp (2945-B and not 2945-A, -A was rejected); {Classics has 108080-1; Classics' liner-notes are right, see also DEMS 91/1-4} Take It Easy (108081-1). {Classics has 2946-B. Classics' liner-notes are right.} Still missing: ±8Mar28, East St. Louis Toodle-O (108079-1).
550. 21Mar28, Black Beauty (E-27093). 19oct28, The Mooche (-2), (liner notes claim -1 and say that Classics has 108446-2. It's an alternate take anyway.) Still missing: 30oct28, I Can't Give You Anything but Love (-1). {Classics has on track 23 take -4 from 10Nov28.}
559. 20Dec28, St. Louis Blues (-1). 8Jan29, Tiger Rag, part 1 (-B). Still missing: 20Dec28, St. Louis Blues (-3). 16Jan29, Flaming Youth (-1); Doin' the Voom Voom (-1).
569. 7Mar29, The Dicty Glide (-1); Sloppy Joe (-2). {The Classics CD 569 was not discussed in DEMS. Some remarks: Track 2, Harlem Flat Blues, is take -B; take -A is not found. Track 6, Stevedore Stomp, has take -2; take -1 is not found. Tracks 7, 8 and 9 are all from the same session, most likely 4Mar29. Tracks 13 and 14 are both take -1. Other takes have not been found. Track 21, Black and Blue, has take -B; take -A has not been found.}
577. 25oct29, Six or Seven Times (-B). 29oct29, Oklahoma Stomp (-B). 18Dec29, Wall Street Wail (-B). {Unknown title (-A) from 22Apr30, mis-labeled as Cotton Club Stomp, replaced Wall Street Wail (-A)on the first pressing of Classics 577. It was later repeated on track 17 of Classics 586. Wall Street Wail (-A) was properly released as track 4 on Classics 24.} Still missing: 12-17Aug29, Soundtrack of "Black and Tan". 13Sep29, Ain't Misbehavin'; Doin' the New Lowdown.
The second CD covers the same period as the Classics CDs 586 (not in DEMS), 596 (92/1-6) and 605 (93/2-3).
586. 29Jan30, St. James Infirmary (-2); St. James Infirmary (-3); When You're Smiling (-1); Rent Party Blues (-1); Rent Party Blues (-2); Jungle Blues (-1). {Classics plays on track 2 Rent Party Blues (-3) and not (-1) as claimed and on track 3 Jungle Blues (-2) and not (-1) as claimed.} 20Mar30, When You're Smiling (-B); Maori (-A); Maori (-B). {Classics plays on track 7 Maori from 21Feb30 and not (-B) from 20Mar30 as claimed.} 3Apr30, The Mooche (-3); East St. Louis Toodle-O (-2). {Classics plays on track 9 The Mooche (-2) and not (-1) as claimed; take -1 has never been found.} 22Apr30, Accorddion Joe (-B); Unknown title (-B). 4Jun30, Sweet Jazz O'Mine (-2). 12Jun30, Sweet Mama (-1). Still missing: 4Jun30, Sweet Dreams of Love (-2).
596. 20Aug30, Ring Dem Bells (-2); Old Man Blues (-2) and not (-3) as claimed. {Classics claims to have Old Man Blues (-2) on track 4, but that is take -6 from 26Aug30, the same take as on Classics 596 track 6.} 2oct30, Hittin' the Bottle (-1). {Mood Indigo on Classics track 22 is a dub from the original recording of 14oct30 with matrix number W404481-A. I Can't Realize You Love Me on Classics track 23 is from 8Jan31, see DEMS 01/3-13/1.} Still missing: 12Jun30, Double Check Stomp (-1). Aug30, Soundtrack of "Check and Double Check". 20Aug30, Old Man Blues (-1); Old Man Blues (-3); Three Little Words (-1). 26Aug30, Old Man Blues (-4).
605. {I'm So in Love with You and Rockin' in Rhythm on tracks 1 and 2 on Classics are from 8Jan31, see DEMS 01/3-13/1.} I continue with Neatwork 2018: 21Nov30, Nine Little Miles from Ten-Ten-Tennessee (-2). 10Jan31, Them There Eyes (-1); Them There Eyes (-3); Rockin' Chair (-2); Rockin' Chair (-4). 16Jan31, Rockin' in Rhythm (-2). Still missing: 21Nov30, I'm So in Love with You (-1). {Classics has take -2 and not take -1 as claimed.} 10Jan31, Rockin' Chair (-3).
The third CD in the series covers the same period as the Classics CDs 605 (see DEMS 93/2-3) and 616, 626 and 637 (none of which have been previously mentioned in DEMS).
605. 20Jan31, Creole Rhapsody part 2 (-AA) from which the first 13 bars DE are missing.
616. 17Jun31, The Mystery Song (-1); {Classics plays take -2.} 2Feb32, Lazy Rhapsody (-B). 3Feb32, Medley: Mood Indigo, Hot and Bothered, Creole Love Call (-3). 4Feb32, Blue Tune (-B). 11Feb32, St. Louis Blues (-B). {Classics plays take -A and not take -B as claimed in the Neatwork liner-notes. See also DEMS 01/3-15.} Still missing: 11Jun31, Creole Rhapsody part 2 (-2).
626. 17May32, Best Wishes (-A). 18May32, Blue Ramble (-B). 19Sep32, Blue Mood (-B); Blue Mood (-C); Ducky Wucky (-B). 21Sep32, Jazz Cocktail (-B); Lightnin' (-B). 22Sep32, Stars (-B); Swing Low (-B). 21Dec32, I Must Have That Man (-A); I Must Have That Man (-B); Baby (-B); Any Time, Any Day, Anywhere (-B); Delta Bound (-B). 7Jan33, I Must Have That Man (-D); Baby (-D). Still missing: 22Dec32, Diga Diga Doo (-B); I Can't Give You Anything but Love (-B).
637. 7Jan33, Eerie Moan (-B); the first 17 bars (2DE;15AW) are repeated. On position 0:40 the recording starts again from the beginning.
Sjef Hoefsmit
This is the ultimate release of one of Duke's most remarkable Carnegie Hall concerts. It is not a re-release of an earlier issue. The first release of this concert was in 1965 on the LP Jazz Panorama LP 1, which contained a selection of the concert, including the two segments of "Brown" but without the première performance of New World A-Comin'. In 1978, Ember Records released a double LP EMBD 2001 with the complete concert. This was until recently the most complete release of the concert; see DEMS 79/3-2.
Not long ago the whole concert appeared on a double CD for the first time, but without Duke's spoken introductions. I presume that this was a re-release of the Ember LPs because it carried the same label-name: Ember Records EMB CD 507 (TKO Magnum Music, Ltd) see DEMS 00/3-16/2. I have not checked it out. I prefer to do without this Ember double CD, with the poor and incorrect liner-notes by the founder of Ember Records, Jeffrey Kruger.1 I compared the Storyville release with the Ember LPs and found that with one exception the Storyville double CD contains the same material as the double LP, or more. In most cases, the intervals between the selections are much longer on the Storyville release. This is especially significant after Duke's performance of New World A-Comin', which by the way is now considerably longer than on the double LP. A part of chorus 18o between 10:25 and 10:33 on the CD is missing on the LP. We hear for the first time (at the start of CD 2) Duke's apologies for not performing "Brown" in its entirety: "I forgot to mention the fact that in doing excerpts from 'Black, Brown and Beige' that our vocalist, our blues specialist, is out tonight on account of a sudden attack of illness and so we couldn't do 'The Blues' theme."
Summertime is considerably slower on the Storyville CD than on the Ember LP. If this is an intentional correction of the original material, I can agree with it. The Carnegie Hall version is even a bit faster than the 8Nov43 World Transcription. Al Hibbler's voice has the same pitch. Duke's spoken introduction to Black and Tan Fantasy and Rockin' in Rhythm is now complete. On the Ember release, only the first selection was announced, but Duke mentioned both titles, to be performed in combination. The only reason not to get rid of the Ember double LP is the fact that there are 10 seconds missing on the Storyville CD at the position of 3:49 in the coda of Trumpet in Spades. However the closing number, Things Ain't What They Used To Be is now complete (6:08) on Storyville. The Ember LP ends at 3:15, at the end of the solo by Lawrence Brown and on the Ember CD it is timed at 3:09. It is highly likely that the same tapes have been used for the Ember CDs as for the Ember double LP. It is a pity that the exemplary liner-notes by Ken Steiner are contaminated by a few minor inconsistencies and spelling errors. They are a great improvement on the Ember. Sjef Hoefsmit
1. In order to stress the "seriousness" of the EMBER CD booklet notes by Jeffrey Kruger, let me point out that he states that the Duke's "childhood friend" Artie Whetsol is featured in this concert. Juan Tizol and Adelaide Hall are listed as "vocalists" in the personnel listing and Junior Raglin is listed as "Raglan" in the main text and as "Ranglin" in the personnel listing. Things Ain't What They Used To Be is credited to Ellington-Persons. Carl Hällström
I have also been meaning to write about the Carnegie set. The sound quality is a huge improvement on last year's TKO/Magnum release; if you are fond of this concert, it is definitely worth the upgrade! Geff Ratcheson
I did not know this Storyville recording. The sound is absolutely magnificent. Heard it twice now and to me Joe Nanton jumps out every time as the star among stars. The 'Floor Show' music (to "Cabin in the Sky") in particular is outstanding. There is a wonderful New World A-Coming, and Duke introduces it as a piece inspired by the book of the same title written by Roi Ottley - who was in the audience. But you will have to read Ken's extensive notes to get all the data. Loek Hopstaken
Here's my explanation of the spelling of the title of "New World A-Coming". It might make an interesting note in the DEMS bulletin. The title of the book by Roi Ottley was "New World A-Coming." On the Carnegie Hall program, the composition is listed as "New World A-Coming." When Duke introduces the tune to the Carnegie audience, he refers to it as "New World A-Coming" with the "g" clearly audible. However, on a piece of sheet music in the archives of Carnegie Hall in Ellington's hand, Ellington wrote "NEW WORLD A' COMIN." I believe we have to accept either spelling of the title as correct. I chose to use the more formal title, "New World A-Coming" whenever I discussed the title in my liner notes. Some of the contemporary reviews used the more poetic, "New World A' Comin'," or some other informal spelling of the title. Whenever I quoted a review, I would use the spelling of the title used by the author of the review. I did not want to change quotations from other writers.
As far as the typos you mentioned, we had a difficult time working trans-Atlantic. Storyville sent me a dummy booklet for my final review, and I mailed them my final edits on 10Sep01. The package was mailed to New York just in time for the tragedy of September 11. The package of my final edits was evidently stuck there for about five weeks. In a rush to make our deadline, I had to e-mail my corrections one-by-one to Carl. By the time they made it to the production staff in Copenhagen, there were some things missed. Please consider this in your review of "Duke Ellington Live at Carnegie Hall Dec. 11, 1943." Ken Steiner
On page 26 of this Bulletin is a complete rundown of this double CD. It contains the complete Treasury Shows of 2 and 9Jun45. As usual, highly interesting recordings are added to fill up the CDs to the maximum. It seems this time that there are two "fresh" sessions on this release: 18Sep45 and 7oct45. This is not the case. I found these two recording dates for the broadcasts ONS # 800 & # 764 in the book One Night Stand Series 1-1001, Greenwood Press by Mackenzie & Polomski. These gentlemen spent over 15 years of research and had obtained files and photos from AFRS. The dates mentioned in all discographies are inscribed in the wax of the 16" transcriptions: 18Nov45 and 24oct45. However these are the dates when the programs were actually processed and "cut" for the masters in the series. All the ONS selections on this double CD appeared previously in less than perfect quality on JOYCE LP 1071. There is one error in the liner-notes and in my listing on page 26: Emancipation Celebration belongs to the 7oct45 session and not to the 18Sep45 session. Jerry Valburn**
This delightful disc has absolutely no discographical info. It would be nice to track down the recording dates and to place this CD in the context of another CD or LP. You'll notice that the last track is misnamed as Tea for Two. It's really that lovely Mood Indigo from 1966 that I have found now on four of my CDs. I guess that proves it is a great performance. David Palmquist
Thank you for sending me a copy. Here are the 10 titles of this 34 min. CD
with the
recordingdates and some alternate CD releases:
1. Perdido 28Mar46 S T A
2. Love You Madly 21Jan51 A
3. Primping at the Prom22Dec52 T A
4. The Mooche 21Jan51 S A
5. Sophisticated Lady [FN-1] 26Nov69 T
6. Rose of the Rio Grande21Jan51 S T A
7. Jam with Sam 3Jul66 T A
8. Caravan 11May45 S T A
9. Honeysuckle Rose 11Dec43 S A
10. Mood Indigo 11May66 S A
1. Sophisticated Lady is taken from the Medley.
Your Profile CD has the same titles (including the wrong title Tea for Two) in the same order as the CD Retro Music (CA) SLD 13622, "Duke Ellington All Time Favorites". I suspect that both CDs are identical, but from the latter I have only the listing. The Profile CD seems to be almost identical with the Audio Archive CD, but the Audio Archive CD has 20 tracks!
S = Success 16139 98/2-14/1
T = That's Jazz TJ 032/33/34 93/2-4
A = Audio Archive/Tring AA 014 92/1-1Sjef Hoefsmit
This CD is identical to the No label name - GAL 044 "Perdido" mentioned in DEMS 00/3-17-2. The references to the Success 16139 CD are correct this time. They were not complete for the GAL CD. It is also identical to a CD issued by Retro Music in Canada, SLD 13622. I found a similar list of titles on "All Time Favourites" on the Jazz Prime Cuts Label from a company named "Remember When", P.O.Box 435, Prospect Hills, IL 60070, USA, mrcory@rwpi.com Lance Travis
I sent you a copy of this CD that I picked up in a second hand store a couple of years ago. Again, it is one of those frustrating discs that has minimal information. I'd be grateful for any info you can provide. David Palmquist
This CD has been mentioned by François Moule in DEMS 89/3-6. François is right (as usual). All 16 tracks are taken from the Capitol transcriptions.
1. Crosstown; 2. Everything Goes; 3. Transblucency; 4. Rugged Romeo; 5. Tip Toe Toppic; 6. Rockabye River; 7. Unbooted Character; 8. The Suburbanite; 9. Moon Mist; 10. In a Jam; 11. Indiana; 12. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me; 13. Someone 14. The Mooche; 15. Tea for Two; 16. One O'Clock Jump. Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are from 28Mar46. Track 6 is from 11Jul46. Tracks 7, 8, 11, 16 are from 16Jul46. Tracks 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 are from 17Jul46. I noticed that on track 9, Moon Mist, Ellington's piano introduction is missing . Sjef Hoefsmit
This re-release of the 34 years old RCA LP LPV 533 with the same title is favourably reviewed by Bill Bailey in the Oct/Nov/Dec issue of "Blue Light". The strange sequence of selections is maintained. Here are the titles listed chronologically, preceded by the track numbers on the CD:
2Nov40 Johnny Hodges group: 6. Day Dream; 5. Good Queen Bess (take -2); 4. That's the Blues Old Man; 7. Junior Hop (take -2).
2Nov40 Rex Stewart group: 15. Without a Song (take -1); 13. My Sunday Gal; 10. Mobile Bay (take -1); 9. Linger Awhile (take -2).
3Jul41 Rex Stewart group: 11. Some Saturday; 16. Subtle Slough; 14. Menelik - The Lion of Judah (take -1); 12. Poor Bubber.
3Jul41 Johnny Hodges group: 2. Squaty Roo; 3. Passion Flower; 1. Things Ain't What They Used To Be; 8. Goin' Out the Back Way.
It is a pity that the error in the discographical notes is not corrected after all these years. Goin' Out the Back Way is from the Johnny Hodges session of 3Jul41, not 2Nov40. This is confirmed by its matrix-number PBS-061349. Nance was the trumpet-player, not Cootie Williams, who had left to join Benny Goodman immediately after the 2Nov40 session. The CD has the original liner-notes by Stanley Dance. All tracks courtesy of the RCA Music Group. Roger Boyes wrote a nice essay about the selection Linger Awhile. It is published in the Oct/Nov/Dec issue of "Blue Light". He joins me in my belief that it is not Billy Strayhorn but Duke Ellington on the piano. (See the jacket of the RCA LP FXM1-7133 and Tom Harris in TDES Newsletter of Apr92, p3.) Sjef Hoefsmit
Here's a new item which just appeared on e-bay. Richard Ehrenzeller is bidding on it for me. Jerry Valburn
7Jul37, Tea and Trumpets (-?). 26oct37, Pigeons and Peppers. 19Jan38, Echoes of Harlem (-?). 24Aug38, The Jeep Is Jumpin'; Krum Elbow Blues. 20Dec38, Hodge Podge; Wanderlust. 21Dec38, Delta Mood. 27Feb39, Swingin' on the Campus; Dooji Wooji. 20Mar39, San Juan Hill. 21Mar39, Savoy Strut; Rent Party Blues. 23Jul40, Rex Stewart's Big Seven, without DE: Cherry; Diga Diga Doo. 2Nov40, Day Dream; Good Queen Bess (-?); Mobile Bay; Linger Awhile. 11Nov40, Lament for Javanette (-?). 3Jul41, Subtle Slough; Menelik - The Lion of Judah (-?); Squatty Roo; Things Ain't What They Used To Be. 29Sep41, C-Jam Blues.
This is such a "lousy" product, I feel that the DEMS members should be warned! The CD is still in distribution. Carl Hällström
It seems to me a straight copy of Jazz Archives LP or CD Volume 1. If you tell me what it does make it so lousy, I can put it in a short message. Sjef Hoefsmit
Prospective buyers should be warned that the whole CD runs "off-pitch" - too slow - so don t buy it! Carl Hällström
On 17Jan45 Ellington took part in the 2nd Esquire Jazz Concert produced by Leonard Feather. It was actually not one concert, but a broadcast from three different concerts. Louis Armstrong with guests in New Orleans, the Benny Goodman Quintet in New York and Duke Ellington with guests in Los Angeles simultaneously.
The winners in Esquire's 1944 poll could not all be present in the same concert-hall in order to be awarded. Parts of each concert were aired nation-wide through NBC's Blue Network in a 90 minutes broadcast starting at 11:30 P.M. There are several releases of these concerts on LP. The LP Giants of Jazz 1003 covers most of the Ellington selections which were not included in the broadcast. The complete broadcast is issued on a Palm double LP (P30:15 & P30:16), on a FDC double LP (1008 & 1009), on a SAGA double LP (6924 & 6925) and on a Sunbeam double LP (SB-219). With the exception of 6 selections, taken from Duke's broadcast portion (on Spectrum CD U 4023) and one selection of the pre-broadcast portion of Duke's concert (Lover Man, on Masters of Jazz MJCD 141, see DEMS 00/1-19/4) there has never been any release on CD until now. The double CD not only contains the complete 90 minutes Esquire broadcast with all the introductions and award presentations, but as a bonus a 25 minutes NBC broadcast from the Winter Garden in NYC on 19Jun47 by Louis Armstrong and The All Stars for the occasion of the world premiSre of the film "New Orleans". Both film and broadcast are mentioned and discussed in Klaus Stratemann's second masterwork "Louis Armstrong on the Screen" starting on p.179. The double CD Jazz Band 21783/74-2 was produced in 2001 by Flyright Records in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, UK. Email: flyright@btinternet.com
Anders Asplund and Sjef Hoefsmit
This CD is identical to the CD Comet 43314, mentioned in DEMS 00/3-18/2. It has the same 15 tracks. It has two more tracks than the CD Prestige/Divicusa 31-196, mentioned in DEMS 95/2-4 and the remaining 13 selections are identical on both issues. The last selection is titled Stomp Jones [sic] composed by "Copyright Control" and published by "Public Domain". It is licensed from Music Trax Inc. (U.S.A.) by Sleeping Giant Music International Limited. Sjef Hoefsmit
Here are the tracks: Mar30: Sing, You Sinners; St. James Infirmary . 2Feb32: It Don't Mean A Thing. 11Feb32: St. Louis Blues -A; St. Louis Blues -B; Creole Love Call. The liner-notes indicate take -B. That must be wrong. Only take -A is released. 2Feb32: Lazy Rhapsody -B. 18May32: Blue Ramble -B. 16May33: Stormy Weather. 21Sep32: Lightnin' -B. 16May33: Sophisticated Lady. 13Jul33: Harlem Speaks - 2; Hyde Park. The liner-notes indicate take -2. That must be wrong. Only take -3 is released. 15Feb33: I've Got The World On A String. 10Jan34: Solitude. 11Jun31: Creole Rhapsody, Part 1 & Part 2 (take -3). David Palmquist
26Nov69, Take the "A" Train. 10May66, Sophisticated Lady*. 22Jun72, Satin Doll. 21Jan51, Coloratura. 31Aug47, Frankie and Johnny & Metronome All Out*. 25Nov46, Blue Skies. 11Jul46, Come Rain or Come Shine. 24Apr38, On the Sunny Side of the Street. 17Jul46, Tea for Two. 28Mar46, Perdido*. 9Jun47, How High the Moon. 22Mar27, East St. Louis Toodle-O. 26Nov69, Kinda Dukish & Rockin' in Rhythm. 21Jan51, Rose of the Rio Grande. 18Mar37, Caravan*. 11Jul46, Pretty Woman*. 16Jul46, One O'Clock Jump*. 11May66, Mood Indigo*. It seems that the 7 tracks with an asterisk have been copied from the 1988 B&C; CD "Swing Back with Duke Ellington" 74082-2. This is rather apparent since track 15, Caravan, ends early in the 4o chorus. This is also the case on the B&C; CD. See Beckhard in DEMS 89/1-17, Moul, in 89/3-4 and Hoefsmit in 90/1-5. Jerry Valburn
CD 1. 2Jul41, Jump for Joy (-2). 2Dec41, Chelsea Bridge. 26Jun42, Johnny Come Lately. 21Jan42, Moon Mist (-1). 26Jun42, Main Stem. 26Jan42, What Am I Here For? 21Jan42, Perdido (-1); C-Jam Blues. 1Dec44, I'm Beginning To See the Light (-2). 30Jul45, Things Ain't What They Used To Be. 14May45, In a Sentimental Mood. 11May45, Caravan; Black and Tan Fantasy. 14May45, It Don't Mean a Thing. 25Nov46, Sultry Sunset; Blue Skies. 23oct46, Magenta Haze. 22Dec47, On a Turquoise Cloud. 10Jun47, Park at 106th. 18Nov47, Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me.
CD 2. 1Dec44, I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues; I'm Beginning To See the Light (-2, same as on CD 1!); Don't You Know I Care? (-2); I Didn't Know About You. 11&12Dec44, Work Song; Come Sunday; The Blues; Three Dances. 4Jan45, Carnegie Blues; Blue Cellophane; Mood To Be Wooed; My Heart Sings. 24Feb45 ("The Duke's Men" without Ellington) Mood Indigo; Bug in a Rug; The Mooche (-1 or -2); Candy Lamb. 7Apr45, Perfume Suite (four parts). I have only checked the tracks if an alternate take was a possibility. Generally the sound is excellent I would recommend this record to people with peripheral interest in Ellington it could certainly lead to a deeper interest. Anders Asplund
This CD contains two half hour Kraft Music Hall shows with Bing Crosby as host. In one of the shows Ellington was a guest, in the other one it was Nat King Cole. Duke's show was from 18Jan45. The date of the Nat King Cole show is unknown (to us). Both shows are complete on the CD. The Ellington show was issued earlier on one side of the LP Bonsard 601 on which a few selections at the end were replaced by a single one, Let's Take the Long Way Home. The same happened with the flip-side of the LP Bonsard, where the Nat King Cole show was edited at the beginning of the programme. The LP Ajazz 523 had the same Ellington show as on Bonsard on one side and on the other side a show with Judy Garland around Christmas 1950. Duke did three earlier Kraft Music Hall shows with Bing Crosby in 1941. In this 1945 one he played Frankie and Johnny with the John-Scott Trotter Orchestra after he had the usual chat with Bing. Apart of that, the CD has little importance for exclusive Ellington collectors. In case you want more info about this CD, please ask DEMS. Anders Asplund and Sjef Hoefsmit
This CD contains the hard to find French Decca session of Paris, Oct59 with Raymond Fol, Jimmy Woode and Sam Woodyard. Fanatic collectors have been looking for these recordings for many years. It is not even mentioned in Wendy Lawrence's Gonsalves collection in the Mar02 edition of the Bulletin of the Duke Ellington Society of Sweden. 1. Serenade to a Bus Seat; 2. Pannonica; 3. Pea-eyes; 4. Satin Doll; 5. Daniel's Blues; 6. Mean to Me; 7. Blues for the Champ of Champs; 8. Circeo; 9. Clark's Bars; 10. Pannonica No. 2; 11. Lonely One. Clark Terry wrote 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Thelonious Monk wrote 2 and 10. Raymond Fol wrote 8 and 11 is by Babs Gonzales. Sjef Hoefsmit
This CD was advertised over six years ago in DEMS 95/2-9 and briefly mentioned on page 2 in Göran Wallén's report of the 1995 Conference in Pittsburgh. It was recorded on 6-8Jan95 in Hilversum by the Dutch Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Jerry van Rooijen and it carried the number Dutch Jazz 95001. The present CD is in fact a re-release of this very interesting first pure Billy Strayhorn album. It's a pity that this re-release does not have the extensive liner-notes by Walter van de Leur (in three languages!), which were included in the first release. It is useful to mention the years in which the works performed were first composed. These were the selections: Blue Star (40/42); Bagatelle (55/57); Love Has Passed Me By Again (60/67)1; Le Sacre Supreme (43/44); Portrait of a Silk Thread (44/45); Tonk (40)2; Wounded Love (53/54)3; Cashmere Cutie (55/57); Lana Turner (44/45)4; Pentonsilic (40/42)5; Lament for an Orchid (42/43)6;The Hues (55/67)7. 1Compare Passed Me By, Red Baron AK 52760. 2This is an orchestrated version of the piece Billy and Duke recorded later as piano-duet on RCA 10Jan46; Mercer Nov50; Roulette 9Aug59 and MusicMasters 20May64. 3Compare Three and Six, recorded on 10Sep58 for Verve by Johnny Hodges. 4Compare Charpoy, RCA 15Nov67. 5The central theme was later used for Under the Balcony, part 1 of the "Perfume Suite", which was premiSred on 19Dec44 and recorded for Columbia on 2Dec57, although not commercially released until 1982. 6Compare Absinthe, Reprise 5Jan63. 7Compare Good Years of Jazz, closing theme of the Jan62 picture, the soundtrack of which was released in 1962 on a promo LP.
This CD contains arrangements by Billy Strayhorn. Autumn in New York (48); Where or When (43/44)1; The Man I Love (43)2; I'll Remember April (44/46); I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance (45/46)3; Moon River (62)4; Lover Man (45/46)5; You Go To My Head (53); Night and Day (44/47)6; Can't Help Lovin' Dad Man (46)7; I'll Buy That Dream (44/45)8; Skylark (41/42); I've Got the World on a String (53)9; Yesterdays (44/45)10. 1Compare the two Columbia alternates of 10oct57; Private Collection # 2 of 4Mar58 and Unique Jazz 34 of 5Mar58. 2Compare the 78 rpm Mercer M-1958 of 21Sep50. 3Compare DETS # 8 of 1Jun46; Capitol 16Jul46 and RCA 3Sep46. 4Compare Reprise 19Jan65. 5Compare Capitol 16Jul46 and RCA 26Aug46. 6Compare Columbia 10oct57. 7Compare DETS # 46 of 5oct46. 8Compare DETS # 26 or # 28 of oct45 and Buddha CD 15oct45. 9Compare Columbia 15Feb33! 10Compare DETS # 5 or # 10 of May/Jun45 and Buddha CD 1oct45.
This CD contains original compositions and arrangements, written by Billy Strayhorn. Anatomy of a Murder(59)1; Swing Dance (62); Blue Heart (46)2; Remember (38); Feet on the Beat (61); So This Is Love (34); Matinee (47)3; Jo (40); Flame Indigo (41); Fol-de-Rol-Rol (46); Boll Weevil Ballet (46); Tiffany (55); Orson (50)4; Lozit (42); Lonely Again (35)5; Pomegranate (56)6; Valse (35). 1Compare Haup, and its many subtitles, Columbia May/Jun59. 2Compare Paradise, VJC CD 13Nov48 and Jazz Heritage CD 10Dec48. 3Compare Snibor, Prestige 27Dec47; Columbia 1Sep49 and RCA 1Sep67; and compare also Self Portrait of the Bean, Impulse 18Aug62. 4Compare Capitol 7Apr53. 5Compare Lush Life, VJC CD 13Nov48 and Red Baron 14Jan64. 6Compare Columbia 7Mar56.
This CD contains original compositions by Billy Strayhorn. Fantastic Rhythm (35); A Penthouse on Shady Avenue (35); Let Nature Take its Course (35); Something To Live For (37)1; Everything is Copastetic! (62); Day Dream (39-57)2; Hip (41); Blue House (41); Sprite Music (53); The Flowers Die of Love (53); Love, Love (53); Hipper-Bug (41); Pretty Girl (56)3; Chelsea Bridge (41)4; On the Wrong Side of the Railroad Tracks (47). 1Compare instrumental performances on CD Jazz Unlimited 26Jul39 and on Columbia "Unknown Session" 14Jul60. 2Compare Verve 24Jun57. 3Compare Pretty Little Girl by Hodges, Verve 8Sep55! and Star-Crossed Lovers, Columbia 3May67. Pretty Girl is the title of a Rick Henderson composition, recorded by Ellington on 24Apr71 in a concert and on 5May71 in the studio but not issued. 4Compare Moon Records 16Feb41 and VJC CD 17Sep41. These four Challenge CDs are a must for every serious Ellington collector. They offer a wealth of gorgeous Billy Strayhorn themes. You have only to listen to Valse to understand why Ellington was immediately impressed by Billy's great talent when they met for the first time. The presentation of the four CDs in one set is impeccable. I give this set the highest possible recommendation. The complete set has the number CHR 70106. If you cannot find it in your local record shop you can order it directly from Challenge Records through their web-site www.challenge.nl
The whole four CD set is offered for the price of three CDs: 61.02 Euro. Shipment in the Netherlands 2.25; in the rest of Europe 2.95; in the rest of the world 4.10 surface- and 5.95 air-mail. Or you can write to Challenge Records, Noorderweg 68, 1221 AB Hilversum, The Netherlands. Telephone +31.35.6898899 and fax +31.35.6898897. E-mail: sophie@challenge.nl Sjef Hoefsmit