DEMS BULLETIN
DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY
02/2 August-November 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 02/2 August-November 2002 FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND |
Voort 18b, Meerle, Belgium
Telephone: +32 3 315 75 83
Email: dems@skynet.be
In spite of the fact that this CD contains only one original Ellington recording, I consider it a must for all Ellington collectors. The band, assembled by Willis Conover, was terrific: Bill Berry, Clark Terry, Urbie Green, J.J.Johnson, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Hank Jones, Jim Hall, Milt Hinton and Louie Bellson.
The full band, or sometimes only a small group, played: Take the "A" Train; I Got It Bad, Chelsea Bridge, Satin Doll, Sophisticated Lady, Just Squeeze Me, I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, In a Mellotone; In a Sentimental Mood; Prelude to a Kiss; Ring Dem Bells.
Billy Taylor with Hinton and Bellson performed: Drop Me Off in Harlem, All Too Soon, It Don't Mean a Thing.
Dave Brubeck was the guest in Things Ain't What They Used To Be and Earl Hines played with Hinton and Bellson: Perdido.
The band continued with Warm Valley; Caravan and Mood Indigo.
Mary Mayo sang Prelude to a Kiss, I Didn't Know About You and Praise God and Dance.
Joe Williams performed Come Sunday; Heritage and Jump for Joy.
The final track on this album is by Duke playing Pat (earlier released on the 1999 Conference souvenir CD "The Duke in Washington", see DEMS 99/3-15/3).
The Blue Note CD contains all the music (almost 76 minutes) of the official concert, without speeches or introductions. Some parts of the concert were included in the telecast "Duke Ellington at the White House". The complete concert together with the conferment of the Medal of Freedom, some of the speeches and introductions and also some snippets from the final jam session that night, were included in a broadcast through the Voice of America, a poor copy of which circulates among collectors. Now we have a splendid recording of the concert combined with excellent liner-notes. Sjef Hoefsmit
21Mar39, Something To Live For.
12Jun39, I'm Checking Out-Goom Bye.
28Aug39, Grievin'.
2Nov40, Day Dream.
11Nov40, Lament for Javanette.
15Feb41, Take the "A" Train; After All.
5Jun41, Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'.
2Jul41, Clementine.
3Jul41, Passion Flower.
29Sep41, Noir Bleu.
2Dec41, Raincheck; Chelsea Bridge.
26Feb42, I Don't Mind.
26Jun42, My Little Brown Book; Johnny Come Lately.
26Apr45, Kissing Bug.
24Jul45; Balcony Serenade; Strange Feeling.
10Jan46, Tonk; Drawing Room Blues.
3Sep46, Midriff.
17Jul46, Double Ruff; A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing.
Just after I got Walter van de Leur's book, I picked up this CD that I don't believe has been referred to in DEMS. It is a medium priced effort with fine sound, produced by Joop Visser in 2001. My ears tell me that these are the usual issued takes, with the last two selections being from the Capitol Transcriptions. The disc is obviously a welcome companion, especially to the early parts of the book. Bill Morton
In the liner-notes (p11) Steven Lasker is given special thanks. He contributed to the production of this impressive release (see Steven's report on p 12/3 in this Bulletin).
Disc 1 starts with the same 12 selections from the two concerts in Eastbourne on 1Dec73 as were released at the end of CD 24 in the 24 CD RCA box (99/3-14). It has been established in the meantime that the original title of the first selection, referred to as The Piano Player, is Woods.
The next session on this CD contains the three selections taken from the Jazz Piano Workshop in Pittsburgh on 20Jun65 as released on CD 22 in the 24 CD RCA box together with a previously unreleased short conversation between Billy Taylor, Earl Hines and Duke.
Sweet Lorraine is again rejected as not being played by Ellington as Ben Young explains in the liner-notes (p12). I still believe I hear Duke at the beginning. It's a pity that it is missing (without omitting some of the spoken introductions it could have been included in the now 71 minutes long CD; the second CD covers almost 80 minutes). Now one has to go back to the original RCA LP PL 42105 "The Jazz Piano" to make up one's mind.
The last session is "fresh". It is recorded at RCA Studio A in NYC on 28Feb68 at a Newport Jazz Festival announcement party and contains three Ellington piano solos: Sweet Fat and That (the third theme of It's Freedom); Satin Doll and Carolina Shout, which is strangely enough in the liner-notes (p4) credited to Ellington as composer.
Disc 2 contains all thirteen selections of the Tanglewood concert with the Boston Pops on 28Jul65 as released on CD 22 and 23 of the 24 CD RCA box plus seven spoken comments by Ellington, previously issued on the RCA promotional disc SP-33-394 (99/5-1), which could serve as answers on questions to be asked by a DJ. The correct date of recording is not known. The liner-notes say "possibly Fall 1965" (p7). To be more precise, the date must have been between 16Sep and 26Dec65 (99/4-9/2). The CD has seven bonus tracks taken from the rehearsals earlier the same day at Tanglewood. Twice The Mooche; twice Making That Scene; I'm Beginning To See the Light; Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me and two takes of Satin Doll on the last track.
Disc 3 contains the recordings made for Readers Digest on 2, 3 and 4Sep69. Many Ellington collectors have been looking for these recordings for a long time. Now we have here not only the eleven rare Readers Digest selections (on tracks 1-11), but also one "fresh" take (on track 12) and twelve alternate takes (on tracks 13-24) which are now released for the first time.
Luther Henderson arranged La Dolce Vita; Spanish Flea; Misty and One Note Samba.
Ron Collier arranged A Taste of Honey and Ma ha de Carnaval (issued as A Day in the Life of a Fool).
Five tunes were arranged by Wild Bill Davis: Alfie; Summer Samba; Soon It's Gonna Rain; Mr. Lucky and Walking Happy.
Moon Maiden is a well-known original by Ellington. One might understand from the liner-notes (p11) that track 21 is a vocal overdub of track 12. That is not so. It may be an overdub, but if so it is over another instrumental recording.
If you are (like me) a bit disappointed with this last CD because it doesn't sound as though it is pure Ellington, you should listen to and enjoy Duke's piano playing in Summer Samba and One Note Samba, especially in the alternate takes on tracks 16 and 17. Sjef Hoefsmit
On track 16 and 17 are I Can't Believe You're in Love with Me and Wish You Were Waiting for Me, from the Esquire All-American Jazz Concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles on 17Jan45.
Other tracks (1-15) are by Anita with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and the remaining tracks (18- 22) by Anita with unknown orchestral accompaniment. DEMS can supply you with the titles if you are interested. Carl Hällström
The fourth CD in the series cover the same period as the Classics CDs 637, 646, 659 and 666. Only 666 was mentioned in DEMS (94/3-1). It has two "bonus" tracks from the same period as Classics 559 (91/2-3) and 596 (92/1-6).
637. 15Feb33, Merry Go Round (-2); Sophisticated Lady (-1). 17Feb33, Slippery Horn (-B); Blackbirds Medley - Part 1 (-B); Blackbirds Medley - Part 2 (-B); Blackbirds Medley - Part 2 (-C); Drop Me Off in Harlem (-B). 16May33, Bundle of Blues (-B). 13Jul33, Harlem Speaks (-1); Chicago (-1). 14Jul33, Souvenir to Duke Ellington's first visit to England 1933 (538).
Still missing: 4Mar33, from Soundtrack of Paramount Pictorial Magazine #837, "The World at Large": Sophisticated Lady; Creole Rhapsody. 23May33, from Soundtrack of Paramount film "A Bundle of Blues": Lightnin'; Rockin' in Rhythm; Stormy Weather; Bugle Call Rag; Lightnin'.
646. 26Sep33, Rude Interlude (-2); Dallas Doings (-1). 4Dec33, Dear Old Southland (-2); Daybreak Express (-2). 9Jan34, Delta Serenade (-1). 12Apr34, Cocktails for Two (-1).
Still missing: 26Feb34, from Soundtrack of "Murder at the Vanities": Ebony Rhapsody. 5Mar34, from Soundtrack of Paramount's short "Hollywood on Parade": The Wedding March (for Buck Clayton). 15Mar/8May34, from Soundtrack of "Belle of the Nineties: When a St. Louis Woman Comes Down to New Orleans; Memphis Blues; Hesitation Blues; Troubles Waters {The greatest part of My Old Flame was recorded on 24Mar34. Only a new ending was recorded on 8May34. There is no recording session known from 23Apr34.} 21Mar34, from the Soundtrack of "Many Happy Returns": Sophisticated Lady. 9May34, Troubled Waters (-1). Dec34, from Soundtrack of "Symphony in Black": Introduction; The Laborers; A Triangle; A Hymn of Sorrow; Harlem Rhythm.
659. {Classics 659 track 2: Porto Rican Chaos copied from FDC 1022 does not have matrix number C886-1 or -2. It is B-16974 -2 from 5Mar35.} 5Mar35, Moonlight Fiesta (-2), on track 18 of Neatwork is in fact M526-1 from 16Jun37; Tough Truckin' (-1); Indigo Echoes (-1). 20Jan36, I Don't Know Why I Love You So (-2); Dinah Lou (-3).
666. 29Jul36, Exposition Swing (-2) is not on the Neatwork CD! What we find on track 23 is Updown Downbeat from the same session, the same as on track 10 of Classics 666. Two tiny errors: Track 15 of CBS 88140 was copied. It should have been track 14. The source should anyway have been identified as CBS 88140 and not as CBS 88137.
Still missing: 29Jul36, Exposition Swing (-2).
559. 16Jan29, Flaming Youth (-1).
596. 20Aug30, Old Man Blues (-1).
The fifth CD in the Neatwork series covers the same period as the end of Classics 666 and the whole 675. Only 666 was mentioned in DEMS (94/3-1).
666. 16Dec36, Lazy Man's Shuffle (-A). 19Dec36, Clouds in My Heart (-1); Frolic Sam (-1); Caravan (-2); Stompy Jones (-2). 5Mar37, The New Birmingham Breakdown(-2); Scattin' at the Kit Kat(-2); I've Got To Be a Rug Cutte (-2); The New East St. Louis Toodle- (-2).
Still missing: 16Dec36, Rexatious (-B). Jan37, from the Soundtrack of "A Day at the Races": All God's Chillun Got Rhythm. Feb36, from the Soundtrack of "The Hit Parade": I've Got To Be a Rug Cutter.
675. 8Mar37, I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me (-2); Downtown Uproar (-2); Diga Diga Doo (-2) (mind spelling); Blue Reverie (-1); Tiger Rag (-1) {Classics has indeed take -2.} 9Apr37, There's a Lull in My Life (-2); It's Swell of You (-2); You Can't Run Away from Love Tonight (-2). 22Apr37, Azure (-2) {Classics has indeed take -1.} (Joe Lippman is mentioned in error on both releases as arranger, see DEMS 97/3-19/4; 97/4-11/1; 98/1-17/2; 98/2-8&9); Old Plantation (-2). 29Apr37, Lament for Lost Love (-1); Four and a Half Street (-2); Demi-Tasse (-2); Jazz a la Carte (-1). {14May37, Caravan on Classics is take -2. Take -1 has never been released. See DEMS 90/1-5} 20May37, Foolin' Myself (-2); A Sailboat in the Moonlight (-2). On page 15/1 of this Bulletin is a discussion about the identity of the vocalist of the 20May37 session.
Still missing: 18Mar37, Harlem Speaks; Caravan; One, Two, Button Your Shoe; Pennies from Heaven; Mexicali Rose Sophisticated Lady; Rockin' in Rhythm; East St. Louis Toodle-O. 8May37, Soda Fountain Rag; Solitude, In a Sentimental Mood.
Here are the selections in the order of recording for the Money Jungle session, 17Sep62, each preceded by its track number on the CD and followed by its take number.
3. Very Special -1
9&14. A Little Max (Parfait) -6&-14
2. Fleurette Africaine -2
15&10. REM Blues (Blues for Blanton) -1&-3
5. Wig Wise -1
8&13. Switch Blade -2&-4
6. Caravan -1
1. Money Jungle -2
12&7 .Solitude -3&-4
4. Warm Valley -3
11. Backward Country Boy Blues -1&-2
The seven tracks numbered 1/7 were earlier issued on LP United Artists UAJ 14017. On the LP Blue Note BT 85129 we found later the eleven tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 9, 5, 8, 6, 11 (only take -2) and 7. (See DEMS 87/1-1).
More recent on CD Blue Note CDP 7 46398 2 were thirteen tracks in the correct order of recording: 3, 9, 14, 2, 10, 5, 8, 6, 1, 12, 7, 4, 11 (only - 2). (See DEMS 87/3-3).
This time we welcome tracks 15, 13 and at the start of track 11, take -1 of Backward Country Boy Blues (false start).
It seems that we will never see the release of Monk's Dream and Slow Blues as mentioned in the old Desor 835. Also the New DESOR has given up hope (session 6240). The CD is in 24 bit.
Jerry Valburn and SH**
70 Minutes from several concerts on 28? and 29oct58. 1.Take the "A" Train; 2.Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call and The Mooche; 3.Newport Up; 4.Tenderly; 5.Juniflip; 6.Frustration; 7.Kinda Dukish and Rockin' in Rhythm; 8.Jeep's Blues; 9.All of Me; 10.Things Ain't What They Used To Be; 11.Jam with Sam; 12.Hi Fi Fo Fum; 13.Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue.
At first it seems that there is only one "fresh" selection, Tenderly, and that everything else was previously released on the CD Magnetic Records MRCD 119 (91/4-2) and on the double CD Europe 1, 710707 (96/1-8), but that is fortunately not the case. There were two almost identical concerts on 29oct58 and the liner-notes of the Pablo CD only give us the date, without specifying which concert. There is reason to believe that there is at least one selection, on track 13, recorded on another date, probably on 28oct at the Palais de Chaillot: Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue. What we have here on Pablo is different from the "take" on Magnetic Records of 29oct first concert. It is different from the Europe 1 CD of the second concert and it is also different from what I have on tape of the first concert of 28oct. I have no recording of this selection of the second concert on 28oct to compare it with, but I have given up trying to identify this Pablo recording, because the structure is different from every other description in the New DESOR. It has indeed (as the liner-notes say) 20 choruses by Paul. Diminuendo in Blue should have the same description as 4645a has; the Wailing Interval should be described as being identical to 5840j and Crescendo in Blue is the same as 5840k, but without int4DE.
I started my comments with the last selection, because the fact that it is not from the date claimed by Pablo (29oct) leaves some doubts about some of the other tracks.
The tracks 1-3 are different from both Magnetic and Europe (both having the second concert). It seems likely that Pablo has these tracks from the first concert. I have no recordings from the first concert to compare it with. Track 4, Tenderly, is not on any of the recordings I have of both 29oct concerts. Because the second concert contained Deep Purple, I believe that Tenderly is from the first concert.
Tracks 5 and 6 are the same as on Magnetic, which means that they are from the first concert of 29oct. Tracks 7-10 are the same as on Europe, which means that they are from the second concert. Track 11 is the same as on Magnetic, which means that it is from the first concert. Track 12 is different from Europe, which makes me believe that it is from the first concert. Seven "fresh" tracks!
Sjef Hoefsmit
Hans Kalter has sent me a copy of his CD, manufactured in Italy by V.A.I. 75530451, Drive CD 612, distributed by Discomagic Milano, titled "Sophisticated Lady", 1995. That is all Hans could tell me. Since it is identical to the CD Duck Records we decided to give Duck Records top billing.
1.Fancy Dan. 2.Sophisticated Lady. 3.The Hawk Talks. 4. I Got It Bad. 5.Medley: I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart & Don't Get Around Much Anymore. 6.C- Jam Blues. 7.Caravan. 8.Solitude. 9.Ol' Man River. 10.On the Sunny Side of the Street. 11.Kinda Dukish & Rockin' in Rhythm.
Tracks 1, 3, 6 and 9 are from "Stars on Parade" #575, 19Aug51, probably copied from the LP Kings of Jazz 20034. The remaining 7 selections are all from San Remo, 22Mar64. They seem to be copied from the LP Kings of Jazz 20003.
The descriptions in the New DESOR have again been very helpful. There is only one version of Rockin' in Rhythm in which Harry Carney played the 16 bars verse between chorus 3° and 4° on baritone and not on clarinet.
Sjef Hoefsmit
14Nov52, first concert: The Star Spangled Banner; The Mooche; How High the Moon; Lullaby of Birdland; The Hawk Talks; The Tattooed Bride.
Second concert: Medley: Don't Get Around Much Anymore, In a Sentimental Mood, Mood Indigo, I'm Beginning To See the Light, Sophisticated Lady, Caravan, It Don't Mean a Thing, Solitude, I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart; Lover Come Back to Me (Billie Holiday).
This is a copy of the LP with the same title, Vee Jay VJS 3061 released in 1974. Side A of this LP was copied from side A of FDC 1005 and side B was a copy of side B of FDC 1006. Both FDC LPs were later copied on the 1976 double LP "Concert at Carnegie Hall" Vee Jay Records DJM 28023. This concert was organised to celebrate Ellington who started his long term stay at the Cotton Club 25 years earlier.
One selection by Ellington (with the participation of Dizzy Gillespie) is missing, Body and Soul, because it was on side A of FDC 1006. On the other hand a non-Ellington recording is included because it happened to be on side B of FDC 1006. It is Lover Come Back to Me by Billie Holiday, accompanied by Tony Scott, Buster Harding, John Fields and Marquis Foster. Satoshi Yuze reported in DEMS 92/1-1 the release of another Vee Jay CD, FHCD-1023 "In Concert - Carnegie Hall" with 7 items. Body and Soul was included but The Tattooed Bride and The Hawk Talks were missing.
Lance Travis and Sjef Hoefsmit
Newly released this year in two separate jewel boxes together in a folding box, we have the same recordings, made by Radio Europe 1 and released in1993 on Europe One/RTE (F) 710433 and 710434 as two CDs in a single jewel box (see DEMS 94/1-4). There is however one "bonus" from 29Jan65 as track 9 at the end of 17411: Midriff. It was the first selection after the opening Take the "A" Train. It is not mentioned in the New DESOR 6506, the sequence of which is therefore not correct. François Moul, sent us in 1994 a full report of the 29Jan65 concert. That's how we know.
This is your chance to buy these fine Parisian recordings if you missed the Europe 1 release. If you didn't miss it, you have to decide whether to spend money for only one "fresh" recording. Hasn't this happened many times in the past?
SH
This CD is a straight copy of the LP Jazz Bird JAZ-2009 (US) and Jazz Bird (E) JAZ-2009. It is also the same as the LP Jazz Club/Movie Play (Sp) 15.2225/8. These three LPs had the same title: "Meadowbrook to Manhattan".
They were copied from the first LP, Stardust 201, "Duke Ellington, Volume 1". It has 14 selections from which the last one is not mentioned in the liner- notes of any of the releases.
Yakima 29Apr52, Phalanges; Ballin' the Blues; Ting-a-Ling. U.S.A. Mar52, Johnny Come Lately; W.C.; Margie; Moonlight Fiesta. Salem 22Mar52, Tenderly; Black Beauty; Jeep Is Jumpin'. U.S.A. Mar52, Blues at Sundown. N.Y.C. 5Jan52, Basin Street Blues. U.S.A. Mar52, One O'Clock Jump; Take the "A" Train.
Lance Travis