THE INTERNATIONAL
DEMS BULLETIN
DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY
05/3 December 2005 - March 2006
Our 27th Year of Publication.

FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND
HONORARY MEMBER: FATHER JOHN GARCIA GENSEL
EDITOR: SJEF HOEFSMIT
ASSISTED BY: ROGER BOYES

Voort 18b, 2328 Meerle, Belgium
Telephone: +32 3 315 75 83
Email: dems@skynet.be



NEW RELEASES AND RE-RELEASES

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DETS (D) 903 9012 - 2 CD set
Duke Ellington Treasury Shows, Vol. 12
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DEMS 05/3-45

CD 1
Treasury broadcast No. 22 — Radio City Studio 6-B, Blue Network, NYC,
    8Sep45
 1. Take the "A" Train (theme)
 2. Carnegie Blues
 4. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
 5. Mood To Be Wooed
 6. Kissing Bug
 7. Chelsea Bridge
 8. Something To Live For
    Clementine (into station break)
9. Take the "A" Train (and return)
10. Way Low
    Solid Old Man
11. Summertime
    Old King Dooji
12. If I Loved You
13. Unbooted Character
14. Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'
16. Hollywood Hangover (into closing)

NBC Broadcast from the New Zanzibar, NYC,
    1oct45
17. Take the "A" Train (theme)
18. Caravan
19. Three Cent Stomp
20. Yesterdays

CD 2
NBC Broadcast from the New Zanzibar, NYC,
    1oct45 (continued)
 1. Blues on the Double
 2. Riff Staccato
 3. Cotton Tail (and close)

Treasury broadcast No. 23 — Radio City Studio 6-B, NYC,
    15Sep45
 4. Take the "A" Train (theme)
 5. Subtle Slough
 6. C-Jam Blues
 8. Every Hour on the Hour
 9. Jeep Is Jumpin' (into station break)
10. Take the "A" Train (and return)
11. Creole Love Call
12. Frankie and Johnny
    Metronome All Out
13. Everything but You
14. Emancipation Celebration
15. Warm Valley
16. Take the "A" Train (theme and close)

The two Treasury broadcasts have been previously released on DETS LPs (with the same numbers, 22 and 23). The complete (9 titles)1oct45 Zanzibar broadcast has been released on Buddha Records 74465-99629-2. (See DEMS 99/4-21/4)
The missing track numbers belong to Ellington Bond Promo's.
CD1 has 69:08 and CD2 has 51:21 playing time.
I have listened to this double CD. I can assure you that the quality is again impeccable.
Jerry Valburn wrote the liner-notes. He did not mention in the personnel listing for 8Sep45 Marie Ellington who sang in Something To Live For. It is correct to omit her from the listing for 15Sep45. She was not present, and Jimmy Hamilton was also not in the band on that day! In the liner-notes is a confusing calculation of the length of time between 24Jul or 6Aug39 and the wrong date of 30oct39 as opening night at Club Caprice. This was not 7 months and the opening was on 20oct39. The booking at Boston's Southland Café ended on 20Jan40. (See for both corrections DEMS 04/2-22)
Joe Medjuck reported (on Duke-lym 1Nov05) Jerry's erroneous suggestion that Casa Mañana changed its name into Trianon Ballroom. Ken Steiner provided (the next day) the correction: the Casa Mañana in Culver City was formerly Sebastian's Cotton Club, and the Trianon in Southgate was formerly Topsy's.
Ken Vail gives more specific information about Duke's stay at the Casa Mañana in Mar45. He played two weekend engagements from 2 to 4 and from 16 to 18Mar45. Opening on 7 and closing on 20Mar45 must be wrong.
In his liner-notes to Volume 10, Jerry Valburn gave the date of 4May45 for a broadcast from the 400 Restaurant, based on what was written on the label of the acetate. Now he gives 3May45 as the closing date at this venue. We still believe that the closing night was 1May45. Variety of 9May45 (ie after the event!) reviewed the engagement at the Adams Theatre in Newark NJ from 3 until 9May45.
I agree with Joe Medjuck that Jerry's explanation about the policy in relation to the broadcasting of football games would be convincing if we would had longer Treasury broadcasts instead of shorter ones. Bit as it is, I don't see the point.
Jerry has given us permission to publish the details of the DETS CDs Vol. 13 and 14, although these CDs are not yet available.

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DETS (D) 903 9013 - 2 CD set
Duke Ellington Treasury Shows, Vol. 13
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DEMS 05/3-46

CD 1
Treasury broadcast No. 24 — Radio City Studio 6-B, Blue Network, NYC,
    22Sep45
 1. Someone
 2. Riff Staccato
 3. Homesick, That's All
 4. Kissing Bug
 5. Take the "A" Train (into station break)
 6. Take the "A" Train (and  return)
 7. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (Time's A-Wastin')
 9. Three Cent Stomp
10. There's No You
11. Fancy Dan
12. Everything but You
13. Fickle Fling
15. Blue Serge (into bc close)

NBC Broadcast from the New Zanzibar, NYC,
    24Sep45
16. Take the "A" Train (theme)
17. Stompy Jones
18. Walkin' with My Honey
19. Lily Belle
20. Everything but You
21. In a Mellow Tone
22. Solid Old Man

CD 2
NBC Broadcast from the New Zanzibar, NYC,
    24Sep45 (continued)
 1. I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues
 2. Blue Skies
3. Suddenly It Jumped
 4. Take the "A" Train (theme and close)
Treasury broadcast No. 25 — Radio City Studio 6-B, Blue Network, NYC,
    6oct45
 5. Take the "A" Train (theme)
 6. Main Stem
 7. Carnegie Blues
 8. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
10. What Am I Here For?
11. Lily Belle
12. Homesick, That's All
13. Go Away Blues
14. Frantic Fantasy (into  station break)
15. If You Are but a Dream
17. Jack the Bear
18. Every Hour on the Hour
19. Cotton Tail
20. Way Low
22. Teardrops in the Rain
23. I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues
24. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (into broadcast closing)


Lance Travis wrote the liner-notes.
It might seem strange that the Treasury broadcast of 22Sep45 did not start with the usual Take the "A" Train. This may be caused by the fact that the beginning of the acetate was heavily damaged.
There was no Treasury broadcast on 29Sep45 (in spite of the promise by the announcer at the end of the broadcast of 22Sep45).
The two Treasury broadcast have been previously released on DETS LPs (with the same numbers, 24 and 25). The complete (11 titles) 24Sep45 Zanzibar broadcast has not been previously released.
The missing track numbers belong to Ellington Bond Promo's.
CD1 has 62:07 and CD2 has 69:37 playing time.
We cannot say anything about the sound quality, but we trust that Storyville will do the best they can to get it in line with the wonderful sound we found on the LPs long ago.
There is probably a small error in the personnel listing. Sidney Catlett did not replace Sonny Greer earlier than 8oct45.

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DETS (D) 903 9014 - 2 CD set
Duke Ellington Treasury Shows, Vol. 14
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DEMS 05/3-47

CD 1
Treasury broadcast No. 26 — Radio City Studio 6-B, Blue Network, NYC,
    13oct45
 1. Take the "A" Train (theme)
 2. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (Time's a-Wastin')
 3. Every Hour on the Hour
 5. Hollywood Hangover (into station break)
 6. Take the "A" Train (theme and  return)
 7. Autumn Serenade
 8. Rockabye River (Hop, Skip, Jump)
 9. Ridin' on a Blue Note
10. I'll Buy That Dream
12. Riff 'n' Drill
13. Tell Ya What I'm Gonna Do
14. How Deep Is the Ocean
15. Mood Indigo (into station break)
16. Take the "A" Train (theme and  return)
17. Diminuendo in Blue
    I Got It Bad
    Crescendo in Blue
18. Everything but You
    Everything but You
19. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
20. After All
21. C-Jam Blues
22. Take the "A" Train (theme into broadcast close)

CD 2
Treasury broadcast No. 27 — Radio City Studio 6-B, Blue Network, NYC,
    20oct45
 1. Take the "A" Train (theme)
 2. Ultra Blue (How Blue Can You Get #)
 3. Teardrops in the Rain
 4. Time on My Hands
 5. Riff Staccato (into station break)
 6. Take the "A" Train (theme and  return)
 7. Duke Ellington introduces Russell Procope
 8. Honeysuckle Rose
 9. Perdido
10. Air Conditioned Jungle
11. Take the "A" Train (theme into station break)
12. Take the "A" Train (theme and  return)
13. Waiting for the Train To Come In
14. I'd Do It All Over Again
16. Fancy Dan
17. Homesick, That's All
18. Blues on the Double
19. Every Hour on the Hour
21. Caravan
22. Riff 'n' Drill
23. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (into broadcast closing)


The two Treasury broadcasts have been previously released on DETS LPs. (Tracks 1-18 on CD1 are on DETS 26. The remaining portion of CD1, starting with the second part of track 18 plus the tracks 1-11 on CD2 are on DETS 27. The remaining portion on CD2 is on DETS 28.)
We have heard that Andrew Homzy will write the liner-notes.
Some selections are missing from these listings. From broadcast 26 is missing Out of This World (between tracks 20 and 21) and from broadcast 27 are missing Ko-Ko, If I Loved You and Just Squeeze Me (between tracks 6 and 7). Since the CDs are not yet out, we cannot be sure if these selections are actually missing from the programmes on the discs.
The correct listing of personnel is for CD 1 is:
Rex Stewart, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson,
Joe Nanton, Lawrence Brown, Claude Jones,
Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Al Sears, Otto Hardwick, Harry Carney,
Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Fred Guy, Junior Raglin, Sid Catlett,
Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, Al Hibbler.
The same listing is correct for CD 2 but only Sonny Greer was back behind his drums and Russell Procope joined the band.
CD 1 has 73:34 and CD 2 has 73:58 playing time.
Sjef Hoefsmit**

Billy Strayhorn — Passion Flower

DEMS 05/3-48

See DEMS 05/2-29

Flippant Flurry on this record is in all probability from El Patio Ballroom , 1Jul47.
Anders Asplund

You are absolutely right. There were more errors in my listing of this Properbox CD. I think it best to make a completely new report. Also my sequence of the titles was wrong. They are actually in the correct chronological sequence on the CD.

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Properbox Intro CD 2046
Billy Strayhorn – Passion Flower
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DEMS 05/3-48

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
 1. Something To Live For          21Mar39
 2. Grievin'                       14oct39
 3. Day Dream                       2Nov40
 4. After All                      15Feb41
 5. Clementine                      2Jul41
 6. Passion Flower                  3Jul41
 7. Raincheck                       2Dec41
 8. Chelsea Bridge                  2Dec41
 9. Kissing Bug                    26Apr45
10. Midriff                         3Sep46
11. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing   17Jul46
12. Flippant Flurry                17Jul47
13. Progressive Gavotte -1         11Nov47

Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra, Autumn47, NYC. Harold Baker; JH; Al Sears; Harry Carney; BS; Oscar Pettiford; Sonny Greer.
14. Charlotte Russe

Nat King Cole, Irving Ashby (g), Joe Comfort (b), Jack Costanzo (bg) with Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra: Sid Cooper (cl/f), Al Richman (f.h.), Mel Zelnick (d), five violins, 2 violas and 2cellos, 29Mar49, NYC.
15. Lush Life

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
16. Snibor (alternate)              1Sep49
17. The Eighth Veil                24May51
18. Brown Betty                    24May51

Louie Bellson and His Just Jazz All Stars, Feb 52, Los Angeles. Clark Terry; John Graas (f.h.); Juan Tizol; Willie Smith; Wardell Gray (t.s.); Harry Carney; BS; Wendell Marshall; LB.
19. Johnny Come Lately

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
20. Take the "A" Train             30Jun52
21. Satin Doll                      6Apr53

Track 6 is incorrectly dated as 4Jul41.
Track 11 is not from Jun47 by a Johnny Hodges aggregation but is a Capitol transcription by the Ellington band.
Track 12 is incorrectly dated as 12Apr47. It is indeed from the El Patio Ballroom and was previously released on Green Line CD CDJJ-602 (see DEMS 89/3-6; 89/4-3 and 90/1-4).
Track 15 is the only one which I have not been able to check.
Track 16 is incorrectly dated as 11Sep49. It is not the usual Columbia release, but the alternate take which was released on the Up to Date LP 2003 (see DEMS 81/1-3).
Two reviews of this CD were published in "Blue Light" Vol.12 No.1 (first quarter of 2005). One by Vic Bellerby on page 4 and one by Roger Boyes on page 21. Thanks to Roger, I have now been able to listen to this CD and to check the content.
Sjef Hoefsmit

Two CDs for the price of one.

DEMS 05/3-49

Last year in Stockholm, Steven Lasker played for us an alternate take of Tishomingo Blues from 25Jun28 (see DEMS 04/2-10). John Wilby found this Canadian release in the Ron Anger collection. It has been re-released on the CD "A Gift from the President" Jazz Oracle BDW 8047. The strange thing is that you cannot buy it. It is a present that you will receive if you buy at least one other Oracle CD. The president is actually the late John R.T.Davies. John Wilby wrote in the liner-notes: "The release of this compilation is, of course, bittersweet. During the last few weeks of his life, John R.T. was determined to offer a gift to the collecting fraternity of which he was so much a part, and worked feverishly to restore his latest arrivals — four unique test pressings — so that they could be part of this compilation. And so it is that we have the last instalment from the man who, as a music historian, offered so many delightful surprises. It is perhaps fitting that this one must surely rank as one of the most astonishing; he would wish that we all enjoy it and remember his joy in making such music available to all."
Apart from the unique Ellington recording, it should be mentioned that there is also a very rare alternate take of Without You Emaline by Bubber Miley and his Mileage Makers, recorded 16May30. It is also possible that Cat Anderson played in the Charleston Swing by the Carolina Cotton Pickers, 25Jun36. Apart from these Ellingtonian tracks, there is great music from Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman. It is a real treasure trove for collectors of rare material. There are in total 14 test pressings, 4 alternate takes already circulating but highly rare (like Tishomingo Blues, which was released in Canada) and one Western Electric Wide Range Transcription and there are two unissued takes in which John R.T. played his sax.
The liner notes are illustrated with nice pictures and moving contributions from John R.T.'s wife and friends.

To select a second CD from Oracle, in order to receive this present from John R.T. Davies was not a great problem. On the CD BDW 8036, Oracle released the two complete Decca sessions of 17Aug34 and 3Jul35 by the Georgia Washboard Stompers with a total of 18 titles plus three alternate tests. My discography gives unknown personnel, but now we know that Taft Jordan played trumpet and maybe Elmer Williams (see note) or Carl Wade played tenor. Steve Washington was on banjo and guitar, Ghost Howell (bass) and Jake Fenderson washboard and some vocals. The piano player is still unknown. These washboard recordings are from a kind of revival period a few years after the outburst of the Great Depression in the thirties. The sound quality is amazing; in particular the bass is great. This is happy music, which I will certainly play quite often.
I bought my copies from WorldsRecords, but you can also try to contact Oracle, <www.jazzoracle.com>
Note: see for a discussion about the correct names of Elmer and Elbert (Skippy)Williams, who are two different musicians, DEMS 80/3-1 and 80/4-1.
Sjef Hoefsmit

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Storyville 8404
Billy Strayhorn — Piano Passion
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DEMS 05/3-50

 1. Lush Life
 2. Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'
 3. Passion Flower
 4. Take the "A" Train
 5. Strange Feeling
 6. Day Dream
 7. Chelsea Bridge
 8. Violet Blue
 9. Something To Live For
10. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
11. Cotton Tail
12. C-Jam Blues
13. Flamingo
14. Bang Up Blues
15. Tonk
16. Johnny Come Lately
17. In a Blue Summer Garden
18. Great Times
19. Tonk
20. Drawing Room Blues
21. Tonk

Track 1 - 10 Billy Strayhorn (p) Michel Gaudry (b on 1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10)
Paris String Quartet, (strings on 4,10) and Paris Blue Notes (vocal on 1,6,8)
Recorded in Paris, according to the liner-notes in May 1961. These 10 tracks have been released previously on the album "The Peaceful Side" on United Artists UAJS 15010 and later on Solid State SS 18031. According to DavidHajdu (pp 211/212) it must have been in January or February 1961.
All the errors of the original liner-notes have been repeated. Michel's second name is not Goudret. I heard Michel Gaudry in all the tracks with the exception of tracks 5 and 7 and not as in the liner-notes (of the CD) on tracks 2,3,8,9 and 10.
Passion Flower has not been composed by E.Coates and G.Wiskin but by Billy Strayhorne (sic, see David Hajdu p 214). Coates and Wiskin wrote another song with the same title.
Track 11 - 14 Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn (p) Wendell Marshall (b)
Recorded in New York, 3oct50. Each time I listen to these four tracks, I have the impression that Ole Nielsen was and Willie Timner is right: there was an unknown drummer in spite of the fact that the session is credited to the Billy Strayhorn trio.
Track 15 - 18 Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn (p) Joe Shulman (b)
Recorded in New York, Nov50. I have both 1950 sessions (tracks 11/18 on Mercer 78 rpms, Prestige LP 24029 and on CD Riverside CA/802/98.969.
Track 19 Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn (p)
Recorded in Marshfield, Massachusetts, 25Aug45 and most recently released on DETS double CD 903.9011 (05/2-28).
Track 20 - 21 Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn (p)
Recorded in New York, 10Jan46 for RCA Victor and released numerous times.
Produced for CD by Anders Stefansen. Total time: 70:59
Sjef Hoefsmit

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Classic Jazz Archive 221987-306 Double CD
"Ben Webster — No Fool No Fun"
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DEMS 05/3-51

CD 1
Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
13Dec32   The Blue Room
          New Orleans
          Milenburg Joys
          Lafayette

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra

25Sep34   Stampede
          What’s Your Story
          S'posin’

Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra

16Dec36   Tea for Two

Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra

11Sep39   Early Session Hop

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra

 
4May40   Cotton Tail
22Jul40   All Too Soon
15Mar40   Congo Brava
28May40   Bojangles
24Jul40   My Greatest Mistake
28oct40   Chloe
15Feb41   Blue Serge
 5Jun41   Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’
26Sep41   Five O’ Clock Drag
 2Dec41   Chelsea Bridge 
          Raincheck
21Jan42   Perdido
26Feb42   What Am I Here For?
26Jun42   Main Stem

CD 2
Ben Webster Quartet
  Sep43   Woke Up Clipped
          Teezol
         'Nuff Said
          The Horn
          Dirty Deal
          Don’t Blame Me
          I Surrender Dear
          Tea For Two
This session is also dated 8Feb44.
The selections were recorded with many different takes with the exception of I Surrender Dear. On the CD the regular "preferred" takes are chosen.


James P. Johnson’s Blue Note Jazzmen
 4Mar44   After You’ve Gone

Cozy Cole’s All Stars
13Mar44   Body and Soul

Sidney Catlett Quartet
18Mar44   Sleep
          Linger Awhile
          Memories of You
          Just a Riff
25Mar44   I Surrender Dear


Ben Webster Quartet
17Apr44   Honeysuckle Rose
          Blue Skies
          Kat’s Fur

Benny Morton’s All Stars
31Jan45   My Old Flame
          The Sheik of Araby
          Limehouse Blues

Teddy Wilson Sextet
14Aug45   If Dreams Come True
          I Can’t Get Started
Alternate takes exist of both selections.

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Documents LC 12281 Double CD
"Jazz Ballads — Ben Webster"
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DEMS 05/3-52


Several of the tracks contain recordings which were also released on the Classic Jazz Archives CDs on which the recordings were more or less placed in chronological order. This is not the case on the Documents double CD, that's why Lance Travis has after each selection the CD and track number.

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
22Jul40   All Too Soon                     1/8
24Jul40   My Greatest  Mistake              2/9
          Sepia Panorama                   2/15
15Jan41   Until Tonight                    2/2
15Feb41   Blue Serge                       1/13
 5Jun41   Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’     1/3
 2Dec41   Chelsea Bridge                   2/17
26Feb42   What Am I Here For?              2/13

Ben Webster and His Orchestra
  Sep43  ‘Nuff Said                        1/6
          Don’t Blame Me                   1/4
          I Surrender Dear                 2/12
This session is also dated 8Feb44.
The selections were recorded with many different takes with the exception of I Surrender Dear. On the CD the regular "preferred" takes are chosen.

Sidney Catlett Quartet
18Mar44   Memories Of You                  2/5

Ben Webster Quartet
17Apr44   I Surrender Dear                 1/11
          Kat's Fur                        2/7

Tony Scott and His Down Beat Septet
 6Mar46   You’re Only Happy When I’m Blue  2/10

Ben Webster Quintet
21May53   Danny Boy [Londonderry Air]      2/1

Gene Krupa
10Sep53   Imagination                      1/7
          Don’t Take Your Love from Me     2/4
This session is also dated 27Sep53.

Ben Webster and His Orchestra
 8Dec53   That’s All                       1/1
          Tenderly                         2/3
          Don’t Get Around Much Anymore    2/16

Ben Webster Quartet
30Mar54   Love’s Away                      2/14
          You’re Mine You                  1/16
          My Funny Valentine               1/5
          Sophisticated Lady               1/14

Ben Webster with Ralph Burns’ Orchestra
28May54   Love Is Here To Stay             2/8
          It Happens To Be Me              1/9
          All Too Soon                     2/6
          Chelsea Bridge                   1/17
          Almost Like Being In Love        1/15
Billy Strayhorn was on piano in this session.

15Dec54   Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me 1/10
          Prelude To A Kiss                2/11
          Willow Weep for Me               1/2
          Come Rain or Come Shine          1/12

Teddy Wilson was on piano in this session.

Lance Travis has sent us all the details of the two Ben Webster double CDs
DEMS

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SONY Trios 5186842001
Duke Ellington
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DEMS 05/3-53


Sony/UK has issued this 3 x CD set which I gullibly purchased without checking.
Anatomy of a Murder/Black Brown and Beige/Such Sweet Thunder
These are the Columbia/Legacy issues from the centenary. CK 65569 (99/5-15); 65566 (99/4-18/1) and 65568 (99/4-18/2).
Lance Travis**

ELLINGTONIA

Cue for Saxophone

DEMS 05/3-54


This Billy Strayhorn/Johnny Hodges session, first on LP and later on a Verve CD (see TDES Newsletter of Nov91), has been re-released again. This time on Lonehill 10191. (See "Lush Life" p198/199)
Source: Sackville Recordings Newsletter Summer 2005.

Third splendid album by Anthony Brown

DEMS 05/3-55


After the breathtaking recording of Ellington's and Strayhorn's "Far East Suite" by his Asian American Orchestra (DEMS 99/5-20/1) and his second album, "Monk's Moods", with an orchestra under the same name (01/3-12/3), Anthony Brown has now produced a third one with the Anthony Brown's Orchestra titled "Rhapsodies". (© 2005 Water Bay Records WBR 1010). It completes a trilogy of homages to American composers. It contains a tribute to Lester Bowie, "Bread and Bowie", a new version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", Charles Mingus' "Self Portrait in Three Colors" and Duke Ellington's TANG (from the "Afro Eurasian Eclipse") and Come Sunday. It also contains three originals by Anthony and one arrangement by Mark Izu, the bass player in the Orchestra. You might be confused by the fact that this aggregation no longer is named Asian American Orchestra; it contains however a wealth of unusual Oriental instruments, like the waterphone; steel drums; Western, Asian, African percussion; Chinese mouth organ; Japanese flute; Cuban box drum; Chinese harp zither and Chinese hammered dulcimer. Do not ask me what they look like. I can however assure you that they sound great. In combination with Western instruments like electric guitar, trumpet, fluegelhorn, trombone, tuba, violin, cello, piano, flute and almost every existing reed instrument the sound of this orchestra is fascinating. When one does recognise the melody, the arrangement can easily be digested. When the composition is new, one needs to listen more often than only once (as I have up to now). Two of Anthony's own compositions seem too short for my taste. They sound so pretty that I could have enjoyed more of it. One is too long for my taste. I am almost sure that repeated listening will make me change my mind. The melody stayed in my head for quite a while anyhow. Anthony Brown is a unique new talent. After three albums, one can say that his music stands alone. It is a whole new category. If you have enjoyed one or both of the former albums, you will not be disappointed with this one. (Nor will you be disappointed if this album is your first. It will make you try to find the Ellington and the Monk albums. The originality of this third album is underlined by an extremely nice package. In the liner notes Anthony's web-site address is mentioned:
www.anthonybrown.org. However, I am sure that if you want to ask him for a copy of his latest album he will not mind if you use his e-mail address, which is Antnybrown@aol.com.
Sjef Hoefsmit