A look at some of the music on Volumes 6 through 10 of Storyville Records’ release of the Duke Ellington Treasury Series radio shows. Continue reading →
“In April 1945, Duke Ellington began what was to be the largest single recording project of his career, though it is most unlikely that he or anyone else thought of it in such terms at the time… [He] signed an agreement with the newly formed American Broadcasting Company to broadcast a series of hour-long Saturday afternoon network shows under the title “A Date With The Duke.”… The recordings of these complete broadcasts…make up the largest single block of material in the Ellington discography.”
– Eddie Lambert, A Listener’s Guide – Duke Ellington
Al Hibbler was with the Ellington band from 1943 to 1951. Continue reading →
“It was much easier than I thought it would be for Hib to learn songs, but that was because he has ears that see, and so miracles happened. He learned song after song, and soon he was our major asset — truly a profitable investment, both dollar-wise and for luxury of keeping my ear in deep. He had so many sounds that even without words he could tell of fantasy beyond fantasy. Hib’s great dramatic devices and the variety of his tonal changes give him almost unlimited range. His capabilities are so many, but I should mention first his clear, understandable enunciation. He can produce a whispering, confidential sound, or an outburst that borders on panic. He will adopt a nasal tone at just the right word and note, or affect a sudden drop to what sounds like the below-compass bass. Cries, laughs, and highly animated calls — he uses them all to make the listener see it as he see it. Sinatra calls Albert Hibbler and Ray Charles his two ace pilots.”
— Duke Ellington, Music is my Mistress
Duke Ellington and Al Hibbler
My Al Hibbler concert experience, 1980
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Get Me On Your Mind (LP: “Jay McShann -The Early Bird Charlie Parker (1941-1943)” MCA MCA-1338)
Recorded 2 July 1942, New York City
Bob Merrill, Bernard Anderson, Orville Minor – trumpet; Lawrence Anderson, Joe Baird – trombone; John Jackson, Charlie Parker – alto sax; Bob Mabane, Freddy Culliver – tenor sax; Jimmy Coe – baritone sax; Jay McShann – piano; Leonard Enois – guitar; Gene Ramey – bass; Gus Johnson – drums.
Don’t You Know I Care (or Don’t You Care To Know)/I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues (CD: “World Broadcasting Series, Volume 4” Circle CCD-104)
Recorded 3 January 1945, New York City
Shelton Hemphill, Rex Stewart, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Claude Jones – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Junior Raglin – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Al Hibbler, Kay Davis – vocal
Don’t Be So Mean To Baby/Lover Come Back to Me/Trees/It’s Monday Every Day/Unchained Melody (CD: “Carnegie Hall, November 13, 1948” Vintage Jazz Classics 1024)
Recorded 13 November 1948 at Carnegie Hall, New York City
Shelton Hemphill, Al Killian, Francis Williams, Harold Baker, Ray Nance – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Tyree Glenn – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Ben Webster, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guy; Wendell Marshall – bass; Sonny Greer – drums, Al Hibbler – vocal.
This Love of Mine (CD: Johnny Hodges “Seven Classic Albums” Real Gone Jazz RGJCD312)
Recorded 22 July 1952 Los Angeles
Emmett Berry – trumpet; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ben Webster – tenor sax; Leroy Lovett – piano; Red Callender – bass; J. C. Heard – drums.
Unchained Melody (45 rpm, Decca 0-29982)
Released 1955
Al Hibbler – vocal; Orchestra directed by Jack Pleis
I Was Telling Her About You (45 rpm, Decca 0-29982)
Released July 1956
Al Hibbler – vocal; Orchestra directed by Jack Pleis
Lover, Come Back To Me/Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me (LP: “A Meeting of the Times” Atlantic SD 1630 )
Recorded 30/31 March 1972, New York City
Rahsaan Roland Kirk – tenor sax, manzello, Al Hibbler – vocal; Hank Jones – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.
You Should Have Told Me (LP: “For Sentimental Reasons” Open Sky Records OSR 3126)
Recorded 18 November 1982, New York City
Al Hibbler – vocal; Buddy Tate – tenor sax; Hank Jones – piano; Milt Hinton – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.
— Our closing music —-
It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)
Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City
Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.
These four CD sets are a great start to a Duke Ellington collection at a reasonable price. Continue reading →
Duke Ellington recorded thousands of selections over a nearly 50 year career. If you’re new to him, where do you begin? It’s daunting! These four CD sets are a great start to a Duke Ellington collection at a reasonable price.
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Take the “A” Train/Pitter Panther Patter/The Flaming Sword (Highlights of the Great 1940-1942 Band [2 disk set] Avid, AMSC1143)
Take the “A” Train was recorded 15 February 1941, Los Angeles
Wallace Jones, Ray Nance –trumpets; Rex Stewart – cornet; Lawrence Brown, Juan Tizol, Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton – trombones; Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Barney Bigard, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmie Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Pitter Panther Patter was recorded 1 October 1940, Chicago
Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmie Blanton – bass.
The Flaming Sword was recorded 17 October 1940, Chicago
Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams –trumpets; Rex Stewart – cornet; Lawrence Brown, Juan Tizol, Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton – trombones; Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Barney Bigard, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmie Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Kinda Dukish-Rockin’ In Rhythm/Tutti for Cootie (The Great Paris Concert [2 disk set] Collectables, 7818)
Recorded 1 February 1963 in Paris, France
Cootie Williams, Roy Burrowes, Cat Anderson – trumpet; Ray Nance – violin; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton,; Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Ernie Shepard – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.
Hot and Bothered/Lady of the Lavender Mist/Solitude (Duke Ellington: The Columbia Years 1927-1962 [3 disk set] Columbia 5176872)
Hot and Bothered was recorded 1 October 1928, New York City
Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Lonnie Johnson – guitar; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Baby Cox – vocal.
Lady of the Lavender Mist was recorded 14 August 1947 in Los Angeles
Shelton Hemphill, Dud Bascomb, Francis Williams, Harold Baker, Ray Nance – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Claude Jones, Tyree Glenn – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Oscar Pettiford – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Solitude was recorded 14 October 1957
Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry, Ray Nance – trumpet; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.
Day Dream/Caravan/Rockin’ in Rhythm (Ella Fitzgerald sings the Duke Ellington Songbook [3 CD set] Verve Records 559 248-2)
Recorded June 1957 in New York City
Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry, Ray Nance – trumpet; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Billy Strayhorn (on Day Dream), Duke Ellington (Caravan and Rockin’ in Rhythm) – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums; Ella Fitzgerald – vocal
