Category: Alice Babs

My Favorite (Ellington) Things, according to the iPod (Podcast #21-002)

Here’s a selection of what my iPod says are my most listened-to Ellington songs. Continue reading →

“iPod – 10,000 songs in your pocket”

– Apple marketing slogan

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This is my “transcription” of Jimmy Hamilton’s clarinet solo on “Sonnet for Caesar” from c. 1982…

This is the song that has the most plays on my iPod. My grandfather had this on 78 rpm and I used to listen to it – a lot. I still do!

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

webster blanton Portrait of Bert Williams (CD: “The Webster Blanton Band,” Bluebird 74321131812)

Recorded 28 May, 1940 Chicago

Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpets; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombones; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges,  Otto Hardwicke, Ben Webster, Harry Carney -reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmie Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

FargoChatter Box (CD: “Fargo, ND, November 7, 1940” Vintage Jazz Classics VJC-1019/20-2)

Recorded 7 November 1940 at The Crystal Ballroom in Fargo, North Dakota

Wallace Jones, Rex Stewart, Ray Nance – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol -trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto  Hardwicke, Ben Webster, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Jimmie Blanton – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

2nd sacredHeaven (LP: “Second Sacred Concert” Prestige P-24045)

Recorded 22 January 1968, New York City

Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jeff Castleman – bass; Sam Woodyard, Steve Little – drums; Alice Babs – vocal.

recollectionsRhapsody In Blue (CD: “Recollections of the Big Band Era” Atlantic Jazz 7567-90043-2)
Recorded 20 December 1962, New York City

Cootie Williams, Roy Burrowes, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance – trumpet; 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.

such sweetSonnet for Caesar (LP/CD “Such Sweet Thunder” Columbia CL 1033/Columbia/Legacy 65568)

Recorded 15 April 1957, New York City

Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Ray Nance – trumpet; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombones; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.

afroTang (CD: “The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse” Original Jazz Classics OJCCD 645)

Recorded 17 February 1971, New York City

Cootie Williams, Eddie Preston, Harold “Money” Johnson, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope,

Norris Turney, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

latinThe Sleeping Lady and the Giant Who Watches Over Her (CD: “Latin American Suite” Original Jazz Classics OJC20 469-2)

Recorded 7 January 1970, New York City

Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Mercer Ellington, Cootie Williams – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Harold Ashby, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jeff Castleman – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

world of DEJoog Joog (LP: “The World of Duke Ellington, Volume 2” Columbia KG 33341)

Recorded 22 December 1949, New York City

Ray Nance – trumpet;  Tyree Glenn – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Forrest, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano;  Wendell Marshall – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Lu Elliott, Kay Davis – vocal.

2nd sacredPraise God and Dance (LP: “Second Sacred Concert” Prestige P-24045)

Recorded 22 January 1968, New York City

Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jeff Castleman – bass; Steve Little – drums; Alice Babs – vocal.

— Our closing music —-

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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.

Duke Ellington’s Wordless Melodies for the Soprano (Podcast #19-020)

Dr. Lisa M. Clark’s thesis, Synchrony of the Sublime: A Performer ‘s Guide to Duke Ellington’s Wordless Melodies for Soprano can be found here Adelaide Hall [1901-1993] “The Victor recording of Creole Love Call introduces a device which Ellington was … Continue reading →

Dr. Lisa M. Clark’s thesis, Synchrony of the Sublime: A Performer ‘s Guide to Duke Ellington’s Wordless Melodies for Soprano can be found here

Adelaide Hall

Adelaide Hall [1901-1993]

“The Victor recording of Creole Love Call introduces a device which Ellington was to use at intervals throughout his career – the blending of a wordless female voice with the instrumental textures. The singer her is Adelaide Hall, and the first chorus presents the main them sung by her over three low-register clarinets, a delicious tonal combination…”

-Eddie Lambert, Duke Ellington: A Listener’s Guide

Kay Davis

Kay Davis [ 1920-2012]

“Kay Davis was an honor student of Northwestern University, where she studied opera and majored in music. She had perfect pitch, could sight-read, and had all the gifts, so we decided to use her voice as an instrument. This was in addition to her interpretations of regular songs with words, and it proved very successful on several numbers.”

-Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress

Alice Babs

Alice Babs [1924-2014]

“[Alice Babs] is just one of the rare people, one of the rarest artists. Whenever I get an opportunity to do anything I feel is out of the ordinary, I think of her. So when I got ready to do my second sacred concert in 1968, where I had to go up over the top of the first, I sent to Sweden to bring her to New York. There were a couple of things in that concert which required real musicianship, which had to read and executed just as they were planned, and she was the one I had complete confidence in to do that. She is a terrific musician, and when I look at the pictures of her taken in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine – why, I think she looks like an angel! She is a beautiful person who has overcome the problem of singing as pretty as she looks. In referring to her, one never says, “There are just a few left,” because she was probably the only one born.”

-Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

early ellington rcaCreole Love Call/Blues I Love To Sing (CD:  Early Ellington (1927 – 1934), Bluebird 6852-2-RB)

Recorded 26 October 1927, New York City

Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Rudy Jackson, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds;  Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums, Adelaide Hall – vocal.

bbbcdTransbluency ( A Blue Fog That you can almost see through) (CD: “Black, Brown & Beige” Bluebird 6641-2-RB)

Recorded 9 July 1946, Los Angeles

Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, Francis Williams, Ray Nance, Harold Baker – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Wilbur De Paris, Claude Jones – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Oscar Pettiford – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Kay Davis – vocal.

jazz collectors

The Beautiful Indians: Minnehaha (CD: “The Jazz Collector Editor ” Laserlight Digital  15 753)

Recorded 5 December 1946, New York City

Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Francis Williams, Reunald Jones, Ray Nance  – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Wilbur DeParis, Claude Jones – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Oscar Pettiford – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.  Kay Davis – vocal.

duke 100On a Turquoise Cloud (CD: “Duke Ellington: The Columbia Years 1927-1962” Columbia 5176872)

Recorded 22 December 1947, New York City

Ray Nance – violin; Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Oscar Pettiford, Junior Raglin – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Kay Davis – vocal.

Second_Sacred_Concert

T.G.T.T. – Duke Ellington (LP: “Second Sacred Concert” Prestige P-24045)

Recorded 22 January 1968, New York City

Duke Ellington – electric piano; Alice Babs – vocal.

— Our closing music —-

0000120517It’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.