Most Duke Ellington tribute concerts and recordings rely on just a handful of his compositions (Mood Indigo, Satin Doll, In A Sentimental Mood, etc.). The Duke Ellington Society refers to these songs as “the usual suspects.” While they are worthy of their status as standards, Ellington wrote thousands of compositions; there is plenty of his oeuvre that is ripe for exploration!
Duke Ellington performs The Perfume Suite with some animated friends
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Skrontch (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosiac Records #248)
Recorded 21 December 1936 in Los Angeles
Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Pete Clark – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Ivie Anderson – vocal.
Skrontch (CD: “Fats Waller, Volume 4 of the Complete Recorded Works” JSP Records JSP77192D)
Recorded 12 April 1938 in New York City
Fats Waller – piano, vocal; Herman Autrey, John Hamilton, Nathaniel Williams – trumpet; George Robinson, John Haughton – trombones; William Alsop, James Powell, Fred Skerritt – alto sax; Gene Sedric, Lonnie Symons – tenor sax; Albert Casey – guitar; Cedric Wallace – bass; Slick Jones – drums.
Black Butterfly (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosiac Records #248)
Recorded 21 December 1936 in Los Angeles
Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Pete Clark – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Black Butterfly (CD: “Passion Flower – Zoot Sims plays Duke Ellington” Pablo OJCCD-939-2)
Recorded 10/11 December 1979 in Los Angeles
Zoot Sims – tenor sax; Bobby Bryant, Oscar Brashear, Al Aarons, Earl Gardner – trumpet; J.J. Johnson, Britt Woodman, Grover Mitchell, Benny Powell – trombone; Marshal Royal, Buddy Collette, Plas Johnson, Frank Wess – reeds; Jimmy Rowles – piano; John Collins – guitar; Andy Simpkins – bass; Grady Tate – drums.
Blue Bubbles (LP: “The Works of Duke, Volume 1” French RCA 731043)
Recorded 19 December 1927 in New York City
Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalfe – trumpet; Joseph “Tricky Sam” Nanton – trombone; Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney, Rudy Jackson – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.
Blue Bubbles (CD: “Bug Music” Nonesuch 79438-2)
Recorded May 1996 in New York City
Don Byron – clarinet; Uri Caine – piano.
Strange Feeling (LP: “The Girl’s Suite and The Perfume Suite” Columbia C38028)
Recorded 1 June 1961 in New York City
Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance, Ed “Moon” Mullens – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Lou Blackburn, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Aaron Bell – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums; Milt Grayson – vocal.
Strange Feeling (CD: “The African Flower – The Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn” )
Recorded 24/25 June 1985 in New York City
James Newton – flute; John Blake – violin; Olu Dara – cornet; Arthur Blythe – alto sax; Sir Jay Hoggard – vibraphone; Roland Hanna – piano; Rick Rozie – bass; Pheeroan Ak Laff – drums; Anthony Brown – percussion; Milt Grayson – vocal.
Dancers In Love (LP: “The Girl’s Suite and The Perfume Suite” Columbia C38028)
Recorded 9 December 1957 in New York City
Cat Anderson, Harold “Shorty” Baker, Ray Nance – trumpet; Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums; Milt Grayson – vocal.
Dancers In Love (CD: “Swing Reunion” Book-of-the-Month Records 71-7024)
Recorded 1/2 March 1985 at Town Hall in New York City
Red Norvo – vibraphone
Virgin Jungle (CD: “Concert in the Virgin Islands” Collectables 6734)
Recorded 14 April 1965 in Chicago
Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Richard Williams – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; John Lamb – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.
Virgin Jungle (CD: “The Door” Novus 3049-2-N)
Recorded 4/5 July 1988 in Paris
Steve Lacy, Steve Potts – soprano sax; Irene Aebi – violin; Bobby Few – piano; Jean-Jacques Avinel – bass; Sam Woodyard, Oliver Johnson – drums.
