New Orleans – Victor Yalovets Music

Tiger Rag & its Ellington Contrafacts (Podcast #18-018)

Tiger Rag provided Ellington with composition material for many years Continue reading →

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

Tiger Rag, 3rd, 4th And 5th Strains (CD: “Jelly Roll Morton ‎– The Complete Library Of Congress Recordings By Alan Lomax” Rounder Records ‎– ROUNDER 11661-1888-2)

Recorded 1938 at The Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Jelly Roll Morton – piano, narration

mood indigo

High Life (LP: “Mood Indigo” RCA ADL2-0152)

Recorded 16 January 1929 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums, chimes.

Hot and Bothered (CD: “The OKeh Ellington” Columbia C2K 46177)

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.

517tpCk0QcL

(CD: “Duke Ellington: The Columbia Years 1927-1962” Columbia 5176872)

Hot and Bothered

Recorded 12 June 1930, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Braggin’ In Brass

Recorded 3 March 1938, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor, Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Daybreak Express (CD:“Highlights from the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (1927-1973)” RCA Victor 09026636722)

Recorded 4 December 1933, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins, Louis Bacon – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

jazz cocktail

Tiger Rag (CD: “Jazz Cocktail” ASV ‎– AJA 5024)

Recorded 8 January 1929, New York City

small groups

Tiger Rag (CD: “The Duke’s Men, Small Groups Vol. 1” Columbia C2K 46995)

Recorded 8 March 1937, New York City

Cootie Williams – trumpet; Joe Nanton – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Before My Time (from The Controversial Suite) (LP: “The Complete Duke Ellington 1947-1952” (French) CBS 66607/J)

Recorded 11 December 1951, New York City

Willie Cook, Harold Baker, Clark Terry, Ray Nance – trumpet; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson,Juan Tizol – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Willie Smith, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Wendell Marshall – bass; Louie Bellson – drums.

live and rare

Tiger Rag (CD: “Duke Ellington – Live and Rare” Bluebird RCA 09026639532)

Recorded 1 December 1973, Eastbourne, England

Mercer Ellington, Harold “Money” Johnson, Barry Lee Hall, Johnny Coles – trumpet; Vincente Prudente, Art Baron, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Percy Marion, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Quentin White – drums.

Portrait of Louis Armstrong (Podcast #18-014)

If there were a Mount Rushmore for American Music, Ellington and Armstrong would be guaranteed members. Here we highlight their collaborations. Continue reading →

“I loved and respected Louis Armstrong. He was born poor, died rich, and never hurt anyone on the way.

-Duke Ellington, Music is my Mistress

satch duke esquire

satch duke

satch duke tpt satch duke grill

satch duke backstage 2

Finale of a 1959 Timex Jazz Special: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Paul Gonsalves, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones, Cat Anderson, Vic Dickenson, and more!

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

esquire

Things Ain’t What They Used to Be (CD: “The Second Esquire Jazz Concert” Compact Classic TMCD 2173/74-2)

Recorded 17 January 1945 Philharmonic Auditorium, Los Angeles

Louis Armstrong – trumpet; Benny Goodman – clarinet; Shelton Hemphill, Rex Stewart, Cat Anderson, Taft Jordan, 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.

satch mosaic

Solitude (CD: “The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions 1935-46” Mosaic Records #243)

Recorded 19 December 1935, New York City

Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocal; Leonard Davis, Gus Aiken, Louis Bacon – trumpet; Harry White, Jimmy Archey – trombone; Henry Jones, Charlie Holmes – alto sax; Bingie Madison, Greely Walton – tenor sax; Luis Russell – piano; Lee Blair – guitar; George “Pops” Foster – bass; Paul Barbarin – drums

Long, Long Journey (CD: ” Esquire’s All-American Hot Jazz Sessions” BMG Music ‎– 6757-1-RB)

Recorded 10 January 1946, New York City

Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocal; Charlie Shavers – trumpet; Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Don Byas – tenor sax; Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn – piano; Remo Palmieri – guitar; Chubby Jackson – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

paris blues

Wild Man Moore/Battle Royal (CD: “Paris Blues” Rykodisc ‎– RCD 10713)

Recorded 14 December 1960, Paris

Credits: Louis Armstrong – trumpet; Billy Byers – trombone; Guy Lafitte – tenor sax; Jimmy Gourley – guitar; Duke Ellington – piano; with Orchestra.

summit Azalea

(CD: “Louis Armstrong &Duke Ellington ‎– The Great Summit | Complete Sessions” Roulette Jazz ‎– 7243 5 24546 2 4)

Recorded 3/4 April 3-4 1961, New York City

Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocal; Trummy Young – trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Duke Ellington – piano; Mort Hebert – bass; Danny Barcelona – drums.

Portrait of Mahalia Jackson (CD: “New Orleans Suite” Warner Bros. 7411644)

Recorded 13 May 1970, New York City

Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Fred Stone – trumpet; Booty Wood, Julian Priester, Chuck Connors – trumpet; Russell Procope, Norris Turney, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

louis and friends

Mood Indigo (CD: “Louis Armstrong And His Friends” BMG France ‎– 74321747942)
May 26, 1970: New York, NY

Louis Armstrong – vocal; Arnold Black, Selwart Clarke, Winston Collymore, Manny Green, Harry Lookofsky, Gene Orloff, Joe Malin, Max Pollikoff – violins; Julien Barber, Alfred Brown, David Schwartz, Emanuel Vardi – viola; Charles McCracken, Kermit Moore, George Ricci, Allan Schulman – cello; Richard Davis, George Duvivier – bass; John Williams, Jr. – electric bass; Sam Brown, Kenny Burrell – guitar; James Spaulding – flute; Frank Owens – piano; Bernard “Pretty” Purdie – drums; Oliver Nelson – arranger, conductor.

— 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.

Portrait of Barney Bigard (Podcast #17-012)

New Orleanian Barney Bigard joined the Ellington band in December 1927 and left in 1942 after tiring of life on the road. Continue reading →

“I honestly can’t tell much about my impression of the band that first night. I was too busy fighting the notes, the reading stuff, to pay much attention to the band. I remember the weird chords that would come in behind us. I wasn’t used to that kind of chording at all, but the more I played with them, the more accustomed my ear got to it all. I used to go to Duke in the intermission and say,”Those chords behind me on such-and-such a number: they just don’t sound right to me.” He would sit right down and show me what he was doing. He’d break all the principles of arranging too. He’d give a guy different notes to what he should have had for his instrument.”

-Barney Bigard, With Louis and the Duke

Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Barney Bigard, Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges

Autographs of Barney Bigard, Marshal Royal, Bill Berry and Britt Woodman

Anderson

Autographs of Buster Cooper and Cat Anderson

**Click here to connect to Mark Sowlakis’ excellent blog posting Albany “Barney” Bigard – New Orleans Creole Clarinet, complete with several transcriptions and a discography.**

cat anderson book

Geoff Winstead revised Cat Anderson’s high note trumpet method book.

“Paradox, Ambiguity, and Irony”

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

mood indigo

High Life (LP: “Mood Indigo” RCA ADL2-0152)

Recorded 16 January 1929 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Bubber Miley, Freddie Jenkins – trumpets; Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums, chimes.

elling_duke_complete1_101b

Rose Room (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 11 February 1932, New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Clarinet Lament (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 27 February 1936 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpets; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trumpets; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Prologue to Black and Tan Fantasy/The New Black and Tan Fantasy (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 13 January 1938 in New York City

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor, Hayes Alvis – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

small groups

Caravan (CD:”The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion and Okeh Small Group Sessions” Mosaic Records #235)

Recorded 19 December, 1936 in Los Angeles

Cootie Williams – trumpet; Juan Tizol – valve trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Harry Carney – baritone sax; Duke Ellington – piano; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Highlights

Are You Sticking? (CD: “Highlights of the Great 1940-1942 Band” Avid AMSC1143)

Recorded 5 June 1941, Los Angeles

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.

Bojangles/Rose Room (CD: “The Fabulous Ellingtonians” Mercury 830 926-2)

Recorded 5 February 1945 in New York City

Barney Bigard – clarinet; Joe Thomas – trumpet; Johnny Guarnieri – piano; Billy Taylor – bass; Cozy Cole – drums.

armstrong ellington

In A Mellow Tone/The Beautiful Americans (CD: “The Complete Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington Sessions” Roulette Records / Blue Note 5245462)

Recorded 3 April 1961, New York City

Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocal; Trummy Young – trombone; Barney Bigard – clarinet; Duke Ellington – piano; Mort Herbert – bass; Danny Barcelona – drums.

rugged jungle

Rose Room (CD: “Rugged Jungle” Lost Secret LSR-001)

Recorded 8 July 1972 at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, Harold “Money” Johnson, Johnny Coles – trumpet; Tyree Glenn, Vincente Prudente, Chuck Connors – trombone; Barney Bigard, Russell Procope, NorrisTurney, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

clarinet gumbo

Mood Indigo (LP: “Clarinet Gumbo” RCA APL1-1744)

Recorded 25 June 1973 in Hollywood, California

Barney Bigard – clarinet; Dick Cary – piano; Dave Koonse – guitar; Eddie Safranski – bass; Nick Fatool – drums.

0000120517

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.

Portrait of Mahalia Jackson (Podcast #17-006)

Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and the Ellington orchestra meet in 1958.
Continue reading →

“Bill Putnam, founder, builder, recording engineer, and President of Universal Recording Studios in Chicago, was having a party on a yacht one evening out on Lake Michigan. There were a lot of bigwigs from the Loop there, and a representative of Columbia Records came up to me, all glowing.

“Say you must hear this new girl we’ve got signed up!” he said.

“Who’s that?”

“Mahalia Jackson.”

“Oh, yeah, she’s a good cook.”

“No, she’s a singer.”

“I know,” I said, “but she’s a good cook, too.”

She was the best, a great cook. I had been to her house several times before ever she signed with Columbia, and she always had fine soul food out there.

One of the memorable occasions was when we made “Come Sunday” with her in 1958. Billy Strayhorn was down in Florida, but I had told him the key and he sent the arrangement. Ray Nance was there with his violin, and it all came off well.”

–Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress

Duke Ellington and Mahalia Jackson at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, 1970

“Come Sunday” appears in the in the United Methodist Hymnal. C. Michael Hawn explains how it came to be. The song is also the subject of a “hymn study.”

Jazz_on_a_Summer's_Day_FilmPoster

Jazz on a Summer’s Day

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

Take the “A” Train//Come Sunday//Keep Your Hand on the Plow (CD: “Live at Newport 1958” Sony Music Distribution 53584)
Recorded 21 July 1958, New York City

Mahalia Jackson – vocal; Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry – trumpets; Ray Nance – trumpet, violin; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombones; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Bill Graham, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.

bbb2

(Part IV) Come Sunday//(Part VI) 23rd Psalm (CD: “Black, Brown, and Beige” Sony Music Distribution 53584)
Recorded 11 February 1958, New York City

Mahalia Jackson – vocal; Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry -trumpet; Ray Nance – trumpet, violin; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Bill Graham, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Jimmy Woode – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.

Girls Suite

Mahalia from “The Girls Suite” (LP: “The Girls Suite and The Perfume Suite” Columbia )

Recorded 19 September 1961, Los Angeles

Willie Cook, Edward Mullens, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance – trumpet; Louis Blackburn, Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Aaron Bell – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.

Portrait of Mahalia Jackson (CD: “New Orleans Suite” Warner Bros. 7411644)

Recorded 13 May 1970, New York City