The Treasury Shows, Pt. V (Podcast #19-015)

This is the last part of our look at the 25 double CD set of Storyville’s Treasury Show series…. 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


 



The recordings heard on this podcast episode:



(Under construction…..)

— 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.

 

Portrait of Lawrence Brown, Pt. II (Podcast #19-014)

Lawrence Brown (1907-88) was a major voice in the Ellington orchestra. He played with Duke for 29 years, longer than any other trombonist in the orchestra. Continue reading

“As a soloist, his taste his impeccable, but his greatest role is that of an accompanist. The old timers used to say, ‘Soloists are made, but accompanists are born’. Lawrence Brown is the accompanist par excellence. During the many years he was with us, records prove that his solo performances had the widest range from classical standard up to, around, and above the jet-swept contour of the vision we almost hear.”

-Duke Ellington, Music is my Mistress


 

ellington-1965-15


Lawrence Brown’s interview for the Jazz Oral History Project can be found here.


 



The recordings heard on this podcast episode:



(Under construction…..)

JH four classic albumsGlobe Trotter (CD: “Four Classic Albums” Avid Jazz AMSC999)

Recorded 15 January 1951, New York City

Emmett Berry – trumpet; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Al Sears – tenor sax; Leroy Lovett – piano; Lloyd Trotman – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.


duke 100Creole Blues  (CD: “Duke Ellington: The Columbia Years 1927-1962” Columbia 5176872)

Recorded 14 July 1960, Los Angeles

Lawrence Brown – trombone; Duke Ellington – piano; Aaron Bell – bass.


hodges the orchestraStardust (CD: “Johnny Hodges, soloist, Billy Strayhorn and The Orchestra” Verve 314 557 543-2)

Recorded 11/12 December 1961, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Cat Anderson, Harold “Shorty” Baker, Bill Berry, Howard McGhee, Eddie “Moon” Mullens – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Jimmy Jones – piano; Aaron Bell – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums


Great Paris ConcertRose of the Rio Grande  (CD: “The Great Paris Concert” Collectables 7818)

Recorded 1 February 1963, Paris

Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Cootie Williams, Roy Burrowes – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Ernie Shepard – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.


recollectionsMinnie the Moocher (CD: “Recollections of the Big Band Era” Warner Bros. 7411628)

Recorded 13 December 1962, Chicago

Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Cootie Williams, Roy Burrowes – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Ernie Shepard – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.


Let’s Go Fly a Kite (CD: “The Reprise Studio Recordings” Mosaic Records #193)

Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Cootie Williams, Nat Woodard – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Eddie Johnson, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; John Lamb – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.


I Left my Heart In San Francisco (CD: “The Reprise Studio Recordings” Mosaic Records #193)

Recorded 27 April 1964, New York City

Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, Cootie Williams, Herbie Jones – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Major Holley – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.


Everybody knows Johnny HodgesStompy Jones/Mood Indigo (CD: “Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges” GRP/Impulse! GRD-116)

Recorded 8 March 1965, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Ray Nance, Cat Anderson – trumpet; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Harold Ashby – reeds; Jimmy Jones – piano; Richard Davis – bass; Gus Johnson (on “Stompy Jones”), Johnny Hodges, Jr. (on “Mood Indigo”) – drums.


A Beautiful Friendship (CD: “The Reprise Studio Recordings” Mosaic Records #193)

Recorded Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Cootie Williams, Herbie Jones – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope; Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; John Lamb – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.


hodges davis con saxRabbit Out of the Hat (CD: “Con Soul & Sax/Wild Bill is the Boss” Lone Hill Jazz LHJ10283)

Recorded 17 January 1966, New York City

Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet; Wild Bill Davis – organ; Billy Butler – guitar; Bob Bushnell – bass; Joe Marshall – drums.


Rockville

— 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.

        


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:



 

jelly rollTiger 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.


okeh ellington

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.


 

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 (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.

 


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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

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.


 

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.


1947Before 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.

Where to Start? (Podcast #18-009)

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. 

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 The recordings heard on this podcast episode:



 

Highlights

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.


 

Great Paris Concert

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.


 

517tpCk0QcL

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.

 


ella and duke58

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

Season’s Greetings! (Podcast #17-017)

Happy Holidays from Ellington Reflections! We will return with new bi-weekly episodes on 20 January 2018.. Continue reading

Xmas

Happy Holidays from

Ellington Reflections!

 

We will return with new bi-weekly episodes on 20 January 2018

 

Thank you for all your support and encouragement. We love you madly!!!

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

 

mahalia-2 1970 nola jazz and heritage fest

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:



 

newport 1958

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.



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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.