1. Tuxedo Junction
2. Smoke Rings
3. Artistry in Rhythm
4. The Waltz You Saved For Me
5. Woodchopper’s Ball
6. Sentimental Journey
7. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
8. One O’Clock Jump
9. Goodbye
10. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
11. Rhapsody in Blue
12. Don’t Get Around Much Any More
13. Minnie the Moocher
14. For Dancers Only
15. It’s a Lonesome Old Town When You’re Not Around
16. Cherokee
17. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set
18. Let’s Get Together
19. I’m Getting’ Sentimental Over You
20. Chant of the Weed
21. Ciribiribin
22. Contrasts
23. Christopher Columbus
24. Auld Lang Syne
Duke Ellington , Billy Strayhorn –
Roy Burrowes , Eddie Preston, Cootie Williams, Bill Berry - Trumpets
Ray Nance – Trumpet, violin, vocals
Lawrence Brown , Chuck Connors, Buster Cooper - Trombones
Jimmy Hamilton - Clarinet, tenor sax
Johnny Hodges – Alto sax
Russell Procope – Alto sax, clarinet
Paul Gonsalves - Tenor sax
Harry Carney – Baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
Ernie Shepard - Bass
Sam Woodyard - Drums
And still they come: the reissues of Duke Ellington material. But who’s complaining? Most Ducal reissues simply add to our awareness of his greatness. This
CD contains two LPs recorded in late 1962 and early 1963, which both consisted of the Ellington band mostly playing other people’s compositions. Some
critics belittle the recordings made at this time, when Ellington was signed to the Reprise label, but in fact there is much here to enjoy and commend.
I actually reviewed the first of these two LPs when they were part of
a five-disc set. The album title (Will The Big Bands Ever Come Back) was ironical, as the Ellington Orchestra had never really gone away. But the swing era was
certainly over, and the album pays tribute to some of the big bands which had flourished during that era – and even earlier (e.g. Paul Whiteman).
Both these LPs could have been disastrous failures. But they are saved by the quality of Duke’s soloists and the ingenuity of the arrangements. As for the
soloists, I stand by the ones I picked out in my previous review (Johnny Hodges and Ray Nance). And I would add Harry Carney, whose baritone sax gives an
unexpected slant to Rhapsody in Blue. On numbers like Woodchopper’s Ball and One O’Clock Jump, the solos are shared around
between members of the orchestra, each getting their brief moment of fame.
The same applies to some tracks from the second LP, with many soloists contributing short solos to make a satisfying whole. Paul Gonsalves supplies a solo
undercurrent for Cherokee, while The Midnoght Sun Will Never Set is impeccably performed by Johnny Hodges. Sam Woodyard’s drum breaks can
sometimes feel uncoordinated but he supplies just the right breaks here, as well as colluding with bassist Ernie Shepard to keep the band swinging.
As for the arrangements, Ellington (with Strayhorn) gives some tunes their original settings, but others are transformed in miraculous ways. Artistry in Rhythm is made less forceful than when played by Stan Kenton’s band, with Sam Woodyard suggesting double time on the drums and Ray
Nance’s violin adding some unusual twists. You might expect a trombone solo in Tommy Dorsey’s signature tune I’m Getting Sentimental Over You but
instead there is Ray Nance being eloquent in just the right way. Auld Lang Syne was associated with Guy Lombardo, whose orchestra was sweet rather
than hot, but it becomes a subtle swinger in the Ducal version. Many tracks are given brass or reed interjections behind the soloists.
Many listeners will prefer Duke Ellington playing his own material rather than that of other people, but this whole CD proves that Duke could transform
almost anything into Ellingtonia.
Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk
CD Reviews
American Jazz Classics 99082
