DUKE ELLINGTON & HIS ORCHESTRA - The Treasury Shows Vol 25
Storyville
CD 1:
Take The A Train; Boo-Dah; What More Can I Say; Frustration; Basin Street Blues; Duet; Ballin’ The Blues; Satin Doll; Moon Mist; You’ll Never Know; Lady Be Good; Tonight I Shall Sleep; Nevada; Subtle Slough; I Don’t Know What Kind Of Blues I Got; Don’t Get Around Much Anymore; Moon Mist.
CD 2:
At’s In There; Design For Jivin’; Jump For Joy; Solid Old Man; Sentimental Lady; Take The A Train; Now I Know; Perdido; Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me; Suddenly It Jumped; Indiana; How Blue The Night; Stomp, Look And Listen; Jumpin’ Frog Jump; Perdido; Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me; Blue Skies.
The Treasury shows ran from 1945 to 1953. They were all about selling USA national savings bonds and during each broadcast you hear promotions for the bonds. The 55 minute programs show the Ellington band playing at locations across the country.. This two CD volume is the final one in the series of 50 CDs issued by Storyville.
CD1 opens with the final Treasury dates from the Chicago Blue Note in 1953. The 1953 band had some newcomers such as Paul Gonsalves, Clark Terry and Quentin Jackson. Hodges had temporarily moved away to be replaced by Rick Henderson. One of the interesting pieces played on the Blue Note date is ‘Duet’ a feature for Jimmy Hamilton and bassist Wendell Marshall. An early version of ‘Satin Doll’ was played, it was still being bedded in after the recording for Capitol.
The second part of CD 1 features the 1943 band. Trombonist Tricky Sam Nanton is featured in ‘Subtle Slough’. Nanton died in 1946 and because he was so essential to the sound of the band Ellington eventually replaced him with Quentin Jackson who followed the plunger mute tradition set by Tricky Sam. Ellington either kept people like Harry Carney or replaced them with soundalike musicians.
The glory of the Ellington band is that Ellington encouraged his musicians to cultivate individual tones so that he could blend them into a raw, almost ragged, and rich ensemble like nothing else in jazz. Ray Nance and Taft Jordan illustrate this as their unique sounds light up ‘Perdido’ (twice) on CD 2. A further example of Nance and Jordan is when they duet aided by the equally idiosyncratic Rex Stewart on the first recording of ‘Stomp, Look and Listen’. ‘Jump for Joy’ from Ellington’s 1944 musical features Nanton, Ray Nance and Johnny Hodges. Ellington, never noted for his choice of singers, here we have two of the best, Jimmy Grissom and Betty Roche.
There is nothing on the two CDs that is extra special. It is just the most unique orchestra in jazz captured in five locations as it played across the USA night after night.
Thanks to Storyville for issuing this valuable and unique archive in its entirety.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Storyville
CD 1:
Take The A Train; Boo-Dah; What More Can I Say; Frustration; Basin Street Blues; Duet; Ballin’ The Blues; Satin Doll; Moon Mist; You’ll Never Know; Lady Be Good; Tonight I Shall Sleep; Nevada; Subtle Slough; I Don’t Know What Kind Of Blues I Got; Don’t Get Around Much Anymore; Moon Mist.
CD 2:
At’s In There; Design For Jivin’; Jump For Joy; Solid Old Man; Sentimental Lady; Take The A Train; Now I Know; Perdido; Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me; Suddenly It Jumped; Indiana; How Blue The Night; Stomp, Look And Listen; Jumpin’ Frog Jump; Perdido; Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me; Blue Skies.
The Treasury shows ran from 1945 to 1953. They were all about selling USA national savings bonds and during each broadcast you hear promotions for the bonds. The 55 minute programs show the Ellington band playing at locations across the country.. This two CD volume is the final one in the series of 50 CDs issued by Storyville.
CD1 opens with the final Treasury dates from the Chicago Blue Note in 1953. The 1953 band had some newcomers such as Paul Gonsalves, Clark Terry and Quentin Jackson. Hodges had temporarily moved away to be replaced by Rick Henderson. One of the interesting pieces played on the Blue Note date is ‘Duet’ a feature for Jimmy Hamilton and bassist Wendell Marshall. An early version of ‘Satin Doll’ was played, it was still being bedded in after the recording for Capitol.
The second part of CD 1 features the 1943 band. Trombonist Tricky Sam Nanton is featured in ‘Subtle Slough’. Nanton died in 1946 and because he was so essential to the sound of the band Ellington eventually replaced him with Quentin Jackson who followed the plunger mute tradition set by Tricky Sam. Ellington either kept people like Harry Carney or replaced them with soundalike musicians.
The glory of the Ellington band is that Ellington encouraged his musicians to cultivate individual tones so that he could blend them into a raw, almost ragged, and rich ensemble like nothing else in jazz. Ray Nance and Taft Jordan illustrate this as their unique sounds light up ‘Perdido’ (twice) on CD 2. A further example of Nance and Jordan is when they duet aided by the equally idiosyncratic Rex Stewart on the first recording of ‘Stomp, Look and Listen’. ‘Jump for Joy’ from Ellington’s 1944 musical features Nanton, Ray Nance and Johnny Hodges. Ellington, never noted for his choice of singers, here we have two of the best, Jimmy Grissom and Betty Roche.
There is nothing on the two CDs that is extra special. It is just the most unique orchestra in jazz captured in five locations as it played across the USA night after night.
Thanks to Storyville for issuing this valuable and unique archive in its entirety.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
