duke ellington

vicecreamsundae

can someone recommend a good duke ellington record?

the one i heard and loved, but cannot remember the name of started with the track 'summertime' -and after much googling i know that 'Big Band, bounce and boogie' starts with that track but it won't let me listen to see if it's the right album [the cover art is different], and also it's so much pricier than his other cds.
there are soooo many albums on amazon, i don't know where to begin and sometimes some of those compilation cds are cheaply made/have bad sound quality.

so if someone can recommend one they know sounds really good, and perhaps is in the same vein as his summertime cover, that would be great! thanks!

David in Delta

There are several Ellington CDs with Summertime on them. My colleagues and I have listed the ones we know of at
http://www.ellingtonweb.ca/Hostedpages/CDCatalogue/FilemakerSongSort.pdf
starting at page 995.

I suspect you're thinking of the All Star Road Band version recorded at a the Hollywood Ballroom in Chicago in May, 1964.

This version of Summertime was taped about half way through the dance, so the band is loose and probably lubricated. The introduction is overblown "concert jazz" but not well done, and then Cat Anderson belts the song out with the band backing him, ending with one of his trademark high notes. This is sloppy, wild jazz, certainly not Gershwin as Gershwin would have expected to be played, but I enjoy the recording for its excesses.

Check before you buy - three record companies put out two All Star Road Band CDs each. The three sets are the same, if I recall correctly, but in each case, one All Star Road Band CD is a 1957 dance and the other is a dance recorded in 1964. Both are excellent.

Volume I by Dr. Jazz and Collectables is the 1957 dance, and Volume II is the 1964 one featuring Summertime. Zillion got them backwards.

Summertime is on the 1964 version, and I'm sure you'll enjoy that CD. The 1957 CD is wonderful, too, although it doesn't have that song.

Our "catalogue" is intended to assist buyers because so many CDs were released with the same material. It's disappointing to buy what you already have.

If you want to look up the tracks on any particular Ellington CD start here:
http://www.ellingtonweb.ca/Hostedpages/CDCatalogue/CD-Lists.htm

vicecreamsundae

Thanks for your help!
the record i'm thinking of with summertime as the first track didn't sound like a live recording, it was very polished. and there were no vocals on the track, so i think that would rule out it being the Allstar Road Band, yes?

anyway, i'll take a look at your site.
thanks again!

David in Delta

There are 33 known Ellington recordings of Summertime, from 1943 to 1968. Until 1952, they had vocals, but from 1953 to 1968, the last one, there was no voice.

The All Star Road Band version opening, which I described already, is like a fanfare, quite polished. I don't happen to like brash, shrill brass fanfares, so I think I described it unfavourably.

Most of the recordings from 1953 to 1968 had that 8 bar opening, two choruses by Cat Anderson, a bridge, and another Anderson chorus, and a short coda.

If the intro was 16 bars of the band, it's from 1968. If the recording you remember opened with 4 bars of drums, but the rest is a piano solo, then it's from 1961.

If you can't find it, join us on the Duke-LYM mailing list, and one of our 250 or so members may be able to identify it from the way you describe it.

Details about joining and quitting Duke-LYM are here:
http://ellingtonweb.ca/Welcometoduke-lym.htm

One way or the other, if you track it down, please let me know.

tarbolton

There is a great 5 CD bargain price box set with classic Ellington albums from the 50s.
Its called 'Original Album Classics' and includes:
'Ellington Uptown',
'Such Sweet Thunder',
'Black Brown & Beige',
'Anatomy Of A Murder'
'First Time! The Count Meets The Duke'

All brilliant and available from play.com at €16.99. And no I don't work for play but that's a bargain!

Woow_Aqualung

I highly recomend the album "Money Jungle". It's Duke Ellington's songs played by himself, Max Roach and Charles Mingus. It's really good as it's Duke Ellington's songs played in a Charles Mingus style.

I'm currently listening to "Duke Ellington;Live At Carnegie Hall Dec. 11. 1943.

My first C.D. by him was "duke ellington/the collection". It's a nice mix of songs and the quality is good.

stevejazzx

Take your pick, they're all good. Although my fav. is Duke and Louis together - great record.