Duke Ellington - What Are His Essential Recordings?

[king ubu]

I picked up that box around seven or eight years ago while on vacation in Budapest ... still remember how hard it was to free up enough space in my case to squeeze it in.

And crazily enough I bought it just for filling a few gaps here and there.

This here is the site I return to regularly when I am listening to Ellington and want to figure out recording details and other things:
http://www.depanorama.net/

[SimonNZ]

I missed out on getting that 40cd box when it was new and absurdly cheap. Still kicking myself about that.

[Stu]

I'm new around here and this is my first post in the Jazz subforum so I thought I would just write a brief note about how I go about listening to the master, Duke Ellington, given that his output is so vast and labyrinthine.  None of this is new to committed Ellingtonians, but I only began listening to Duke in a serious way about 6 years ago, and it takes some time and so much reading and listening to make sense of all the periods and availability of music.

I mostly listening to chronological playlists that I made for each year of Duke Ellington studio recordings from 1926 to the mid-50s.  After that period, I'm mostly happy to listen to LP programs, although there are of course the mountain of private session recordings to contend with.

As much as is possible for these playlists I source from either the four main Mosaic boxsets (30s ARC band, 30s ARC small groups, 50s Capitol recordings, 60s Reprise recordings) or the giant RCA centennial box.  For the 20s recordings not in the RCA centennial box, I source from the GRP Early Ellington compilation and the Columbia Okeh Ellington compilation.  As is well known among Ellingtonians, the major black hole in terms of highest quality CD/digital availability is the Columbia period of 1947 - 1952 (as well as the brief Musicraft period of 1946 and the Mercer Records small group recordings of that time).  For those very underrated years, I have mostly used the Chronological Classics compilations, unfortunately.

As amazing and awe-inspiring as the 1940-1942 period is, I find myself returning to the mid to late 30s years more than any other era in my Duke listening habits.

I do also have playlists for broadcasts and concert recordings of course

[Karl Henning]

I'm new around here and this is my first post in the Jazz subforum so I thought I would just write a brief note about how I go about listening to the master, Duke Ellington, given that his output is so vast and labyrinthine.  None of this is new to committed Ellingtonians, but I only began listening to Duke in a serious way about 6 years ago, and it takes some time and so much reading and listening to make sense of all the periods and availability of music.

I mostly listening to chronological playlists that I made for each year of Duke Ellington studio recordings from 1926 to the mid-50s.  After that period, I'm mostly happy to listen to LP programs, although there are of course the mountain of private session recordings to contend with.

As much as is possible for these playlists I source from either the four main Mosaic boxsets (30s ARC band, 30s ARC small groups, 50s Capitol recordings, 60s Reprise recordings) or the giant RCA centennial box.  For the 20s recordings not in the RCA centennial box, I source from the GRP Early Ellington compilation and the Columbia Okeh Ellington compilation.  As is well known among Ellingtonians, the major black hole in terms of highest quality CD/digital availability is the Columbia period of 1947 - 1952 (as well as the brief Musicraft period of 1946 and the Mercer Records small group recordings of that time).  For those very underrated years, I have mostly used the Chronological Classics compilations, unfortunately.

As amazing and awe-inspiring as the 1940-1942 period is, I find myself returning to the mid to late 30s years more than any other era in my Duke listening habits.

I do also have playlists for broadcasts and concert recordings of course

Nice!

[SimonNZ]

Of those not mentioned yet I'd add The Afro-Eurasion Eclipse and The Latin American Suite to the crowded list of essential Ellington.

I'd also give a shout-out to the unjustly neglected Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session

[Stu]

Of those not mentioned yet I'd add The Afro-Eurasion Eclipse and The Latin American Suite to the crowded list of essential Ellington.

I'd also give a shout-out to the unjustly neglected Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session

His ambition and creativity right up until the end of his life is truly an inspiration.

I've noticed it tends to get short shrift of the three from critics, but I'll also put in a word for the third Sacred Concert.  It's not as consistent maybe, but "The Majesty of God" is my personal highlight of all three concerts.

[SimonNZ]

His ambition and creativity right up until the end of his life is truly an inspiration.

I've noticed it tends to get short shrift of the three from critics, but I'll also put in a word for the third Sacred Concert.  It's not as consistent maybe, but "The Majesty of God" is my personal highlight of all three concerts.

That's interesting. I haven't heard the Sacred Concerts in a long time. Will have to try and track them, and especially that third one, for another listen.

[San Antone]

I would add to my suggestion of the Blanton-Webster band collection, Never No Lament - to second the recommendation of the Sacred Concerts, both the first and the second (as far as I know the third has only been  officially released as part of the Centennial Edition, see below.

Also these recordings contain what I consider some of his best recorded material:

Masterpieces.  Extended arrangements of some of his most well know works.

Black, Brown, and Beige. Although this is a truncated version of the sore it is still remarkable and with the inclusion of Mahalia Jackson, a first rate Ellington record.  The entire Black, Brown, and Beige can be found on the The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943. 

But the ultimate Duke Ellington collection is the Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, 24CDs spanning his career but heavily weighted towards the early years. Long OOP but can still be found used or in the secondary market, but usually at exorbitant prices.

[SimonNZ]

I would add to my suggestion of the Blanton-Webster band collection, Never No Lament - to second the recommendation of the Sacred Concerts, both the first and the second (as far as I know the thrid has never beeen officially released).

Also these recordings contain what I consider some of his best recorded material:

Masterpieces.  Extended arrangements of some of his most well know works.

Black, Brown, and Beige. Although this is a truncated version of the sore it is still remarkable and with the inclusion of Mahalia Jackson, a first rate Ellington record.  The entire Black, Brown, and Beige can be found on the The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943. 

But the ultimate Duke Ellington collection is the Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, 24CDs spanning his careeer but heavily weighted towards the early years.

I used to own the big red RCA box, but had to sell it some years back. Its all wonderful music, of course, but the packaging is not user-friendly.

[Mirror Image]

Duke Ellington is one of my longstanding favorite composers/arrangers. I'm not sure if these will be his "essential" recordings, because I think this means something different for everyone, but here are some of my favorites:

[eoghan]

Another vote for Money Jungle here, as well as another vote for Piano Reflections (also known as The Duke Plays Ellington).

I also love his version of the Nutcracker - well worth checking

[Opus131]

...and Coltrane is Coltrane

That album has one of the most heartfelt solos Coltrane ever recorded:

[KevinP]

Well, there's always this:


I bought it in 2006, and no, I never listened to the whole thing. But in my defence, I bought it specifically for a couple titles that were OOP at the time and this was the only way I could get them then. It's US$105 on Amazon now but half that when I bought it.

It includes everything from the period listed including all known live shows. I bought it primarily for the Carnegie Hall versions of Black, Brown and Beige.

[SimonNZ]

Well, there's always this:


I bought it in 2006, and no, I never listened to the whole thing. But in my defence, I bought it specifically for a couple titles that were OOP at the time and this was the only way I could get them then. It's US$105 on Amazon now but half that when I bought it.

It includes everything the period listed including all know live shows. I bought it primarily for the Carnegie Hall versions of Black, Brown and Beige.

I want to get that box, if for no other reason than to have all the early years in one place and not be jumping around various discs with no sense of whats still missing.

Does it follow a strict chronological order? Is the first disc his very first recordings, etc? At what date/recording session does it end?

[KevinP]

Nearly positive it does. I'll double check when I get home.