DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS VOCALISTS - MILESTONES OF JAZZ LEGENDS (10 CDS)

Edward Kennedy Ellington (1899-1974) was the most influential musician of the 20th century in Jazz and in American music in general. His orchestra was instrumental in the early development of Jazz and the Swing era and effortlessly mastered the integration of the harmonic and rhythmic innovations of modern Jazz. As a composer Ellington created more than 1000 works, which genre-explosively included religious masses, arrangements of works of classical, as well as symphonic music. Together with his musical alter ego, the pianist and composer Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967), the Duke created a rich repertoire of immortal melodies, which accordingly almost demanded lyrics for vocal interpretations.

It is not surprising that the Duke’s masterpieces from the American song books, which have been ennobled to standards, such as "Lush Life", "Sophisticated Lady", "In a Sentimental Mood" and countless others, are still a must-have for all Jazz singers. In our documentation of these most madly beloved Ellington songs, interpreted by the maestro and his orchestra with the greatest voices of Jazz such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, or even George Clooney's Aunt Rosemary and some notable rediscoveries, all of the genres in which the Duke excelled can be found.

CD 1

■ LOUIS ARMSTRONG & DUKE ELLINGTON CD 1
- RECORDING FOR THE FIRST TIME
1. Duke's Place 5.04
(Katz, Thiele, Ellington, Roberts)
2. I'm Just a Lucky so and So 3.09
(Ellington, David)
3. Cotton Tail (Ellington) 3.42
4. Mood Indigo (Bigard, Ellington, Mills) 3.57
5. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me 2.38
(Russell, Ellington)
6. The Beautiful American (Ellington) 3.08
7. The Mooche (Ellington, Mills) 4.00
8. Drop Me off in Harlem 3.49
(Ellington, Kenny)
9. Black and Tan Fantasy 3.39
(Miley, Ellington)
10. In a Mellowtone (Ellington) 3.49
Louis Armstrong (voc, tp)
Duke Ellington (p)
Trummy Young (tb) Barney Bigard (cl)
Mort Herbert (b) Danny Barcelona (drs)
Recorded in New York City on April 3 and 4, 1961
Total Time 36.58

CD 2

■ ELLA SINGS THE DUKE ELLINGTON SONG BOOK - VOL. I
1. Rockin' in Rhythm (Carney, Ellington, Mills) 5.20
2. Drop Me Off in Harlem (Ellington, N. C. Kenny) 3.51
3. Day Dream (Latouche, Ellington, Strayhorn) 4.00
4. Caravan (Ellington, Mills, Tizol) 3.55
5. Take the "A" Train (Strayhorn) 6.42
6. I Ain't Got Nothing but the Blues (Ellington, George) 4.42
7. Clementine (Strayhorn) 2.41
8. I Didn't Know About You (Ellington, Russell) 4.14
9. I'm Beginning to See the Light (George, Ellington, Hodges, James) 3.28
10. Lost in Meditation (Singer, Ellington, Tizol, Mills) 3.28
11. Perdido (Tizol, Lengsfelder, Drake) 6.15
12. Cotton Tail (Ellington) 3.27
13. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me (Ellington, Russell) 7.40
Ella Fitzgerald (voc) Duke Ellington (p, narrator, arranger, conductor)
Billy Strayhorn (p, narrator) William "Cat" Anderson, Clark Terry, Willie Cook (tp)
Dizzy Gillespie (tp on track 5) Ray Nance (tp, violin) Stuff Smith (violin)
John Sanders, Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson (tb) Johnny Hodges (as)
Russell Procope (as, cl) Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts) Frank Foster, Paul Gonsalves, Ben Webster (ts)
Harry Carney (cl, brs) Oscar Peterson, Paul Smith (p) Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel (git)
Ray Brown, Joe Mondragon, Jimmy Woode (b) Sam Woodyard, Alvin Stoller (drs)
Recorded in NYC on June 25-27 and in Los Angeles September 4 and 16, and October 17, 1957
Total Time 59.46

CD 3

■ ELLA SINGS THE DUKE
ELLINGTON SONG BOOK
- VOL. I / VOL. II
1. Just a-Sittin' and a-Rockin' 3.34
(Strayhorn, Ellington, Gaines)
2. Solitude (De Lange, Ellington, Mills) 2.09
3. Rocks in My Bed (Ellington) 3.58
4. Satin Doll (Ellington) 3.30
5. Sophisticated Lady 5.21
(Ellington, Parish, Mills)
6. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me) 4.16
(Gaines, Ellington)
7. It Don't Mean a Thing 4.15
(If It Ain't Got That Swing) (Ellington, Mills)
8. Azure (Ellington, Mills) 2.23
9. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart 4.12
(Ellington, Mills, Nemo, Redmond)
10. In a Sentimental Mood 2.48
(Ellington, Mills, Kurtz)
11. Don't Get Around Much Anymore 5.02
(Ellington, Russell)
12. Prelude to a Kiss (Ellington, Mills, Gordon) 5.29
13. Mood Indigo (Bigard, Ellington, Mills) 3.28
14. In a Mellow Tone (Ellington) 5.10
15. Love You Madly (Ellington) 4.41
16. Lush Life (Strayhorn) 3.41
17. Squatty Roo (Hodges) 3.39
Ella Fitzgerald (voc)
Duke Ellington (p, narrator, arranger, conductor)
Billy Strayhorn (p, narrator)
William "Cat" Anderson, Clark Terry,
Willie Cook (tp) Dizzy Gillespie (tp on track 5)
Ray Nance (tp, violin) Stuff Smith (violin)
John Sanders, Britt Woodman, Quentin
Jackson (tb) Johnny Hodges (as)
Russell Procope (as, cl) Jimmy Hamilton (cl,
ts) Frank Foster, Paul Gonsalves,
Ben Webster (ts) Harry Carney (cl, brs)
Oscar Peterson, Paul Smith (p)
Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel (git) Ray Brown,
Joe Mondragon, Jimmy Woode (b)
Sam Woodyard, Alvin Stoller (drs)
Recorded in NYC on June 25-27 and in Los Angeles
September 4 and 16, and October 17, 1957
Total Time 67.38

CD 4

■ ELLA SINGS THE DUKE ELLINGTON SONG BOOK - VOL. II
1. I'm Just a Lucky so-and-So (Ellington, David) 4.16
2. All Too Soon (Ellington, Sigman) 4.24
3. Everything but You (James, Ellington, James) 2.57
4. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Ellington, Webster) 6.15
5. Bli-Blip (Kuller, Ellington) 3.04
6. Chelsea Bridge (Strayhorn) 3.25
7. Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald (Ellington, Strayhorn) 16.15
8. The E and D Blues (E for Ella, D for Duke) (Ellington, Strayhorn) 4.49
Ella Fitzgerald (voc) Duke Ellington (p, narrator, arranger, conductor)
Billy Strayhorn (p, narrator) William "Cat" Anderson, Clark Terry, Willie Cook (tp)
Dizzy Gillespie (tp on track 5) Ray Nance (tp, violin) Stuff Smith (violin)
John Sanders, Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson (tb) Johnny Hodges (as)
Russell Procope (as, cl) Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts)
Frank Foster, Paul Gonsalves, Ben Webster (ts) Harry Carney (cl, brs)
Oscar Peterson, Paul Smith (p) Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel (git)
Ray Brown, Joe Mondragon, Jimmy Woode (b) Sam Woodyard, Alvin Stoller (drs)
Recorded in NYC on June 25-27 and in Los Angeles September 4 and 16, and October 17, 1957
Total Time 45.29

CD 5

■ GEORGE AND IRA GERSHWIN´S PORGY AND BESS - PART 1
1. Introduction / Summertime 2.51
2. Summertime 4.00
3. A Woman Is a Sometime Thing 2.40
4. Here Come De Honey Man... 1.44
5. Evenin' Ladies, Hello Boys... 0.59
6. No, No, Brother, Porgy Ain't Soft 6.57
on No Woman...
(Scene: Crap Game and Murder)
7. Gone, Gone, Gone 2.21
8. Overflow, Overflow 2.37
9. I Can't Puzzle This Thing Out... 1.29
10. My Man's Gone Now 4.26
11. Oh the Train Is at the Station... 3.21
12. Oh I'm Agoin' out to the 2.52
Blackfish Banks...
13. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' 3.14
14. Mornin', Lawyer. Looking for 4.23
Somebody?...
15. Buzzard Song 3.12
16. Bess, You Is My Woman Now 4.58
17. Oh, I Can't Sit Down (Picnic Music) 1.55
18. Porgy, I Hates to Go... 1.01
19. I Got Plenty O Nuttin' (Reprise) 0.37
20. It Ain't Necessarily So (Instrumental) 2.27
21. It Ain't Necessarily So 5.22
22. What You Want Wid Bess?... 2.47
23. Oh I'm a Goin' out to the 1.58
Blackfish Banks... (Reprise)
24. Oh, Doctor Jesus... 2.02
25. Here Come De Honey Man... / 3.33
Oh Dey's so Fresh and Fine... /
I'm Talkin' About Devil Crabs...
(Continued on CD 6)
For Musician Info and Recording Credits
Please See CD 6.
Total Time 73.48

CD 6

■ GEORGE AND IRA GERSHWIN´S PORGY AND BESS - PART 2
1. I Loves You, Porgy 7.02
2. Summertime (Reprise) 1.33
3. Oh, Dere's Somebody Knockin' at De Do'... 2.24
4. If God Want to Kill Me... 2.12
5. A Red-Headed Woman... 2.47
6. Oh, Doctor Jesus (Reprise) 1.34
7. Clara, Clara, Don't You Be 1.47
Downhearted...
8. Summertime (Reprise) 3.03
9. Oh, Lawd, What I Goin' Do?... 1.31
10. There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon 3.12
for New York
11. How Are You Dis Mornin'?... 2.21
12. Oh, Bess, Oh, Where's My Bess 2.19
13. Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way 1.58
Music by George Gershwin, Text by Dorothy
Heyward, Du Bose Heyward, Ira Gershwin
Al Jazzbo Collins (narrator) Frances Faye (voc Bess)
Betty Roché (voc Clara) Johnny Hartman (voc Crown)
Frank Rosolino (voc Jake) Mel Tormé (voc Porgy)
Sallie Blair (voc Serena) George Kirby (voc Sportin´Life)
Russ Garcia (conductor Bethlehem Orchestra)
Duke Ellington And His Orchestra, The Bethlehem
Orchestra, The Australian Jazz Quintet,
The Pat Moran Quartet Recorded in 1956

■ BETTY ROCHÉ - TAKE THE "A" TRAIN
14. Take the "A" Train (Ellington) 3.14
15. Something to Live For (Ellington, Strayhorn) 4.06
16. In a Mellow Tone (Ellington, Gabler) 2.31
17. Time After Time (Styne, Cahn) 3.06
18. Go Away Blues (Ellington) 3.19
19. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man 3.43
(Hammerstein II, Kern)
20. Route 66 (Troup) 4.36
21. All My Life (Davis, Akst) 3.49
22. I Just Got the Message, Baby (Carr) 2.41
23. All Too Soon (Sigman, Ellington) 4.09
24. You Don't Love Me No More (Ellington) 3.19
25. September in the Rain (Warren, Dubin) 3.55
Betty Roché (voc) Conte Candoli (tp) Eddie Costa
(vibes) Donn Trenner (p) Whitey Mitchell (b)
Davey Williams (drs) Recorded April 1956 in New York City
Total Time 76.14

CD 7

■ DUKE ELLINGTON FEAT. MAHALIA JACKSON - BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE
1. Part I (Work Song - Full Orchestra) 8.15
2. Part II (Come Sunday Instrumentally) 6.13
3 Part III (Work Song and Come Sunday) 6.25
4. Part IV (Come Sunday) 7.58
5. Part V (Come Sunday Interlude) 3.45
6. Part VI (23rd Psalm) 3.05
Compositions by Duke Ellington.
Mahalia Jackson (voc) Duke Ellington (p,
conductor) William "Cat" Anderson, Clark
Terry, Harold Shorty Baker (tp)
Ray Nance (tp, violin) Britt Woodman,
Quentin Jackson, John Sanders (tb)
Bill Graham (as) Russell Procope (as)
Paul Gonsalves (ts) Jimmy Hamilton (ts, cl)
Harry Carney (brs) Jimmy Woode (b)
Sam Woodyard (drs)
Recorded in NYC on February 4, 5, 11 and 12, 1958

■ EUGENIE BAIRD SINGS DUKE´S BOYS PLAY ELLINGTON
7. I'm Beginning to See the Light 2.13
(George, Ellington, Hodges, James)
8. In a Sentimental Mood 3.35
(Ellington, Mills, Kurtz)
9. Something to Live For 3.02
(Ellington, Strayhorn)
10. Mood Indigo (Bigard, Ellington, Mills) 3.58
11. Everything But You 2.08
(Ellington, George, James)
12. I Let a Song Go out of Your Heart 2.34
(Ellington, Mills, Nemo, Redmond)
13. Lush Life (Strayhorn) 3.41
14. Solitude (De Lange, Ellington, Mills) 3.11
15. Pass Me By (Ellington) 2.14
16. Well Well (Ellington) 2.53
Eugenie Baird (voc) Mercer Ellington
(conductor, arranger) James Taft Jordan (tp)
Clarence W. Ross (tb) Tyree Glenn (tb, vibes)
Ben Webster, Harold K. Ashby (ts)
David Rivera (p) Skeeter Best (git)
Wendell Marshall (b) Joe Marshall, Jr. (drs)
Recorded in 1959
Total Time 65.13

CD 8

■ ROSEMARY CLOONEY & DUKE ELLINGTON - BLUE ROSE
1. Hey Baby (Ellington) 3.49
2. Sophisticated Lady (Ellington, Mills, Parish) 3.01
3. Me and You (Ellington) 2.31
4. Passion Flower (Strayhorn, Raskin) 4.36
5. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart 2.41
(Ellington, Mills, Nemo, Redmond)
6. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got 2.55
That Swing) (Ellington, Mills)
7. Grievin' (Ellington, Strayhorn) 4.11
8. Blue Rose (Ellington) 2.25
9. I'm Checkin' Out - Goombye 3.13
(Ellington, Strayhorn)
10. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good) 3.11
(Ellington, Webster)
11. Mood Indigo (Bigard, Ellington, Mills) 6.31
Rosemary Clooney (voc)
Duke Ellington (piano) Billy Strayhorn
(arranger, conductor)
Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance,
Clark Terry (tp) Quentin Jackson, Britt
Woodman, John Sanders (tb) Russell
Procope (as) Paul Gonsalves (ts) Jimmy
Hamilton (ts, cl) Harry Carney (brs)
Jimmy Woode (b) Sam Woodyard (drs)
Recorded in NYC on January 23 and 27, 1956 and
in L.A. February 8 and 11, 1956

■ DUKE ELLINGTON - UPTOWN
12. Skin Deep (Louis Bellson) 6.50
13. The Mooche (Ellington, Mills) 6.37
14. Take the "A" Train (Billy Strayhorn) 8.03
15. A Tone Parallel to Harlem (Harlem Suite) 10.41
16. Perdido (Juan Tizol) 8.24
Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn (p)
Betty Roche (voc track 14) Cat Anderson (tp,
tracks 1-3 & 5) Shorty Baker, Willie Cook (tp)
Clark Terry (tp) Francis Williams (tp, tracks
15) Ray Nance (tp, violin) Quentin Jackson,
Britt Woodman, Juan Tizol (tb) Willie Smith
(as, 12, 15) Russell Procope (cl, as) Jimmy
Hamilton (cl, ts) Johnny Hodges (as, track 14)
Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (brs)
Wendell Marshall (b) Louis Bellson (drs)
Recorded in 1951 and 1952
Total Time 79.38

CD 9

■ DUKE ELLINGTON - A DRUM IS A WOMAN
Part 1
1. A Drum Is a Woman 3.36
2. Rhythm Pum Te Dum 2.54
3. What Else Can You Do with a Drum 1.51
Part 2
4. New Orleans 2.31
5. Hey, Buddy Bolden 4.52
6. Carribee Joe 3.25
7. Congo Square 5.27
Part 3
8. A Drum Is a Woman (Part 2) 2.48
9. You Better Know It 2.45
10. Madam Zajj 3.45
11. Ballet of the Flying Saucers 4.38
Part 4
12. Zajj's Dream 3.07
13. Rhumbop 2.12
14. Carribee Joe (Part 2) 3.06
15. Finale 0.43
Music & Lyrics & Arranged by Billy Strayhorn
& Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington (p) Joya Sherrill, Margaret
Tynes, Ozzie Bailey (voc) Cat Anderson,
Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Willie Cook (tp)
Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Quentin
Jackson (tb) Johnny Hodges (as)
Rick Henderson, Russell Procope (as, cl)
Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts) Paul Gonsalves (ts)
Harry Carney (brs, cl) Betty Glamann (harp)
Jimmy Woode (b) Sam Woodyard, Terry
Snyder (drs) Candido Camero (bongos)
Recorded in NYC on September, 25 and 28, and
October 23, 1956
Total Time 47.41

CD 10

■ DUKE ELLINGTON - ELLINGTON JAZZ PARTY

1. Malletoba Spank (Ellington) 3.40
Toot Suite
2. Red Garter (Ellington) 3.41
3. Red Shoes (Ellington) 3.46
4. Red Carpet (Ellington) 7.45
5. Ready, Go! (Ellington) 6.24
6. U.M.M.G. (Strayhorn) 4.30
7. All of Me (Marks, Simmons) 2.30
8. Tymperturbably Blue (Ellington, Strayhorn) 4.24
9. Hello Little Girl (Kempk, Ellington) 7.49
Duke Ellington, Jimmy Jones (p) Jimmy Rushing (voc)
Andres Ford, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Shorty Baker, Ray Nance (tp)
Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Quentin Jackson (tb)
Johnny Hodges (as) Russell Procope (as, cl) Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts)
Paul Gonsalves (ts) Harry Carney (brs, cl) Jimmy Woode (b)
Sam Woodyard (drs) Robert M. Rosengarden, Bradley Spinney, Chauncey Morehouse,
Elden C. Bailey, George Gaber, Harry Breuer, Milton Schlesinger, Morris Goldenberg,
Walter E. Rosenberger (percussion)
Recorded in NYC February 19, 1959
Total Time 44.31