Duke's Place - A multipurpose Duke Ellington Thread

There is a box set of the originally-released Prestige Carnegie Hall Concerst on the way from Concord (IIRC). Anyone heard anything about the remastering credits, etc? From the published track lists, I understand they replicate the original CD/ LP issues - so maybe there is nothing to report - but just wondered...

 

The original CD sets were no-noised and the sound was pretty terrible. I wonder if this new 8CD-box was remastered or if it's just a repackaging of the old sets.

 

On The Road With Duke Ellington is a pretty interesting little cinema verite type of documentary, from 1967.

You're watching Duke in interviews, behind the scenes, recording with his band, and going through the various motions of his still very active life at that point.

For those who are interested in Ellington, I think It's worth a look if you haven't seen it.

 

I really enjoyed the On the Road dvd. Got it from the library a few weeks ago.
I think it was here where Duke talks of being a bandleader and says, "They get the money, I get the thrills". Great to see him behind the scenes. Highly recommended.

Lately I been immersed in 1920's Ellingtonia. Those who recommended the OOP Masters of Jazz series were correct. Great sounding transfers to these ears and amazing music throughout.

 

I'd be hard pressed to name music more interesting than the "Black & Tan Fantasy".

I sold a 10" record in my store of his 'Liberian Suite'.
Some incredibly exotic sounding stuff. I suspect he does not get
more attention today because he did not really record in the post WWII Baby-Boom era.

- - - -

Similarly, most people I meet have only heard one Louis Armstrong track: "What A Wonderful World".

 

Chris, I can hardly imagine a Sony set sounding anywhere near as good as a
Davies-mastered JSP. The Armstrong sets that both labels produced aren't even close.

All the J. R. T. Davies mastered stuff I've bought was terrific.

- - - -

Al this talk about Ellington got me to pull out the very-well mastered 2-lp set on Time-Life.
This take of "Take The A-Train" has a delectable rhythm part of muted trumpets,
each phrase ends with 8-10 quick notes tinkled by Duke. Intoxicating!

 

He did lots of recording in the 'baby-boom' era.

His sales might not have been so hot, but he kept at it.

 

I'd beware of being tempted by the Masterpieces 1926-1949 4 CD box on the Proper label. The generous tracklist is excellent, and it may not retail for very much dosh. But the sound quality is more than lackluster, and makes one pine for the vibrant sound that you know was there on many of the original sources.

 

I've always liked this album. The Legacy CD is great. I used to have an older CD version which had lots of reverb, which was largely eliminated on the remaster.

Interestingly, the Mofi LP also has the reverb, and sounds pretty good. I prefer the reverb on some of the tracks.

I don't think anyone has mentioned "Piano in the Background". That is probably my favourite Ellington album featuring the large band. The Legacy remaster sounds phenomenal and the performances are amazing. "I'm Beginning to See the Light" is 2 minutes of ferocious big band swing. There are also great versions of "Midriff", "Perdido" and "Main Stem" that will knock your socks off.

The album "Unknown Session" is a beauty as well and sounds great. A small group session with some tasty Johnny Hodges and Harry Carney. There was a French CD around that sounds fine.

Have to also mention "Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins" - probably my favourite of the small group albums.

 

I have been tracking down any copy of "The Works of Duke" French RCA Victor issues...listening to Vol 6 right now...
What do you guys think of this series? There are SO many volumes to this thing!

 

I have been colelcting same - though waiting on a decent turntable to play them. They are said to trounce what has been issued on CD for sound - because they are from the original masters which RCA France rescued before they were junked? I read that story (on these boards, I think) - but maybe an expert could confirm?

In the original run of albums, they included some transcriptions from the famous Blanton Webster band (songs like Frenesi they never recorded for commercial release). they ran into trouble for doing this since RCA didn't have the license, so these were subsequently excised in the "re edition". I have one volume, I think, from the original run - the rest are (boxed) reprints. I still need volumes 23 and 24 - not too bothered about the final one, though - that Seattle concert from 1952 apparently exists in full in stereo but when Jerry Valburn (Ellington expert who, sadly, passed away recently) tried to persuade the powers-that-be to release it in that form, they weren't interested. It's probably sitting in the Library of Congress.

 

Great quality: quiet vinyl, fine transfers, well-recorded to begin with... also they include the alternative takes and small groups.

Just from listening, I would guess that's true... They sound much better than the French CBS 'The Complete Duke Ellington' series of double LPs; though those are certainly recommended for the wealth of material (alternative takes as well).

 

I found an excellent site which illustrates the LP sets mentioned above...


'The Works Of Duke' (RCA, France) -- 24 LPs

http://dukeontheweb.com/Works.htm


'The Complete Duke Ellington' (CBS, France) -- 14 Double LPs

http://dukeontheweb.com/Complete.htm

 

I was wondering about the audio quality of The Duke Box from Storyville, is it pretty decent.

I mostly looking for the best sounding Ellington from the The Blanton–Webster Band era. I heard that the sound on The Never No Lament disc's were not very good.

Thanks, much.

 

Gosh I love the music but I find the Sony/Legacy to be a real sonic abomination - painfully bright. Phil Schaap clearly loves the music and is typically great at doing research and finding the original tapes but then proceeds to EQ them to death (actually mastering is co-credited to Schaap and Debra Parkinson). Ugly. I don't have the old CD (Rykodisc maybe?) - was thinking about picking it up, too bad about all the reverb. Sounds like perhaps there is no decent sounding version of this excellent music on CD?

Anyway, was coming here to post that I've been really enjoying listening to a couple of Ellington recordings lately: the AFRO-BOSSA stuff (Reprise originally) and the violin recordings out on Atlantic previously with Sven Asmundssen and Stephane Grappelli and Ray Nance - which I have in the Mosaic Complete Reprise Recordings set. Two very different types of Ellington recordings, both super fine.

 

I found a stone-mint 78 rpm of 'Cotton Tail' backed with 'Never No Lament' for 99 cts.
It was in the original sleeve and gleamed when I took it out. It sounds great. Better than any version on LP or CD I own.

 

The Duke Box doesnt have the studio recordings of the Blanton Webster band; but it has the Fargo Concert which is incredible and in great sound.

 

Apart from the studio sides, live Duke is a must for this period. Check Amazon used and eBay for the CD Duke Ellington: Stereo Reflections in Ellington mentioned up-thread, which besides the cool 1932 true stereo medleys includes 16 songs from live broadcasts from 1940-42. Very good sound on these tracks.

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

Been listening to a lot of Duke Ellington stuff recorded in 1962.. did anyone ever have a better year?

Ellington meets Hawkins
Ellington/Coltrane
Afro Bossa
Great Paris Concert
Money Jungle


I mean geez thats five bonafide classics!

 

That's subjective. I prefer Ellington's late 1930s/early 1940s stuff, that's the best he ever did in my opinion.

 

Subjective?

Umm.. I think those are generally acknowledged to be five classic albums and they were all recorded in one year. Nothing subjective about that..

Nothing I said meant to trivialize any other era... I tend to think of "albums" and in 1962 Ellington recorded five -at least- superlative ones...

 

I don't think those albums are "generally acknowledged to be five classic albums". Reviews have been mixed over the years.

You didn't say "albums" in your earlier post, you were talking about "stuff".

 

You must have a lot of time on your hands...

 

Whatever.