Duke Ellington - Early Ellington (1926-1931) 3CDs

Duke Ellington - Early Ellington (1926-1931)
The complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington
MP3 192 kbps


Review:
This three-CD set, which has all of Duke Ellington's recordings for the Brunswick and Vocalion labels, dwarfs all of the earlier reissues that Decca and MCA have put out of this important material. Starting with the first session in which the Ellington Orchestra sounds distinctive ("East St. Louis Toodle-oo" and "Birmingham Breakdown" from November 29, 1926) and progressing through the Cotton Club years, this essential release (which contains 67 performances) adds a few "new" alternate takes and rare items ("Soliloquy" and a few titles by the "Six Jolly Jesters") to make this collection truly complete, at least for MCA's holdings (since Ellington also recorded for Columbia- and Victor-owned labels during the same period). With such major soloists as trumpeters Bubber Miley (and his replacement Cootie Williams), Freddy Jenkins, and Arthur Whetsol, trombonist Tricky Sam Nanton, clarinetist Barney Bigard, altoist Johnny Hodges, baritonist Harry Carney, and the pianist/leader, along with the classic arrangements/compositions, this set is essential for all serious jazz collections. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Tracklist:

DISC 1: 1926-28:

1. East St. Louis Toodle-o - (1st version)
2. Birmingham Breakdown - (1st version)
3. Immigration Blues
4. Creeper, The - (1st take)
5. Creeper, The - (2nd take)
6. New Orleans Low-Down
7. Song Of The Cotton Field
8. Birmingham Breakdown - (2nd version)
9. East St. Louis Toodle-o - (2nd version)
10. Black And Tan Fantasy
11. Soliloquy
12. Red Hot Band
13. Doin' The Frog
14. Take It Easy
15. Jubilee Stomp
16. Black Beauty - (1st take)
17. Black Beauty - (2nd take)
18. Yellow Dog Blues
19. Tishomingo Blues
20. Awful Sad
21. Mooche, The
22. Louisiana

Total time - 61:01

DISC 2: 1929:

1. Doin' The Voom Voom
2. Tiger Rag (Part I) - (take A)
3. Tiger Rag (Part I) - (take B)
4. Tiger Rag (Part II)
5. Rent Party Blues
6. Paducah
7. Harlem Flat Blues
8. Black And Blue, (What Did I Do To Be So)
9. Jungle Jamboree
10. Ain't Misbehavin'
11. Doin' The New Low Down
12. Jolly Wog
13. Jazz Convulsions
14. Six Or Seven Times - (take A)
15. Six Or Seven Times - (take B)
16. Goin' Nuts
17. Oklahoma Stomp - (take A)
18. Oklahoma Stomp - (take B)
19. Sweet Mama
20. Wall Street Wail - (take A)
21. Wall Street Wail - (take B)
22. Cincinnati Daddy

Total time - 66:40

Disc: 3 1930-31

1. Maori (A Samoan Dance) (1st Version)
2. When Your Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (Take A)
3. When Your Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (Take B)
4. Maori (A Samoan Dance) (2nd Version) (Take A)
5. Maori (A Samoan Dance) (2nd Version) (Take B)
6. Admiration
7. Double Check Stomp
8. Accordian Joe (Take A)
9. Accordian Joe (Take B)
10. Cotton Club Stomp (Take A)
11. Cotton Club Stomp (Take B)
12. Runnin Wild
13. Mood Indigo
14. Home Agian Blues
15. Wang-Wang Blues
16. Rockin' Chair
17. Rockin' In Rhythm
18. Twelfth Street Rag
19. The Peanut Vendor
20. Creole Rhapsody-Part I
21. Creole Rhapsody-Part II (Take A)
22. Creole Rhapsody-Part II (Take AA)
23. Is That Religion?

Total time - 69:35