Duke Ellington Duke: The Columbia Years 1927-1962 CD

THE DUKE is a compilation of material recorded for Columbia, OKeh and the American Recording Company labels, from 1927-1940, 1947-1952 and 1956-1962.
Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Ivie Anderson, Kay Davis, Al Hibbler, Mahalia Jackson, Rosemary Clooney, Baby Cox, Betty Roché (vocals); Ray Nance (violin, trumpet); Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Otto Hardwick, Paul Gonsalves, Russell Procope, Ben Webster (reeds); Clark Terry, Cootie Williams, Jabbo Smith, Rex Stewart, Shorty Baker, Louis Metcalf, Bubber Miley, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Joe Tricky Sam Nanton, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown , Quentin Jackson, Tyree Glenn, Johnny Sanders, Britt Woodman (trombone); Billy Strayhorn (piano); Jimmy Blanton, Jimmy Woode, Oscar Pettiford, Wellman Braud, Wendell Marshall, Aaron Bell (double bass); Louie Bellson, Sam Woodyard, Sonny Greer (drums).
Liner Note Author: Robert G. O'Meally.
Unlike some labels, who chose to celebrate Duke Ellington's centennial with lavish sets of his complete recordings for a label, Columbia/Legacy decided to keep things relatively simple. They assembled Duke Ellington - The Essential Collection: 1927-1962, a three-disc set that features highlights of his sessions for Columbia over the years. Completists and purists may wish they have gone whole-hog with a complete sessions box, but it's hard to argue against this wonderful set. Since this spans several decades, it winds up being a terrific overview of Ellington's bands and the progression of his career, as it hits many of his best compositions in classic performances. Yes, there are great moments missing, not just from his RCA or Decca work, but from his Columbia waxings, but that ultimately doesn't matter, since this was designed as an overview for relative neophytes and for the dedicated that appreciate new contexts. On that level, it succeeds grandly, since it's hard to imagine anyone that hears this set not wanting to dig deeper into Ellington's rich body of work. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Duke Ellington was a great bandleader, a fine if underrated pianist (an influence on Thelonious Monk and Cecil Taylor), a prolific songwriter, and a superlative arranger, writing specifically to his musicians' strengths, and achieving unique instrumental voicings and textures. He constantly rearranged many compositions, so that, for instance, "Mood Indigo," would differ tremendously in its 1935, 1950 and 1970 incarnations. In consequence, Ellington's was one of the few big bands to survive the Big Band era (the early '30s through the late '40s) while retaining a genuine creative spirit.
THE DUKE is a superb overview of Duke Ellington's sporadic residence at Columbia Records, capturing his music at many of its peaks. There's the madly upbeat Lindy-Hop swing of "Slap Happy," and the mellow, luxurious "In a Sentimental Mood" of the 1930's. The '50s begets the sweet jazz-pop of his collaboration with Rosemary Clooney, and soundtrack music (ANATOMY OF A MURDER), while in the '60s, Ellington, with his right-hand man Billy Strayhorn, tackled a re-casting of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," and a madly swinging face-off with Count Basie's big band. Though it's not definitive (few Ellington compilations could be), this fine set more than lives up to its title.CMJ (3/27/00, p.25) - "...This is an essential collection and a fabulous primer for the curious."
Vibe (3/00, p.214) - "...represents 3 major periods during which Ellington recorded for Columbia records, effectively chronicling the musical evolution of the composer and his incomparable orchestra....Here is the Duke's essence - elegant and playful, familiar and evocative..."