Duke Ellington Capitol Sessions 1953-1955 CD

Definitive's 2006 release of an 88-track compendium of Duke Ellington's Capitol recordings dating from the years 1953-1955 illuminates a period during which the man who more than anyone else had perfected the art of big-band jazz during the 1920s, '30s, and '40s had to scuffle to maintain his jazz orchestra at a time when small combos and star vocalists were getting most of the gigs and recording contracts. It is therefore fitting, perhaps, that Ellington chose to record with a trio in between big-band sessions during December 1953, resulting in an album's worth of wonderful chamber jazz that appeared on the Capitol album Piano Reflections. Hearing that material presented in chronologic context with the big-band recordings of 1953-1955 is a special treat. The orchestra was packed with accomplished improvisers; its trumpeters included Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance and Gerald Wilson, who also exercised his skills as an arranger. Britt Woodman and Juan Tizol anchored the trombone section with Quentin "Butter" Jackson. Reedmen included Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney. Vocals were delivered by Jimmy Grissom. The LP era was in full swing, allowing for extended performances of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Basin Street Blues," "Flying Home," "In the Mood," "It Don't Mean a Thing," Ellington and Strayhorn's "Gonna Tan Your Hide" and Jimmy Hamilton's "Clarinet Melodrama." This rewarding collection also documents the Duke's unusual dalliance with tunes like "If I Give My Heart to You" (still closely associated with Doris Day), Russ Morgan's "So Long," the "Twelfth Street Rag Mambo" and Ray Anthony's "Bunny Hop Mambo." ~ arwulf arwulf

Four CD set containing 88 tracks that covers the two year period when Ellington was signed to Capitol Records. The period between 1953 and 1955, was a hard time for the Duke, a moment of low popularity which would last until the tremendous success at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, when Paul Gonsalves' extended solos would drive the public into a frenzy. The Capitol recordings give evidence to the Duke's urgency to find new forms of expression during this difficult stage of his career. This large body of recordings contains many elements outside of Ellington's familiar repertoire. For instance, instead of playing his old and new compositions, he devoted many sessions to arrangements of jazz standards and popular songs commonly associated with other bands. The most obvious gems here were generated during the duo/trio sessions of 1953, in which the Duke was backed by Wendell Marshall on bass and Butch Pollard on drums. The last Capitol session, recorded on May 19, 1955, is another curiosity. Here Ellington again called upon a smaller unit, playing with a septet and on electric piano!!! Recorded in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York between April 6, 1953 and May 19, 1955. Definitive. 2006.