DEMS BULLETIN
DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY
08/3 December 2008 - March 2009
Our 30th Year of Publication
FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND
HONORARY MEMBER: FATHER JOHN GARCIA GENSEL
EDITOR: SJEF HOEFSMIT
ASSISTED BY: ROGER BOYES
|
THE INTERNATIONAL DEMS BULLETIN DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY 08/3 December 2008 - March 2009 Our 30th Year of Publication FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND |
Voort 18b, 2328 Meerle, Belgium
Telephone: +32 3 315 75 83
Email: dems1@telenet.be
NEW
RELEASES AND RE-RELEASES
Gambit Records 69299
Thelonious Monk, trio and quartet
Unissued live at Newport, 1958-59
DEMS 08/3-29
DEMS member Georges Debroe
gave us details of this CD with exclusively unreleased material, which is
interesting for Ellington collectors, because the last session on this CD was
recorded when Thelonious Monk was accompanied by the Ellington Orchestra at
Newport on 8Jul62. Russell Procope was ill and replaced by Gene Hull (not Hill
as mentioned in the booklet).
Thelonious Monk played first Monk’s Dream, arranged by Billy Strayhorn.
This was followed by what in the New DESOR is titled Frère Monk, Duke
indeed mentioned that title in his announcement, but not very convincingly. The
liner-notes mention as title Ba-Lue-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are. I am not a
Thelenious Monk expert. I found this title spelled as Ba-Lue Bolivar
Ba-Lue-Are as recorded by Monk as his own composition on 23Dec56. I cannot
find a recording by Thelonious of Frère Monk, which according to the New
DESOR is an Ellington composition, recorded by the band on 13Sep62 (and
released on Volume Three of The Private Collection). Comparison of this 13Sep
recording with the Newport version doesn’t help me much. These are both Blues
structured pieces, but I hear no evident similarity. I think that Duke may have
had the intention to play Frère Monk, but that Monk decided differently
and played his own “encore”. I also cannot believe that Aaron Bell and Sam
Woodyard accompanied Monk. I believe he brought his own people, although I am
not able to say who these people were. Is there a Monk expert out there to help
me?
The first session on the CD was played by Monk’s trio: Monk, Henry Grimes and
Roy Haynes. They played four selections on 7Jul58: Just You, Just Me; Blue
Monk; ‘Round Midnight and Well You Needn’t.
Monks Quarter: Monk, Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones and Art Taylor played on
3Jul59: In Walked Bud; Blue Monk; Crepuscule with Nellie; Well, You Needn’t
and Rhythm-a-Ning.
A special track is reserved for Ellington’s announcement of Thelonious Monk in
1962. It is complete, however the pauses between Duke’s words have been
shortened. Why? There was enough space on the CD.
Sjef Hoefsmit
Original Masters RCA Victor
- Columbia 88697302362
Sony & BMG
“The Best of Duke Ellington”
DEMS 08/3-30
See DEMS 08/2-31
A review by Remco Plas was published in the last DEMS Bulletin, but according
to an e-mail of 12Aug08 by Don Brown at the Duke-LYM list there is still a
demand for knowing all the recording dates and matrix numbers for which DEMS
Bulletin is usually the source if the record companies don’t care to supply
these data. On this list I have given this time all the matrix numbers also for
those recordings from which only one recording on that specific date exists.
I may add to the previously published reviews that the quality of these CDs is
amazing. Even if you have all the recordings in your collection on the Classics
and the Neatwork CDs (See DEMS 02/1-18/4; 02/2-24/2&3 and 02/3-19/1&2)
it is worth considering acquiring this terrific set. The digital sound
restoration was done by Harry Coster with an astounding result. The price of
the 4 CD box is negligible. (I paid USD 13.60.)
Sjef Hoefsmit
Disc 1
1. It Don’t Mean a Thing 2Feb32 B11204-A
2. Lazy Rhapsody 2Feb32 B11205-A
3. Blue Tune 4Feb32 B11223-A
4. Baby, When You Ain’t There 4Feb32 B11224-A
5. St. Louis Blues 11Feb32 B11263-B
6. Creole Love Call 11Feb32 B11264-B
7. Blue Harlem 16May32 B11839-A
8. The Sheik of Araby 16May32 B11840-A
9. Best Wishes 17May32 B11852-B
10. Blue Ramble 18May32 B11866-A
11. Clouds in My Heart 18May32 B11867-B
12. Blue Mood 19Sep32 B12332-A
13. Ducky Wucky 19Sep32 B12333-A
14. Jazz Cocktail 21Sep32 B12343-A
15. Lightnin’ 21Sep32 B12344-A
16. Swing Low 22Sep32 B12346-A
17. Slippery Horn 17Feb33 B13078-A
18. Drop Me Off in Harlem 17Feb33 B13081-A
19. Happy as the Day Is Long 9May33 B13306-A
20. Get Yourself a New Broom 9May33 B13308-A
21. Bundle of Blues 16May33 B13337-A
22. Sophisticated Lady 16May33 B13339-A
23. Jive Stomp 15Aug33 B13801-A
24. Harlem Speaks 15Aug33 B13802-A
25. Daybreak Express 4Dec33 77201-1
Disc 2
1. Ebony Rhapsody 26Feb34 79093/1&
79094/1
2. Ebony Rhapsody - Part 2 26Feb34 79105/1&
79106/1
3. Solitude 12Sep34 B15910-A
4. Saddest Tale 12Sep34 B15911-A
5. Moonlight Fiesta 5Mar35 B16974-1
6. In a Sentimental Mood 30Apr35 B17406-1
7. Showboat Shuffle 30Apr35 B17407-1
8. Merry Go Round 30Apr35 B17408-1
9. Reminiscing in Tempo 12Sep35 B18072-1
12Sep35 B18073-1
12Sep35 B18074-2
12Sep35 B18075-1
10. I Don’t Know Why I Love You So 20Jan36 1199-1
11. Isn’t Love the Strangest Thing? 27Feb36 B18734-1
12. Clarinet Lament 27Feb36 B18736-1
13. Echoes of Harlem 27Feb36 B18737-1
14. Trumpet in Spades 17Jul36 B19564-1
15. Yearning for Love 17Jul36 B19565-2
16. In a Jam 29Jul36 B19626-1
17. Exposition Swing 29Jul36 B19627-1
18. Uptown Downbeat 29Jul36 B19628-1
19. Scattin’ at the Kit Kat 21Dec36 L0375-1
20. Black Butterfly 21Dce36 L0375-1
Disc 3
1. The New Birmingham Breakdown 5Mar37 M177-1
2. The New East St. Louis Toodle-O 5Mar37 M178-1
3. Caravan 14May37 M470-2
4. Azure 14May37 M471-1
5.
Chatterbox 20Sep37 M646-1
6. Diminuendo in Blue 20Sep37 M648-1
7. Crescendo in Blue 20Sep37 M649-1
8. Harmony in Harlem 20Sep37 M650-2
9. Dusk on the Desert 20Sep37 M651-2
10. Steppin’ into Swing Society 13Jan38 M713-1
11. Prologue to Black and Tan Fantasy 13Jan38 M714-1
12. The New Black and Tan Fantasy 13Jan38 M715-1
13. Ridin’ on a Blue Note 2Feb38 M751-1
14. Lost in Meditation 2Feb38 M752-1
15. Gal from Joe’s 2Feb38 M753-1
16. Skrontch 24Feb38 M771-2
17. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart 3Mar38 M772-2
18. Braggin’ in Brass 3Mar38 M773-1
19. Carnival in Caroline 3Mar38 M774-1
20. I’m Slappin’ Seventh Avenue 11Apr38 M810-1
21. Dinah’s in a Jam 11Apr38 M811-1
22. Rose of the Rio Grande 7Jun38 M833-1
23. Pyramid 7Jun38 M834-1
24. Gypsy Without a Song 20Jun38 M845-1
25. Stevedore’s Serenade 20Jun38 M846-1
Disc 4
1. Prelude to a Kiss 9Aug38 M884-1
2. Hip Chic 9Aug38 M885-1
3. Buffet Flat 9Aug38 M886-1
4. Jazz Potpourri 19Dec38 M947-1
5.
T.T. on Toast 19Dec38 M948-1
6. Battle of Swing 19Dec38 M949-2
7. Blue Light 22Dec38 M958-2
8. Old King Dooji 22Dec38 M959-1
9. Boy Meets Horn 22Dec38 M960-1
10. Slap Happy 22Dec38 M961-1
11. Pussy Willow 20Mar39 M997-1
12. Subtle Lament 20Mar39 M998-1
13. Smorgasbord and Schnapps 20Mar39 M1000-1
14. Portrait of a Lion 21Mar39 M1006-2
15. Something To Live For 21Mar39 M1007-1
16. Solid Old Man 21Mar39 M1008-1
17. Way Low 6Jun39 WM1032-A
18. Serenade to Sweden 6Jun39 WM1033-A
19. Bouncing Buoyancy 28Aug39 WM1062-A
20. The Sergeant Was Shy 28Aug39 WM1063-A
21. Grievin’ 28Aug39 WM1064-A
22. I Never Felt This Way Before 14oct39 WM1092-A
23. Tootin’ Through the Roof 14oct39 WM1094-A
24. Killin’ Myself 16oct39 WM1106-A
25. Country Gal 16oct39 WM1108-A
Nimbus CD 2704
Duke Ellington Great Concerts: London & New York 1963-1964
DEMS 08/3-31
I found this double CD advertised on http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7760991
for $ 14.15.
As could be expected this is a re-release of the sessions of 20Feb64 in London
(New DESOR 6409; DEMS 97/3-14) and 20May64 in New York (New DESOR 6439),
previously released on MusicMasters respectively 65106-2 and 65122-2. The year
1963 has nothing to do with either of these sessions.
If you do not have these recordings in your collection: this is your chance!
Lance Travis
Blue Label SPV 305822 (2008)
Johnny Hodges - Passion Flower - 1940-46
DEMS 08/3-32
This is a re-release of the RCA Bluebird
CD from 1995 with catalog number 66616, which [I’m sorry to say] has not been
mentioned before in DEMS Bulletin. Better late than never!
1. Day Dream 2Nov40
2. Good Queen Bess -1 2Nov40
3. Good Queen Bess -2 2Nov40
4. That's the Blues, Old Man 2Nov40
5. Junior Hop -2 2Nov40,
is missing last note
6. Squaty Roo 3Jul41
7. Passion Flower 3Jul41
8. Things Ain't What They Used To Be 3Jul41
9. Going Out the Back Way 3Jul41
10. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore 4May40
11. Blue Goose 28May40
12. In a Mellotone 5Sep40
13. Warm Valley -1 5Sep40
14. After All 15Feb41
15. The
Giddy-Bug Galop 5Jun41
16. I Got It Bad -2 26Jun41
17. Clementine 2Jul41
18. Moon Mist -1 21Jan42
19. I Did’t Know About You -1 28Jul42
20. Come Sunday 11Dec44
21. Mood To Be Wooed 4Jan45
22. Rockabye River 9Jul46
It is true that Warm Valley
(track 13) is the rare take -1, but also I Got It Bad (track 16), Moon
Mist (track 18) and I Didn’t Know About You (track 19) have the rare
takes.
ELLINGTONIA
Fresh Sound Records FRS CD 531 (single CD)
“Stepping Into Swing Society”
Mercer Ellington and his Orchestra
DEMS 08/3-33
This CD is a re-release of two Coral LP
albums: Coral CRL 57225 with the same title and Coral CRL 57293 titled “Colors
in Rhythm”, each album contained 12 tracks. From the first album
3 tracks were recorded on 14Jul58 by Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Clark Terry,
Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope,
Jimmy Hamilton, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, Skeeter Best (g),
Wendell Marshall and Joe Marshall (dr):
Steppin’ into Swing Society; Black Butterfly and Got My Foot in the
Door.
4 Tracks were recorded on 17Jul58 by the same band with a completely different
rhythm section:
Jimmy Jones, Carl Lynch (g), George Duvivier and Sam Bailey (dr):
Indelible; Ruint; Frolic Sam and Be Patient.
5 Tracks were recorded on 22Jul58 (according to my discography) by the same
band in which Skeeter Best (g) and Wendell Marshall returned in place of Lynch
and Duvivier: If You Were in My Place; Gal from Joe’s; Afternoon Moon;
Broadway Babe and Yearning for Love. The liner-notes give the date
as 20Jul58, but that was a Sunday. Not impossible, but unlikely.
The 12 tracks from the second album, “Colors in Rhythm” were recorded by the
same band in which Ben Webster was replaced by Harold Ashby and the rhythm
section consisted of Jimmy Jones, Les Spann, Wendell Marshall and Gus Johnson:
On 16Mar59: Little White Lies; Azure; Cherry Pink.
On 18Jul59 (according to my discography 18Mar59): Maroon; Coral Rock;
Black and Tan Fantasy; Aqua-Tonic.
On 20Jul59 (according to my discography 20Mar59): Mood Indigo; Dawn of a
Greenhorn; Blue Serge; The Moon Was Yellow and Golden Cress.
The same 12 selections of the second LP (but in another order) were previous
released on 27Jun03 in Japan, Universal Music. UCCC-9069 COLORS IN RHYTHM
[Initial pressing only limited release] mini card board LP replica CD
Milo van den Assem**
Fresh Sound Records FSR CD 532 (double CD)
“The Great Ellingtonians”
DEMS 08/3-34
This double CD is a re-release of three
Columbia LP albums: (E) 33SX-1323, titled “Rock Me Gently”;
(E) 33SX-1342, titled “Hang in There”; and (E) 33SX-1379, titled
“Tenor Stuff”.
The first album was recorded on 16Sep60. Willie Cook, Ed Mullens, Ray Nance,
Booty Wood, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Rollins Griffith (p), Aaron Bell and
Sam Woodyard recorded: Rock Me Gently; Mabulaba; Jeepers Creepers and Tree
of Hope.
The next day with Fats Ford on the chair of Ed Mullens: Blues for Blokes;
Hand Me Down Love; Five O’Clock Drag and Baby Blue.
The second album was recorded on 13Dec60. Harold Baker, Booty Wood, Paul
Gonsalves, Johnny Hodges, Ram Ramirez (p), Aaron Bell and Oliver Jackson
recorded: Hang in There; New Cambridge Blues; Easin’ down Piccadilly and
Ohso.
After Dickie Wells and Vic Dickenson had joined the group, Sir Charles
Thomson had replaced Ramirez and Harold Baker had left, the following
selections were recorded: Sunday; Snowstorm; Blues in Bones and Our
Delight.
The third album was recorded on 5Jan61. Paul Gonsalves (also on guitar*),
Harold Ashby, Sir Charles Thompson, Aaron Bell and Jo Jones recorded: Swallowing
the Blues*; Out of Nowhere; Midnight Sun and London Broil*. After
Ray Nance joined the group: Squeeze Me*; Jeep’s Blues; Blue Skies and You
Can Depend on Me.
These 24 selections are possibly on CD for the first time.
Milo van den Assem**