Duke Ellington Blanton-Webster Band box set released

The Blanton-Webster Band Duke Ellington

Released: October 25, 1990 Recorded: 1939-1942 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: jazz

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Disc 1: You, You Darlin’ (5/11/40, 28 US Jack the Bear Ko-Ko (6/1/40, 25 US Morning Glory So Far, So Good Congo Brava Concerto for Cootie (aka “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me”) (1/8/44, 10 US, #1 RB) Me and You Cottontail Never No Lament (aka “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”) * (5/1/43, 8 US, #1 RB) Dusk Bojangles (A Portrait of Bill Robinson) (8/14/43, 19 US) A Portrait of Bert Williams Blue Goose Harlem Air Shaft At a Dixie Roadside Diner (9/21/40, 27 US) All Too Soon Rumpus in Richmond My Greatest Mistake Sepia Panorama (11/2/40, 24 US) There Shall Be No Night In a Mellotone Disc 2: Five O’Clock Whistle Warm Valley The Flaming Sword Across the Track Blues Chloe (Song of the Swamp) I Never Felt This Way Before The Sidewalks of New York Flamingo (6/14/41, 11 US) The Girl in My Dreams Tries to Look Like You Take the ‘A’ Train (7/26/41, 11 US) Jumpin’ Punkins John Hardy’s Wife Blue Serge After All Bakiff Are You Sticking? Just A-Settin’ and A-Rockin’ The Giddybug Gallop Chocolate Shake I Got It Band and That Ain’t Good (10/11/41, 13 US) Clementine The Brown-Skin Gal in the Calico Gown Disc 3: Jump for Joy Moon Over Cuba Five O’Clock Drag Rocks in My Bed Bli-Blip Chelsea Bridge Raincheck What Good Would It Do? I Don’t Know What Kind of Blues I Got Perdido (5/22/43, 21 US) The ‘C’ Jam Blues Moon Mist What Am I Here For? I Don’t Mind (12/23/44, 9 RB) Someone (6/10/44, 7 RB) My Little Brown Book (6/3/44, 4 RB) Main Stem (3/4/44, 23 US, #1 RB) Johnny Come Lately Hayfoot, Strawfoot (11/21/42, 10 RB) Sentimental Lady (9/4/43, 19 US, #1 RB) A Slip of the Lip Can Sink a Ship (8/28/43, 19 US, #1 RB) Sherman Shuffle Total Running Time: 204:07

Rating: 4.761 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings) Quotable: “Perhaps…the greatest creative period by any single artist in jazz history.” – Marc Greilsamer, Amazon.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: All Music Guide calls Duke Ellington “the most important composer in the history of jazz.” WR Joel Whitburn goes even farther, saying Ellington is “perhaps the single most important creative talent in American popular music history.” JW He scored 70 hits, including three #1 songs, on the pop charts from 1927 to 1953. Ellington also racked up a dozen top 10 R&B hits in the 1940s, including five consective #1 songs, all of which are featured here (Never No Lament, A Slip of the Lip (Can Sink a Ship), Sentimental Lady, Concerto for Cootie, and Main Stem). Also included is the Grammy Hall of Fame song Take the ‘A’ Train, which became Ellington’s theme song. “This music is essential for all jazz collections.” SY “This attractive three-CD set” SY “not only represent[s] Ellington’s artistic apex, but perhaps reflect the greatest creative period by any single artist in jazz history.” MG “Several factors combine make these recordings great, not least the 78rpm format which restricted playing time to around three minutes. A lot happens in a very short time span. Often there are several themes in one arrangement and remarkably, in view of the limited time, there are transitional and developmental passages as well.” SN This collection “contains the master takes of all 66 selections recorded by Duke Ellington’s Orchestra during what many historians consider its peak period. Left out are the many alternate takes, last released by European labels, and the Duke Ellington-Jimmy Blanton duets, which are available on a different CD.” SY “Ellington had already made a lasting impression on jazz by 1940, but adding writer/arranger Billy Strayhorn, young bassist Jimmy Blanton, and tenor great Ben Webster brought the band to extraordinary new heights.” MG “The arrangements and originals of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn are full of surprises, and even the lesser-known pieces are generally gems.” SY Meanwhile, Blanton, who died of tuberculosis at age 23, changed the role of the double bass in jazz by moving it from the background to the forefront of the rhythm section. “Then there’s the unique tonal quality of Ellington’s orchestra, setting it apart from any ensemble in jazz.” SN Rounding out the band are Johnny Hodges (alto), Cootie Williams and Wallace Jones (trumpets), Rex Stewart and Ray Nance (cornets), Juan Tizol (valve trombone), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Tricky Sam Nanton and Lawrence Brown (trombones), Harry Carney (baritone/alto sax), Otto Hardwick (alto sax), Fred Guy (guitar), Sonny Greer (drums), and Ivie Anderson and Herb Jeffries (vocals). “The set list reveals masterpiece after masterpiece.” MG “These recordings are neither landmarks of jazz improvisation or the Big Band dance music popular at the time they were recorded. Simply because neither categories seem adequate to embrace one of the finest bodies of music created this century.” SN

Resources and Related Links: MG Marc Greilsamer, Amazon.com essential recording SN Stuart Nicholson, The Wire. The Most Important Records Ever Made. (June 1992, issue 100). WR William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide bio. JW Whitburn, Joel. (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. (page 147). Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. SY Scott Yanow, All Music Guide Other Related DMDB Pages: Last updated 1/29/2022.