DEMS BULLETIN
DUKE ELLINGTON MUSIC SOCIETY
05/2 August-November 2005
Our 27th 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 05/2 August-November 2005 Our 27th Year of Publication. FOUNDER: BENNY AASLAND |
Voort 18b, 2328 Meerle, Belgium
Telephone: +32 3 315 75 83
Email: dems@skynet.be
NEW
RELEASES
AND RE-RELEASES
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Properbox Intro CD 2046
Billy Strayhorn — Passion Flower
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DEMS 05/2-29
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
1. Something To Live For 21Mar39
2. Grievin' 14oct39
3. After All 15Feb41
4. Clementine 2Jul41
5. Raincheck 2Dec41
6. Chelsea Bridge 2Dec41
7. Day Dream 2Nov40
8. Passion Flower 3Jul41
9. Kissing Bug 26Apr45
10. Midriff 3Sep46
Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra, Jun47, NYC. Taft Jordan;
Lawrence Brown; JH; Al Sears; BS; Oscar Pettiford; Wilbur de Paris
(d).
11. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra, Autumn47, NYC. Harold Baker;
JH; Al Sears; Harry Carney; BS; Oscar Pettiford; Sonny Greer.
12. Charlotte Russe
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
13. Flippant Flurry 19Apr47 FIRST RELEASE!
14. Progressive Gavotte -1 11Nov47
15. Snibor -1 1Sep49
16. The Eighth Veil 24May51
17. Brown Betty 24May51
18. Take the "A" Train 30Jun52
Nat King Cole, Irving Ashby (g), Joe Comfort (b), Jack
Costanzo (bg) with Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra: Sid Cooper (cl/f),
Al Richman (f.h.), Mel Zelnick (d), five violins, 2 violas and
2cellos, 29Mar49, NYC.
19. Lush Life
Louie Bellson and His Just Jazz All Stars, Feb 52, Los
Angeles. Clark Terry; John Graas (f.h.); Juan Tizol; Willie Smith;
Wardell Gray (t.s.); Harry Carney; BS; Wendell Marshall; LB.
20. Johnny Come Lately
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
21. Satin Doll 6Apr53
Track 8 has been incorrectly dated as 4Jul41.
Track 13 has been incorrectly dated as 12Apr47.
Track 15 has been incorrectly dated as 11Sep49.
We assume that tracks 14 and 15 have both the -1 takes.
Two reviews of this CD have been published in "Blue Light" Vol.12
No.1 (first quarter of 2005). One by Vic Bellerby on page 4 and one
by Roger Boyes on page 21. We have not listened to this CD in order
to check the contents.
DEMS
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Storyville 101 8399
"Duke Ellington – The Piano Player
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DEMS 05/2-30
Piano Solos
1. Meditation NYC 28Dec66 CA-24
2. Single Petal of a Rose NYC 14Dec62
3. Blues (not in the New DESOR) Paris? Mar61?
4. Nagoya Tokyo 1Jul64
5. Unidentified Title Tokyo 1Jul64
Little African Flower Tokyo 1Jul64
6. Meditation Paris 10Mar67 CA-29
7. T.G.T.T. Paris 10Mar67 CA-29
Little Purple Flower Paris 10Mar67 CA-29
The
River NYC 11May70
8. The Spring CA-25
9.
The Run CA-5
10. The Meander CA-25
11. The Giggling Rapids CA-25
12. The Lake CA-25
13. The Neo-Hip-Hot Cool Kiddies Community CA-25
Duke Ellington, Wild Bill Davis, Joe Benjamin, Rufus Jones
14. Riddle NYC 11Feb71
15. Blues (#18 in the New DESOR) NYC 11Feb71
16. Blues (#21 in the New DESOR) NYC 23Feb71
This fantastic CD has been produced by Bjarne Busk and Anders
Stefansen. Bjarne wrote the highly informative liner notes.
I have very reluctantly indicated which of these takes were
previously "issued" to DEMS members on Azure Cassettes. I would be
very disappointed to learn that DEMS members were not upgrading their
cassettes to these incomparably better CDs. For the DEMS cassettes I
used second hand copies of broadcasts through the Danish Radio or
even alternate tapes. The CDs however have been made professionally
from the original tapes. To give you an example: Meditation on
CA-24 was not copied from the original recording, but probably from a
recording made in the control room with a separate mike, because one
can hear two coughs at 4:03 after the beginning of the number. The
version on track 1 of the Storyville CD however is clean. Even if you
have all four DEMS cassettes in your collection, I strongly advise
you to look out for this nice CD. You will not only replace 34
minutes of music you already have with versions with the best
possible quality, you will also acquire 33 minutes "fresh" music and
you will have supported Storyville, who manage every time to release
more of Duke’s finest recordings. The CD came out in Europe (in
May) and in the USA (in July).
I wonder if anybody can come forward with the title of the first part
of track 5. This sounds so familiar!
Tracks 8-13 were recorded on 11May70 and not on 11May71. The date is
stated correctly in the liner notes but wrongly on the cover.
Track 8 sounds like a duet of two pianos but this is not the case.
The piece was first of all recorded on one piano. This recording was
then played back in order to dub a second piano-line on top of it.
What we have here is the double line version. The original single
line recording has (as far as I know) not been located.
At the start of track 16, one can hear a few bars on the bass, which
are not accounted for in the description of this recording in the New
DESOR (7112o, Blues # 21, on page 769). We believe that these few
bars are independent bass rehearsals, not long enough to be included
in the New DESOR.
There are two critical remarks I can think of. Tracks 14-16 would
have been better saved for a CD featuring Wild Bill Davis.
Duke’s role on these three tracks is mostly not more than what
one can expect from a percussion device. Also, the spine of the CD
"box" should have carried a number. That would have made it easier to
find the CD among many others.
Sjef Hoefsmit
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Duke Ellington joue Billy Strayhorn
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DEMS 05/2-31
This double CD is accompanied by a 32 page booklet with the
story of Billy joining Duke told as a French strip story designed by
Jean-Claude Götting. As a professional designer Jean-Claude
developed a special and very personal black and white technique. The
choice of subject indicates his interest in Ellingtonia and here we
have a marvellous example of his artistry, confirming an obvious
fondness for "jazzy" atmospheres. This is number 33 in a series of
editions titled BDJazz (BD stands for "Bande Dessinée").
Claude Carrière selected the recordings, which are taken from
many different studio sessions, broadcasts and concerts. The
combination of the two high quality CDs with this very original book
in an impeccable package seems to be a perfect present to be given at
a joyful occasion. It is not a double CD with a booklet such as we
are used to seeing, but a booklet with two CDs in a very tasteful
combination. There is no risk that anybody already has a copy. The
book was printed in May05. In addition to the drawings there is a
complete discography of the two CDs and a short biography of Billy.
Here are the titles of the selections:
CD 1 Take the "A" Train (1939-1952)
1. Take the "A" Train 30Jun52 Private recording
2. Something To Live For 21Mar39 ARC-Brunswick
3. I’m Checking Out-Goom Bye 12Jun39 ARC-Brunswick
4. Your Love Has Faded 14oct39 ARC-Brunswick
5. Day Dream 17Aug46 ABC Treasury bc
6. After All 15Feb41 RCA-Victor
7. Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ 5Jun41 RCA-Victor
8. Clementine 2Jul41 RCA-Victor
9. Passion Flower Feb49 bc Just Jazz #46
10. Chelsea Bridge 17Sep41 Standard Radio Transcription
11. Love Like This Can’t Last 17Sep41 Standard Radio Transcription
12. Noir Bleu 29Sep41 RCA-Victor
13. Raincheck 2Dec41 RCA-Victor
14. Johnny Come Lately 26Jun42 RCA-Victor
15. Sugar Hill Penthouse 1Sep45 ABC Treasury bc
16. Balcony Serenade 24Jul45 RCA-Victor
17. Midriff -2 2Jan45 World Transcription
18. Drawing Room Blues 10Jan46 RCA-Victor
19. Tonk 10Jan46 RCA-Victor
20. Hearsay 10Nov46 Civic Opera House-Chicago
Total time 70’38"
CD 2 Lush Life (1946-1954)
1. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 3Aug46 ABC Treasury bc
2. Flippant Flurry 5Dec46 Musicraft
3. Overture to a Jam Session 11Dec46 Musicraft, both parts
4. Lotus Blossom (Charlotte Russe) late47 Johnny Hodges group
5. Progressive Gavotte -1 11Nov47 Columbia
6. Violet Blue 9Jun47 Capitol Transcription
7. Once Upon a Dream -1 20Nov47 Columbia
8. Brown Penny -2 2oct47 Columbia
9. Lush Life 13Nov48 Carnegie Hall
10. Paradise Feb49 bc Jubilee #361
11. Snibor -1 1Sep49 Columbia
12. Brown Betty 24May51 Columbia
13. Swamp Drum 23Jun51 Birdland bc
14. Smada -1 7Aug51 Columbia
15. Rock Skippin’ at the Blue
Note -4 7Aug51 Columbia
16. Orson 7Apr53 Capitol
17. Boo-Dah 9Apr53 Capitol
18. Blossom 9Apr53 Capitol
19. All Day Long 26Apr54 Capitol
20. Coffee and Kisses 29Apr54 Dance date Portland
Total time 65’49"
A few comments on the discographical notes:
CD 1, track 1 was made during a private recording session at Columbia
Studio, 30th Street NYC. It was acquired by Columbia and
received the matrix number CO 48343, which gave the impression that
it was recorded on 1Jul52 together with 48344 and 48345. The liner
notes are correct with the date of 30Jun52.
CD 1, track 5: add Harold Baker. The personnel is the same as for CD
2, track 1. The beginning of the piano introduction has been edited,
to get rid of the announcement of "Day Dreams"[sic].
CD 1, track 9: quite a considerable part of the opening intro on
piano has been edited, more than required to get rid of the spoken
announcement. I cannot believe that it was Billy who played the
piano.
CD 2, track 2: is not from 3Sep46, but from 5Dec46. The personnel is
as for CD 2, track 3.
CD 2, track 4. I mention the personnel not because the liner notes
are in error (they are not) but because you may not find the listing
in Duke Ellington’s discography: Harold Baker, Johnny Hodges, Al
Sears, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, Oscar Pettiford and Sonny
Greer.
CD 2, track 10: add Ray Nance. I cannot believe that it was Billy who
played the piano.
CD 2, tracks 13, 14 and 15: delete Fats Ford.
CD 2, track 16: I cannot believe that it was Billy who played the piano.
CD 2, track 19: add Gerald Wilson. I cannot believe that it was Billy who played
the piano.
Sjef Hoefsmit
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Columbia River (US) CRG 212006 (2 CD set)
(2000)
"Duke Ellington - Cocktail Hour"
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DEMS 05/2-32
We thank Lloyd Mair for sending a copy to DEMS to identify the
selections.
CD 1
1. What Am I Here For? 26Feb42
2. Raincheck 2Dec41
3. In a Mellotone 5Sep40
4. Ko-Ko -2 6Mar40
5. Warm Valley -3 17oct40
6. I Got It Bad -1 26Jun41
7. Perdido -1 21Jan42
8. Main Stem 26Jun42
9. Bojangles 28May40
10. Take the "A" Train 15Feb41
11. Harlem Air-Shaft 22Jul40
12. Concerto for Cootie 15Mar40
13. Chelsea Bridge 2Dec41
14. Moon Mist -2 21Jan42
CD 2
1. It Don't Mean a Thing 2Feb32
2. St. Louis Blues -B 11Feb32
3. Creole Love Call -A 11Feb32
4. Ducky Wucky -A 19Sep32
5. Lightnin' -A 21Sep32
6. Sophisticated Lady -2 15Feb33
7. Drop Me Off in Harlem -A 17Feb33
8. Bundle of Blues -A 16May33
9. Harlem Speaks -A 15Aug33
10. Daybreak Express -1 4Dec33
11. Delta Serenade -2 9Jan34
12. Stompy Jones 9Jan34
13. Moonglow 12Sep34
14. In a Sentimental Mood 30Apr35
CD 2, track 2 is take -B according to Eddie Lambert p53
because CW played open horn and not muted and growl.
DEMS
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Document Records Jaz 1014
"Duke Ellington – The Bubber Miley Era"
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DEMS 05/2-33
1. Choo Choo
2. Birmingham Breakdown
3. Hop Head
4. Creole Love Call
5. Black and Tan Fantasy
6. Washington Wobble
7. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
8. Sweet Mama
9. Black Beauty
10. Jubilee Stomp
11. Diga Diga Doo
12. Swampy River
13. The Mooche
14. Hot and Bothered
15. Louisiana
16. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
17. Bandanna Babies
18. I Must Have That Man
19. Tiger Rag – Parts 1 & 2
20. Flaming Youth
21. Saturday Night Function
We have not been able to identify the tracks. If you need
help, we will be happy to check an audio copy of this CD. If you are
interested go to http://www.document-records.com/ or sales@document-records.com
DEMS
ELLINGTONIA
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Ab Fable ABCD1-014 (2005)
Ray Nance – The Complete 1940-1949 non-Ducal Violin Recordings,
featuring Ben Webster Clarinet Transcriptions
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DEMS 05/2-34
Horace Henderson and His Orchestra, Chicago, 27Feb40
1. Kitty on
Toast WC-2965-A on Vocalion 5433
Ben Webster and Ray Nance quartet and quintet, L.A. 1941
2. Ab Swing
3. Eb Swing
4. Swingin’ in 4
5. Memories of You
6. I Never Knew (that Roses Grew)
7. The Sheik of Araby
8. I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love with
Me
Ray Nance trumpet on 6; rest on violin. Ben Webster clarinet
on 2-5,7; tenor on 6,8. Almost certainly Fred Guy and Sonny Greer on
all and undoubtedly Jimmie Blanton on 6-8.
The 78rpm lacquers were recorded by an unidentified friend of Ben
Webster. Unreleased!
Earl Hines and Sextet, NYC, 26Apr44
9. Trouble, Trouble R1008 on Apollo 357
10. Design for Jivin’ R1009 on Apollo 357
with a.o. Johnny Hodges (J. Harjes on labels), Oscar Pettiford
and Betty Roach (Roché on labels).
Eddie Heywood Orchestra, NYC, 2May44
11. How High the Moon RHT-1A-T on Signature 40002
12. Penthouse Serenade RHT-4 -T on Signature 40001
Ray Nance and the Ellingtonians, London, 1Jul48
13. Moon Mist m-7-58-2 on Artist B.3048
14. Sometimes I’m Happy m-7-59-2 on Artist B.3048
15. Blues for Duke m-7-61-2 on Esquire 10-041
Ivory Joe Hunter, L.A. 28Feb49
16. Waiting in Vain 5683-X2-5 S on King 4291
17. It’s Just You 5684-X-ICN
A on King 4326
18. That’s the Gal for Me 5685-X
S on King 4291
19. Guess Who? 5687-1 on King 4306
20. Too Late 5688-2-TS-VLD on King 4405
with Harold Baker, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope, Wendell
Marshall, Sonny Greer.
Babs Gonzales, NYC, 27Apr49
21. When Lovers They Lose 3782-1 not
issued on 78rpm Capitol
but first on CD Blue Note CDP7844642
On the first day of the Duke Ellington Conference in Stockholm
(13May04) Frank Büchmann Møller presented acetates he
found in the Ben Webster Collection. He played for us the three
selections with Jimmie Blanton (tracks 6,7 and 8 on this CD) and he
spoke of a five-minute recording of Body and Soul with
probably Sonny Greer vocal. This recording is not released on this
CD, because it probably did not contain a violin rendition by Ray
Nance. The CD is a release in a series of AB Fable Violin
Improvisation Studies. I have never seen discographical data in such
detail (and errorless) than on this impeccable release. Tracks 13 and
14 have been taken from the Swedish 78rpm Artist label, they were
also released on the British Esquire 10-042, but Artist had a quieter
pressing. The recordings in London on 1Jul48 have been made by Peter
Newbrook, who did a presentation at the Ellington Conference in Leeds
on 24May97 about Duke’s British tour in 1948 (See DEMS 97/2-8).
Among other selections, he played for us track 13, as released on
Esquire.
I received my copy from Anthony Barnett (with double "t", I’m
sorry for my error in my report of the Stockholm conference). This is
his full address: AB Fable, 14 Mount Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7
1HL, England. Tel/Fax (+44) (0) 01273 479393. www.abar.net — ab@abar.net.
USA distributor: North Country – Cadence, Cadence Building,
Redwood, NY 13679-3104. Tel 315 287 2852. Fax 315 287 2860. www.cadencebuilding.com
— orders@cadencebuilding.com
Sjef Hoefsmit
I think I am right in saying that the correct title of track 6,
composed by Fiorito and Kahn, is simply I Never Knew. However
there is a second song with exactly the same title, composed by Pitt,
Eagan, Marsh and Whiteman. Both songs are well known and both are
favourites of jazz musicians. So it is not unusual to see the title
expanded as it is here, in order to identify which I Never
Knew is the one being discussed. The other is similarly expanded
to I Never Knew (I Could Love Anybody Like I’m Loving
You), for example on the Earl Hines LP ‘Tour De
Force’.
Roger Boyes
The notes say that the guitar player on tracks 2-8 "almost
certainly" is Fred Guy. It may be so, and it should be interesting to
see the indications that lead to this conclusion. If this is Fred Guy
on the guitar, these recordings are the only recorded examples of
solo playing by him, except a few recorded breaks with Duke
Ellington. He plays intro on most of the titles, and a long solo in
Swingin' in 4.
Ken Steiner’s original research of the Ellingtonian movements in
these days gave me the idea, that the guitarist might be someone
else, namely Alvin Junior Raglin, who of course later became
Blanton’s successor in the Ellington band. [See DEMS Bulletin
05/1-7]
Junior Raglin lived on the West Coast at that time, and the article
that Ken Steiner found and brought to our attention is by Ken
Freeman, "Music and Musicians," California Voice, 28Nov41, p5, in
which Raglin’s joining the Ellington orchestra after Blanton is
reported, together with a „review" of the same Junior
Raglin’s fine solo guitar playing on an earlier date, apparently
around June 1940 at a jam session at Frisco’s Dawn Club.
It could be fine if further research could lead to an affirmation of
the identity of the guitarist on these sensational recordings, Fred
Guy or Junior Raglin — or somebody else?
Bjarne Busk**
I can't add anything to the guitarist debate, but certainly agree the
Ray Nance/Ben Webster recordings are sensational. My copy arrived
today from <http://www.abar.net> and the whole CD is a delight
and beautifully put together.
Quentin Bryar**
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Jazz in Motion Records JIM 75219
Ellington Suites — Far East Suite — The River
Tony Overwater Trio and Calefax Reed Quintet
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DEMS 05/2-35
After the very successful CD by Anthony Brown’s Asian
American Orchestra (see DEMS 99/5-20/1) we have here another attempt
to show the beauty of Duke’s and Billy’s "Far East Suite"
in an unusual instrumentation. Tony Overwater Trio consist of Maarten
Ornstein, tenor; Tony Overwater, bass and Wim Kegel, drums. It is a
well known and highly respected group in Dutch Jazz circles. The
Calefax Reed Quintet consist of five classically trained musicians:
Oliver Boekhoorn, oboe and english horn; Ivar Berix, clarinet; Raaf
Hekkema,alto saxophone; Jelte Althuis, bass clarinet and Alban Wesly,
bassoon. Oliver Boekhorn wrote the charts for the "Far East Suite".
He omitted two movements: Blue Pepper and Mount
Harissa, being less suitable for the symbiosis between the Trio
and the Quintet. The other movements were re-written and performed
very successfully. The melodies were followed respectfully and to
hear this well-known music in a different instrumentation is a great
pleasure. Tony Overwater showed to be an excellent bass player in his
intro to Amad. The only time I missed Duke’s pep-section
was in Bluebird of Delhi, but I didn’t miss it in "Ad Lib
on Nippon". Since there was no piano among the instruments, the two
piano-solo’s by Ellington in "Ad Lib on Nippon" had to be
re-written for reed instruments. This was very cleverly done. Several
instruments in line played the beautiful melodies of Fugi
and Nagoya. It is worthwhile to compare Nagoya with
Duke’s first attempt to play this tune in Tokyo on 1Jul64, see
the Storyville CD "The Piano-Player" in this Bulletin on 05/2-30. One
could in the same time compare Duke’s piano-version of several
parts of "The River" on the Storyville CD with the second Suite on
this Jazz in Motion CD. Without the tenor player the trio (now duo)
and the quintet performed the complete "The River" suite. Not long
ago I found on the Duke-LYM list a remark that Count Basie swung more
than Ellington. That is correct. Basie swung more often. Duke wrote
and played a lot of music without any or with hardly any swing. In
the liner notes is suggested that Duke accumulated a lot of
experience with writing for dancers in his Cotton Club years, but
that does not make much sense in this case. "The River" is written
exclusively for a ballet (choreographed by Alvin Ailey, and not
Aily). It is amazing how effectual Duke could write music in another
than his usual style. The recording of the complete suite on this CD
is absolutely gorgeous. If comparing the "Far East Suite" with
Duke’s rendition could occasionally make you prefer the
original, "The River" as arranged for these seven musicians by Raaf
Hekkema beats every previous rendition I have heard. The different
parts have been played without interruptions, which is appropriate
for a river. The recordings has been made in the new BIM house in
Amsterdam on 16Feb05. I can fullheartedly recommend this CD for your
collection of Ellingtonia.
The CD is available through the web-sites
<http://www.jazzinmotion.com> and
<http://www.tonyoverwater.com>
Sjef Hoefsmit**