DVD "A Duke Named Ellington"

DEMS 07/2-5

See DEMS 07/1-11

TDES NYC has copies of this DVD to sell. If you want to buy a copy send your name and address and make out a check in US dollars to TDES Inc. Box 31 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008-0031, USA.
The DVD is priced $ 30.-. Shipping US $ 3.- for one and $ 3.50 for two. Canada $ 3.50 for one and $ 5.- for two. Western Europe $ 6.- for one and $ 10.- for two.
If you send cash, you do so at your own risk.
For Europeans: Terry Carter has labelled the DVD as zone-free. To be on the safe side, please be sure that you can play NTSC DVD's.
There seems to be a demand for knowing exactly where the different recordings in this documentary came from. Terry Carter answered this question from Joe Medjuck on the Duke-LYM list, but the answer can be a bit more detailed. I remembered that Luciano Massagli showed me once his research on this documentary and he was so generous to send me his findings. I have not been able to check if the video recording, made by Luciano is fully identical with the DVD, because I am still waiting for my copy to be sent to me by TDES.
Sjef Hoefsmit**

Video recordings of "A Duke Named Ellington

These are the "talking heads" in the documentary in the sequence as they appeared. We presume that these interviews were especially recorded for the documentary and not "borrowed" from somewhere else and if they were, we must admit that we have not discovered their sources.
Herb Jeffries, Adelaide Hall, Clark Terry, Jimmy Hamilton, Leonard Feather, Louie Bellson, Ron Smith, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Alice Babs and Alvin Ailey.
The sequences with Willie "The Lion" Smith and with Teddy Wilson were earlier used for the Swedish telecast "To Duke with Love", on the air on 26Apr69. The sequence with Ben Webster was earlier used for the 12 parts Danish TV series "Jazzens Ansigter", produced by Per Møller Hansen. The series was later called "Faces of Jazz".
The sequences with Cootie Williams and Russell Procope were recorded by Gary Keys in his studio for his documentary "Memories of Duke".

If you start your counter on 0:00 you will find the following items in Part 1:
0:53 - You see a part of Take the "A" Train, recorded in Copenhagen on 7Nov71, second concert
2:50 - You hear Black and Tan Fantasy, recorded by RCA on 26oct27
4:03 - You see Duke, interviewed by Per Møller Hansen in Malmö on 10Nov71. This interview was telecast in the series "Jazzens Ansigter" part 6, on the air 3Nov72
6:01 - You see Irving Mills, introducing Ellington and you see a part of Creole Rhapsody, recorded for Paramount Pictorial Magazine # 837, probably on 4Mar33
7:39 - You hear Irving Mills announcing and Ellington playing Cotton Club Stomp, recorded 12Apr29
8:41 - You hear Creole Love Call, recorded 26oct27
10:04 - You see a part of the interview of Duke, recorded for the Swedish telecast "To Duke with Love", on the air 26Apr69
11:23 - You hear East St. Louis Toodle-O, recorded 5Mar37 (take -1)
12:43 - You see Old Man Blues from the picture "Check and Double Check", recorded Aug30
15:02 - You see a part of Ebony Rhapsody from the picture "Murder at the Vanities", recorded 26Feb34
15:24 - You see a part of Goin' Up from the picture "Cabin in the Sky", recorded 28Sep42
18:05 - You see a part of Tootie for Cootie, recorded 7Feb63 for the Swedish telecast "Mood Indigo"
18:52 - You see a part of Rockin' in Rhythm, recorded 20Feb64 for the BBC telecast "Jazz 625"
24:14 - You see a part of Perdido, recorded 31Jan65 in Copenhagen
25:30 - You see a part of Tokyo, recorded 16Feb65 for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
29:50 - You see a part of Banquet Scene, recorded 20Feb64 for the BBC telecast "Jazz 625"
32:26 - You see a part of Cotton Tail, one of the "Ellington Soundies", recorded Nov/Dec41
34:08 - You see a part of All Too Soon, recorded in Copenhagen on 7Nov71, first concert and you see a part of the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
36:09 - You see a part of the interview by Michael Dean in Feb65 at the BBC-2 studio, used for the telecast "Late Night Line Up" on 26Mar65 and for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
40:04 - You see a part of Chinoiserie, recorded in Copenhagen on 7Nov71, second concert
43:40 - You see a part of the interview mentioned at 36:09
44:00 - You see The Opener, recorded 16Feb65 for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
47:42 - You see a part of The Second Portrait of The Lion, recorded in Copenhagen on 23Jan67 for the telecast of TV Byen
48:53 - You see Nagoya, recorded 16Feb65 for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
52:50 - You see Solitude, recorded at the National Studio in NYC for the Swedish telecast "To Duke with Love", on the air 26Apr69

If you start your counter on 0:00 you will find the following items in Part 2:
0:00 - You see a part of Take the "A" Train, recorded in Copenhagen on 23Jan67 for the telecast of TV Byen (DESOR 6709 g)
1:40 - You see a part of Mood Indigo, the Snader transcription, recorded in Hollywood on 14Mar52
3:56 - You see Mood Indigo, recorded 16Feb65 for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
7:34 - You see a part of Eight Veil, recorded 7Feb63 for the Swedish telecast "Mood Indigo" and you see sequences from the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"
9:29 - You see a part of Wailing Interval, recorded 31Jan65 in Copenhagen, but you hear Paul playing at Newport on 7Jul56
11:35 - You see Chelsea Bridge, recorded 16Feb65 for the BBC documentary "Ellington in Europe"

12:25 - You see another part of the interview mentioned at 36:09 in Part 1
16:05 - You see a part of Lotus Blossom, recorded in Copenhagen on 23Jan67 for the telecast of TV Byen
17:56 - You see another part of the interview mentioned at 36:09 in Part 1
21:04 - You see a part of the interview by Timme Rosenkranz at the Grosvernor House in London on 11, 12 or 13Jan63. This interview is according to Nicholson p474, note 104, used for "Faces of Jazz". See also DEMS Bulletin 04/2-17
22:14 - You see a part of Don't Get Around Much Anymore, recorded for the RKO film short "Duke Ellington and His Orchestra" at Long Island on 17 and 19Jun43
28:05 - You see AGRA, recorded for the CBC show "The Duke" on 3 and 4Sep64 at the studio on 354 Jarvis Street in Toronto for the series "Festival"
30:32 - You see another part of Tootie for Cootie, recorded 7Feb63 for the Swedish telecast "Mood Indigo"
31:42 - You see another part of the interview of Duke, recorded for the Swedish telecast "To Duke with Love", on the air 26Apr69
33:05 - You see in combination with the Alvin Ailey interview parts from his conception of The Lake and Stalking Monster
38:54 - You see parts of Come Sunday, recorded 31Jan65 in Copenhagen
42:04 - You see another part of the interview of Duke, recorded for the Swedish telecast "To Duke with Love", on the air 26Apr69
43:41 - You see a part of the interview by Byng Whitteker, recorded on 2 Sep64 at the CBC Studio, 354 Jarvis Street in Toronto for the programme "A Gift for Boxing Day"
46:24 - You see a part of AMAD, recorded for the CBC show "The Duke" on 3 and 4Sep64 at the studio on 354 Jarvis Street in Toronto for the series "Festival"
48:04 - You see a part of Praise God (DESOR 6951 a) and T.G.T.T. from the second Sacred Concert, recorded at the Gustav Vasa Kyrkan in Stockholm on 6Nov69
51:31 - You see Happy Reunion, recorded in Copenhagen on 7Nov71, second concert
54:00 - You see another part of Take the "A" Train, recorded in Copenhagen on 7Nov71, second concert

DVD Musicals 7
Go to <VintageFilmBuf.com>
to find the film "Murder at the Vanities"

DEMS 07/2-6

Carl Hällström reports the release of this film on DVD.
This is a synopsis of the story, taken from the web-site:
"The Earl Carroll Vanities, a popular Broadway revue of the 1930s and '40s, is the setting for this murder mystery interspersed with an assortment of variety acts, including Duke Ellington performing Ebony Rhapsody and a novelty number called Marijuana.
Victor McLaglen stars as Bill Murdock, a detective investigating a series of murders during the opening night of a new edition of the Vanities. When private detective Sadie Evans (Gail Patrick) is found murdered, Murdock must investigate between musical numbers to find the killer. When Rita Rose (Gertrude Michael) next turns up dead, Murdock concludes young ingenue Ann Ware (Kitty Carlisle) is the next person marked for death. Murdock has to find the murderer before the ending of the show or else he or she could disappear in the departing crowd of theatergoers."
Marijuana (a.k.a. Marahuana) is not performed by Ellington. See for this picture Klaus Stratemann p73.
DEMS


Jazz Icon DVD Amsterdam 2Nov58

DEMS 07/2-7

Leland Farley reported on the Duke-LYM list that a new DVD is coming on the market soon with video recordings made in Amsterdam on 2Nov58.
These are the titles:
Black and Tan Fantasy
Creole Love Call
The Mooch
Harlem Air-Shaft
Sophisticated Lady
My Funny Valentine
Kinda Dukish & Rockin' In Rhythm
Mr. Gentle and Mr. Cool
Jack The Bear
You Better Know It
All of Me
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Hi Fi Fo Fum
Sophisticated Lady
Medley: Don't Get Around Much Anymore; Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me; Don't You Know I Care?; In a Sentimental Mood; Mood Indigo; I'm Beginning To See the Light; Caravan; I Got It Bad; It Don't Mean a Thing; Solitude; I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart & Don't Get Around Much Anymore.
Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue

That means that we have three totally "fresh" recordings: Harlem Air-Shaft; Jack the Bear and You Better Know It. Sophisticated Lady is not "fresh". There were two recordings made of Sophisticated Lady in the concert. The first one is only known as an audio recording from a radio broadcast. It was with a complete Harry Carney solo between Perdido (also only in audio) and My Funny Valentine (only in video). It seems that this long version of Sophisticated Lady is now for the first time in video. We will have to wait and see, because the version with only Duke on the piano, is no longer included in the Medley but probably misplaced between Hi Fi Fo Fum and the start of the Medley (in Leland Farley's listing that is).
There has been quite some discussion on the Duke-LYM list and for the benefit of those who have no Internet connection or who are not subscribed to the Duke-LYM list I print my answer to a question by Frank Rutherford.

Timner suggests that there were two concerts in Amsterdam and he lists "Tenderly", "Perdido" and "Just Squeeze Me" in the programme. None of these were in the original broadcast and aren't on the new Jazz Icons DVD either. I wonder if the contacts in Holland could find these as well?
Frank Rutherford

There were indeed two concerts. I attended both. And there were two different radio broadcasts, both with recordings of the second concert.
It depends in which edition of Timner you are looking. In the first edition there was no 2Nov58 session, in the second and third edition there was only Hi Fi Fo Fum and the Medley without Just Squeeze Me but with Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue. This came from the second (chronological) of the two radio broadcasts.
The first radio broadcast started with
Take the "A" Train and went on with
Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call, The Mooch
Tenderly
Perdido
Sophisticated Lady
Medley with Just Squeeze Me and without Solitude.
It took me some time to conclude that the two broadcasts came from the same concert. For some time I assumed that there were two Medley's from the two different concerts, but synchronously listening revealed that both broadcasts had the same Medley although each was missing one (but not the same) selection.

In DEMS 85/4-11, Benny Aasland published that he had a video recording of 40' from the Dutch TV. This Video contained:
Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call, The Mooch
My Funny Valentine
Mr Gentle and Mr Cool
All of Me
Medley without Just Squeeze Me but with Solitude

In DEMS 91/5-5 the release of the VHS tape VIDJAZZ 31 was announced. The contents were the same as in the Benny Aasland tape.

In DEMS 93/3-2, I revealed the existence of a more complete video recording, which was not (as far as I know) used for a telecast through the Dutch television, but came in the hands of collectors. It was copied from the original tape, given by the radio station to the Dutch commentator Michiel de Ruyter.
This tape was the same as the Benny Aasland tape with the following differences: The opening Take the "A" Train was (partial) included. After My Funny Valentine came first Kinda Dukish & Rockin' in Rhythm, after All of Me came first Things Ain't What They Used to Be, followed by Hi Fi Fo Fum. The Medley was again without Just Squeeze Me but with Solitude and the tape concluded with Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue.

In the fourth edition of Timner is a listing taken from the DEMS cassette CA-13 in which I combined everything that we had on that moment (it was Christmas 1990). That were both radio broadcasts and the Benny Aasland video tape. Timner added to that list two of the selections that were included in the Michiel de Ruyter tape, from which the contents were mentioned in DEMS 93/3-2.
The existence of the De Ruyter tape was confirmed by Jaap Lüdeke in "De Volkskrant" of 7May99 and his letter was printed in DEMS Bulletin 99/3-7.
Now we see that there was even more material hidden somewhere else. It is not difficult to restrain ourselves in complaining about the mess in Dutch television circles as long as new material pops up.
I am looking forward to this new DVD (expected in Aug07), especially because Patricia Willard is writing the liner-notes! She told me that the release will be made zone-free, area code "0".
Sjef Hoefsmit**

Duke's Itinerary

1933 Sacred Concert?

DEMS 07/2-8

Ellington’s eight-week tour of Texas and Oklahoma theatres included special midnight shows, after-hours dances and hotel broadcasts, and personal appearances at African American schools and churches. Here’s a report from one of Amarillo’s daily papers.

“Ellington Matinee Red Letter Event for Negroes Here”
Due principally to the efforts of Matthew ‘Bones’ Hooks, old-time negro cowboy and leader in his community, a midnight matinee was arranged at the Paramount Theater for negroes only, at which Duke Ellington and his Harlem Aristocrats entertained 630 patrons in an hour and a half show that proved to be an all-time red letter event for those present. [This was the first time African Americans were permitted entrance to the theatre.]
Ellington also played a sacred concert in one of the negro churches between shows last night for the older members of the colony, and for those who could not attend the midnight show. This, too, was arranged by Bones. (Amarillo Globe, Amarillo, TX, 9Nov33, p2)
Ken Steiner**


Broadcast from the Ritz-Carlton

DEMS 07/2-9

Duke Ellington over NBC's Blue network on the 1st of August 1939, from Ritz-Carlton in Boston, in a special radio salute to Station KECA in Hollywood, 12.45:43 - 12:52:30 AM EDST, playing:
East St. Louis Toodle-O; Way Low; I´m Checking Out-Goom Bye.
Originally planned to be performed were: East St. Louis Toodle-O; Serenade to Sweden; A Lonely Co-Ed.
Carl Hällström**