Essential pre-50s Ellington?

[nmorin]

I have all but one of the Chronogical Classics (DAMN YOU 1938 VOLUME I !!!!) and Neatworks Ellington CDs, and--like Miles, Mingus, Monk, Pops, and Coltrane--I find immersing myself in these Ellington CDs for a couple weeks, almost to the exclusion of other music, is an incredible experience.

My post-1952 Ellington collection is scant, but I am sure I'll fill that in over time.

So my question is: What essential Ellington from the period covered by the Classics/Neatworks CDs am I missing? Treasury shows? V-Disc compilations? Live shows?

[brownie]

If there is ONE you need, it's the November 7, 1940 dance date at Fargo, North Dakota. The 1940 Webster-Blanton band caught live. Out on two CDs! Essential!

[Pete B]

You probably want the Carnegie Hall concerts as well. 3 dates are available on OJC, a fourth on Storyville. The 1948 is out of print, I forget the label it was on, but it is not too hard to find used.

The V-Discs are available on a relatively inexpensive 3-disc set. Not much information in the package as to dates and personnel, but the music is really nice.

I agree with Brownie, the Fargo set is the finest of the lot.

[EKE BBB]

If there is ONE you need, it's the November 7, 1940 dance date at Fargo, North Dakota. The 1940 Webster-Blanton band caught live. Out on two CDs! Essential!

Yeah!!!!

One of the most amazing concerts by the orchestra.

On the Treasury Shows: so far I only have four or five volumes (out of 11 released), but the musical level of what I´ve heard is very high as well.

I´d suggest a few more live dates:

-At the Hurricane (1943) on Storyville

-The Carnegie Hall concerts (specially 1943 and 1944)

-At the Zanzibar (1945) on Collectors

-At the Hollywood Empire (1949) on Storyville

And also add:

-The complete Standard Transcriptions (2CD) (1941) on Soundies

-The World Broadcasting Series (5 volumes) (1943-45) on Circle Records

[jazzbo]

Good job gentlemen! I think you filled it in.

After that. . . you'll just grab up anything else you see!

[EKE BBB]

This upcoming release is probably one to get:

Duke Ellington - Cotton Club Broadcasts 1938 - 2 CDs (Storyville/Jazz Unlimited) — remastered double-set with all the surviving 1938 Cotton Club airchecks; includes previously unissed bonus tracks

The remastering of a Jazz Unlimited/Storyville vintage Ellington release is in the making. It´s a double-set with all the surviving 1938 Cotton Club airchecks and bonus tracks including (the previously unissued) Skrontch (24Mar38) and Solitude (17Apr38).

Carl Hällström, who located some of the original acetates, including 24Mar and 17Apr, wrote this in the last issue of DEMS Bulletin.

[EKE BBB]

A few "jungle music" suggestions for non-completists (those who don´t want to take the Classics+Neatwork or the Masters of Jazz path):

-For Brunswick and Vocalion recordings, the three-disc set, "Early Ellington" (Decca Jazz GRD-3-640).

-For those made for Columbia, Okeh and others: the 2CD "The Okeh Ellington" (Columbia C2K 46177)

-Recordings made for RCA-Victor: "Early Ellington, 1927-1934" (Bluebird 6852-2-RB); "Jungle Nights in Harlem, 1927-1932" (Bluebird 2499-2-RB); and "Jubilee Stomp" (Bluebird 66038-2), which covers 1928-34.