Ellington,Duke Volume 2: From The Cotton Club To Sweden CD

As well as the Duke's skills as pianist, composer and arranger, key sidemen, such as 'Bubber' Miley, Joe 'Tricky Sam' Nanton and Johnny Hodges were recognised as major jazz soloists. This collection spans March 1929 to February 1940, a key period for jazz in general and Ellington in particular. We concentrate on the orchestra's performances, mainly instrumental, along with some featuring singer Ivie Anderson. In late 1929, there had been a major change: Bubber Miley had gone. In his place came 'Cootie' Williams, a powerful blues player in his own right. In July 1929, the Ellington Orchestra provided the music for a Ziegfeld revue, 'Showgirl', which featured the debut of George Gershwin's, An American In Paris. The revue quickly closed, panned by critics. Ziegfeld said of Duke's contribution, "... The finest exponents of syncopated music in existence. Irving Berlin went mad about them and some of the best exponents of modern music who have heard them almost jumped out of their seats with excitement over their extraordinary harmonies and exciting rhythms." Shortly after 'Showgirl' closed, the Ellington Orchestra made it's screen debut in 'Black And Tan Fantasy', a short film. A year later, the band spent their summer break in Hollywood, filming 'Check And Double Checks' featuring radio stars Amos 'n' Andy, character's played by two white actors who appeared in blackface. The best thing about the film was the number Double Check Stomps heard here in the studio version. In February 1931, Ellington left the Cotton Club. No longer restricted to serving the club's floorshows, Ellington could explore wider musical horizons. Recorded in two parts and released as a double-sided 12 inch 78 rpm disc, Creole Rhapsody, from June 1931, represented his most ambitious work to date. From 1943 until 1948, the Ellington Band performed annually at Carnegie Hall - confirmation, if any were needed, that the Duke and his band had reached the pinnacle of showbiz success

1. Rent Party Blues 2. Paducah 3. Harlem Flat Blues 4. Hot Feet 5. Sloppy Joe 6. Stevedore Stomp 7. Cotton Club Stomp 8. Arabian Lover 9. Saratoga Swing 10. Jungle Jamboree 11. Snake Hip Dance 12. Jazz Convulsions 13. Duke Steps Out 14. Haunted Nights 15. Lazy Duke 16. Blues of the Vagabond 17. When You're Smiling 18. Maori 19. Double Check Stomp 20. Cotton Club Stomp 21. Jungle Nights in Harlem 22. Shout 'Em Aunt Tillie 23. Ring Dem Bells 24. Old Man Blues 25. Big House Blues 26. Rocky Mountain Blues 27. Mood Indigo 28. Rockin' in Rhythm 29. Creole Rhapsody 30. Creole Rhapsody 31. Mystery Song 32. It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing 33. Jazz Cocktail 34. Delta Bound 35. Diga Diga Doo 36. I Can't Give You Anything But Love 37. Eerie Moan 38. Merry Go Round 39. Sophisticated Lady 40. I've Got the World Upon a String 41. Down a Carolina Lane 42. Slippery Horn 43. Drop Me Off at Harlem 44. Get Yourself a New Broom (And Sweep the Blues Away) 45. Bundle of Blues 46. Stormy Weather 47. Hyde Park 48. Ain't Misbehavin' 49. Jive Stomp 50. In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree 51. Daybreak Express 52. Solitude 53. Troubled Waters 54. Moonglow 55. In a Sentimental Mood 56. Merry Go Round 57. Clarinet Lament (Barney's Concerto) 58. Echoes of Harlem (Cootie's Concerto) 59. Kissin' My Baby Goodnight 60. Oh Babe Maybe Someday 61. In a Jam 62. I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter 63. Caravan 64. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm 65. Diminuendo in Blue 66. Crescendo in Blue 67. Gal from Joe's 68. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart 69. Braggin' in Brass 70. I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue (With the Sole of My Shoe) 71. You Gave Me the Gate (And I'm Swingin') 72. Rose of the Rio Grande 73. When My Sugar Walks Down the Street 74. Gypsy Without a Song 75. Blues Serenade 76. Old King Dooji 77. Pussy Willow 78. Subtle Lament 79. Smorgasbord and Schnapps 80. Portrait of the Lion 81. Solid Old Man 82. Cotton Club Stomp 83. Doin' the Voom Voom 84. Way Low 85. Serenade to Sweden 86. In a Mizz 87. I'm Checkin' Out Goo'm Bye 88. You Can Count on Me 89. Bouncin' Buoyancy 90. Sergeant Was Shy 91. Grievin' 92. Little Posey 93. I've Never Felt This Way Before 94. Grievin' 95. Tootin' Through the Root 96. Weely (A Portrait of Billy Strayhorn) 97. Killin' Myself 98. Your Love Has Faded 99. Country Girl 100. Solitude