Duke Ellington - The Indispensable Duke Ellington: From the “Golden Years” 1940–1946

Description:
An outstanding two-LP RCA Victor anthology documenting Duke Ellington and his orchestra during the celebrated 1940–1946 period—years widely regarded as one of the creative peaks of Ellington's remarkable career. The collection combines famous compositions with historically important performances and previously unreleased material.

The program includes “Morning Glory,” “Don't Get Around Much Anymore,” “Bojangles,” “Pitter Panther Patter,” “Mr. J.B. Blues,” “Raincheck,” “Chelsea Bridge,” “I Didn't Know About You,” “Carnegie Blues,” “Blue Cellophane,” “Black and Tan Fantasy,” “Mood Indigo,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Black Beauty,” “The Perfume Suite,” “Things Ain't What They Used to Be,” “Rockabye River,” “Suddenly It Jumped,” “Blue Is the Night,” “Just You, Just Me” and “Swamp Fire.”

These recordings showcase Ellington's extraordinary orchestra and the distinctive musical personalities that made it legendary, including Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Jimmy Blanton, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart, Harry Carney, Lawrence Brown, Juan Tizol and others. The set also highlights Ellington's celebrated collaboration with composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn.

Presented as a 2-LP gatefold edition with extensive historical liner notes, The Indispensable Duke Ellington is an excellent overview of one of the most important periods in American jazz.