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Ellington Recommendations

Skip DrinkwaterSkip Drinkwater 1,694 Posts
edited June 2006 in Strut Central
i've been steadily getting into more and more of his work, and wanted to know what particular lp's i might be overlooking that are...

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  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts


    2 volumes each a double LP
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    MONEY JUNGLE.
  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    Indigos
  • Skip DrinkwaterSkip Drinkwater 1,694 Posts
    MONEY JUNGLE.
  • goatboygoatboy 371 Posts
    MONEY JUNGLE.

    Big Cosign on Money Jungle!

    A few more I enjoy quite a bit:

    The Blanton-Webster Band[/b]



    Three CDs of early Ellington goodness.

    Afro Bossa[/b]



    Really nice collection of Ellington exotica.

    Anatomy of a Murder[/b]



    I don't have this one myself but I've always heard it is really good...
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I'm a huge fan of his Harlem Years work, late 20's through the 30's -
    this stuff can be found for pennies in any store, too. The Okeh
    material is vital - stuff like The Mooche, Black & Tan Fantasy, Snake
    Hip Dance, Harlem Twist, etc.

    As for later material, his suites are never less than rich, beautiful & moving:







  • rawyouthrawyouth 112 Posts
    The Blanton-Webster years are rock solid. There is a two disc set of that band Live in Fargo, North Dakota, from 1940, that is amazing!
  • LordNOLordNO 202 Posts
    The Intimate Eliington is

    Mostly joints recorded afterhours with Duke fucking around by himself or with 2 or 3 cats experimentating. Nice and Mellow.
  • LordNOLordNO 202 Posts
    The Intimate Ellington is

    Mostly recorded afterhours at the studio, Duke playing around by himself or with 2 or 3 cats on some mellow experimentatin.
  • upskibooupskiboo 2,396 Posts
    i like this one:
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    don't think you've overlooked these as they are well-known, just in case....



  • Options
    Unknown
    Older than most of the titles above, but no less the art. Even the slow blues stuff would get my Grandmother smiling.



    K in Canada.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    DEFINITELY Money Jungle, also, Mood Indigo is a great starter album, has some ballad type stuff that is pretty necessary as far as ellington is concerned.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    These mentioned above are all tops. Money Jungle, Ella's songbooks, Far East Suite and Afro-Eurasian. Money Jungle is modern small group jazz that will surprise many people who thought they knew Duke. The Ella records have all the hits in great settings with the perfect vocalist. Far East and Afro-eur groove.

    The only one not mentioned that should be there is Newport. A late 50s comeback lp.
  • generiquegenerique 625 Posts
    I love all the ones above, especially the three mentioned by Soulonice (Thanks for the Beautiful land on the Delta from New Orleans Suite is ).

    Also good: the CD with lesser known suites including The Goutelas Suite and the Queens suite.

    A Drum is a Woman is weird and has good parts.

    Also good is a 80's release with early soundtracks by Ellington including a track with Billy Holiday Saddest Tale that's so incredibly deep.

    Masterworks is excellent too, with extended versions of three of his best compositions.

    His stuff on Pablo can be very good too, like This One's for Blanton.

    Nutcracker Suite has nice parts too.

    I asked this before but has anyone seen this movie?



    Is the music by Ellington specially composed or do they just use stuff?
  • Skip DrinkwaterSkip Drinkwater 1,694 Posts
    many thanks to all for the recommendations. just what i needed.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts



    ----------------


    Also, his autobiography is pretty essential reading:

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    Duke Ellington is easily the modern world's single greatest musician and composer. I pick up every single record of his that I see and have never ever been disappointed. The titles listed here are a great start.

    I can truly say that I celebrate his ENTIRE catalog.

    The late 60s/early 70s suites do get lot play around here though.
  • m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
    On the suite side, "Latin American Suite" is also nice.

  • peacefulrotationpeacefulrotation 3,481 Posts
    I've always dug this one quite a bit...

  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    This stuff right here, is the stuff....

  • deejdeej 5,125 Posts
    On point w/r/t:

    With Coltrane ("In a Sentimental Mood" whoa)
    Money Jungle (modern jazz w Mingus and Roach!)
    Far East Suite (gorgeous near-programmatic street anthems)
    @ Newport "comeback" album (Paul Gonsalves legendary sax solo etc.)

    A less-known favorite of mine that features the incomparable and underrated Sweets Edison on Trumpet:


    Incredible latter-day Ellington 70th bday celebration:


    January 1943 Carnegie Hall Concerts w/ the only full recording of "Black, Brown and Beige":
  • beatstew72beatstew72 314 Posts
    ORBIT IN BLUE
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    I've always dug this one quite a bit...


    that's the one i meant, not mood indigo, indigos. for some reason i cannot edit posts right now...
  • hugohugo 3 Posts
    As mentioned previously, the Duke Ellington Back to Back and Side By Side are great stuff. Hodges on sweet form, extremely strong albums from really wonderful sessions. Worth looking out for Ellington Suites, principally for The Single Petal of A Rose.


    And for one of the best versions, go no further than Nina Simone for her take on Good Bait
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