It starts with the Piano Duets by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on their album Great Times (CD 1) by 1950. classics from their spring like Cotton Tail, C Jam Blues or Take The A Train and nine other jazz standards - in about three minutes' versions recorded among others. with Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Jo Jones (Drums) - vote swinging a the subsequent albums from the years 1950-1961.
The recordings for Ellington Uptown emerged 1951/1952. There a re-hearing with the inimitable alto saxophone of Johnny Hodges in the 8-minute Take The A Train. This is followed by a set consisting of approximately 14-minute Suite A Tone Parallel To Harlem aka Harlem Suite, composed by Ellington on behalf of the NBC Symphony Orchetra and its then leader Arturo Toscanini. The first performance was in 1951 in the New York Met.
Throughout his life, composed Ellington suites, tone poems, ballets and film scores, and three so-called. Sacred Concerts. In 1956 he presented his one-hour fantasy A Drum Is A Woman (CD 9) in the TV show US Steel Hour. It tells the story of jazz based on the adventures of Madame Zaji and Caribee Joe, leading from the Caribbean via the Congo Square and the 52nd Street to the moon.
1957 composed of the Tireless Shakespeare Suite Such Sweet Thunder (CD 3) as a result of the commitment of the band at Shakespearean Theatre in Stratford / Ontario (Canada). Billy Strayhorn and Duke worked for weeks in Shakespeare's work and withdrawals the LP title the Midsummer Night's Dream Act 4, 1 appearance.
For a re-recording of 1943 already rehearsed with the Carnegie Hall Concert on record plant Black, Brown and Beige (CD3) on the world of slaves in the 19th century went Ellington in 1958 again to the studio this time with the unforgettable gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
1959 Ellington was asked for the first time to write a film score. The unusual soundtrack to Otto Pemingers Anatomy of a Murder (C4) was a great success and won the Grammy for Best Soundtrack. The following year, Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington flew to Paris to write here the music to Paris Blues. Later, the two worked then Grieg's Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2 (CD 4).
In 1961, the place of Billy Kyle Ellington at the piano one when he einspielt some of his compositions for the album Recording Together for the First Time with the band of Louis Armstrong. And because it was so beautiful, followed a few months later his piano interplay with Count Basie and his big band First Time! The Count Meets The Duke (both albums on CD 7). A wonderfully swinging Battle Royal - as the first track on the album between Count Basie and Duke!
The dance vollmachen six other legendary albums on five CDs: The Duke Plays Ellington and Duke Ellington At The Bal Masque (CD2), Piano In The Background (CD 5) Blue Rose (CD 6) with the singer Rosemary Clooney, the aunt the Hollywood stars, Newport 1958 (CD 8) with the star soloist Gerry Mulligan, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves; Clark Terry; Jimmy Wood, Sam Woodyard UVA and last but not least in 1959 by the renowned jazz magazine Downbeat awarded four stars Album Side By Side (CD 10) with the pianist Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges in the alto saxophonist best!
Although some of these albums have now been re-issued in the so-called Expanded version, these are 17 carefully digitized reissues in the LP Original Version a blast at a bargain price! All ten pieces of silver stuck in stable cardboard sleeves that show at all inliegenden CD on the front of its thumbnail of the original album covers and record each disco graphical data to the recording year, place and the musicians involved the individual title on the back.
Conclusion: Duke Ellington, a musical giant (as the subtitle of the 10 CD box) to be rediscovered with many facets that are worthwhile or!
