Duke Ellington - 1956 -58 Small Group Recordings [New CD] Bonus Tracks

INCLUDES 3 BONUS TRACKSThis release compiles all known small group sessions recorded by Duke Ellington in the studio during the 1950s. For an artist so widely recorded (and one who boasts one of the most extensive – if not the most extensive – discographies in jazz history), the fact that all of his small group studio sessions from a whole decade fit onto this CD speaks of the rarity of this format in the Duke’s career. He had done a few small group recordings in the mid 1930s (mostly septets to nonets) featuring some members of his orchestra, such as Johnny Hodges and Barney Bigard, which were subsequently issued under their respective names. And of course there were a few early piano solos, and the celebrated piano-bass duets with Jimmy Blanton, but small formations would continue to be the exceptions in Ellington’s career. Therefore, it is worth listening to these documents, on which not only the musical voices of such musicians as Paul Gonsalves, Johnny Hodges or Clark Terry are heard in solitude, but also Ellington’s marvellous piano playing, as well as the pure sound of his long-time rhythm section of Jimmy Woode on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums (who are present all throughout this CD).PERSONNEL:DUKE ELLINGTON, piano on all tracks, plus:1-8: QUARTET: Paul Gonsalves (ts), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d).Chicago, June 24, 1958 (1 to 5) & January 17-29, 1957 (6 to 8).9-10: QUINTET: Same as above except Clark Terry (tp) added.Chicago, January 29, 1957.11-13: SEPTET: Same as above except Ray Nance & Willie Cook (tp) added.Chicago, January 17-29, 1957.14: QUINTET: Same as above except Paul Gonsalves & Clark Terry omitted.Chicago, January 29, 1957.15: SEXTET: Same as above except Clark Terry (tp) added. Chicago, January 29, 1957.16-19: SEPTET: Clark Terry (tp), John Sanders (v-tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl),Johnny Hodges (as), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d). Chicago, March 19, 1956.BONUS TRACKS (20-22):ORCHESTRA: Same session and personnel as 16-19 with the addition of Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance (tp), Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson (tb), Russell Procope (as, cl), Paul Gonsalves (ts) & Harry Carney (bs).TRACKS:01 IN A MELLOW TONE (take 1) 3:1602 IN A MELLOW TONE (take 2) 3:0003 HAPPY REUNION (take 1) 3:2804 HAPPY REUNION (take 2) 2:4505 DIMINUENDO AND CRESCENDO IN BLUE 7:2106 WAILING ‘BOUT 2:4807 I COVER THE WATERFRONT 3:2708 DEEP BLUES 3:3009 CIRCLE OF FOURS 2:1210 PERDIDO 3:1311 THE RIFF 2:2512 BLUER 2:1413 SLOW BLUES ENSEMBLE 3:1314 BLUES A LA WILLIE COOK 4:0315 THREE TRUMPS (aka SPACEMEN) 2:4616 WAY BACK BLUES 3:2817 WHERE’S THE MUSIC? 3:1218 RUBBER BOTTOM 2:4919 PLAY THE BLUES AND GO 4:3220 PRELUDE TO A KISS 3:2921 MISS LUCY 3:1822 MARCH 19th BLUES 5:26TOTAL TIME: 76:05