Duke Ellington - Duke At His Very Best - The Jimmy Blanton Billy Strayhorn Ben Webster Sessions Legendary Works 1940-42 (2024)

This 4-CD set was produced by Alain Pailler and Tony Baldwin from meticulously restored originals that let you relive the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s golden age as though you were right there. These legendary 1940-1942 sessions include Ellington classics such as Ko-Ko, Take The ‘A’ Train, Perdido and Harlem Air-Shaft, masterfully arranged by the Duke himself and his right-hand man Billy Strayhorn. The set prominently features several Swing Era giants at their very peak: Cootie Williams and Ray Nance on trumpets; cornettist Rex Stewart; trombone players Joe Nanton and Lawrence Brown; Barney Bigard on clarinet; Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster and Harry Carney on saxophones, plus the brilliant young doublebass prodigy Jimmy Blanton. It’s a milestone in jazz history and makes essential listening.

Tracklist
Disc 1

1. Jack The Bear (03:18)
2. Ko-Ko (02:44)
3. Morning Glory (03:19)
4. Conga Brava (03:00)
5. Concerto For Cootie (03:22)
6. Cotton Tail (03:13)
7. Never No Lament (03:21)
8. Dusk (03:20)
9. Bojangles (A Portrait Of Bill Robinson) (02:55)
10. A Portrait Of Bert Williams (03:12)
11. Blue Goose (03:24)
12. Harlem Air-Shaft (03:00)
13. All Too Soon (03:33)
14. Rumpus In Richmond (02:49)
15. Sepia Panorama (03:25)
16. In A Mellotone (03:19)
17. Warm Valley (03:24)
18. Across The Track Blues (03:02)
19. Chloë (Song Of The Swamp) (03:28)
20. The Sidewalks Of New York (03:17)
21. Take The 'A' Train (02:57)
22. Blue Serge (03:24)
23. Jumpin' Punkins (03:34)

Disc 2

1. John Hardy's Wife (03:32)
2. After All (03:23)
3. Are You Sticking ? (03:04)
4. Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin' (03:37)
5. The Giddybug Gallop (03:33)
6. Chocolate Shake (02:55)
7. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (03:20)
8. Clementine (03:00)
9. Jump For Joy (02:57)
10. Five O'Clock Drag (03:14)
11. Rocks In My Bed (03:08)
12. Bli-Blip (03:06)
13. Chelsea Bridge (02:55)
14. Raincheck (02:30)
15. I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I Got (03:17)
16. Perdido (03:12)
17. C Jam Blues (02:41)
18. Moon Mist (03:01)
19. What Am I Here For? (03:28)
20. I Don't Mind (02:51)
21. Someone (03:12)
22. Main Stem (02:50)
23. Johnny Come Lately (02:41)
24. Sentimental Lady (03:02)

Disc 3

1. You, You Darlin' (03:22)
2. So Far, So Good (02:55)
3. Me and You (02:57)
4. At A Dixie Roadside Diner (02:51)
5. My Greatest Mistake (03:27)
6. There Shall Be No Night (03:13)
7. Five O'Clock Whistle (03:20)
8. The Flaming Sword (03:09)
9. I Never Felt This Way Before (03:32)
10. Flamingo (03:27)
11. The Girl In My Dreams (Tries To Look Like You) (03:21)
12. Bakiff (03:25)
13. The Brown-Skin Gal (In The Calico Gown) (03:11)
14. Moon Over Cuba (03:13)
15. What Good Would It Do? (02:48)
16. My Little Brown Book (03:15)
17. Hayfoot Strawfoot (02:36)
18. A Slip Of The Lip (Can Sink A Ship) (02:55)
19. Sherman Shuffle (02:41)
20. Pitter Panther Patter (03:04)
21. Body And Soul (03:13)
22. Sophisticated Lady (02:47)
23. Mr. J.B. Blues (03:05)

Disc 4

1. Good Queen Bess (03:02)
2. Day Dream (02:57)
3. That's The Blues, Old Man (02:57)
4. Junior Hop (03:09)
5. Without A Song (02:47)
6. My Sunday Gal (03:12)
7. Mobile Bay (03:08)
8. Linger Awhile (03:28)
9. Charlie The Chulo (03:06)
10. Lament for Javanette (02:53)
11. A Lull At Dawn (03:31)
12. Ready Eddy (03:14)
13. Some Saturday (03:00)
14. Subtle Slough (03:16)
15. Menelik (The Lion Of Judah) (03:20)
16. Poor Bubber (03:22)
17. Squaty Roo (02:26)
18. Passion Flower (03:10)
19. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (03:40)
20. Goin' Out The Back Way (02:44)
21. Brown Suede (03:09)
22. Noir Bleu (03:16)
23. 'C' Blues (02:56)
24. June (03:17)