THE DUKE

according to the copyright date, it was 1963, my sophomore year in high school, that i became captivated by the ellington band. columbia records reissued on mono LPs ellington recordings from 1927-1940. vol 1 was 3 LPs[C3L27].

i played this music constantly. loved it. some time later, they issued vol 2, another 3 LPs[C3L39].

back then, i preferred the music on vol 1.

these vinyls went everywhere with me. when i was at harvard, i played them constantly. since it was the era of folk music, blues, rock 'n roll, marijuana, acid, psilocybin et alia, the very hip tutors in winthrop house thought i was somehow retarded to be listening to this jazz from the 1930s. and i confused them, i was hanging out at club 47 and booking bands[chambers brothers, etc] for mixers.

since i have the bad habit of never throwing anything away, i still have these collections. i have listened to all of the cd reissues of ellington's stuff, but in my opinion the versions on these 6 vinyls are the best. and they have never been reissued in the cd format.

i am recalling these thoughts, these memories tonight, because i am playing a new collection of the ellington past issued by mosaic. thank you, michael cuscuna, for sponsoring this recapturing of great music.

entitled DUKE ELLINGTON: THE COMPLETE 1936-1940 VARIETY, VOCALION AND OKEH SMALL GROUP SESSIONS.

a fabulous production. thank you scott wenzel and steven lasker

i recognize that not everyone out there gets this jass. but try it. you might just find that you like it. it will provoke happy, dancing feet.