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Duke Ellington - Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Duke Ellington Audio CD

A fair review of the Duke Ellington "Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Duke Ellington" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Duke Ellington reviews here, or go back to the Duke Ellington tabs.

Duke Ellington Band: Duke Ellington
Title: Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Duke Ellington
Rating:
Release Date: 2000-11-07
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: East St. Louis Toodle-oo 2: Black and Tan Fantasy 3: Take It Easy 4: The Mooche 5: Rockin' In Rhythm 6: Mood Indigo 7: Creole Rhapsody 8: It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 9: Love Call 10: Sophisticated Lady 11: Solitude 12: Caravan 13: Back Room Romp 14: Ko-Ko 15: Never No Lament (aka Don't Get Around Much Anymore) 16: Cotton Tail 17: Take The "A" Train 18: Satin Doll 19: Come Sunday 20: Black Beauty

WHERE IS JACK THE BEAR!!!!!????????
WHY IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER RECORDED NOT ON THIS "GREATEST HITS" CD I THINK I'LL MAIL KEN BURNS A PIECE OF MY CAKA!.


pretty unimpressive, why Ken why???
this is aimed at the dumb novice who wants a "greatest hits" collection. I know why because of money? Why do they keep releasing these stupid compilations, tha tare so hophodged, instead of coming out with complete or at least cronological reissues. Buy a better colletio nand don';t support this money making shceme of reissuing the same songs over and over and adding one rare songs so collectors have to buy every Ellington release. it's all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.


Preety impressive
I think Duke is the most prolific artist in jazz, so making a one CD compilation that satisfies everyone is impossible. All things considered, this is really good. Every song is a masterpiece, specially everything recorded before 1940. I'd actually give it 4. 5 stars, because I dont think the inclussion of 'Jeeps Blues' was a good idea. The only track needed from Newport is 'diminuendo in blue', and since that was impossible to include here for time restrictions, they should have gone for something from Far east suite or Such sweet thunder. If you dont have any Ellington, there has never been a better one CD overview than this. Now the sound is surpeisingly good. For some of the blanton-webster tracks, is even better than the latest remastered editions. How do you explain that RCA?.


Best Ellington CD I've Seen
If that is true, and this CD is supposed to tell the story of America's greatest composer, then he (Burns) has done an excellent job. It seems to me that the purpose of the Ken Burns Jazz Series is to document a history of jazz music. While it's not perfect, it does include early performances like "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," "Black and Tan Fantasy," and "The Mooche" that are frequently ignored in Ellington compilations. It also includes some of the best recordings from the Blanton-Webster era, and the performance of "Jeep's Blues" from The 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. Although I would have liked to have seen the "Black and Tan Fantasy" with Bubber Miley, The Carnegie Hall version of "Come Sunday," and the 1928 "Black Beauty," as well as maybe a song like "Chelsea Bridge" or "Perdido" to replace "Take it Easy" or "Back Room Romp," I realize that nobody can limit an Ellington CD to 21 recordings and please everybody, and Ken Burns has done a better job on this one than any other I've seen.


Almost Perfect Collection
This collection is a good introduction to the Duke. but not perfect. I understand how difficult it is to compile a "best of" collection of jazz's greatest composer and bandleader on just one disc, but still, there are a few glaring mistakes.

First off, there was too much material from the twenties and thirties, and not nearly enough from the early forties and from Duke's post-Newport-comeback years. Early recordings like "Back Room Romp", "Creole Rhapsody", "Creole Love Call", and "Take it Easy" can't compare with forties classics like "Chelsea Bridge", "I Got it Bad", and "Perdido". And from Duke's later years I would pick The Far East Suite's "Tourist Point of View", and ". . . And His Mother Called Him Bill"'s beautiful piano solo "Lotus Blossom". And speaking of beautiful piano solos, the original version of "Black Beauty" is greatly superior to the 1960 one with Ray Nance's cornet.

On the other hand, Columbia did an otherwise great job of this collection. They used recordings from other labels, such as RCA, and the featured renditions of "Sophisticated Lady" and "Satin Doll" are the best ones around. It was also great to hear Johnny Hodges' "Jeep's Blues" solo from Newport.


You can see a complete list of all Duke Ellington discography, or go back to the Duke Ellington tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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