Search - Duke Ellington :: Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions

Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions
Duke Ellington
Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions
Genres: Jazz, Broadway & Vocalists
 
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #2
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #3
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #4

The complete and definitive edition of the studio recordings, with Ben Webster on tenor sax and Jimmy Blanton on bass. Only master takes, without alternates. 4 CD set

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Duke Ellington
Title: Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions
Members Wishing: 4
Total Copies: 0
Label: Definitive
Original Release Date: 1/1/2004
Re-Release Date: 4/5/2004
Album Type: Import
Genres: Jazz, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Swing Jazz, Orchestral Jazz, Traditional Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 4
SwapaCD Credits: 4

Synopsis

Album Description
The complete and definitive edition of the studio recordings, with Ben Webster on tenor sax and Jimmy Blanton on bass. Only master takes, without alternates. 4 CD set
 

CD Reviews

Fantastic CD's of a Fantastic Ellington Band
12/30/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have both this set and the more common RCA "Blanton-Webster Band" version of this peak Ellington band (The RCA set was issued on October 25, 1990, ASIN: B000003EO4). The Definitive Records set is much better than the RCA version. The RCA version over-uses noise reduction to the point that the sound is muffled and bland. RCA should really be ashamed. What they should do is reissue the set using the excellent remastering that was employed for their massive Centennial box set (they did this with their "Mid-Forties" box set, which I love). Definitive Records is located in Spain, but they easily ship to the USA or anywhere else. You can find them by plugging their name into your favorite web search engine. In this case, "Definitive" is the "Definitive" version of Ellington's Blanton-Webster years - avoid the current RCA version (which has a black cover and a sketch of Ellington). The sound is vibrant and clear - without noticeable hissing or popping."
Superannuated piracy
bukhtan | Chicago, Illinois, USA | 02/27/2006
(1 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the older "Definitive sets" that I bought before I understood how copyright lapse on older musical recordings is used by knowledgable aficianados of older music to remaster and promulgate music neglected by the big labels and mis-used by thieves to ripoff historic copyright holders or the aforesaid aficionados who make old music available to other aficionados. An example of the first class would be the now-deceased John R.T. Davies, who worked for labels such as Frog, Hep, and Mosaic, the Australian Robert Parker, whose works are produced by Louisiana Red Hot Records, and the rather mysterious French outfit Chronogical [sic] Jazz Classics. The second class is represented, sub-typically, by this boiler room outfit "Definitive".

These people, who move about in Andorra, Spain, and perhaps other parts over there, have burned this set over from the OLD RCA-Victor (BMG, now Sony-BMG or whatever they call themselves) set, the "Blanton-Webster" Band, with the addition of some aural decay that came I know not whence. They added some tracks from the Thirties that include the not yet quite mature Webster; these I'm pretty sure they stole from Chronogical (for some reason, the copyright holder Sony (Columbia) had not released these in a modern CD format.).

I suggest the newer BMG (RCA-Victor) release: "Never no lament". The packaging stinks and in fact the sound is not the very best I've heard, especially on the first disc, but it sure beats the older RCA release with its heavy handed noise reduction. And, by extension, this shameful rip-off.

"
A few good tracks..
Dave Wilson | Melting Icebergs, Planet Earth | 07/03/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)

"5 Stars for Duke. Minus 4 stars for remastering (or lack of). The material is the cream of the crop Ellington, but the people who remastered this tried to get too much clarity and the end result is distortion. Definitive releases are usually a good bargain but this is a complete waste of money.

Buy the "Never No Lament" compilation. It's also has suffered the overuse of the original masters but it's the best you can get.

Where's JT Davies on this one? RCA probably would let him near these recordings 'cause then we'd have affirmation that most remastering is pretty average.

Add One star for the tracks here that are Columbia issues and they are impossible to find elsewhere(Hello Columbia...not everyone wants the Complete... And how about issuing the late 40's/Early 50's seperately?).

Also Mr JB Blues and a couple other Blanton duets are here and difficult to find elsewhere.

Dave Wilson"