Search - Duke Ellington :: Treasury Shows, Vol. 6

Let the Zoomers Drool

Michael J. Connor | Waltham, MA USA | 06/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Treasury Shows Volume 6
In 1945 and 1946 the United States Treasury sponsored "Your Staturday Date with the Duke" on the Blue Network. Ellington was contracted to sell war bonds, and the choice of the music to be played was his and his alone. For the last few years the Danish Jazz Label Storyville has been releasing these Treasury Shows in order. Here at we get a broadcast from the Franklin Gardens in Evanville Indiana, the Palace Theatre in Akron, Ohio, and we also get an airshot from the New Zanzibar from October 28, 1945. This one, Volume 6, happens to be my favorite. There are loads of Live Ellington CD's out there. From airshots from the Cotton Club in 1938, to Carnegie Hall from the January 1943, to Newport and the list goes on. But this live performance from Evansville Indiana from June 16, 1945 is my favorite.
It's not that Johnny Hodges plays like a dream on "On The Sunny Side of the Street." Or the great live versions of Blue Serge, Jumpin' Punkins, Cotton Tail, Ko-ko, Boy Meets Horn, and the rarely featured Blue Belles of Harlem. No it goes beyond that. You see at Evansville Ellington played my favorite version of my favorite song of his. New World A-Coming was written for Ellington's December 1943 concert at Carnegie Hall. He took the title from Roi Ottley's book. He then put the song in the band's book but did not perform it on regular basis. Here with the Treasury Shows Ellington spotlighted his own longer compositions after the station break. Here is Ellington playing at his most European, his most avant gaurd and yet his stride style is also featured. This is a song that looks forward and backward. So let zoomers drool."