Title: 1952-1953 Artist: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Release Date: 6/15/2004 Label: Classics Album Type(s): Greatest Hits UPC: 3307517135025 Genre: Jazz Moods: Atmospheric, Lively, Lush, Poignant, Sentimental, Sophisticated, Stately, Sweet, Intimate, Light, Playful, Romantic, Soothing, Swaggering, Boisterous, Dramatic, Elegant, Freewheeling, Fun, Humorous, Literate, Passionate, Rollicking, Smooth, Theatrical, Warm, Bright, Carefree, Cheerful, Exuberant, Gentle, Nocturnal, Rousing, Soft, Spooky, Stylish, Ambitious, Amiable/Good-Natured, Confident, Party/Celebratory, Refined/Mannered, Reserved, Laid-Back/Mellow, Sensual, Joyous Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Perdido
2. Skin Deep
3. Ballin' the Blues
4. Body and Soul
5. Primpin' for the Prom
6. The Vulture Song
7. Follow Me
8. Satin Doll
9. Without a Song
10. Cocktails for Two
11. My Old Flame
12. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
13. Nothin', Nothin', Baby
14. Stormy Weather
15. Stardust
16. Three Little Words
17. Orson
18. Boo-Dah
19. Blossom
20. Ballin' the Blues
21. Warm Valley

Year Type Label Catalog # 2004 CD Classics 1350

No other editions were found for this album.

You've got to hand it to the folks at Classics. This is Vol. 43 in their meticulous chronological survey of the recorded works of Duke Ellington. Opening with eight and a half glorious minutes of Juan Tizol's "Perdido," this disc provides a glimpse of Duke's orchestra at a time when the music industry was allowing a lot of big bands to dry up and blow away. How sweet -- and hot -- it is to hear this particular ensemble, bristling with a brass menagerie including Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Butter Jackson, and Britt Woodman. Drummer Louie Bellson is prominently featured on his nearly seven-minute percussion showcase, "Skin Deep." These two extended LP tracks are followed by a series of lesser-known three-minute recordings. "Ballin' the Blues," with shout vocal by Jimmy Grissom, sounds almost like Wynonie Harris. A second version from 1953 provides a rare example of Ellington the boogie-woogie pianist. "Body and Soul," eloquently sung by Betty Roche, comes across majestically cool. "Primpin' for the Prom" turns on the magical Ellington light show, evoking a breathtaking sunset over any large city's skyline. Grissom grinds out a rather neurotic-sounding "Vulture Song," most memorable for Jimmy Hamilton's clarinet runs. "Satin Doll" is charming in this early incarnation. Grissom keeps returning with fairly gruesome existential offerings that make one wish for the stylistic exaggerations of Al Hibbler. But the instrumentals are exquisitely rendered. "Cocktails for Two" unfolds beautifully, and Paul Gonsalves shares "My Old Flame" with Hamilton's clarinet. Duke lays down a few delightfully eccentric chords at the piano during the opening of a marvelous rendition of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." "Three Little Words" is particularly handsome. "Orson," apparently a portrait of a certain Hollywood director, has an appropriately film noir flavor. "Boo-Dah" features Billy Strayhorn at the piano. "Blossom," an Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration, breathes with beatific calm. The disc ends with an updated "Warm Valley," featuring the milky tenor saxophone of Paul Gonsalves. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide

Name Credits Anatol Schenker Liner Notes Betty Roché Vocals Billy Strayhorn Piano Britt Woodman Trombone Clark Terry Trumpet Duke Ellington Director, Piano George Ballard Drums Harry Carney Sax (Baritone), Clarinet Hilton Jefferson Sax (Alto) Jimmy Grissom Vocals Jimmy Hamilton Sax (Tenor), Clarinet John Carroll Trumpet John Paul Hunt Trumpet Juan Tizol Trombone Louie Bellson Drums Paul Gonsalves Sax (Tenor) Quentin Jackson Trombone Ray Nance Trumpet, Violin Russell Procope Clarinet, Sax (Alto) Wendell Marshall Bass William Cat Anderson Trumpet Willie Cook Trumpet