Best Of Duke Ellington: Original Capitol Recordings

Duke Ellington

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 5, 1992)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Curb Records
• ASIN: B000000D1Z
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,456 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Duke Revisits, March 16, 2001

By	Ted Ficklen (Saint Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

Duke Ellington recorded for many labels during his lifetime and every one of those record companies have done their own "Best Of" re-issues. These Capitol recordings were done in the early 1950's and were the first re-recordings of the old Ellington standards of the 1920's and 30's. Unhampered by the time limits of the 78 rpm disc, the orchestra gets a chance to stretch out a bit. The sound here is comparable to other Hi-Fi recordings--vastly preferable to the 78's, even if the arrangements are sweeter and less funky than the originals.

Some Critics at the time of original release really slammed Ellington for trying to "improve" on his past, but looking at his entire career, you see his was constantly re-arranging and re-recording his standards.

This compilation on the Curb label is a better price than Capitol's own "Best Of" collection.

5.0 out of 5 stars the Duke rocks!, March 30, 2002

By	"john37481" (Seattle USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Duke Ellington (Audio CD)

Only one famous "hit" on this compilation -- a lovely "Sophisticated Lady" from 1970 featuring the marvelous Harry Carney on baritone sax. The rest of the collection is a delightful mixed bag of short pieces recorded from '69 to '71, and a discographically unique extended 20 minute suite from 1959.

Standouts among the short tunes are a two of Duke's rock-and-roll-riff-and-blow tunes, "Bateau" and "Mendoza." I love Duke Ellington's rock-and-roll music, sounding like oddball 1960s party music movie soundtracks, with slightly dissonant bluesy riffs, excellent solos from his unparalleled band of virtuoso improvisers, and great rocking drums from the terrific Rufus "Speedy" Jones. The other short tracks feature Johnny Hodges and other great soloists in 3 of Duke's almost-always excellent vignettes. Excellent throughout, on this record.

The album's extended piece, "The Queen's Suite," was originally recorded and privately cut onto one single LP by the Duke at his own expense, as a gift to Queen Elizabeth of England for her private enjoyment in 1959. (The release date cited by Amazon might be wrong; I have read that the Queen's Suite was not made commercially available until after the Duke's death in 1975.) Written by Ellington and Strayhorn, the suite of six short pieces is highlighted by two additions to the Ellington Orchestra's canon of gorgeous "sweet" tunes in slow tempo & dreamy timbre, "Sunset and the Mocking Bird," and "The Single Petal of a Rose." A unique and evocative, almost fairy-tale-like story in the annals of discography, imagining the Duke presenting a Queen with a personal record for her ears only recalls the era of chivalry. A noble gift from a Duke to a Queen. Nobody else would have done it. And the music is beautiful.

This review refers to the Pablo Best of Ellington. For some reason Amazon has attached it to Best of Ellingtons from other record companies too, which are completely different records and which I haven't heard. I would give any Duke record a presumptive 5 stars until proven otherwise, but the Pablo Best Of is the only one I thoroughly vouch for.