Customer Reviews

Best of Early Ellington

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This CD is a compilation of tracks from the "Early Ellington" multi-disc set, which is hands down the worst digital transfer I've ever heard of this material. It's got an astonishing amount of high-end distortion that has absolutely nothing to do with the 78s themselves, and will be torture for any dogs in your neighborhood. I've heard very low-grade copies of these 78s that sound much better than this CD. The first couple of songs are pretty much unbearable even if you turn the treble all the way down. As the program goes on the poor transfer is still in evidence, but it's not quite as horrifying.

If you have the slightest interest in this era of Ellington's music, try the comps on Phonodor or Jazz Archives instead.

This album is a fine compilation of tunes culled from the excellent Ellington 3 disc set, "Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings." Included are such gems as East. St. Louis Toodle-O, featuring Ellington's first brilliant soloist, trumpeter and master of the mute Bubber Miley; Black and Tan Fantasy; The Mooche; and Mood Indigo. Other tracks feature such jazz legends as Johnny Hodges on alto, Barney Bigard on clarinet, and Cootie Williams on trumpet. All in all a great set, but the primitive recording methods used in the late 1920s translates to noticeable hiss on several tracks. Sound quality aside, the music on this disc is essential.

'The Best Of Early Ellington' is a trawl through Early Ellington: The Original Decca Recordings (The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931) which, by now, costs an arm and a leg, making this compilation well worth considering.

This set contains a 20 page booklet with session details and an essay by Steven Lasker, who is listed as the reissue producer. I believe that Steven Lasker did the digital transfers. Mr Lasker also did digital transfers for the RCA/Victor 'Centennial Edition' and the Mosaic set 'The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings'.

The sound quality on this set is excellent. The music is not compromised by the over-aggressive use of noise reduction. Consequently, it has vibrancy, resonance and clarity. Yes, there is some 'hiss'. This is integral to these recordings which, of course, were made in the late '20s and early '30s. Given the limitations of the recording technology available at the time, it is impressive that such excellent quality recordings were made. Steven Lasker can only work with what's available to him. That the raw materials are so good is in no small part due to the Duke himself; it is evident that the man cared greatly about such things.