Customer Reviews

Early Ellington: The Original Decca Recordings (The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Well I guess there's a wide range of tastes when it comes to remastered 78-era recordings. I have thousands of recordings from this era and if I had to pick one of the best remastering jobs it would be this set (incidentally, if I had to pick one of the worst it would be the Sony/Columbia "Okeh recordings" set praised by another reviewer!). The set was remastered by Stephen Lasker, one of the best in the business in my opinion. Surface hiss is audible, but that's the price to pay for having music that retains its full range and dynamics. Most of the recordings I have heard that have had this hiss removed sound flat and sometimes even muffled (again, the Sony/Columbia "Okeh recordings" set sounds particularly lifeless). However, I'm willing to concede that this is a matter of taste. As for the music, it is truly wonderful - some of the best of Duke Ellington's early work.

The Washingtonians made some forgettable acoustic horn recordings in the mid 1920s. With the advent of electrical sound in 1925, some personnel changes and larger numbers, Edward Ellington's orchestra really came into their own. The set EARLY ELLINGTON is evidence of that musical flowering. The 67 tracks here were (with one exception) all taken from 78 source material. Fifteen are transcriptions of metal parts, the rest being test and commercial pressings.

Track #1, "East St. Louis Toodle-o," was the band's theme song until 1940. Two versions are presented (the earlier has more surface noise). As to the issue of record condition, there is hiss present, but no persistent clicks from scratches, and little lathe. This is to be expected when mastering from pre-used 78s of such venerable age. To have dampened the sound with a mask of filtering would have destroyed the dynamics of the performances, in this reviewer's estimation.

Other Ellington standards, like "The Mooche," "Black & Tan Fantasy" and "Mood Indigo" saw their first exposure to the record buying public with the BRUNSWICK sides on this set. The opening theme of "Six Or Seven Times" would one day become the coda to "Take The 'A' Train." Another interesting couple of tracks are on disc two. "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Doin' The New Lowdown" feature Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and these two comprise the first ever record to include tap-dancing. The 78 was also a big seller in 1929. "Sweet Mama," another song waxed at that session but rejected by BRUNSWICK'S Jack Kapp, is finally given it's due here. Also included are tunes that were part of musical revues at the Cotton Club. Galas like "Cotton Club Showboat" and "Hot Chocolates" were orchestrated by Ellington during his band's two year tenure at that famous Harlem nightclub.

A nicely detailed 56-page book chronicles Duke's early history, and provides lots of other data. The compact case that houses the book and three CDs is a plus. Altogether, this superb collection is one that's vital to all Ellington fans, lovers of hot dance music and early jazz bands. Highest recommendation.

TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
DISC ONE -- 66:00
DISC TWO -- 66:30
DISC THREE -- 69:22

Don't be scared off by the negative reviews. YES, there is a good deal of surface noise. But it's removal doesn't necessarily mean that it would be an improvement. Although I am not knowledgable about sound engineering, I do know that there is considerable debate about the merits of excess noise reduction and/or digital removal of surface noise. It is not perfect. A good deal of the original sound, particularly of the higher frequencies can be lost. That said, I love discs by PAST PERFECT and other fine labels who go to great lengths to remove surface noise. But there is no consensus as to this being an ideal solution to reproducing old 78s.

That said, this CD of "Early Ellington" sounds fantastic to my ears, surface nosie or not. In fact, there is some variance in the amount of surface noise. Some tracks sound quite clean, and I certainly prefer hearing the original recording without excess sound reduction that takes much of the 'life' out of these old discs.

This is an absolutely essential purchase of some of Ellington's greatest sides (particularly as there is no other comprehensive cd of this material available that I am aware of). It also comes with a very informative and attractive booklet.

Buy it while it is still available!

Thanks to KEN BURNS JAZZ, I discovered the wonderful Duke Ellington. And I've been especially drawn to his music of the 20s and very early 30s (the Hot Jazz period, I believe it's called). This EARLY ELLINGTON 3-CD SET is the best set covering this period that I have heard so far. The hiss that some reviewers have complained about is present only in the first couple of songs or so, and in my opinion, it doesn't take away from the beauty of the music, it just adds to its charm. I especially love hearing the tunes that have a Latin flavor. This set wins hands down over the OKEH ELLINGTON, which also covers Ellington's early period.

The tracks in this collection have been neglected for many years by MCA/Decca, and it's unfortunate they have gone out-of-print. Nevertheless, even though this set came out in 1994, the sound quality is pretty stunning. It's great to know they got the mastering correct the first time around on these.

As another reviewer has mentioned, there is a bit of surface noise, although not overwhelming. But that surface noise is 100% necessary to maintain the integrity of the original recordings. Unlike the Sony releases, this set has all the crisp highs, the dynamic mid-range, and the thumping, yet clear bass of the original recordings. NONE of the latest remasters from this era of Ellington, whether from Sony/Columbia or RCA/BMG have a dynamic range as good as this. The RCA ones are close, while the Sonys come in last.

In addition to the great remastering here, you also get quite a number of songs Ellington never recorded again, so it's nice to get them in such great sound. Most of these tracks also give you the wonderful trumpet sounds of Bubbler Miley, who was only with Ellington for the first few years.

Get this collection while you still can, as the longer it's out-of-print, the harder it will be to come by.

Early Ellington recordings are a minefield, because he was a serial recorder, returning to the same numbers repeatedly, and not just for different labels. This magisterial compilation helps by rounding up everything Ellington recorded for Brunswick and Vocalion between November 1926 and February 1931. That total of 67 tracks includes a wealth of alternate takes (worth having in Duke's case) and several extreme rarities. Sound quality is excellent, particularly given the rarity of much of the source material, and a 54-page booklet provides a complete discography and comprehensive notes by Steven Lasker. This is an essential purchase for any serious jazz collector, but more than that, it's highly enjoyable too.

Just a little tip for the less affluent: you can get 10 of the better tracks from this collection, plus another half hour's worth of some good latter day Duke, on "Duke Ellington's Finest Hour" for 12 bucks.

Yes, these are wonderful recordings of the early growth of big band jazz, very good time music in the Fletcher Henderson vein. And add my vote for the Decca remastering school of thought: don't kill the music just to get out the noise. But I just really don't care to listen to so many alternate takes back to back. I ended up burning my own set with all the alternates sequestered to the 3rd CD.

Despite all the good anthologies out there on early Ellington, having all the recorded takes of Ellington on this particular label is superlative.
Artists of stature are listened to, treasured and enjoyed and the joy of comparing songs recorded various times for various labels around the same time is not an excercise but a pleasure to savor such as with Duke.I just wanted to comment that the sound is indeed great here and the whole discussion on no noise or hiss is a perennial one to anyone that is a listener of early Jazz recordings..The same thing goes on and on in regard to Benny Goodman's Carnegie Hall Concert and of course the JSP UK box set or the Columbia box of Louis Armstrong's Hot 5's and 7's...all are fine to my 48 year old ears..But I do disagree with some others and enjoy the Duke's OKEH recorded output on Columbia and that too is a needed purchase as is his Columbia's Duke's men Vol 1 and 2 Collections also on CBS/Columbia.All can be found pretty cheap on EBAY.
Having this whole era of Duke on different labels with many of the same songs yet different and wonderful remains worthy of purchase.

This triple CD is fantastic... it really gives you the chance to hear how his band started out and how his popular sound was influenced by these pioneers. Trumpeter Bubber Miley simply wails on the wah-wah vibe and it's very cool to hear Duke's band with a tuba! The liner notes are key in how they describe the evolution of the band with each track. Raw, ripping jazz recommended to all jazz fans, and absolutely essential for Ellington fans.

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra recorded for several labels in the 1926-1931 period,adopting slight stylistic changes for each label (and name changes) but it were the Brunswick and Vocalion sides that tended to be his most adventureous (Okeh and Victor being more the Pop-oriented)and this is why this material is all the more invaluable BUT with that said,I have to say that I would otherwise give it 5 stars BUT as the reviewer 'catoblepas' correctly noted the digital restorations here are inexcusable. To tell the truth,Decca is always leaving a world to be desired when it comes to remastering issues,-I Had most of this on LP thirty years ago (!) and even there it sounded cruddy and this set is NO improvement.Buy it anyway if youre a serious Ellington and Jazz lover but if your only skimming look elsewhere.....
It really Is unfortunate for from "Immigration Blues" all the way out to the majestic "Creole Rhapsody" Ellington's genius is rarely ever found elsewhere as plainly as its laid out in these marvelous sides.Buy it for the Jazz,just learn to live with hiss and surface noise for the greater value of the music here,
And a brief memo to the folks at Decca Jazz - get with it! These are YOUR own 78s!!!