Live at Fargo 1940 [Live]

Duke Ellington | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 23, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: Jazz Classics
• ASIN: B000001LYZ
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,083 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Mooche

2. The Sheik of Araby

3. Ko Ko

4. There Shall Be No Night

5. Pussy Willow

6. Chatterbox

7. Mood Indigo

8. Harlem Air Shaft

9. Ferryboat Serenade

10. Warm Valley

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Slap Happy

2. Sepia Panorama [2]

3. Boy Meets Horn

4. Way Down Yonder in New Orleans

5. Oh, Babe! Maybe Someday

6. The Five O'Clock Whistle

7. Fanfare

8. The Call of the Canyon

9. Rockin' in Rhythm

10. Sophisticated Lady

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exciting slice of music history., October 9, 2002

By 

Scott Masters (Allen, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Fargo 1940 (Audio CD)

It's always hit-or-miss when trying a live recording from the pre-magnetic tape era, but I have to say I struck gold on this one. I only wish I could thank the young engineers who had the desire and foresight to try something so bold at the time. I especially like the fact that this was an example of a typical Ellington road show with some local radio broadcasting and the normal band set list. Not the formal show associated with a Carnegie appearance. Here you get the Duke's best-ever band with an emphasis on dance music. Many of their greatest swingers are here and it's pure enjoyment.

Ok, now you have to expect some sound issues; the engineers only had a couple of mikes and a record-cutter. I'm really amazed at how good the sound quality is for this era and for the equipment in use. You get some crackle and pop, in some places worse than others. But, the high-end registers very well, the record company did not suppress the highs in order to remove those pops associated with old records, for which I'm thankful. I recommend ignoring the imperfections, turning the volume way up, and revelling in a piece of music history. What more can you ask as a jazz fan than an authentic 40's era Ellington road show? I highly endorse this CD.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest jazz concerts ever recorded but...., February 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Live at Fargo 1940 (Audio CD)

....like the previous reviewer said, the sound quality isn't ideal. However, to be fair, we're lucky to have this recording at all. The reason why it exists is Jack Towers, the famous recording engineer who was just starting out at the time. He had obtained a personal recorder (obviously not the kind you'd expect to find in a good, professional studio) and wished to test it out. He asked Ellington if he could record one of their preformances, in this case, a dance in Fargo, ND. Ellington gave him his blessing, and what we have is a document of Ellington's Orchestra at its peak. These were the years when Ellington was composing his greatest compositions with his great collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, and he never had a better group of players, either. Two of the most renowned players were Ben Webster on tenor saxophone and Jimmy Blanton, who revolutionized bass playing in his brief but spectacular career (afflicted with tuberculosis, he left the band months after this concert and passed away soon after). Also notable is the addition of Ray Nance, who actually makes his debut on this recording; on this recording, he proves himself to be a more than capable replacement for Cootie Williams.

Despite the sound quality, this rivals even the Carnegie Hall Concert of January '43 as Ellington's greatest live album. It serves as a great companion to that album, for "Live at Fargo, ND" is a portrayal of the sort of performance most encountered across the country while the "Carnegie Hall" concert is a formal event that was more of a showcase for Ellington's longer, more ambitious work rather than the 78 rpm gems he recorded during the time. Simply put, this is an essential live album for any Ellington admirer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deserves The Legend!, September 13, 2003

By 

Edwin Graf Diemer (Red Bank, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Live at Fargo 1940 (Audio CD)

This is a wonderful set! The band is loose, and obviously is a great mood-some of the numbers are so new, Duke announces the titles from the piano so the young engineers can write them down. Near the end, Ben Webster lets them know a special arrangement of "Stardust" is on the way so they'll have a fresh disk ready. It was that kind of night. Sure, the sound isn't digital quality, but amazingly clear for the time, with great atmosphere. Sometimes one can actually hear the dancers talk, as well as the band. Nice documentation too, with the full story of the evening. A true classic.