What Can a Poor Fellow Do? - Duke Ellington, Meyers, Billy
Black and Tan Fantasy
Chicago Stomp Down - Duke Ellington, Creamer, Henry
Sweet Mama (Papa's Getting Mad) - Duke Ellington, Frost, Peter
Stack O' Lee Blues - Duke Ellington, Colwell, L.
Bugle Call Rag - Duke Ellington, Meyers, Billy
Take It Easy
Jubilee Stomp
Harlem Twist [East St. Louis Toodle-Oo]
Diga Diga Doo - Duke Ellington, Fields, Dorothy
Doin' the New Low Down - Duke Ellington, Fields, Dorothy
Black Beauty
Swampy River
The Mooche
Move Over
Hot and Bothered
The Blues With a Feeling
Goin' to Town
Misty Mornin'
I Must Have That Man! - Duke Ellington, Fields, Dorothy
Freeze and Melt - Duke Ellington, Fields, Dorothy
Mississippi Moan
Track Listings (25) - Disc #2
That Rhythm Man - Duke Ellington, Brooks, Harry
Beggar's Blues - Duke Ellington, Bigard, Barney
Saturday Night Function - Duke Ellington, Bigard, Barney
Jungle Jamboree - Duke Ellington, Brooks, Harry
Snake Hip Dance - Duke Ellington, Brooks, Harry
Lazy Duke
Blues of the Vagabond
Syncopated Shuffle
The Mooche
Ragamuffin Romeo - Duke Ellington, Costa, Harry Da
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
Sweet Mama
Hot and Bothered
Double Check Stomp - Duke Ellington, Bigard, Barney
Black and Tan Fantasy
Big House Blues
Rocky Mountain Blues - Duke Ellington, Simmonds
Ring Dem Bells
Three Little Words - Duke Ellington, Kalmar, Bert
Old Man Blues
Sweet Chariot
Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington, Bigard, Barney
I Can't Realize You Love Me - Duke Ellington, DeSylva, Buddy
I'm So in Love With You
Rockin' in Rhythm - Duke Ellington, Carney, Harry
Digesting the music of Duke Ellington's revolutionary "jungle" period is a complicated pursuit because he recorded multiple arrangements for a number of labels between 1927 and 1932. Sony owns his OKeh and Columbia cuts (f... more »ound on these two CDs), BMG owns his Victor sides, and Decca owns his Brunswick and Vocalion work (issued on the three-CD Early Ellington). All of them contain readings of standout compositions like "Black and Tan Fantasy," "East St. Louis Toodle-oo," "Black Beauty," "The Mooche," "Mood Indigo," and "Rockin' in Rhythm." The OKeh package lacks versions of "Solitude" and "Creole Love Call," but offers some noteworthy exclusives: superb solo stride-piano versions of "Black Beauty" and "Swampy River"; Jabbo Smith's wonderful trumpet solo on a 1927 version of "Black and Tan Fantasy" as a game-day replacement for "indisposed" co-composer Bubber Miley; and the first recording of "The Mooche," with Miley in control and guitarist Lonnie Johnson augmenting an already formidable lineup that includes Tricky Sam Nanton, Barney Bigard, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges. Even when a star like trumpet-growl pioneer Miley moved on, Cootie Williams would more than fill the gap. Musically, Ellington brought jazz to new levels of sophistication, complexity, and emotional depth during this first great period, synthesizing the classic New Orleans sound with a vibrant theatrical element and a dynamic rhythmic impulse. --Marc Greilsamer« less
Digesting the music of Duke Ellington's revolutionary "jungle" period is a complicated pursuit because he recorded multiple arrangements for a number of labels between 1927 and 1932. Sony owns his OKeh and Columbia cuts (found on these two CDs), BMG owns his Victor sides, and Decca owns his Brunswick and Vocalion work (issued on the three-CD Early Ellington). All of them contain readings of standout compositions like "Black and Tan Fantasy," "East St. Louis Toodle-oo," "Black Beauty," "The Mooche," "Mood Indigo," and "Rockin' in Rhythm." The OKeh package lacks versions of "Solitude" and "Creole Love Call," but offers some noteworthy exclusives: superb solo stride-piano versions of "Black Beauty" and "Swampy River"; Jabbo Smith's wonderful trumpet solo on a 1927 version of "Black and Tan Fantasy" as a game-day replacement for "indisposed" co-composer Bubber Miley; and the first recording of "The Mooche," with Miley in control and guitarist Lonnie Johnson augmenting an already formidable lineup that includes Tricky Sam Nanton, Barney Bigard, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges. Even when a star like trumpet-growl pioneer Miley moved on, Cootie Williams would more than fill the gap. Musically, Ellington brought jazz to new levels of sophistication, complexity, and emotional depth during this first great period, synthesizing the classic New Orleans sound with a vibrant theatrical element and a dynamic rhythmic impulse. --Marc Greilsamer
"Unfortunately, Sony engineers Tim Geelan and Larry Keyes take the old school approach to 78s, and amputate the treble along with the noise in these reissues. Once you've heard what really is stored on old 78s---e.g. in Steven Lasker's superb digital restorations on "The Best of the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (RCA Victor)"---sound as on "The Okeh Ellingon" is intolerable. One can only hope that these fabulous Ellington tracks get reissued again with different engineers. To hear just how good 78 sound can be, check out "Bessie Smith: 1925-1933 (Hermes)", and "The Very Best of Ella Mae Morse"."
Fantastic music worth owning
Al Chartreux | Upper West Side, New York, New York United States | 07/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not an audio engineer or recording expert, just someone who loves great music and jazz. Maybe the gent who wrote the above review is justified in his criticisms. Personally, I think the sound is what one would expect from mono recordings made in the 1920's and early 30's. However, the point I would like to make is that regardless of any engineering deficiencies that may exist, the music on these 2 discs is great, and well worth owning.You'd really be doing yourself a huge disservice to shun these discs because the sound quality isn't perfect. There are instances when the quality of the music transcends the imperfections of the recording. Take 'The Complete Robert Johnson Recordings' as an example. Would you not listen to classic blues or other great discs because the recordings are full of hisses and scratches? Of course not. This set sounds far better (sound quality-wise). The songs are classic, so check them out."
Atrocious Noise Reduction Job
Smilin' Jack | Coahuila, Mexico | 10/06/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I'm appalled this CD is still in print using the same horrid transfers Sony made in 1991. The major label philosophy at that time was, "Eliminate any and all trace of hiss or crackle from the original 78, no matter if it totally kills the music in the process." Great progress has been made since that time in the development of technology to transfer 78s without destroying the music, but has Sony bothered to create a new remaster? No. They are still pressing new CDs from the original 1991 transfers and they sound HORRID. Save your money, I beg of you, and wait for somebody to do this material correctly. This release is a disgrace."
Great music, but I hate this sound.
Slaninka Frantisek | Bratislava Slovakia | 09/06/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This 2Cd contains some great performances of this absolutely best orchestra ever. I love first version of The Mooche with Baby Cox and Hot & Bothered too. Harlem twist not first but one of the best versions of East St. Louis Toodle-oo. Great version of Mood Indigo and Black and Tan fantasy without Bubber Miley.
And first version of great Rockin'in Rhythm.
This is a essential music for every fans of early jazz.
But!!! sound on this double cd is one of the worst I ever heard.
Absolutely muted, no clarity, no high tones, no drums.
I recorded some songs (Rockin'in Rhythm, The Mooche, Harlem Twist) in Austrian radio station and sound on my cassette is 100% better than on this 2Cd.
I hope then this recordings in future will be release in better form than on this Cd."
Great Music, Poor Remastering
Thomas Bumbera | Maplewood, NJ USA | 01/05/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"What else can I say? I played a very clean copy of the 78 rpm of "Diga Diga Doo" on my turntable last week, then put on this CD's remastering, and it was amazing how Sony's engineeers drained all the presence and warmth out of what were some of the BEST recorded 78s of their era! Don't get me started on the pitch problems with the acoustic recordings! Now that Sony-BMG have merged, one can only pray that 21st-century technology will be applied to these masterworks and put this mangy puppy to sleep. 3 stars for music alone."