Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra - The Complete Standard Transcriptions [2CD Set] (1999)

These 29 transcription recordings, done for radio broadcast during three sessions in 1941, would normally not be of enormous interest -- the Ellington band from this period is pretty well represented, and his most renowned vocalist, Ivey Anderson, only shows up on one cut. On the other hand, the band represented here was, in the eyes of many scholars, the best version of the Ellington band in terms of lineup, and the period from which these transcriptions date is regarded by some (though others will, naturally, disagree for valid reasons) as the most productive of Ellington's entire career. Certainly, as far as popular appeal, the band was nearing a peak, with classics the caliber of "Take the 'A' Train" and "Perdido" entering their repertory almost weekly. These transcriptions, done for the Standard Transcription Company and never before assembled in one place, include the earliest extant version of "Take the 'A' Train" and a rippling version of "Frankie & Johnnie" (a huge hit for the band) as highlights, but even genuine obscurities, such as the rollicking "Madame Will Drop Her Shawl," are worth hearing for the solos by Ben Webster and Barney Bigard; additionally, these tracks also give one a last listen to bassist Jimmy Blanton before illness took him from music and the world. The only real drawback, given the personnel who were present during this period, is that Ivey Anderson is only heard on a single song, "Love Like This Can't Last," but overlooking such unfortunate accidents of history, this mid-priced two-CD set is a chance to savor more of the Ellington band's best period. The fidelity is very good, especially given the age of the recordings and the fact that they were never intended to be preserved, and the notes are nicely detailed.

These recordings were transferred from the original transcription discs over fifty years old. Digital editing and noise reduction techniques have been used, but only sparingly and never at the expense of the underlying musical content. From time to time surface noise and other defects in the original recordings mat be detected.