Happy Birthday, Duke! (Podcast #25-003)

“At least one day out of the year all musicians should just put their instruments down, and give thanks to Duke Ellington.”

-Miles Davis

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

My Love (LP: “Duke Ellington’s Third Sacred Concert, The Majesty of God” RCA APL 1-0785)

Recorded 24 October 1973, Westminster Abbey, London

Mercer Ellington, Harold “Money” Johnson, Barry Lee Hall, Johnny Coles – trumpet; Vince Prudente, Art Baron, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Percy Marion, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Quentin “Rocky” White – drum; Alice Babs – vocal.

My Love (CD: “Who Knows? The Uncovered Ellington” 33 Records 33 Jazz 104)

Recorded 21 July/8 October 2003 Bexley, UK

Brian Priestley – piano; Bruce Adams – trumpet; Frank Griffith – clarinet, tenor sax; Simon Woolf – bass; Steve Brown – drums.

Warm Valley (CD: “Brian Landrus Plays Ellington & Strayhorn” Palmetto Records)

Recorded 6/7 August 2023, Brooklyn

Brian Landrus – baritone sax, bass sax, bass clarinet, contra alto clarinet, piccolo, c flute, alto flute, bass flute; Dave Stryker – electric and acoustic guitar; Jay Anderson – acoustic bass; Billy Hart – drums.

Moonbow (CD: “Blues to Be There” Bandcamp)

Recorded June 13/14 & July 19, 2022 Ferndale, MI

RJ Spangler, congas, bandleader ; James O’Donnell, Charlie Miller – trumpet; Tbone Paxton – trombone; Alex Colista, Goode Wyche III, Ryan Bills, Kasan Belgrave – reeds; Michael Zaporski, piano; Trevor Lamb, string bass; Sean Perlmutter, drums.

Moonbow ((CD: “The Reprise Studio Recordings” Mosaic Records #193)

Addi (CD: “Live in Poland (1971)” Squatty Roo Records – SR-0268)

Recorded 30 October 1971, Warsaw

Harold “Money” Johnson, Johnny Coles, Cootie Williams, Eddie Preston, Mercer Ellington – trumpet; Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors – trombone; Russell Procope, Norris Turney, Harold Minerve, Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Joe Benjamin – bass; Rufus Jones – drums.

Addi (CD: “Echoes of Harlem” Bandcamp)

Recorded January 3, 4 & 7 2024 Ann Arbor, MI

RJ Spangler, congas, bandleader ; James O’Donnell, Charlie Miller – trumpet; Tbone Paxton – trombone; Alex Colista, Goode Wyche III, Christopher Tabaczynski – reeds; Michael Zaporski, piano; Trevor Lamb, string bass; Sean Perlmutter, drums.

— Our closing music—-

It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)

Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City

Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.