Tag Archives: Cootie Williams

And the Trumpets Sing! (Podcast #21-003)

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Ellington Reflections

Featuring the singing trumpeters of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Clark Terry, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harold "Money" Johnson, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Louis Bacon, Ray Nance, Rex Stewart, Taft Jordan, Trumpet | Leave a comment

My Favorite (Ellington) Things, according to the iPod (Podcast #21-002)

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Ellington Reflections

Here’s a selection of what my iPod says are my most listened-to Ellington songs. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Alice Babs, Billy Strayhorn, Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Ray Nance | Leave a comment

Portrait of Joya Sherrill (Podcast #20-006)

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Ellington Reflections

Joya Sherrill was a featured vocalist with the Ellington orchestra from 1944 to 1946, but returned periodically in subsequent years. One of Ellington’s best vocalists, she deserves wider recognition. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harold Ashby, Joya Sherrill, Mercer Ellington, Ray Nance, Rex Stewart | 2 Comments

Portrait of Juan Tizol (Podcast #20-005)

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Ellington Reflections

Valve trombonist Juan Tizol (1900-84) was an important member of the Ellington band. Besides instrumental duties, he was a composer, arranger and copyist.

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Posted in podcast | Tagged Barney Bigard, Caravan, Clark Terry, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Harry James, Johnny Hodges, Juan Tizol, Nat "King" Cole, Perdido, Puerto Rico, Valve Trombone | Leave a comment

Variations on a Theme Song (Podcast #20-003)

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Ellington Reflections

Billy Strayhorn wrote “Take the “A” Train,” which became the band’s theme song in 1941. We survey a number of diverse treatments from a thirty year period. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Al Killian, Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Jimmy Hamilton, Oscar Peterson, Ray Nance, Take the "A" Train | Leave a comment

Portrait of Rex Stewart, Part II (Podcast #20-002)

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Ellington Reflections

Rex Stewart played cornet in the Ellington and from 1934-45. Part II of a look at Stewart’s work with the band and the years beyond. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, cornet, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, pedal tones, Rex Stewart | Leave a comment

Portrait of Rex Stewart, Part I (Podcast #20-001)

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Ellington Reflections

Rex Stewart played cornet in the Ellington and from 1934-45. Part I of a look at Stewart’s work with the band. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Coleman Hawkins, Cootie Williams, cornet, Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Johnny Hodges, pedal tones, Rex Stewart | Leave a comment

Beyond the “Usual Suspects” [Again] (Podcast #19-019)

Posted on November 16, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

More covers of Ellington compositions that deserve wider exposure. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Bill Berry, Billy Strayhorn, Cat Anderson, Chico Hamilton, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Hodges, Ken Peplowski, Mal Waldron, Steve Lacy, Zoot Sims | Leave a comment

Ellingtonian Geography (Podcast #19-016)

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Geographically titled songs by Ellington and his associates. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Barney Bigard, Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Sonny Greer | Leave a comment

Portrait of Lawrence Brown, Pt. II (Podcast #19-014)

Posted on August 4, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Lawrence Brown (1907-88) was a major voice in the Ellington orchestra. He played with Duke for 29 years, longer than any other trombonist in the orchestra. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Johnny Hodges, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Russell Procope, Sonny Greer, Trombone, Wild Bill Davis | Leave a comment

Portrait of Lawrence Brown, Pt. I (Podcast #19-013)

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Lawrence Brown (1907-88) was a major voice in the Ellington orchestra. He played with Duke for 29 years, longer than any other trombonist in the orchestra. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Johnny Hodges, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown, Sonny Greer, Trombone | Leave a comment

Old Wine and New Bottles (Podcast #19-011)

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Ellington never liked to set his compositions in stone. Here’s a few examples of how he would re-visit older works…
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Posted in podcast | Tagged Bubber Miley, Cootie Williams, Cotton Club, Duke Ellington, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Johnny Hodges, Lawrence Brown, Sonny Greer | Leave a comment

Portrait of Otto Hardwicke (Podcast #19-010)

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Reedman Otto “Toby” Hardwicke was one of the earliest Ellingtonians. Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Alto Sax, Baritone Sax, Barney Bigard, Bass Sax, Bubber Miley, Cootie Williams, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Sonny Greer | Leave a comment

Portrait of Bubber Miley (Podcast #19-008)

Posted on April 20, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

“Bubber Miley was from the body and soul of Soulville. He was raised on soul and saturated and marinated in soul. Every note he played was soul filled with the pulse of compulsion….. Bubber was born in South Carolina, but … Continue reading →

Posted in podcast | Tagged Barney Bigard, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Bubber Miley, Cootie Williams, Cotton Club, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Freddy Guy, Harry Carney, Hoagy Carmichael, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Whiteman, Ray Nance, Sonny Greer, Wellman Braud | Leave a comment

And Now For Something Completely Different…. (Podcast #19-003)

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Ellington Reflections

Ellington playing the electric piano, Billy Strayhorn on harpsichord and the 1932 band in stereo are just some of the different items you’ll hear from the Ellington oeuvre.
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