Duke Ellington

LONG OVERDUE!

The whimsical title for this 1958 Ellington album comes from the launch of the first American satellite, not an intention to head in Sun Ra's direction. What makes this small group session unique is that it has a big sound to it. It features three soloists: Clark Terry on fluegelhorn, Paul Gonsalves on tenor sax and Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet. The rhythm section is Ellington, Jimmy Woode and Sam Woodyard. The larger ensemble feel is derived from adding Ellington's three trombonists in a strictly supportive, arranged role.

The repertoire is equal parts Ellingtonia and outside material. Arrangers Ellington and Hamilton fashion their own fresh, unique approach to classic material like Avalon and Ralph Burns' Early Autumn. The Ellington material ranges from Take The A Train and a boppish reworking of Perdido to new compositions like Jones and Spacemen. With the advent of the LP, the occasional Ellington small group session gave deserving soloists the room to stretch out. And none were more deserving in the 1958 band than Hamilton, Gonsalves and Terry, all of whom acquit themselves with remarkably consistent excellence throughout. Special mention must go to Paul Gonsalves' astonishing workout on Body And Soul, rivaled perhaps only by the famous Coleman Hawkins and Serge Chaloff versions. This version begins with a beautiful ballad statement, follow by three blistering choruses of invention during which the tenor man's ideas seem to snowball from one into the next, quoting Drumboogie, Peanut Vendor, Raymond Scott's Powerhouse and Hail To The Queen along the way. We've also included the previously unissued first take of this tune as well with a very different interpretation of the melody on the first chorus and another great solo.

Taped amid a flurry of extensive and important recording activity by the full orchestra in 1958-59, The Cosmic Scene was released only in monaural and received with little notice. For this long overdue reissue, we returned to the three-track masters, beautifully recorded at Columbia's legendary 30th Street Studio by Fred Plaut to construct a stereo master of the album plus alternate takes of Jones, issued at the time as a single and Body And Soul.

PERSONNEL:

CLARK TERRY,fluegelhorn
QUENTIN JACKSON,JOHN SANDERS & BRITT WOODMAN trombones
JIMMY HAMILTON, clarinet
PAIL GONSALVES,tenor saxophone
DUKE ELLINGTON,piano
JIMMY WOODE,bass
SAM WOODYARD,drums

Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City on April 2 & 3, 1958.

All selections issued in stereo for the first time

(1-10) originally issued on The Cosmic Scene (Columbia CL 1198).
(11) previously unissued.
(12) originally issued on Columbia single 4-41180.


TRACKS:

01. Avalon 3:20
02. Body And Soul 4:55
03. Bassment 3:01
04. Early Autumn 3:08
05. Jones 2:53
06. Perdido 2:48
07. St. Louis Blues 5:05
08. Spacemen 2:31
09. Midnight Sun 3:36
10. Take The A Train 4:57
11. Body And Soul (alternate take) 4:44 *
12. Jones (alternate take) 2:35

* bonus track , not on the original album