Duke Ellington

AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA PLAYING JAZZ STANDARDS!

INCLUDES THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL ALBUM ELLINGTON INDIGOS PLUS TWO RARE TUNES FROM THE SESSIONS OMITTED FROM THE ORIGINAL LP AND ALL OF THE ALTERNATE TAKES!!

MUCH OF THE BONUS MATERIAL APPEARS HERE ON CD FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, Harold "Shorty" Baker (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln, vcl), Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Britt Woodman (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Russell Procope (as, cl), Johnny Hodges, Rick Henderson (as), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Harry Carney (bar, cl, b-cl), Duke Ellington (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d), Jimmy Grissom (vcl on 11 & 19 only), Ozzie Bailey (vcl on 10 & 15 only). Recorded in New York, March 13, September 9 & October 1-14, 1957

As the original liner notes for the Indigos album clearly states, the Ellington orchestra not only performed in concert halls - presenting extended suites to be listened to from the comfort of a plush theatre seat - it was also a legendary dance band, accustomed to playing very personal versions of the most celebrated standards as well as the numerous compositions by its leader. It must be said, however, that the prolific Ellington book well outnumbered the renditions of tunes from Tin-Pan- Alley. Therefore, Duke and his long-time partner Billy Strayhorn's treatment of well known songs like "Willow Weep for Me", "Tenderly" and "Dancing in the Dark", always makes for an exciting listening experience. This edition put together for the first time ever all the material from the Indigos sessions, including two tunes omitted from the album and all of the alternate takes.

01 SOLITUDE 4:43
02 WHERE OR WHEN 4:02
03 MOOD INDIGO 3:07
04 NIGHT AND DAY 2:54
05 PRELUDE TO A KISS 4:44
06 ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE 3:50
07 WILLOW WEEP FOR ME 4:15
08 TENDERLY 5:23
09 DANCING IN THE DARK 4:28 10 AUTUMN LEAVES 7:12
11 THE SKY FELL DOWN 2:57
12 COMMERCIAL 3:22
13 MOOD INDIGO *4:04
14 MOOD INDIGO** 3:05
15 AUTUMN LEAVES* 6:14
16 WILLOW WEEP FOR ME* 3:55
17 WHERE OR WHEN* 3:57
18 ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE* 4:00
19 LOVE [MY HEART, MY MIND, MY EVERYTHING] 2:30

TOTAL TIME: 78:53
Alternate version 1 *
Alternate version 2 **

**** 1/2 DOWN BEAT (1957) "Ellington Indigos is virtually a dance set. Duke mixes some of his tunes with some standards by other composers and plays them with emphasis on shades of colour. He has ‘Solitude’ pretty much of himself; Gonsalves' breathly tenor has a showpiece on 'Where or When'; then Baker (muted) takes over 'Mood Indigo', and this shouldn't be missed." Dom Cerulli.