Duke Ellington

4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

The sixth of ten CDs in this series of previously unknown private recordings is actually related to Vol. 2. Some of these performances are from the same concert at Travis Air Force Base while the remainder were recorded the next day at Mather Air Force Base. Although altoist Johnny Hodges and high note trumpeter Cat Anderson were absent, the music did not suffer in the slightest, for Ellington still had ten other distinctive soloists. Quite informal and sometimes a bit loose, these spirited performances (mostly of standards) gives such players as trumpeters Shorty Baker, Clark Terry and Ray Nance along with the many other stars plenty of opportunities to stretch out. Recordings like this one give one a chance to hear how Ellington rearranged tunes to make them sound fresh year after year and sometimes decade after decade. - SCOTT YANOW

TRACKS:

01. Such Sweet Thunder
02. Blues to Be There
03. Juniflip
04. The Star-Crossed Lovers
05. Together
06. Californio Mello
07. Suburban Beauty
08. C Jam Blues
09. Blues in Orbit
10. Mood Indigo
11. Honeysuckle Rose
12. Willow Weep for Me
13. Caravan
14. Wailing Interval