The Duke Ellington Treasury Series, which was aired weekly during April-November 1945 and April-October 1946, was initially issued by
the Merritt Record Society on LPs in the 1980s.
Storyville, in its
DETS series, has been not only bringing back all of the music in its two-fer series, but augmenting the broadcasts with other live
Ellington performances from the era. All of these broadcasts are well-recorded and feature the underrated mid-'40s
Ellington orchestra in prime form. One has to sit through a few bond promos during each program, which are delivered a bit heavy-handedly, but the valuable music makes it well worth it. At the time, the
Ellington band had major soloists in trumpeters/cornetists
Rex Stewart,
Taft Jordan,
Cat Anderson, and
Ray Nance, trombonists
Tricky Sam Nanton and
Lawrence Brown,
Al Sears on tenor, clarinetist
Jimmy Hamilton, altoist
Johnny Hodges, and baritonist
Harry Carney, not to mention the leader on piano and fine singers in
Al Hibbler,
Joya Sherrill,
Kay Davis, and
Ray Nance; there is certainly no shortage in talent! The repertoire in the series includes
Ellington standards, a few tunes that
Duke never otherwise recorded, and extended works, including on this two-fer
"New World A-Comin'." Other highlights of this set (which has two Treasury Show broadcasts from June 1945 and an October 1945 set from
the Zanzibar) include fine versions of
"India," "Cotton Tail," "Let the Zoomers Drool," "Stompy Jones," and
"Body & Soul." Duke Ellington fans will want all of the entries in this extensive series. ~ Scott Yanow
