Vol. 2: From the Cotton Club to Sweden

by Duke Ellington

Overview

The JSP label presents the second volume of vintage sides dating from Duke Ellington's early years as a bandleader. The heading "From the Cotton Club to Sweden" does not indicate a transatlantic tour, but simply reflects the producer's penchant for using song titles to concoct names for compilation sets (JSP's previous volume of Ellington, for example, was called "Mrs. Clinkscales to the Cotton Club"). This set, then, is named after the "Cotton Club Stomp" and the "Serenade to Sweden." Packed with 100 beautifully remastered selections recorded between March 1929 and February 1940, it forms a valuable bridge between the explosive brilliance of Duke's first five years of recording activity and the artistic triumphs of the Jimmy Blanton/Ben Webster band of the early '40s. During the '30s, Ellington blossomed as a composer as he wrote music specifically tailored for each of his star soloists. Singers heard on this collection are Ivie Anderson, Ethel Waters, the Mills Brothers, Irving Mills, and various members of the band. Having the essential Ellington records of the '30s in one box is a treat not to be missed. For quantity, quality, and remarkably low list price, you won't do better than this. ~ arwulf arwulf

Product Details

Release Date:	09/25/2007
Label:	Jsp
UPC:	0788065903626
Rank:	124681

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Rent Party Blues
2. Paducah
3. Harlem Flat Blues
4. Hot Feet
5. Sloppy Joe
6. Stevedore Stomp
7. Cotton Club Stomp
8. Arabian Lover
9. Saratoga Swing
10. Jungle Jamboree
11. Snake Hip Dance
12. Jazz Convulsions
13. The Duke Steps Out
14. Haunted Nights
15. Lazy Duke
16. Blues of the Vagabond
17. When You're Smiling
18. Maori
19. Double Check Stomp
20. Cotton Club Stomp
21. Jungle Nights in Harlem
22. Shout 'Em Aunt Tillie
23. Ring dem Bells
24. Old Man Blues
25. Big House Blues

Disc 2

26. Rocky Mountain Blues
27. Mood Indigo
28. Rockin' in Rhythm
29. Creole Rhapsody, Pt. 1
30. Creole Rhapsody, Pt. 2
31. The Mystery Song
32. It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
33. Jazz Cocktail
34. Delta Bound
35. Diga Diga Doo
36. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
37. Eerie Moan
38. Merry-Go-Round
39. Sophisticated Lady
40. I've Got the World Upon a String
41. Down a Carolina Lane
42. Slippery Horn
43. Drop Me off at Harlem
44. Get Yourself a New Broom (And Sweep Those Blues Away)
45. Bundle of Blues
46. Stormy Weather
47. Hyde Park
48. Ain't Misbehavin'
49. Jive Stomp
50. In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree

Disc 3

51. Daybreak Express
52. Solitude
53. Troubled Waters
54. Moonglow
55. In a Sentimental Mood
56. Merry Go Round
57. Clarinet Lament (Barney's Concerto)
58. Echoes of Harlem (Cootie's Concerto)
59. Kissin' My Baby Goodnight
60. Oh Babe! Maybe Someday
61. In a Jam
62. I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter
63. Caravan
64. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
65. Diminuendo in Blue
66. Crescendo in Blue
67. The Gal from Joe's
68. I Let a Song Go out of My Heart
69. Braggin' in Brass
70. I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue (With the Sole of My Shoe)
71. You Gave Me the Gate (And I'm Swingin')
72. Rose of the Rio Grande
73. When My Sugar Walks Down the Street
74. A Gypsy Without a Song
75. A Blues Serenade

Disc 4

76. Old King Dooji
77. Pussy Willow
78. Subtle Lament
79. Smorgasbord and Schnapps
80. Portrait of the Lion
81. Solid Old Man
82. Cotton Club Stomp
83. Doin' the Voom Voom
84. Way Low
85. Serenade to Sweden
86. In a Mizz
87. I'm Checkin' out Goo'm Bye
88. You Can Count on Me
89. Bouncin' Bouyancy
90. The Sergeant Was Shy
91. Grievin'
92. Little Posey
93. I've Never Felt This Way Before
94. Grievin'
95. Tootin' Through the Root
96. Weely (A Portrait of Billy Strayhorn)
97. Killin' Myself
98. Your Love Has Faded
99. Country Girl
100. Solitude

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Duke Ellington   Primary Artist,Piano,Director
Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra   Primary Artist
Duke Ellington Orchestra   Primary Artist
The Harlem Footwarmers   Primary Artist
The Mills Brothers   Primary Artist,Vocals
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra   Primary Artist
Duke Ellington's Famous Orchestra   Primary Artist
Ethel Waters   Primary Artist,Vocals
Jungle Band   Primary Artist
Lawrence Brown   Trombone
Cornell Smelser   Accordion,Piano-Accordian
Wellman Braud   Double Bass,String Bass
Irving Mills   Spoken Word,Vocals
Jimmy Blanton   Double Bass,String Bass
Billy Taylor   Double Bass
Hayes Alvis   Double Bass,Vocals,String Bass
John Mills   Vocals
Brass Band   Harp
Fred Guy   Banjo,Guitar
Ivie Anderson   Vocals
Charlie Barnet   Chimes
Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton   Trombone
Juan Tizol   Vocals,Trombone,Trombone (Valve)
Wallace Jones   Trumpet
Herbert Mills   Vocals
Freddy Jenkins   Vocals,Trumpet
Marshall Royal   Clarinet,Sax (Alto)
Otto Hardwick   Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Sax (Baritone)
Harry Carney   Sax (Soprano),Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass),Soloist,Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Double Bass
Harry Mills   Vocals
Donald Mills   Vocals
John H.R. Mills   Vocals
Sonny Greer   Drums,Vocals,Tambourine
Johnny Hodges   Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
Arthur Whetsol   Vocals,Trumpet
Harold Baker   Trumpet
Fred Avendorf   Drums
Cootie Williams   Vocals,Trumpet
Joe Garland   Sax (Tenor)
Barney Bigard   Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
Ben Webster   Sax (Tenor)
Rex Stewart   Cornet,Vocals

Technical Credits

Freddy Jenkins   Taps,Dance
Irving Mills   Commentary
Duke Ellington   Arranger
Herbert Mills   Group
Billy Strayhorn   Arranger
Harry Mills   Group
Donald Mills   Group
Brick Fleagle   Arranger
Sally-Ann Worsfold   Annotation
John H.R. Mills   Group