The Ellington Suites

Duke Ellington - The Ellington Suites.

An antique shop find on vinyl.

Jazz pieces recorded in 1959 and the early 1970's. Three separate suites that fit well together.

Impressions of side one .... It alternates between big-band, cinematic type songs and smaller, quartet ballads.

'The Single Petal of a Rose' is a beautiful tender piano ballad with a hint of cello.

'Apes and Peacocks' sounds like it could have been written for a movie. Perhaps a film such as the original 'Little Shop of Horrors.' In this case that's a good thing. 

Tomorrow..... A more focused listen to side two when not multi-tasking.

I love the cover photo and the mix of green and black. Eye catching!!! Causes the desire to flip it over for further checking it out/

Big Band Jazz Radio

A few years ago, I stumbled across this treasure trove of  recordings of old radio programs in an antique shop. There were nine or ten records in the bins. I knew nothing about them but the price was good so I took a chance on one, loved it and quickly returned to purchase the others. Shortly later, I discovered three or four more records from the series in my local record store.

Live recordings of Big Band Jazz and Swing from the 1930's and 40's on the Hindsight Records label. I think there's a few from 1950's programs as well. There's an announcer introducing each song which gives the feeling of sitting around a radio in those years, possibly on a Saturday or Sunday evening ..... Maybe a glimpse into what my parents and grandparents life may have been like.

Mono recordings. Interesting liner and song notes on the back side of each album cover. Part of my awakening in recent years into styles other than the music I grew up with. Sometimes the search for vinyl records leads to great discoveries. History!!!

Judy Garland

It wasn't all that long ago when I would have never listened to Judy Garland. I would have never given it a chance. But with age came an interest in the music from the decades before I was born.

Big Band sounds from the late 1930's and 40's. This now is history to me ..... as much as any book I own. I want to hear these sounds that my parents most likely danced and sang along to. Bonus points for being on vinyl.

I don't recall purchasing this but I obviously did. Looking through the collection and there it was.

Such Sweet Thunder

Found at the Salem Public Library. It's mine now!!! ..... For two weeks anyway. Recorded in 1956-57. I'm always fascinated by recordings from the year I was born and love Jazz Big Band sounds from those years.

All Music Guide Review

Could Have Been My Parents Playlist

Foggy outside. Dreading going to work in the morning. Late Sunday evening. The Music Choice cable TV audio theme channels. The Singers & Swing channel. Still developing an appreciation for the genre. I surely need more of these sounds in my collection. I love the mood created. I usually get overly nostalgic with music from my youth but these sounds are from times before I was born (assumedly) so I'm doing OK with it ......

• Duke Ellington / Ivie Anderson - I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
• Pete Fountain - Avalon
• Jack Teagarden - Beale Street Blues .... Read a Rolling Stone magazine, interview with Jackson Browne many years ago where he spoke of his father recording or playing live music with Jack Teagarden.
• Jackie Gleason - Paddlin' Madelin' Home .... Learning something new. Until now I thought he was known only as an actor.
• Glenn Miller - Tuxedo Junction .... Seem to recall seeing a few of his records in my parents collection.
• The Leiber-Stroller Big Band - Kansas City
• Teddy Wilson / Frances Hunt - You Brought a New Kind of Love To Me
• Billy May - There Is No Greater Love
• Count Basie - Blues In Hoss' Flat
• Django Reinhardt / Stephane Grappelli - St. Louis Blues .... Recognized the players immediately without looking at the caption on the television screen. 
• Helen Forrest with Harry James - Mister Five By Five .... From 1942. I'm fascinated with the sounds that came out during World War II. Wondering what they meant at the time to a nation?
• Sy Oliver - Oh, Them Golden Slippers
• Kay Kyser / Sully Martin - Ma (He's Makin' Eyes At Me)
• Andy Kirk - Bear Down
• Louis Prima / Keely Smith - That Old Black Magic
• Peggy Lee - Why Don't You Do Right .... Fascinated by the lyrics of the songs with vocals. It's like looking into history at decades and generations of peoples attitudes and what music meant to them.
• Billie Holiday - East Of the Sun .... Heard enough in the past to recognize this voice!!

Making The Jazz Scene

A two compact disc compilation of late 1940's Jazz from various musicians ..... Studio recordings from Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Billy Strayhorn and much more. Included is a booklet with liner notes and black & white photoraphs of many of the musicians. This was originally a limited edition of 12-inch, 78-rpm vinyl discs and a collectors item in that format.

World War II had just ended. I don't know if they were into Jazz but I can visualize my parents in their youth, newly hopeful about their life ahead, listening to these sounds.

It's part of my own maturation process and interest in and appreciation of music history. Prior to ten years ago, I might not have given it a second look. Nowadays it's the sort of thing that I'm on the lookout for.