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The Original Ellington Suite (feat. Eric Dolphy)
''The Original Ellington Suite'' is an album by drummer and bandleader Chico Hamilton's Quintet, recorded in 1958 but not released on the Pacific Jazz label until 2000. The album was shelved and Hamilton recorded another set of Ellington tunes with a different group that was released as ''Ellington Suite'' in 1959. Reception The AllMusic review by Ken Dryden states: "Chico Hamilton's pianoless chamber jazz recordings for Pacific Jazz between 1955 and 1959 are important landmarks, but the discovery of this long-lost date adds to his many achievements. Highly recommended". In '' JazzTimes'', Harvey Pekar wrote that "the principal importance of the disc is Dolphy's appearance. Aside from some work he did on Roy Porter big band selections cut in 1949, this is his initial appearance on record... Dolphy's improvising is excellent but, except on 'It Don't Mean a Thing', restrained, which is not surprising, since Hamilton had a chamber-jazz group... overall, the arrangements here are by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chico Hamilton
Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence as sideman for Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Lena Horne. Hamilton became a bandleader, first with a quintet featuring the cello as a lead instrument, an unusual choice for a jazz band in the 1950s, and subsequently leading bands that performed cool jazz, post bop, and jazz fusion. Biography Early life and career Foreststorn Hamilton was born in Los Angeles, California, one of three brothers, one of whom was actor Bernie Hamilton. Hamilton started his career in a band with Charles Mingus, Illinois Jacquet, Ernie Royal, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Collette and Jack Kelso before he had finished high school. Engagements with Lionel Hampton, Slim & Slam, T-Bone Walker, Lester Young, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Barnet, Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Billie Holiday, Gerry Mulligan and Lena Horne esta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I'm Just A Lucky So-and-So
"I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So" is a 1945 song composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Mack David. Notable recordings *Al Hibbler & Duke Ellington - recorded for RCA Victor (catalog No. 20-1799) on November 26, 1945 (Ellington, Hodges, Lawrence brown, soloists) *Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Shirley Scott - '' The Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Cookbook Volume 3'' (Prestige, 1958). *Billy Eckstine & Quincy Jones on the album '' At Basin Street East'' (EmArcy, 1961) as part of a Duke Ellington medley. *Annie Ross - included in her album ''A Gasser!'' (World Pacific, 1960). *Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - '' Together for the First Time'' (Roulette Records, 1961) *Ella Fitzgerald - she first recorded it for Decca Records (catalog No. 18814) in New York on Feb 21, 1946. She sang it at Carnegie Hall in 1949 and it was included in ''Jazz at the Philharmonic, The Ella Fitzgerald Set'' (Verve/Polygram)" (1949). A later recording was included in ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drum Kit
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player ( drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks, one in each hand, and uses their feet to operate a foot-controlled hi-hat and bass drum pedal. A standard kit may contain: * A snare drum, mounted on a stand * A bass drum, played with a beater moved by a foot-operated pedal * One or more tom-toms, including rack toms and/or floor toms * One or more cymbals, including a ride cymbal and crash cymbal * Hi-hat cymbals, a pair of cymbals that can be manipulated by a foot-operated pedal The drum kit is a part of the standard rhythm section and is used in many types of popular and traditional music styles, ranging from rock and pop to blues and jazz. __TOC__ History Early development Before the development of the drum set, drums and cymbals used in military and orchestral m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as "now legendary" and "a prophetic piece and a prophetic title". In 2008, Ellington's 1932 recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Background The music was composed and arranged by Ellington in August 1931 during intermissions at the Lincoln Tavern in Chicago; the lyrics were contributed by Irving Mills. According to Ellington, the song's title was the credo of trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis at the time; Miley died the year the song was released. The song was first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra for Brunswick Records on February 2, 1932. Ivie Anderson sang the vocal and trombonist Joe Nanton and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges played the solos. The song became famous, Ellington wrote, "as the expression of a senti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Azure (song)
"Azure" is a 1937 song composed by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. The composition is an example of Ellington's early use of bi- and polytonality, and some parts of it are almost atonal in nature. Notable recordings *Ella Fitzgerald - ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook'' (1957) "Ella at Duke's Place" (1965) *Earl Grant - ''Midnight Sun'' (1962) *Cecil Taylor - ''Jazz Advance'' (1956) * Tony Bennett - " Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool" (1999) See also *List of 1930s jazz standards Jazz standards are musical compositions that are widely known, performed and recorded by jazz artists as part of the genre's musical repertoire. This list includes compositions written in the 1930s that are considered standards by at least one ... References Songs with music by Duke Ellington Songs with lyrics by Irving Mills Jazz songs 1930s jazz standards 1937 songs {{pop-standard-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Hodges
Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano saxophone, but refused to play soprano after 1946. Along with Benny Carter, Hodges is considered to be one of the definitive alto saxophone players of the big band era. After beginning his career as a teenager in Boston, Hodges began to travel to New York and played with Lloyd Scott, Sidney Bechet, Luckey Roberts and Chick Webb. When Ellington wanted to expand his band in 1928, Ellington's clarinet player Barney Bigard recommended Hodges. His playing became one of the identifying voices of the Ellington orchestra. From 1951 to 1955, Hodges left the Duke to lead his own band, but returned shortly before Ellington's triumphant return to prominence – the orchestra's performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. Biography Early life Ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I'm Beginning To See The Light
"I'm Beginning to See the Light" is a popular song and jazz standard, with music written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James and lyrics by Don George and published in 1944. 1945 recordings *Ella Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenny recorded a version in 1945, that was on the pop song hits list for six weeks in 1945, reaching #5. *A competing 1945 recording by Harry James and his Orchestra, with lead vocal by Kitty Kallen reached No. 1 for two weeks in January of that year. James' version of the song reached No. 7 on Billboard's Second Annual High School Survey in 1945. *Duke Ellington also released in 1945 a version, vocal by Joya Sherrill, which reached the top ten. Other notable recordings *Rosemary Clooney – ''Out of This World'' (2000) *Bobby Darin (1962) - featured in the 1996 feature film '' Swingers''. *Frank Sinatra (1962) - "Sinatra And Swingin' Brass" *Seal (2017) - "Standards" *Johnnie Ray (1958) *Connie Francis (1958) *Oscar Alemán ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John La Touche (lyricist)
John Treville Latouche (La Touche) (November 13, 1914, Baltimore, Maryland – August 7, 1956, Calais, Vermont) was a lyricist and bookwriter in American musical theater. Biography John Treville Latouche was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His family moved to Richmond, Virginia, when he was four months old. There he attended school, before going north to Columbia University. He became involved in music and theater, writing for the Varsity Show and joining the Philolexian Society. He did not graduate. In 1937 Latouche contributed two songs in the revue '' Pins and Needles''. For the show ''Sing For Your Supper'' (1939), he wrote the lyrics for "Ballad for Uncle Sam", later retitled "Ballad for Americans", with music by Earl Robinson. It was featured at both the 1940 Republican Convention and the convention of the American Communist Party, and was extremely popular in 1940s America. This 13-minute cantata to American democracy was written for a soloist and as well a full orches ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Day Dream
"Day Dream" is a jazz standard composed by Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by John Latouche and written in 1939. It was first recorded by saxophonist Johnny Hodges and his ensemble on November 2, 1940. Duke Ellington was credited as co-composer on the label of the original 78 RPM release, though he is not generally considered to be one of the song's creators. Background On March 23, 1939, Duke Ellington and his orchestra boarded the SS ''Île de France'' for a spring tour of Europe. Strayhorn was working for Ellington at the time but was allowed to remain at his Harlem residence. Thus, he had nearly seven weeks to work on new compositions and arrangements. "Day Dream" was composed during this time. Notable recordings By Johnny Hodges *''Day Dream / Junior Hop'' (Bluebird 11021, 1940) *''Memories Of Ellington'' (Norgran, 1954) *'' Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra'' (Verve, 1962) By Duke Ellington *'' The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943'' (released 1977) * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don George
Don R. George (August 27, 1909 – 1987) was an American lyricist of popular music. His songs include " The Yellow Rose of Texas" " I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues" (1937), "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (1944) and " Everything but You" (1945). George has also written lyrics for film songs. He was a personal friend and occasional lyricist of jazz composer Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ..., whom he followed closely from 1943 until Ellington's death in 1974. It was with Ellington that he wrote many of hist best-known songs. George wrote a 1981 biography of Ellington titled ''Sweet Man: The Real Duke Ellington''. Notes External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:George, Don American lyricists 1909 births 1987 deaths ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry James
Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized and was active again with his band from then until his death in 1983. He was especially known among musicians for his technical proficiency as well as his Tone (musical instrument), tone, and was influential on new trumpet players from the late 1930s into the 1940s. He was also an actor in a number of films that usually featured his band. Early life Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia, United States, the son of Everett Robert James, a bandleader in a traveling circus, the Mighty Haag Circus, and Myrtle Maybelle (Stewart), an acrobat and horseback rider. He started performing with the circus at an early age, first as a contortionist at age of four, then playing the snare drum in the band from about the age of six. It was at this age ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lee Gaines
Otho Lee Gaines (April 21, 1914 – July 15, 1987) was an American jazz singer and lyricist. Gaines wrote the lyrics for "Take the "A" Train" and "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'", two jazz standards by Billy Strayhorn. Lee Gaines was from Buena Vista, in Mississippi, and began singing as a bass in high school, he formed a vocal quartet at Langston University in 1933, and returned to the United States in 1937 having toured South America. Gaines was a founding member of the Delta Rhythm Boys who achieved their peak popularity in the 1940s and 50's, having recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford, Charlie Barnet, Fred Astaire, Ruth Brown and Les Paul. The Delta Rhythm Boys moved to Europe in the 1950s. Gaines had lived in Finland for a year at the time of his death from cancer in 1987 and he is buried in Maunulan uurnalehto, an urn cemetery at Helsinki (section 39, lot 109). Gaines was married to Muriel Gaines, a calypso singer and former Cotton Club The Cot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
