''Ellington '55'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

label in 1953 and 1954 and released in 1955.A Duke Ellington Panorama
accessed May 21, 2010 The album features the Ellington Orchestra's performances of popular

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

compositions and was reissued on CD with two bonus tracks in 1999.

Reception

The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

review by Bruce Eder awarded the album 3 stars and stated: "The tunes represented on this album were precisely what the band was playing at its dance dates... and it was material like this that was keeping the band going, filling those dates. So it is hard to argue with the album's programming, which reflected the taste of the most visible part of Ellington's audience. Additionally, what's here is quite fine in the playing".Eder, B.

AllMusic Review AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

accessed May 21, 2010

Track listing

'':All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated'' # "Rockin' in Rhythm" (Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills) - 4:30 # "Black and Tan Fantasy" (Ellington,

James "Bubber" Miley James Wesley "Bubber" Miley (April 3, 1903 – May 20, 1932) was an American early jazz trumpet and cornet player, specializing in the use of the plunger mute. Early life (1903–1923) Miley was born in Aiken, South Carolina, United States ...

) - 5:10 # "

Stompin' at the Savoy "Stompin' at the Savoy" is a 1933 jazz standard composed by Edgar Sampson. It is named after the famed Harlem nightspot the Savoy Ballroom in New York City. History and composition Although the song is credited to Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Edgar ...

" ( Benny Goodman, Andy Razaf,

Edgar Sampson Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, r ...

, Chick Webb) - 5:04 # "

In the Mood "In the Mood" is a popular big band-era jazz standard recorded by American bandleader Glenn Miller. "In the Mood" is based on the composition " Tar Paper Stomp" by Wingy Manone. The first recording under the name "In the Mood" was released by ...

" (

Joe Garland Joseph Copeland Garland (August 15, 1903, Norfolk, Virginia – April 21, 1977, Teaneck, New Jersey) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger, best known for writing "In the Mood". Garland studied music at Shaw University and t ...

, Razaf) - 5:59 # "

One O'Clock Jump "One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard, a 12-bar blues instrumental, written by Count Basie in 1937. Background The melody derived from band members' riffs—Basie rarely wrote down musical ideas, so Eddie Durham and Buster Smith helped him cry ...

" (

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

Eddie Durham Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie ...

) - 5:12 # " Honeysuckle Rose" (Razaf, Fats Waller) - 4:17 # "Happy Go Lucky Local" - 5:33 # "

Flying Home "Flying Home" is a jazz and jump blues composition written by Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton with lyrics by Sid Robin. Background It was reportedly developed while Hampton was in the Benny Goodman band. A gig in 1939 required the band to f ...

" (Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Eddie Delange) - 6:08 # " Body and Soul" (

Edward Heyman Edward Heyman (March 14, 1907October 16, 1981) was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his lyrics to " Body and Soul," "When I Fall in Love," and " For Sentimental Reasons." He also contributed to a number of songs for films. Biog ...

Robert Sour The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, hono ...

, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green) - 4:47 Bonus track on CD reissue # "

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 pro ...

" - 10:17 Bonus track on CD reissue **Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York on December 21, 1953 (tracks 6 & 8), December 28, 1953 (track 3), December 29, 1953 (track 2) and at Universal Studios, Chicago on January 1, 1954 (track 4), January 2, 1954 (track 5), January 17, 1954 (tracks 1 & 7), June 17, 1954 (track 10) and May 18, 1955 (track 9).

Personnel

* Duke Ellington –

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

* Cat Anderson,

Willie Cook Willie Cook (November 11, 1923 – September 22, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. Cook was born in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, on November 11, 1923.Hogan, E"Willie Cook" AllMusic. Retrieved July 13, 2017. He grew up in Chicago and learned to p ...

Ray Nance Ray Willis Nance (December 10, 1913 – January 28, 1976) was an American jazz trumpeter, violinist and singer. He is best remembered for his long association with Duke Ellington and his orchestra. Early years Nance was the leader of his ow ...

, Clark Terry -

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

*Alfred Cobbs (tracks 6 & 8),

Quentin Jackson Quentin "Butter" Jackson

, George Jean (tracks 1-5 & 7), Britt Woodman -

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

*John Sanders -

valve trombone A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...

(tracks 9 & 10) *

Russell Procope Russell Keith Procope (August 11, 1908 – January 21, 1981) was an American clarinetist and alto saxophonist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Before Ellington Procope was born in New York City, United States, and grew up in ...

- alto saxophone, clarinet *

Rick Henderson Richard Andrew Henderson (April 25, 1928 – May 21, 2004) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and arranger. Biography Born in Washington, D.C., Henderson studied composition as a high schooler and played in the late 1940s locally. He served ...

- alto saxophone * Paul Gonsalves -

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

Jimmy Hamilton Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Biography Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in ...

- clarinet, tenor saxophone * Harry Carney - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet * Wendell Marshall - bass *Dave Black - drums *Jimmy Grissom - vocal (track 3) * Billy Strayhorn - celeste (track 2)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellington '55 Capitol Records albums Duke Ellington albums 1955 albums