Treasury Twenty One

From the Storyville website...

In April 1945, to promote the sale of war bonds, the US Treasury Department contacted Duke Ellington to do a series of 55 min public broadcasts. These sessions would give Ellington a wide choice of material to perform including his older work; new instrumentals and pop tunes and his extended works as well.

This double CD contains a series of different radio broadcasts from The Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles, the El Patio Ballroom in Denver, the Orpheum Theatre in San Diego and the Trianon Ballroom in South Gate, California. The broadcasts are featured complete with radio speaks and encouragements to buy bonds read by The Duke himself + bonus material and extensive liner notes.

CD 1 contains a radio broadcast from The Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles, July 6m 1946 plus bonus tracks from a CBS Broadcast from Lakeside Park, the El Patio Ballroom in Denver, July 14, 1942.

CD 2 features a broadcast from the Orpheum Theatre in San Diedo, July 27, 1946, with the bonus tracks being from a radio broadcast in the Trianon Ballroom, South Gate, California dating back to May 2, 1942.

As a teaser for the sound found on this volume, Duke Ellington connoisseur Brian Koller, author of the extensive liner notes, writes: “It is no wonder why the Cat Anderson composition Teardrops In The Rain was a band staple for two years. The band really swings, and when it’s time for Anderson’s solo, he shows off high note pyrotechnics that few if any other trumpeters could match. Al Sears unleashes a might tenor sax solo, then the band is briefly reduced to a rhythm trio featuring Pettiford’s bass and the Duke on piano. To close the number, the full orchestra reverses the introductory themes.” Energy like that is found all through the broadcasts

CD 1 - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

Track 1-14: Broadcast, Million Dollar Theatre, Los Angeles, July 6, 1946

Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Francis Williams, Cat Anderson, Reunald Jones (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln, vo), Joe Nanton, Lawrence Brown, Claude Jones, Wilbur DeParis (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl,ts), Russell Procope (cl, as), Johnny Hodges (as), Al Sears (ts), Harry Carney (bs, cl, bcl), Duke Ellington (p), Fred Guy (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Sonny Greer (dr), Kay Davis, Al Hibbler (vo).

Track 15-17: CBS Broadcast Lakeside Park, El Patio Ballroom, Denver, July 14, 1942

Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln), Joe Nanton, Lawrence Brown (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Chauncey Haughton (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as, ss), Otto Hardwick (as), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (bs, as, cl), Duke Ellington (p), Fred Guy (g), Junior Raglin (b), Sonny Greer (dr).

CD 2 - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

Track 1-15: Radio Broadcast, Orpheum Theatre, San Diego, July 27, 1946

Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Francis Williams, Cat Anderson, Harold Baker (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln, vo), Lawrence Brown, Claude Jones, Wilbur DeParis (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl,ts), Russell Procope (cl, as), Johnny Hodges (as), Al Sears (ts), Harry Carney (bs, cl, bcl), Duke Ellington (p), Fred Guy (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Sonny Greer (dr), Kay Davis, Al Hibbler (vo).

Track 16-18: Radio Broadcast, Trianon Ballroom, South Gate, California, May 2, 1942

Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln), Joe Nanton, Lawrence Brown, Juan Tizol (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Johnny Hodges (as, ss), Otto Hardwick (as), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (bs, as, cl), Duke Ellington (p), Fred Guy (g), Junior Raglin (b), Sonny Greer (dr).

Available now from musicroom.com