Reminiscing Temporarily

Here is a photostat of a document Ellington researcher Ken Steiner shared recently on Facebook and which has since been incorporated into David Palmquist's Duke Where and When website.

It is a document of great historical significance, showing the effect the loss of his mother had on Ellington and the extent to which, however temporarily, it de-railed his career.  

Ken writes...

Daisy Ellington's death on 27 May, 1935 sent her son Duke into a deep melancholy. How many band dates were cancelled, and how long Duke was away from the band, are uncertain from newspaper reports. Mills publicist Ned Williams sent this telegram on June 5 to African American journalist Earl Morris requesting his assistance to get the word out that Duke had returned to the band. 

It reads:

June 5, 1935

MILLSERVICE AIRMAILER

From Ned G. Williams, 799 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y.

Circle 7-5217 or Circle 7-7162 

Cable – Jazz

Mr. Earl J. Morris

Metropolitan News

4506 South Michigan Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

Please help me correct the impression arising from the story circulated in the ANP to all colored newspapers that Duke Ellington has cancelled all future engagements on account of the death of his mother. Duke has returned to his band, is playing dance engagements every night and opens Friday at the Shea Theatre in Toronto, Canada, to be followed by another extended dance tour. The false impression that Duke is not traveling with the band had seriously affected his box-office receipts on a number of engagements and has cost him a lot of money unnecessarily. I know that you will be happy to help us correct this error.

Cordially yours,

Ned E. Williams

VIA AIR MAIL

Source: Claude A. Barnett Papers, The Associated Negro Press, 1918-1967; Drama, Theatre, and Motion Picture Materials in the Microtext Department; Boston Public Library.

Post Script:

Aftermath of Daisy Ellington's Death - follow up. Letter from Mills publicist Ned Williams thanking African American journalist C.A. Barnett for his help in correcting the impression that Duke Ellington's engagements had been cancelled.

June 11, 1935

Mr. C.A. Barnett
Associated Negro Press
3507 South Parkway
Chicago, Illinois

Dear Mr. Barnett:

I want to thank you for your courtesy in helping correct the erroneous impression regarding the cancellation of Duke Ellington’s bookings.

In my letter to various newspapermen, I did not intend to cast aspersions upon the accuracy of the ANP, but I was considerably upset by the demands of various dance promoters for adjustments on their contracts, based upon the stories which appeared in various colored newspapers.

Thank you again for your kindness and I hope that I may be able to reciprocate in some fashion.

Cordially yours,

ned e. williams

Reelin' In The Years 6: Climbing Half Way To The Stars

Final post in this series, Reelin' In The Years and imagine my delight as I discovered that the tape transfer I had been listening was an engagement where the headline act was Tony Bennett with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

A little research when the CD had finished playing, led me to discover that the contents on the tape were likely a recording made on 25 April, 1968.

According to the eve-reliable Duke Where And When website, this, Ellington's second tour with Tony Bennett, began on 3 March, 1968. On this particular occasion, which took place at Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wisconsin...

The Mayor of Madison proclaimed April 25 to be Duke Ellington Day and backstage, late during the concert, Ellington was presented with a citation and the key to the city.

 

Concert tickets were $5.50, $4.50, $3.50, $2.50.

The poster you see above is for the next engagement-but-one on the tour.

Prior to sourcing this tape, I had never heard any recordings from Tony Bennett with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. I suspect this is the only engagement from which recordings survive. It's possible it may be found on the odd torrent site but it was new to me.

From the engagement, here is Tony Bennett singing the Ellington standard I'm Just A Lucky So-and-So. Listen out for the alto solo by Johnny Hodges. I have never heard Rabbit play like this with the Ellington outfit before. It must have been an exciting evening.

 

User 614215157 · Just A Lucky So And So

Reelin' In The Years 5: Express Yourself

How do you follow an act like the monologue from Jack E. Leonard in the previous post?

Well, Duke pulled out all the stops.

From this same engagement, 25 April, 1968, here is a version of Take The 'A' Train that Ellington featured during this time. It's taken at breakneck speed and is more of an express. The familiar Cootie Williams ray Nance-inspired trumpet solo is replaced by a high speed fugue created by clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton.

In the next post, and the last in this series for a while, we will reveal the closing act of that particular engagement.

For now, here is quite the quickest way to get to Harlem!

User 614215157 · Take The 'A'Train Espresso