Description by OLDIES.com:
Duke Ellington Presents..., recorded for Bethlehem in 1956, is unusual in that it consists mainly of standards. On it, Duke and key soloists work wonders on such chestnuts as "My Funny Valentine," "Summertime," "Laura," and the Rosetta Stone of be-bop, "I Can't Get Started," plus a few choice Ellington originals. Duke Ellington Presents... is an accessible entry point for newcomers, as well as an overlooked gem for Duke fans.
Product Description:
Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Ray Nance (vocals, trumpet, violin); Jimmy Grissom (vocals); Russel Procope (alto saxophone, clarinet); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); "Cat" Anderson, Clark Terry, Willie Cook (trumpet); Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Quentin Jackson (trombone); Jimmy Woode (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums).
Includes liner notes by Joseph P. Muranyi and Joseph F. Laredo.
Digitally remastered by Tom Moulton (Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs, New York, New York).
Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Ray Nance (vocals, violin); Jimmy Grissom (vocals); Russell Procope (clarinet, alto saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders (trombone); Jimmy Woode (double bass); Sam Woodyard (drums).
In the early '50s, one of the great American composers (also performer and bandleader), Duke Ellington, was in a slump, creatively and commercially. The few big bands left where having a hard time of it then, and the Duke's association with Capitol Records at the time produced few masterpieces. On top of all that, Ellington's star sax man Johnny Hodges had left for a solo career. In the mid-'50s, Hodges returned, and Duke and company hooked up with the short-lived Bethlehem label.
The program here has only four originals (five, if you count the jam-thing that is "Blues") and the rest are standards. Perhaps the Duke wanted to ease Hodges back into things--regardless, this is a fine album. The orchestrations are sumptuously rich and classy, there's some terrific solos (Harry Carney's baritone sax on "Frustration"), and some mellow, Nat "King" Cole-style vocals from trumpeter/violinist Ray Nance. This session sounds like the band is gearing up to the good times just around the corner--the late '50s would see the Duke sign on with Columbia Records and reign triumphant at the Newport Jazz Festival.
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