The Best Of The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition
The 24-discComplete RCA Victor Recordingsis a bountiful musical feast as nourishing and satisfying as any. This single-CD snapshot offers mere morsels, but in doing so provides a worthwhile sampler plate for those looking for a taste of each of Ellington's creative periods. Spanning 50 years of jazz genius, the 18-song collection begins with Cotton Club-era favorites featuring the growling horns of Bubber Miley and "Tricky Sam" Nanton, moves through the Duke's artistic peak of the early 1940s (featuring tenor Ben Webster and bassist Jimmy Blanton), samples the extendedBlack, Brown and Beigesuite and Sacred Concerts, and culminates with several late-1960s gems from successes such asThe Far East Suiteand the tribute to departed Billy Strayhorn. In addition, this set features a number of oddities from the Ellington oeuvre--an almost-eight-minute medley from 1932 that was one of the earliest long players as well as an early attempt at stereo (thanks to a double-mic setup), a 1945 date withTommy Dorsey's orchestra, and a 1946Esquireall-star summit withLouis Armstrong. As a useful and musically superb overview of the master's career, this record stands on its own; however, don't be surprised if it simply whets your appetite for more Ellingtonia.--Marc Greilsamer