Wilber Sweatman and Band -- March 12, 2025

Mount Vernon Argus, 12-March-1925

 Duke Ellington, who had been leading a small group that played around Washington, DC, moved to New York to join the Wilber (or Wilbur) Sweatman Orchestra. By 1925, he had already returned to Washington.

Duke Ellington and His World Famous Orchestra -- January 21, 2025

Seattle Star, 31-January-1950

Duke Ellington was a great American composer and he kept his Famous Orchestra on the road for many years so he could hear his music (and Billy Strayhorn's) played properly.

Seattle Star, 31-January-1950

Duke Ellington 50 Years -- May 24, 2024

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In April of this year we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the birth of Duke Ellington, America's greatest composer. He was born on 29-April-1899 in Washington, DC. Through his long career as a bandleader, he revolutionized American music. I always thought he looked like my grandfather. He died 50 years ago today, on 24-May-1974. I remember.

Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue, Ellington at Newport 1956

Duke Ellington - Mood Indigo [Restored]

In a Sentimental Mood

Duke Ellington - Black And Tan Fantasy [1927]

1928 HITS ARCHIVE: Creole Love Call - Duke Ellington (Adelaide Hall, vocal)

Duke Ellington 125 -- April 29, 2024

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125 years ago today, on 29-April-1899, Duke Ellington, America's greatest composer, was born in Washington, DC. Through his long career as a bandleader, he revolutionized American music. I always thought he looked like my grandfather. 

Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue, Ellington at Newport 1956

Duke Ellington - Mood Indigo [Restored]

In a Sentimental Mood

Duke Ellington - Black And Tan Fantasy [1927]

1928 HITS ARCHIVE: Creole Love Call - Duke Ellington (Adelaide Hall, vocal)

Max Roach 100 -- January 10, 2024

Max Roach was born on 10-January-1924, 100 years ago today. I was surprised to read that he was 83, and yet he had been around as long as I can remember. They used to play his music and talk about him on KJAZ. He would turn up on television sometimes. He always looked really serious, with the glasses and the suits. He wasn't one of the musicians I wanted to be when I grew up (I never wanted to be a drummer), but he was always there.

He subbed in Duke Ellington's orchestra when he was 16. He was one of the creators of bebop. He played on "Birth of the Cool". He worked with Abbey Lincoln and Clifford Brown. He composed; he taught; he worked for Civil Rights; he led a good life.

Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach group "We insist!" 1964 Belgian TV

Charles Mingus 100 -- April 22, 2022

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Great American composer, bass player and band leader Charles Mingus was born 100 years ago today, on 22-April-1922. He worked with everyone from Duke Ellington to Herbie Hancock. I remember when he died in 1979.

Charles Mingus - Moanin'

 

Charles Mingus - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

 

CHARLES MINGUS: ORIGINAL FAUBUS FABLES.

 

Haitian Fight Song - Charles Mingus (1922-1979) arr. Martin Zenker performed by SU Jazz Gig Band

Dr Billy Taylor 100 -- July 24, 2021

 

Dr Billy Taylor, composer, pianist, activist and educator, was born 100 years ago today, on 24-July-1921. I always enjoyed listening to his programs on National Public Radio. "I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free" is his best-known composition.

Clark Terry 100 -- December 14, 2020

Trumpeter and flugelhorn player Clary Terry was born 100 years ago today, on 14-December-1920.  He played with everyone.

Buckminster Fuller 125, Paul Gonsalves 100 -- July 12, 2020

Independent thinker Buckminster Fuller was born 125 years ago today, on 12-July-1895. He served in the US Navy during World War One.  He built geodesic domes, the Dymaxion car, the Dymaxion house and the Dymaxion map.  He invented lots of words. He had a great smile.

Tenor saxophone player Paul Gonsalves was born 100 years ago today, on 12-July-1920. He is best remembered today for his performance with Duke Ellington at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. As the band played Ellington's "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue," Gonsalves stood up to take a solo. Ellington encouraged him to keep playing through 27 choruses. The crowd went mad and the album helped to revitalize Ellington's career.

Peggy Lee 100, John Fogerty 75 -- May 26, 2020

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Singer Peggy Lee was born 100 years ago today, on 26-May-1920.  She sang with Benny Goodman.  She kept singing when she was stuck in a wheelchair.  She wrote a song with Duke Ellington.

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John Fogerty, guitarist, singer, composer and leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, was born 75 years ago today, on 26-May-1945.  I was always happy when a CCR song came on the radio.

Favorite Albums -- April 19, 2018

Last month on Facebook, I was nominated by a friend to list my ten all-time favorite albums. "What really made an impact and is still on your rotation list. Post the cover, no need to explain." I enjoyed the exercise, although it was tough to narrow it down to ten and not make any explanations. I thought I would use my blog to share the albums and perhaps make some comments.

My first choice, because the file name was first in the directory, was Elvis Costello's third album, Armed Forces.  This was the first Elvis Costello album that I purchased.  I love the music on the LP and the EP.  Once I saved up enough money, I went back to Tower Records and bought his first two albums.

Some don't like modal jazz; they think the musicians are just playing scales.  Miles Davis and his sextette are not just playing scales on Kind of Blue.

Last year my daughter and I were sitting in the car waiting for my wife.  I put this CD in the player.  My daughter was quiet until she heard "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?"  She said "That is warped."  Yes it is.

I had trouble deciding which Duke Ellington album to select, but "Ellington at Newport" has the 27 chorus saxophone solo by Juan Gonsalves on "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue."

I bought my fiancée all of Ella Fitzgerald's songbooks, but the Gershwin was our favorite.   We used two songs from it for our wedding reception.

I read in Newsweek that Glenn Gould had recorded a new version of The Goldberg Variations.  I saved enough money, which took a while because classical albums cost more than pop or rock'n'roll albums.

I found Harriet Janis and Rudi Blesh's They All Played Ragtime at the Anza Branch Library and enjoyed it, but I hadn't heard most of the music.  The Anza and Richmond branches did not have any ragtime records, but I found Joshua Rifkin's album at the Main Library.  I later bought my own copy.

I don't own this actual album, but this image allowed me to represent Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five and Hot Seven with one entry.  I love all the recordings.  "West End Blues," "Weather Bird," "Potato Head Blues," all of them.

I didn't know about Louis Jordan until someone played "Saturday Night Fish Fry" on KJAZ.  I went looking for him at Tower Records.

What can I say about Sun Ra?  Space IS the place.  Some don't believe he visited Saturn in 1936 or 1937.

Billy Strayhorn 100 -- September 29, 2015

100 years ago today, on 29-September-2015, American composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn was born in Dayton, Ohio.  He became interested in music very early in life.  When he met Duke Ellington after a show in 1938, he showed Duke how he would have arranged one of Ellington's compositions.  Ellington was impressed and invited him to join the band as composer, arranger, conductor and whatever else was needed. 



When I was a kid, I thought Duke Ellington had composed this theme song, "Take the 'A' Train."  It was composed by Billy Strayhorn. 



Billy's most famous song was "Lush Life."  It has been recorded by virtually everyone. 

Touring the world with Ellington gave Strayhorn a chance to live life as a gay man when it was illegal almost everywhere.  It also gave him opportunities to work for civil rights.  He died of cancer in 1967. 

Herb Jeffries 100 -- September 24, 2013

 

Herb Jeffries, the Bronze Buckaroo, sang with Duke Ellington and Earl Hines  and starred in a series of western "race movies."  Some sources claim that he was a white man who passed as black, while others claim that his Sicilian father was of partly Ethiopian descent. Does it matter? 

Nickname #4 -- July 7, 2011

The nickname "Duke" was a perfect fit for Edward Kennedy Ellington, America's greatest composer.

It was cooler today.

Max Roach, RIP - August 19, 2007

Max Roach passed on the other day. I was surprised to read that he was 83, and yet he had been around as long as I can remember. They used to play his music and talk about him on KJAZ. He would turn up on television sometimes. He always looked really serious, with the glasses and the suits. He wasn't one of the musicians I wanted to be when I grew up (I never wanted to be a drummer), but he was always there.

He subbed in Duke Ellington's orchestra when he was 16. He was one of the creators of bebop. He played on "Birth of the Cool". There aren't many people left (Lee Konitz?) who played on those sessions.

He composed, he taught. He led a good life.