Mills Ten Blackberries - Velvet Tone 7082 & 7088 (1930)

Here we have the complete recording session output by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra from June 12, 1930.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d. 

Recorded in New York on June 12, 1930.

The New York Age

July 12, 1930

Harlem Hot Chocolates - Hit Of The Week 1046 (1930)

This completes the run of Duke's two sides for the Hit Of The Week label.

Sing You Sinners can be heard here.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d / Irving Mills v.

Recorded in New York in March, 1930.

The Harlem Music Masters / Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra - Okeh 41468 (1930)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d, chimes.

Recorded in New York on October 30, 1930.

Louis Armstrong t, v / George Orendorff, Harold Scott t / Luther Graven tb / Les Hite as, bar, ldr / Marvin Johnson as / Charlie Jones cl, ts / Henry Prince p / Bill Perkins bj, g / Joe Bailey sb / Lionel Hampton d, vib.

Recorded in Los Angeles on October 9, 1930.

Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra - Victor 38053 (1929)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Duke Ellington - Okeh 8636 (1928)

Just a man and his piano...

Duke Ellington p.

Recorded in New York on October 1, 1928.

The Jungle Band - Brunswick 4705 (1929)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard, cl ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on September 13, 1929.

Duke Ellington's Orchestra (Hot Dance Orchestra) - Victor 38045 (1929)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cootie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Johnny Hodges cl, as, ss / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on February 18, 1929.

The Jungle Band - Brunswick 4345 (1929)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Bubber Miley, Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins t / Joe Nanton tb / Johnny Hodges cl, ss, as / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer.

Recorded in New York on January 8 (Voom) & March 1 (Rent), 1929.

The Washingtonians - Harmony 557 (1928)

If memory serves me right, this was the first 78 I purchased on eBay back in the '90s. I do believe that I created my account after seeing this listing in order to bid.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf t / Joe Nanton tb / Otto Hardwick ss, as, bar / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on January 9, 1928.

The Washingtonians / The Arkansas Travellers - Diva 2601 (1927-28)

Recorded just one month after taking up their engagement at the Cotton Club.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf t / Joe Nanton tb / Otto Hardwick ss, as, bar / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on January 9, 1928.

Red Nichols t / Miff Mole tb / Pee Wee Russell or Fud Livingston cl / Fred Morrow as / Rube Bloom p / Vic Berton d.

Recorded in New York on September 14, 1927.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Okeh 8623 (1928)

Duke Ellington p, a dir / Bubber Miley, Arthur Whetsel t / Joe Nanton tb / Johnny Hodges cl, as, ss / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Lonnie Johnson g / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d / Baby Cox v.

Recorded in New York on October 1, 1928.

Johnny Hodges & Orchestra (An Ellington Unit) - Bluebird 11021 (1940)

To me, there's not much that can compare to the sound of Hodges' alto.

Cootie Williams t / Lawrence Brown tb / Johnny Hodges as / Harry Carney bar / Duke Ellington p / Jimmy Blanton sb / Sonny Greer d / Billy Strayhorn a (Day Dream).

Recorded in Chicago on November 2, 1940

The Jungle Band - Brunswick 01145 (1931)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins, Cottie Williams t / Joe Nanton tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Johnny Hodges cl, as, ss / Harry Carney cl, as bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj, g / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on January 20, 1931.

Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra - Vocalion 4941 (1939)

Johnny Hodges is, hands down, my favorite figure in all of jazz.

Cootie Williams t / Lawrence Brown tb / Johnny Hodges as / Harry Carney bar / Duke Ellington p / Billy Taylor sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on March 21 & June 2, 1939.

Duke Ellington (Piano Solos) - Columbia 36312 (Originally 1936)

I missed Sir Duke's birthday by a few days. I was trying to find a 78 with one of his best known compositions but instead found one (a re-issue) that contained four...interpreted by Ellington...and Ellington alone.

Recorded in Hollywood on December 21, 1936 and originally released on Brunswick 7990 and Master 102.

The Washingtonians / Seven Little Polar Bears - Cameo 8188 (1928)

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Bubber Miley, Louis Metcalf t / Joe Nanton tb / Otto Hardwick ss, as, bar, bsx / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Barney Bigard cl, ts / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York in March, 1928.

A Harry Reser unit.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Brunswick 7627 (1936) & 7989 (1937)

Next up we have a couple of Ellington sides on Brunswick.

I first heard I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter on the very first Chuck Cecil's The Swingin' Years radio show I had listened to some 15-20 years ago. Although I moved away from being able to hear it on local radio...I can still catch the show online on Saturday & Sunday mornings here.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Arthur Whetsol, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart c / Tricky Sam Nanton, Lawrence Brown tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Barney Bigard cl / Johnny Hodges cl, as, ss / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Pete Clark as / Fred Guy g / Hayes Alvis sb / Billy Taylor sb (on Kissin') / Sonny Greer d / Ivie Anderson v.

Recorded in New York on February 28, 1936.

Duke Ellington p, a, dir / Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams t / Rex Stewart c / Tricky Sam Nanton, Lawrence Brown tb / Juan Tizol vtb / Barney Bigard cl / Johnny Hodges cl, as, ss / Harry Carney cl, as, bar / Otto Hardwicke as, bsx / Fred Guy g / Hayes Alvis, Billy Taylor sb / Sonny Greer d / Ivie Anderson v.

Recorded in New York on March 5, 1937.

Sonny Greer & His Memphis Men - Columbia (UK) 5033 (1929)

Would really liked to have had the original Columbia 1868 but this one works...for now.

Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins t / Joe Nanton tb / Barney Bigard cl / Johnny Hodges as (Saturday Night Function) / Harry Carney cl, bar (Beggars Blues) / Duke Ellington p / Fred Guy bj / Wellman Braud sb / Sonny Greer d.

Recorded in New York on May 28, 1929.

Ellington Small Groups On Vocalion

Had a recent comment requesting Ellington's small groups.

Here ya go Sam.