Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins - Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins

Emperors' shell games

This 1995 edition is the one you want. This essential session has just seen a slip-shod late 2007 reissue, the only difference being the elimination of the bonus track ("Solitude") and a change of labels (from GRP to Verve). Since Verve, GRP, and Impulse (the original label for this 1962 session) are now mere marketing devices by the single corporate monster (Universal) that has subsumed them all, the reasons for a cheap reproduction are transparent. Impulse was dropped because the label is associated with late Coltrane and more experimental, avant garde sounds as engineered by Rudy Van Gelder; GRP next had to be dropped because it's associated with "contemporary smooth jazz," not music as firmly planted in the tradition as Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins. So Verve became the most likely suspect, even though Norman Granz produced little Ellington music and avoided Van Gelder's services as a recording engineer. So much for historical accuracy.

The deletion of bonus tracks is a growing trend among all four of the big companies that control over 80% of the music we hear (Universal, Sony-BMG, EMC, and Warners)--probably because of the profit motive. If listeners have to pay $10-$15 merely to download the files from a complete album, why should they be awarded extra music at a lower price for ordering the expensive-to-make CD at lower margins? (Or take "Sarah Vaughan at Mr. Kelly's." In its most recent reissue, approximately 12 tracks were deleted from the abundant, generous program, enough to comprise a second album--or lots of individual downloads at 99c a pop.)

The upshot? The latest reissue has nothing to do with the music--either its audio quality or new information that has come to light concerning the date--and has everything to do with marketing and greed. In fact, the 2007 reissue doesn't even bother to include an insert with the original liner notes. They're printed illegibly, simply to demonstrate that the original album had them. Better pick up this version before supplies run out. March 26, 2008

The Jeep is jumping

I guess this is a true masterpiece... Coleman Hawkins is at the very peak of his powers - harmonically and rhythmically this is equal to everything I've heard him do previously and the sound of his horn is even more rich than usually....

Hawkins is therefore a perfect match for an Ellington ensemble; not a big band, but starring some of the best Ellingtonians, well rehearsed and spontanious as only people who know each other very well can be... And the Duke himself is as witty and virtuoso as ever.

Although the other Ellingtonians also give beautiful contribution to this rich album full of diverse performances, I tend to agree with those who say that Ray Nance, (both on his horn and on his fiddle) really shines allongside the mighty Hawk an the ever-ellegant Duke. Recommended to all serious jazz fans, this album is, I believe, quite accesible to more casual observers of jazz... January 30, 2008

What a combo! Simply put... A WORK OF ART!!!

I popped this one in my car CD player a couple of months ago. I have a six-disc player that I almost religiously change every week - six CD's out, six in. However, this recording has probably just set the record for the longest tenure in my CD player. The bottom line, I just can't get enough of this one!

Amazing that these two giants of the swing era - the Duke and the Bean (a.k.a. Coleman Hawkins) - only produced this one classic album together back in 62. However, what an extraordinary, exquisite work of art this turned out to be! Then again, does Coleman Hawkins ever really let you down (i.e. "Body and Soul", "The Hawk Flies High", "The Genius of Coleman Hawkins", "Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster", etc... etc...) And of course many people, including myself, consider Mr. Ellington to be the greatest composer and bandleader in the history of jazz. With that being said though, I think it's easy to sometimes make the mistake of assuming that with this combo and Ellington's fantastic sidemen too boot, it just automatically has to be great - right? As most jazz purists will tell you, not everything that glitters is gold. However this one folks, sparkles like an eight carat diamond!

These old masters really show off their chops on this effervescent set of both new and old Ellington compositions. The beautiful ballad "Self-Portrait of the Bean" was actually finished in the studio the day of the recording and it's safe to say that 'the Bean's' intricate, lissome execution more than does justice to the wonderful tribute by Ellington and Strayhorn. "Moon Indigo" is another highlight on this one, and in many ways you would think that Duke custom made this composition with Hawk in mind, for it's a perfect vehicle for the smooth, soft tenor man. I also loved the animated, playful tunes "Limbo Jazz" and "The Ricitic" both of which embrace the zesty flavors of Latin America.

You can't go wrong with this one. Duke's incredible team includes - the great Johnny Hodges (alto sax), Harry Carney (baritone sax & clarinet), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Aaron Bell (bass), Sam Woodward (drums), and last but certainly not least Ray Nance (cornet, violin). The latter is definitely one of the most underated jazz musicians ever! Nance gives a stunning performance on both the violin and cornet and he deserves a lot of credit for the creation of this masterpiece. I just can't say enough about how great he is on this one!

This is what Jazz music is all about. One of my favorite recordings ever!

November 15, 2007

Gooven

These two jazz legends, what elese could you ask for other than it come packed full of $100. bills. September 23, 2007

Two of the original legends on a good day

Duke was the finest jazz composer and bandleader of them all, no question, and Hawkins was the original master of the tenor. Unlike many "meetings of the greats" albums, this one is fluff-free. No one tries to outplay anyone else; it's a team effort of the highest order.
The legends meet here while Duke's finest band was still shining, with Hodges and Nance and company as good as ever, and clearly thrilled to make an album with someone who understands music on the level they do.
Relaxed but swinging, ebullient but elegant, this is a jazz masterpiece that gets better with age.
Mom and Dad, you were right. They sure as hell do not make 'em like this anymore. September 4, 2007

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