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Duke Ellington

I 'll be moving to the U Street corridor in DC, only a block or two where Ellington was born. I am ashamed to say that I know nothing about his music. Can you recommend a CD boxset with good recordings and good sound quality? Even book recommendations (Bios and discography) are welcome.
bluecirclehead
rosstaman
455 posts
 
Duke Ellington and Louie Armstrong—The Great Summit is one of my all-time favorites. Also, Duke Ellington Live at Newport.
xiekitchen
821 posts
 
I bought "Blues in Orbit" the classic records pressing.. great record
jayarr
117 posts
 
He's one of my faves. I consider him one of the few "geniouses" of jazz. I have about 20 CD's of his. There honestly is not a bad one among them. However I seem to play several more often then others: Black,Brown and Beige; The Ellington Suites; Piano in the Foreground. Whatever you do, just buy something of his. I agree that anything recorded before 1950 can sound relatively distant and lacking in the frequency extremes. If you have any jazz sensibility at all you will like this stuff alot.
hifier's avatar
hifier
6 posts
 
He is the greatest of composers of music. Try getting Duke Ellington Complete Columbia and RCA Victor Sessions with Ben Webster featuring Jimmy Blanton -Centennial Edition" A four CD set of Definitive Records check it out at www.disconforme.com that is if they are still in business or you might find it on eBay. Another smasher is "Ellington Indigos" on Columbia/Sony. Or "...and his mother called him Bill" on Bluebird. There are many others and they are all great
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