Bruce Swedien Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 If you are tired of my going on about Duke Ellington, let me know.... If you can handle a bit more, let me say - I recorded all of the really great Big Bands between 1957 and 1969 that appeared in Chicago - In my experience, by far the best sounding, most exciting, consistantly great Big Band was Count Basie. However, none came even close to the Duke for innovation. Here's a bit more about Duke Ellington.... Ladies you may want to take a break, it's a bit sexist, I'm sorry for that, but that's life! I would like to use lines from one of Duke Ellington's poems to separate my comments about the Duke. The poem is in his book "Music Is My Mistress". ___________________________________________ "Music is a beautiful woman in her prime." My work with music is, of course, confined to the recording studio, but Duke's love of what he created with his instrument, the orchestra, showed me, what being truly dedicated to your craft, or work really means. "Music is the woman you always wanted to find." I think I learned a lot about self-confidence from watching Duke Ellington in the studio. I have always been a bit of an individualist, but when I met Duke, the king of innovators, I emerged from those sessions, inspired, and newly re-dedicated to doing everything in my power in making good music stick to tape. "Music is a gorgeous bitch." Even the way he dressed indicated to me, when I first met him in Studio 'A', that he wanted his appearance to be an orchestration of his deep, many-faceted character, not merely an expression of himself. He was definitely a style-setter! Duke Ellington's clothes were not just a "lead sheet", the Dukes threads were a whole arrangement! "Music IS the woman." ___________________________________________ Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 It'll be a long time before I could hear enough about Duke. Or Basie, for that matter. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan South Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Bring it on, Bruce! There's no such thing as "too much Ellington." The Black Knight always triumphs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worley Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Bruce, As many as you want to type and post, I will read with great interest. I may not have any insightful clever things to say after I read them, but that's not the point. I want to read your insights and the Duke's insights. I'm here to listen and learn. Thank you, Dan Worley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Just to pipe in here real quick - I'm interested in any and all of the Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn stories. Just a pinch between the geek and chum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by Bruce Swedien: In my experience, by far the best sounding, most exciting, consistantly great Big Band was Count Basie. There's a guy on this forum who played trombone in Basie's band If he hasn't told you already, you can probably guess who that is . That said...bring on the Duke anecdotes! "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by Bruce Swedien: If you are tired of my going on about Duke Ellington, let me know.... Don't you stop, dammit! My favorite column in MIX Magazine is Classic Tracks. (all things considered, EQ Mag is better though ) Hearing people talk about great recordings and share their dear memories from creative moments will NEVER make this viking tired. PS I too could share some sweet memories, only that probably non of you would recognise the music or artists. http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by Mats Olsson.: PS I too could share some sweet memories, only that probably non of you would recognise the music or artists.Which torques me no end... in that Sweden no doubt has a whole bunch of great music that was completely unavailable here. YEAH, SURE, send us "Abba" and keep the hipper stuff for yourselves. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I recently saw an early 30's movie that had a very young Duke Ellington and his band.....they were swingin way harder than what I'd heard before. Any specific early albums I could look for to find that stuff? Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Reading too many Ellington stories? It's not possible. Originally posted by Bruce Swedien: In my experience, by far the best sounding, most exciting, consistantly great Big Band was Count Basie.Last night on BETJazz, there was a great Masters of American Music series program about Count Basie. I had my 13 year old trumpet playing daughter watch it with me. It featured interviews with Basie alumni. Some of the topics I remember from the program were: - Basie's change from a stride player to his riffing style, and the economy of his playing as a soloist - the innovative use of 2 soloing tenors within a band - the hardest swinging rhythm section of Freddie Green, Walter Page, and Jo Jones - the vocalists: Billie Holliday, Helen Humes, Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams. Brief mentions of the Sinatra/Basie albums, and records with Tony Bennett, Sarah, and Ella. I could have watched a second hour of material on Basie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedly Nightshade Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 No danger of an Ellington overdose here! Originally posted by Geenard: I recently saw an early 30's movie that had a very young Duke Ellington and his band.....they were swingin way harder than what I'd heard before. Any specific early albums I could look for to find that stuff?That sounds like the influence of Ben Webster and of Jimmy Blanton, the youngster who permanently redefined the role of the upright bass in jazz. There's a Ellington CD set called "The Blanton/Webster Band" that has these goodies! A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM! "There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Swedien Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 Mats Olsson...... (From one Viking to another!) Talk about Swedish Musical moments.... Mats, have you ever heard and seen Nisse Langren play "Varmeland...." and as he plays it, he takes the trombone completely apart, plays eight bars on only his mouthpiece, and then reassembles the tromben, again without missing a beat! He did this for Bea and me, in our living room at home. Nisse Landgren is incredible!!! Perhaps you have to be Swedish, but we'll never forget! Tak for titta!!! Brucie the Viking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Nisse Landgren absolutely rocks! Actually, all cats in his band are awesome on their own (and Per Lindvall is in my not so humble opinion one of the best drummers ever), together they are nothing short of astonishing. Did you ever get hear Nils Landgren's Funk Unit when they backed Michael Ruff & his (then) wife? Their version of "Come Together" might be available on CD (in case you guys would like to hear it. Check it out!!!) Nils Landgren's latest album is called Funky Abba - very funky ABBA covers. It's more fun than you might think at first. If you ever get the chance to see Nisse (Nils) Landgren & his band live - don't miss it! Chapter 2: Sometimes Nisse, who's also a good vocalist, goes on tour with just him and a acoustic guitar player, Johan Norberg. Sweet! Sorry for for this flood of superlatives and exclamation marks, but in this particular instance, it's called for. Really. PS You can hear some of his music at Amazon . http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Swedien Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 Mats Olsson..... I am helping the guy that is writing Nisse's book. I have some great photos. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nisse Landgren more than absolutely rocks! Brucie the Viking!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barandine Vondenger Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Dukey... Frank Ranklin and the Ranktones WARP SPEED ONLY STREAM FRANKIE RANKLIN (Stanky Franks) <<< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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