Stomp Look And Listen (Original Mono Recordings 1940-1948/Centenary Issue) - Duke Ellington

Advantages: Great jazz tunes from the Golden Age
Disadvantages: None

...something to this pure piece of jazz-blues piano work that makes up this excellent tune. Solitude by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra begins strangely with what sounds on this recording by what sounds like some off-key piano playing. Then the rest of the orchestra slowly join in. I fear that this recording is marred by damage to the masters, as it seems to have some problems. Even so, it shows what Duke an his court could do. Speaking of royalty in jazz, the next track is King Oliver with Rhythm Club Stomp. This is re-mastered for digital stereo and seems to have benefited from the experience. It could be this might be one of the accidental stereo recordings that was discovered. Apparently it was the habit of some record producers to use two sets of recording equipment on a recording session, as insurance against an equipment failure. One set... Read review

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Advantages: The final flourish from Britain's best loved Classical duo.
Disadvantages: Patchy musically with some pleasant "highs"; rather weak and ponderous libretto.

...) are no longer used. Songs of particular note are: "Won't It Be A Pretty Wedding" - The Full Chorus "A Pattern To Professors Of Monarchical Autonomy" - Grand Duke Rudolph (A patter song) "Oh, A Monarch Who Boasts Intellectual Graces" - Ludwig and Chorus "For This Will Be A Jolly Court" - Ludwig and Chorus "As Before You We Defile" - The Full Chorus "Your Highness There's A Party At The Door" - Ludwig, the Baroness and Chorus STAGE PERFORMANCE I saw an amateur performance of "Ruddigore" by the Tynemouth Gilbert & Sullivan Society recently. The programme also listed their productions back to 1948. They have staged "The Grand Duke" once in that time (1970). OTHER RESOURCES This two-disc box CD set is part of the complete set of operas recorded by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and released by DECCA originally on vinyl in the 1960s... Read review

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Advantages: Jazz for the uninitiated
Disadvantages: None

...Head On My Shoulder) – at last, a song I know something about. This is a version of a song originally recorded by the Beach Boys. Ms. Teal doesn’t do a bad job of it but, as is often the case for me, the original can’t be improved upon. Mood Indigo – surely this song is the personification of smooth jazz. You can almost smell the stale cigarette smoke. In a good way, of course. An old Duke Ellington number. Falling For You – I really like this song. It was written by Ms. Teal, but to me it actually sounds like an Elvis Costello song. Not a rip-off or a pastiche, it sounds like he wrote it. This is probably my favourite track. In A Mellow Tone – after three slow songs, we’re back to something more upbeat and more traditionally jazz. Not surprising, since it was written by Duke Ellington. So In Love – this is a Cole Porter song... Read review

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