Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid & broadcast intro

Ellington had a rather busy schedule in June 1951, with Meadowbrook and Birdland  being the most important engagements, the latter lasting from June 21 to June 30. We have an existing WMCA broadcast from June 30, with the same orchestra members as earlier in June. The first half of this broadcast can be found in the Goodies Room. The sound quality is not the best but some of the music was issued on record, long time ago (Stardust 202, 1975), and can probably be heard to better advantage with this record available. In this first part of the broadcast, the following numbers are included:

Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid*Take The Train*Midriff*Warm Valley#*Eighth Veil*The Hawk Talks*Flamingo*Boy Meets Horn#                                                                               # Stardust 202

The first title, Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid, is an odd one in the Ellington repertoire, and it is probably used here because of its connection to Birdland and be-bop. Symphony Sid was a famous disc jockey in USA, who was instrumental in introducing be-bop to a wider audience. The rest of the song list is rather typical for the period.  Note that Harold Baker now has taken over the role as solist in Boy Meets Horn  from Rex Stewart who had left the band in 1945. This was actually Ellington’s last performance at Birdland before he and the band left for other engagements in July and onwards. He would however return in later years. We will come back with the second part of this broadcast later on.