The 15th program in the Duke Ellington series broadcasted by the Danish Radio in the mid-1980s based on the Mercer Ellington donation is the third ”Goodie” for April.
As usual, it is available in the ”Goodies of the Month” section of the DESS Lobby (DESS-rummet).
The program was broadcasted on March 8, 1985.
It is a set of stockpile recordings from April 1963 and November 1968 done by a subset of the Ellington orchestra. It was composed of the sax and rhythm sections plus one or two horns. The songs played are some well-known ones in new interpretations and some rarely heard or never recorded before.
The broadcast starts with two numbers from April 17, 1963 – “Jeep’s Blues” and the Johnny Hodges composition “Got Nobody Now”. Both are solo numbers for Ray Nance. It is the only appearance of “Got Nobody Now” in the Ellington discography.
Next comes three songs recorded the day after. Two of them – “Butter And Oleo” and “Blousons Noirs” – were only recorded on this occasion and as regards the third one – Blue Rose – it was the last time it was put on tape. Ray Nance is once again featured prominently but also Johnny Hodges gets some good solo space and in “Butter and Oleo” every member of the sax section except Harry Carney has a solo.
The second part of the broadcast gives us some of the songs recorded on November 29, 1968. It starts with “KNUF” which of course can be read as “FUNK”. Johnny Hodges with good support from Buster Cooper and Willie Cook is at the forefront of this Ellington tune never heard before or after the session. Then the broadcast continues with three well-known Ellington songs – Just Squeeze Me, Mood Indigo and In A Sentimental Mood – but played as never heard before.
“Just Squeeze Me” belongs to Harold Ashby, “Mood Indigo” to in particular Harry Carney and “In A Sentimental Mood” to
The broadcast ends with a swinging blues credited to Ellington, “Waiting For You”. Like KNUF, the session is its only appearance in the Ellington discographies.
All the music in the program has been issued on CD, originally in the “Private Collection” series.