Sundays with Duke #43: We Didn't Know

📀 July ’42: Victor’s Last Pre‑Ban Spin

Still in 1942 with Duke Ellington, we land on July 28 for his last Victor session before the recording ban started.

That session yielded the lovely Ellington composition Sentimental Lady.

Let’s spin it:

Another showcase for the gorgeous alto of Johnny Hodges. Rex Stewart adds a nice little cornet solo as well.

📈 Hit Parade Surprise

Due to the recording ban, Victor delayed the release of the record until August 1943, which was a smart move — it topped the (then‑titled) Harlem Hit Parade!

✏️ We Didn't Know This Title

As with many popular melodies written by Duke, this one acquired lyrics (by Don George) and became the pop standard I Didn’t Know About You.

I’ve always thought it interesting that the title was changed — Sentimental Lady feels like such a quintessential Ellington name.

🎙️ 1944: Joya Steps to the Mic

Once Victor settled with the musicians’ union in late 1944, Duke and the band recorded the new vocal version on their first session.

Let’s spin that record featuring Joya Sherrill:

A lovely record — from Joya’s debut recording session with the band — and yes, I’ll admit it again: I have a retro‑crush on Joya!

Duke’s band didn’t undergo as many personnel changes as most bands during the recording gap, but Ben Webster, Rex Stewart, Juan Tizol and Ivie Anderson had all left, with Joya, Cat Anderson, Taft Jordan and Al Sears among the new members.

📻 Lena & Duke for the Troops

An interesting version of I Didn’t Know About You comes from a January 1945 episode of the AFRS radio series Jubilee.

Host Ernie “Bubbles” Whitman will explain:

Lena Horne + Duke for the troops — that’s the kind of morale boost you can hear in the air!

But did Ernie call Lena Butterball? Did that used to be a compliment?

🎤 Ella Gives It Wings

Duke continued to feature the song for a while, but seems to have moved away from it after Joya left the band.

But it got a huge boost in 1957 when Ella Fitzgerald joined Duke and the band for this cut from the Duke Ellington Songbook on Verve:

Those sessions are truly a treasure. And how wonderful to hear Johnny’s alto kick off the track!

🎼 Back to Instrumental Roots

Moving to 1959, Duke brought the tune back to its instrumental roots for this version from the sessions for the Columbia album Blues in Orbit:

This was unreleased at the time, but later showed up as a bonus track in the 1980s. Good thing — it’s a wonderful reunion for Johnny and the melody.

🌹 A Lady Revealed

If we didn’t know about the sentimental lady, we sure do now — Joya, Lena and Ella are all very convincing!

Monday Side‑Session: Hoppin’ to the River

You may have noticed from the label above that the V‑Disc featuring Duke Ellington’s Main Stem leads off with another Ellington number — Hop, Skip, Jump.

Jumpin' with Johnny

That tune was recorded in November 1943. Let’s spin it:

A nice mid‑tempo feature for Johnny Hodges’ alto sax, the band played it on radio and in live appearances, but never got the chance to record a studio version for Victor because of the recording ban.

Same Tune, New Locality

Things take an interesting turn in 1946, when Duke finally gets the chance to record the tune — but now it has a new name: Rockabye River.

As far as I can tell, this recording was only issued in the U.S. as the lead side in the Victor album Esquire’s All American Hot Jazz Volume 2 in 1947. Let’s spin it:

The tune gets a bit of a makeover, but it still functions as a showcase for Johnny — who gets label credit — while adding some wonderfully brassy growl trumpet from Cat Anderson.

Another Day, Another Arrangement

But wait, there’s more: Duke and the band recorded another version of the tune — still under the Rockabye River title — for the Capitol Transcription service just a couple of days after the 1946 Victor session.

Let’s spin that one:

A shorter arrangement, still centered on Johnny’s alto, with perhaps even more of Cat’s growl trumpet cutting through.

The tune seems to fade into the sunset by 1948 after a handful of additional live performances, but we’re left with these three distinct recordings — each one a slightly different angle on the same Ellington gem.

Warehouse Whispers

I’m presuming Victor didn’t release Rockabye River in 1946 for whatever internal reason, but eventually decided it would be a strong selling point to include a “new” Ellington side in the Esquire set.

It also shows the embarrassment of riches in the Ellington catalog. A recording that would be a highlight for virtually any other band was just another day at the office for Duke!

Sundays with Duke #42: Mainly Riffin’

 

We’re still in 1942 as we land on another classic Duke Ellington recording — Main Stem.

The "Main" Event

Let’s spin Duke’s Victor recording from June 26, 1942:

That’s quite a parade of soloists: Rex Stewart, Johnny Hodges, Ray Nance, Barney Bigard, Tricky Sam Nanton, Ben Webster, and Lawrence Brown — all riding tight, deceptively simple riffs. It’s one of those sides where the band’s internal chemistry feels almost unfair.

This particular record had an interesting journey. It was cut close to the deadline imposed by the looming musicians’ strike, and Victor was already stockpiling material to ration during the recording freeze. Main Stem wasn’t released until 1944, but when it finally saw daylight, it became a huge hit!

V-Disc Special

In the meantime, Duke recorded a separate version in 1943 for V‑Disc:

Another terrific performance — this time with Jimmie Hamilton taking the clarinet solo, as Barney Bigard had left the band shortly after the earlier Victor session.

Classic, But Not a Standard

Duke and the band kept Main Stem in regular rotation throughout the 1940s, but other bands didn’t pick up on it. The recording ban certainly didn’t help, but more likely, it’s because this is a riff piece built to showcase soloists — and what other band could possibly roll out a lineup like this? Spoiler: none.

Rex Riffs Abroad

We do have one Ellington‑adjacent version, though: a 1948 Danish recording featuring Rex Stewart backed by French pianist Claude Bolling:

That’s pretty cool — a little continental detour with Rex still sounding unmistakably Rex.

A Return Visit

I think the only time Duke returned to Main Stem in the studio was in 1960 for his Piano in the Background album on Columbia:

It’s like meeting an old friend you haven’t seen in years — the same, but different, familiar yet reframed.

Warehouse Whispers

I feel Main Stem was unintentionally helped by the recording ban. The delayed release reduced competition, and we ended up with a separate V‑Disc version.

You just never know!

Friday Fun: Still Jammin’

Let’s have a little fun with a few more versions of Duke Ellington’s C‑Jam Blues.

The first couple of non‑Ellington recordings were on V‑Discs, those non‑commercial records made for service men and women.

Hazel Hits It

First up is the wonderful Hazel Scott on piano, backed by legendary drummer “Big Sid” Catlett in 1943:

Hazel is really having a blast, and I always love when a V‑Disc includes a little spoken intro from the artist. It makes the whole thing feel like a postcard from the studio.

The Navy Swings It

Glenn Miller greets Sam

The next V‑Disc is from tenor man Sam Donahue and his Navy band:

Those service bands had some great musicians, and it’s great to hear this swing treatment of the song in an extended arrangement.

The RAF Joins In

Also from 1945, we have a commercial record on British Decca by The Squadronaires:

Drawn from the Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra, the Squadronaires give the Americans a run for their money!

Capitol Cowboys

For an entirely different take on C‑Jam Blues, let’s jump to 1952 for Western Swing bandleader Ole Rasmussen’s Capitol side:

Definitely inspired by Bob Wills — and that’s always a good thing. The tune wears a cowboy grin here!

A Country Club Curveball

For even more of a wild card, let’s move to 1960 for this version by Homer and Jethro from their RCA Victor album At the Country Club:

That was actually my introduction to the tune way back in the day. Jethro’s astounding mandolin is the highlight for me, as always. Saxist Boots Randolph is also featured. Jethro refers to the band as Boots Randolph and the Carroll County Car‑Strippers at one point!

That’s an absolutely terrific album for Homer and Jethro fans, by the way.

Free, Frantic, Funky

Since we dipped into the 1960s, let’s sneak in one more version — here’s organist Wild Bill Davis with this cut from his 1965 RCA Victor album Free, Frantic and Funky:

That’s definitely all three of those adjectives!

Hope you had fun continuing the jamming!

Warehouse Whispers

I always find title variations of songs to be intriguing. This one started as “C” Blues on the original Barney Bigard recording in 1941, became The “C” Jam Blues for Duke’s 1942 record, then alternately “C” Jam Blues, C Jam Blues, or C‑Jam Blues, having lost the “the” somewhere along the way!

Monday Side-Session: Take Me Down to Duke’s Place

We continue tracing the journey of Duke Ellington’s The “C” Jam Blues, following how this deceptively simple two‑note tune kept reinventing itself over the decades.

We start in 1950, with the return of The Billy Strayhorn Trio — Billy and Duke sharing piano duties, with Wendell Marshall on bass — on the Mercer label:

The arrangement's stripped‑down framework gives both pianists plenty of room to stretch out and improvise.

Duke brought the full band back to the tune for his 1954 Capitol album Dance to the Duke:

It’s a bright, modernized take in the spirit of the original 1942 recording, and trombonist Britt Woodman offers a loving nod to Tricky Sam Nanton’s plunger‑mute magic.

The band revisited the tune again for Columbia in 1958 on Blues in Orbit:

This one has a slightly space‑age sheen, with Booty Wood stepping into the Tricky Sam‑inspired trombone role.

Satch Sings It

By the next time Duke recorded it, the tune had undergone a major transformation — it now had lyrics and a new title: Duke’s Place.

Louis Armstrong sang and played the revamped version with Duke for their 1961 album Recording Together for the First Time on Roulette:

They also performed it on The Ed Sullivan Show:

It’s wonderful to see them in action together.

Side note: Ed seems to completely blank on the album title and can’t make out the cue cards, so he just blurts out “Duke’s Place!” He was one of a kind!

Ella's at the Place

Duke returned to the song again as the title track of his 1966 Verve album with Ella Fitzgerald:

Ella fits this version beautifully — the tune becomes a perfect vehicle for her vocal phrasing and rhythmic play.

Here’s a link to Ella performing it live with the band:

Ella, the band, and the audience are all having a blast. I think Johnny Hodges even cracks a smile — he always seemed to enjoy watching Ella work her magic.

Swedish Serenade

The tune circles back toward its roots later in 1966 with another vocalist: Swedish star Alice Babs, from the album Serenade to Sweden:

It’s back to the “C” Jam Blues title here, with Alice vocalizing rather than singing the Duke’s Place lyrics. It’s a lovely, airy take.

Joya Joins In

Let's close out with an Ellington-adjacent version — Joya Sherill from her wonderful 20th Century Fox album Sings Duke:

Mercer Ellington conducts and the band includes Ellington stalwarts Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, Paul Gonsalves and Billy Strayhorn — how can you possibly go wrong? Spoiler: you can't!

Quite a ride for a tune built on just two notes!

Sunday with Duke #41: Jam Session

We stay with Duke Ellington in the Victor studio on January 21, at the same session that produced Perdido, for another classic: The "C" Jam Blues.

Let’s spin that recording:

What a blast! The deceptively simple framework gives each soloist room to shine — Ray Nance on violin, Rex Stewart on cornet, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Tricky Sam Nanton on trombone, and Barney Bigard on clarinet. It’s one of those sides where the band’s personality comes through in every chorus.

Interestingly, the tune had already been recorded the previous September as “C” Blues, by a small unit under Barney Bigard’s name.

Let’s spin that Bluebird side:

Same melody, obviously, but a different feel. This lineup — Barney on clarinet, Juan Tizol on valve trombone, Harry Carney on baritone sax, and Ray Nance this time on trumpet — is the only horn section, with Duke on piano, Sonny Greer on drums, and Jimmy Blanton on bass.

Hearing Blanton on this side reminds you just how much was lost when he left the band between this and the Victor recording, and, soon after, passed away. His presence changes the whole texture.

Things take another interesting turn with the Soundie titled Jam Session, in which Duke and the guys play what we now know as The C Jam Blues. The twist? It was filmed in late December 1941 — a few weeks before the Victor session.

Let’s watch:

I love that we have this visual record of Duke and the soloists doing their thing. Watching Tricky Sam work that plunger mute is a treat, and Sonny Greer gets a drum solo that doesn’t appear on the record — he looks like he’s having the time of his life.

A fun little journey to a classic record!

Warehouse Whispers

Just between us, as much fun as the jam session seemed to be, I absolutely don’t blame Duke for slipping away to join those three lovely distractions!

Friday Fun: Lost in the Fifties

For a little fun this Friday, let’s follow Juan Tizol’s Perdido into the 1950s for a quartet of lively instrumental takes...

Mary Lou Swings in London

First up is the great Mary Lou Williams with this 1953 cut on the Vogue label:

Wonderful as always. It may have been recorded in London, but Mary Lou swings the band wherever she goes!

Prado Brings the Mambo

Still in 1953, we have Pérez Prado with his mambo‑charged take on RCA Victor:

I’ve said before that I’m a total sucker for a Prado recording of a big‑band standard, and this one absolutely pushes that button.

Tex Goes Western Swing

Jumping to 1955, here’s Tex Williams on Decca, pushing my Western Swing button:

That was released on the same 45 rpm EP as Tex’s version of Take the “A” Train. If I’d been around in 1955, that side would’ve been worn down to a smooth circle!

Jordan’s Rare Detour 

Also from Decca in 1955, here’s Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five:

This record from late in Louis's legendary run with Decca is interesting for a couple of reasons — not only is it a rare instrumental, but I think it’s the only number from the Ellington songbook that Louis recorded for the label.

Sammy Swings the Lyrics

Before we go, let’s sneak in a vocal version to remind ourselves that Perdido does have lyrics. We stay with Decca for Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1957:

That’s from the album Sammy Swings. Truth in advertising!

Buttons Pushed, Weekend Achieved

A lot of buttons got pushed today — that’s Friday Fun!