It's Wednesday, so time for a little word association..
(Me thinking) Black and Tan Fantasy... fantasy... Duke Ellington... Got it!
In 1945, Duke recorded another fantasy - Frantic Fantasy – but not as a commercial record!
The "Dope" on the V-Disc
What makes this track special is that it wasn't a standard
commercial release. It was recorded as a V-Disc (Victory Disc), produced
specifically for the troops overseas during WWII.
Similar to Glenn Miller’s famous St. Louis Blues March,
"Frantic Fantasy" was part of the musical effort to keep spirits high
on the front lines. These discs weren't sold in stores; they were the
"exclusive" sounds of the war era.
And since the infamous recording ban was in effect for much of WWII, the V-Disc program includes a lot of performances that never had a regular sudio recording or release, such as Frantic Fantasy.
Let’s give it a spin:
Love the extra time allowed on the 12-inch V-Disc!
The Half-Valve Gymnast
The star of the show is cornet star Rex Stewart (shown at top of page). If Bubber Miley
gave "Black and Tan" its soul, Rex gives "Frantic" its
muscle. Using his famous "half-valve" technique—pressing the valves only halfway to create those squeezed, talking tones—he turns the song
into a technical masterclass.
The Evolution
It’s fascinating to note how Duke’s idea of a
"Fantasy" changed. In 1927, it was a slow-burn funeral march. By
1945, it was a high-octane, "Frantic" showcase for a virtuoso
soloist.
Yesterday we looked at Duke’s secret aliases; today we
hear his wartime "secret" recordings. Do you prefer the slow-burn
"Black and Tan" or the high-velocity "Frantic" V-Disc?
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