Sundays with Duke #5: Mutes, Mysteries, and The Mooche

We are still in 1928, exploring the foundations of the Warehouse with another early classic Ellington composition: The Mooche. This track is the peak of the "Jungle Style"—dark, deliberate, and full of shadows. If you’ve ever wondered about the title, it's not about someone "borrowing" money - it's old Harlem slang for a specific, slow, aimless swagger. I love how the music perfectly mimics that "lazy gait," making it feel like a rhythmic crawl through a midnight club.

Let’s start with what I believe is the first recording of the song, cut for Okeh Records:

That is Baby Cox providing the haunting vocalizing. By this time, the legendary Johnny Hodges had joined the band, beginning his decades-long stay, but trumpeter Bubber Miley - the architect of that growl - wouldn't be around much longer.

The "Duke Brooks" Mystery

"The Mooche" is a song Duke recorded many times, but interestingly, it didn’t lend itself to many cover versions by other bands. However, a fascinating remake appeared in 1945 as part of Capitol Records' "History of Jazz" series.

You can't tell the history of jazz without Duke, but there was a catch: he wasn't a Capitol artist and was under strict contract to Victor at the time. To get around this, Capitol rounded up longtime Ellington drummer Sonny Greer and had him front a group of "The Duke’s Men."

But who was the piano player? The label credits a mysterious "Duke Brooks."

Let's  spin that side:

Once you hear those keys, the mystery vanishes! It sounds great, and when you read the names of the musicians on the session, the high quality is no surprise—contract or no contract, that's the Ellington spirit through and through. Shades of The Whoopee Makers!

The Mooche Goes Latin

Jumping ahead to 1953, we come across a truly fun and unexpected take on RCA Victor by Latin bandleader "Chamaco" Dominguez:

I find this one pretty cool! It proves that the "crawling" rhythm of the original could be translated into a completely different groove while keeping that essential Ellington "mood" intact.

Which version of the "crawling" classic do you prefer: the 1928 original with Baby Cox, the 1945 version with "Duke Brooks" or the Latin-flavored 1953 remake?