Monday Side‑Session: Eleven More Strolls

Following along with Duke Ellington’s classic composition Solitude, here are eleven versions by eleven different artists from the 1930s. So let’s get strolling!

Eddie DeLange’s lyrics to Duke’s tune were clearly well‑received — most of the 1930s covers were vocal versions, and they came fast.

Mills Thrills and Red Riffs

We start off hot on the heels of Duke’s original with The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, featuring vocalist Chuck Richards:

As you might guess from the group’s name, the band was managed by the ubiquitous Irving Mills. It was led by Lucky Millinder and included top musicians like trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen, who contributes a tasty solo on this side.

Lunceford’s Lonesome Lilt

Another 1934 vocal version came from Jimmie Lunceford, with trombonist Henry Wells handling the vocal:

I say it all the time, but you really can’t go wrong with the Lunceford band covering an Ellington tune!

Goodman Goes Generic (But Great)

Moving into 1935, we get a couple of intriguing instrumental takes. First up is a budget‑label release by The Modernists — but don’t let the generic name fool you. It’s pre‑fame Benny Goodman and his band:

A really nice version from not too long before BG would become the King of Swing.

A Stone's Throw Across the Pond

Next we hop over to the U.K. for a snappy version by British bandleader Lew Stone on Regal Zonophone:

I really like the guitar work on this one — a lovely touch.

Bowlly's Bow

The most popular British bandleader of the era, Ray Noble, had already relocated to the States by 1935, fronting a great band assembled by Glenn Miller. Ray brought vocalist Al Bowlly with him, and Al sings Solitude on this radio aircheck:

Ray never made a studio recording of the tune, so we’re extra lucky to have this wonderful version.

Dorseys’ Deluxe Disc Detour

Tommy and Jimmy are on either side of canary Kay, Glenn Miller is to Jimmy's left and Ray McKinley is kneeling in front of Glenn.

Meanwhile, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey were still co‑leading The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra when they cut their own outstanding version on a 12‑inch Decca disc with vocalist Kay Weber:

Not sure what prompted Decca to go with a 12‑inch pressing instead of the usual 10‑inch, but we’re glad they did. And perhaps Glenn Miller arranged it!

Prima Turns Up the Heat

For one more 1935 entry, we check in with Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang, whose Brunswick recording gets the tune swinging:

Louis always sounds like he’s having a blast!

Satchmo’s Solitary Spotlight

The other singing trumpeter named Louis — Mr. Armstrong — took his turn for Decca in 1936:

Great to hear Satchmo’s solo version, recorded 25 years before his later take with Duke.

The Mills Brothers Multiply the Mood

Decca wasn’t shy about doubling (or tripling or quadrupling) up on a good thing, so in addition to Lunceford, Armstrong and the Dorseys, they also had The Mills Brothers record Solitude in 1936:

Another terrific example of the early Mills sound with John Jr. on guitar and bass vocals.

The Club Stays Hot

We head back to Europe for a 1937 instrumental version by The Quintette of the Hot Club of France on British HMV:

That’s the usual suspects — Django Reinhardt on guitar and Stéphane Grappelly on violin.

Adelaide Abroad

And we stay overseas for one more, a 1939 British Decca recording by Adelaide Hall, whom we last heard way back on Duke’s 1927 “Creole Love Call”:

Let’s spin Adelaide’s Solitude:

A nice version, and the organ accompaniment is by Fela Sowande, a pioneering Nigerian musician — a very cool detail.

There are a zillion other versions of “Solitude,” but these eleven sides from the 1930s show how the tune began its solitudinous stroll toward becoming a standard.

Sundays with Duke #18: A Solitudinous Stroll

As we remain in 1934 with Duke Ellington, we come across another classic composition that quickly became a standard - Solitude. It’s one of those Ellington pieces that seems to grow with him; every decade adds a new shade.

The Brunswick Hit and the Victor Delay

Let’s start with the original hit version, recorded for Brunswick in September 1934:

That record was very popular, but - as often happens with Duke - there’s some intrigue behind it...

The story goes that Duke wrote the tune in about 10–20 minutes when an extra song was needed for a recording session. Trumpeter Arthur Whetsol suggested the title “Solitude.” Fine… except the session in question was actually a January 1934 date for Victor, not the later Brunswick one!

Let’s spin the earlier Victor take:

Victor sat on the recording until Duke had left the label and rerecorded the tune for Brunswick. Brunswick released their remake in October, and Victor finally issued the original in November. No wonder the Brunswick version became the hit.

In any event, Duke performed and recorded “Solitude” many times over the years.

Like many Ellington instrumentals, the tune soon acquired lyrics - this time courtesy of Eddie De Lange, who would later team with Will Hudson to form the Hudson–DeLange Orchestra. And, as per usual, Irving Mills gets co‑writer credit.

Giving “Solitude” a Voice (1940)

Duke first recorded a vocal version for Columbia in 1940 with Ivie Anderson:

That’s from the same session early Blanton/Webster that yielded the vocal “Mood Indigo,” while “Sophisticated Lady” remained an instrumental.

Alone at the Piano (1941)

In 1941, back on Victor, Duke recorded this lovely solo piano version:

[Insert media file: Duke Ellington – “Solitude” (1941)]

Always great to hear solo Duke. That was from the Hot Piano album that included Fats Waller's version of Ring Dem Bells, which we heard here.

No Solitude Here: The 1945 Vocal Quartet

Next up is a 1945 Victor recording where the vocals are everywhere:

We have the trio of canaries — Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis and Maria Ellington - plus Al Hibbler. No solitude there!

That’s from the same sessions that produced the 1945 Sophisticated Lady, part of Duke’s mid‑’40s revisiting of his most popular numbers.

Expanding the Canvas (1951)

When Duke revisited Solitude in 1951 for his Columbia album Masterpieces by Ellington, the eight‑minute concert arrangement did not include a vocal. I suppose we would technically say it did not include a vocal by Yvonne!

A Visual Interlude (1952)

Back to vocals — here’s Jimmy Grissom, Al Hibbler’s replacement, singing with the band on this 1952 Snader video transcription:

Always great to see the band in action, including Harry Carney with that big baritone sax!

Jimmy (Jimmie) Grissom may or may not have been the nephew of Dan Grissom, former vocalist with the Jimmie Lunceford band. He sounds great. I get kind of a Hibbler-meets-Eckstine vibe!

Indigo Shades (1958)

Returning to instrumental mode, Duke cut this nice early‑stereo version for the Columbia album Ellington Indigos in 1958:

Old Friends and New Directions (1961–1963)

As we reach the 1960s, “Solitude” becomes a kind of calling card — a tune Duke could reshape depending on the company he kept - and it was some company!

First up, in 1961, Louis Armstrong returns with his pals Barney Bigard and Trummy Young on this track from the Roulette album The Great Reunion:

Satch had actually cut his own version of Solitude when the song was new. We'll catch up with that one soon!

From old school to modern jazz, Duke keeps up with Charles Mingus and Max Roach on this cut from the 1962 United Artists album Money Jungle:

Interesting take to be sure!

Then in 1963, tenor titan Coleman Hawkins joins the band for this excellent take on Impulse:

That was recorded during the sessions for Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins, but it wasn’t released until the next year on the various‑artists compilation The Definitive Jazz Scene (Volume 1). Thirty years later, we’re still running into unreleased‑recording intrigue!

One for the Road (1966)

Let’s spin one more version — this one from the 1966 RCA Victor album The Popular Duke Ellington:

A Lifelong Companion

We can see a definite trend: whenever Duke revisited his old classics, Solitude always made the cut. That was twenty minutes well spent in 1934!