Ghosts? Goblins? Growl trumpet?
With Halloween arriving tomorrow, let's spend a few minutes in Duke Ellington's haunted musical mansion.
First up is the 1929 Victor recording of Haunted Nights:
The eerie atmosphere is helped immeasurably by guest guitarist Teddy Bunn and the wonderfully growling trumpet of Cootie Williams.
And since every good shellac record deserves a flip, here's the other side, The Duke Steps Out:
A cheerful contrast to the eerie A-side, this one carries composer credits for Duke, Cootie Williams, and Johnny Hodges.
By this point, the orchestra also featured long-time Ellington mainstays Barney Bigard, Harry Carney, Tricky Sam Nanton, Juan Tizol, Fred Guy and Sonny Greer.
No tricks. Just treats. And perhaps one friendly ghost lurking in the brass section!
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