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!