Monday Side‑Session — A Victor-ious Session

Since we’ve been enjoying Duke Ellington classics from 1940 — including yesterday’s Cotton Tail — the first year of Duke’s new Victor contract, I thought today’s Side‑Session could rewind to what was literally the band’s first session for Victor...

It took place on March 6, yielding masters of five different tunes. The date shows off the band’s versatility and gives space for the vocalists and sidemen to shine.

“You, You Darlin’” 

This was Herb Jeffries’ first recorded vocal with the band. He's obviously a polished professional, bringing another level of sophistication to the table.

Herb was Duke’s first regularly featured male vocalist, paving the way for Al Hibbler and later Jimmie Grissom.

Billy Strayhorn’s lovely arrangement gives solo spots to Ben Webster on tenor and Lawrence Brown on trombone.

“Jack the Bear” 

A complete shift in direction. Duke’s arrangement gives generous space to the astounding Jimmie Blanton, who opens and closes the tune with those unmistakable bass lines. Barney Bigard on clarinet and Tricky Sam Nanton on trombone deliver their usual rock‑solid solos.

“Ko‑Ko”

Jimmie and Tricky Sam keep the momentum going here. I also love Juan Tizol’s valve trombone repeating the main melody — hearing the distinct trombone personalities of Juan, Tricky Sam, and Lawrence Brown across different records is one of the joys of this era.

“Morning Glory"

A perfect showcase for Rex Stewart’s cornet — the tune fits him like a glove.

Morning Glory was paired with Jack the Bear on the original single release. A very good deal for fans!

“So Far, So Good” 

Another non‑Ellington pop tune arranged by Strayhorn, this time featuring Ivie Anderson. She delivers another typically strong vocal, and Harry Carney adds a warm baritone sax solo.

This one was paired with You, You Darlin’ on the two sides of the 78‑rpm single. These pop tunes highlight the band’s versatility and provide a nice contrast to the justly celebrated instrumental originals.

Bonus Flip Side — “Conga Brava”

Since Ko‑Ko didn’t get a platter partner on March 6, let’s not leave it stranded! Its flip side was Conga Brava, recorded nine days later.

The title alone tells you Juan Tizol must have collaborated, and you can hear his valve trombone throughout. Barney, Ben and Rex also get solo space.

A Six‑Tune Snapshot

Quite a variety across these six sides — lots of great solos, lots of personality. And we only heard Cootie Williams briefly on Jack the Bear, while Johnny Hodges didn’t get a solo on any of them. That’s how deep the band was!

Warehouse Whispers

There may be a very good reason why Morning Glory fit Rex Stewart so well...

The story goes that Rex actually composed the melody, but lost it to Duke in a poker game. True or not, it’s a great tale!

Sundays with Duke #30: No Lament At All

We remain in 1940 with Duke Ellington as we come across another true classic — Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.

It’s so well‑known by that title, and there have been so many vocal versions, that it’s easy to forget the tune began life as an instrumental under a different name. But aficionados know the band first recorded and released it as Never No Lament.

Let’s spin that 1940 Victor recording:

That’s one of those sides where everything locks in: the catchy tune, the tight ensemble work, and the brilliant solos by Johnny Hodges on alto, Cootie Williams on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone.

This was one of the earliest Ellington records I ever bumped into — it showed up on a couple of various‑artists compilations — and it went a long way toward making me realize just how great a band this was.

🖋️ A New Name, A New Life

As with Concerto for Cootie, after the original release, Bob Russell added lyrics and the title was changed to the familiar Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.

Unlike Concerto for Cootie / Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me, the original title Never No Lament faded into the mist. I get it — I can’t “un‑hear” the lyrics anymore, even when listening to an instrumental version.

Victor reissued Duke’s 1940 recording under the new title during the recording ban, and just like the Do Nothin’ reissue, it became a huge hit.

🎤 Hibbler Sings It

Despite the popularity of the vocal version, Duke seldom performed it with a singer, though the instrumental stayed in heavy rotation from then on.

He did record a studio vocal version for Columbia with Al Hibbler in 1947:

Al leans way more into his vocal eccentricities here than he did on Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me (recorded during the same timeframe), and he can’t quite get the words straight!

🎺The Ellington Alumni Parade Begins

From here, we’ve got a parade of Ellington‑adjacent versions. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know the artists by their first names: Ben, Rex, Ella, Cat, Cootie, Johnny and Louis!

🎷Ben's Velvet Tenor (1954)

Ben Webster lends his tenor to the tune on his 1954 Norgran album The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster:

A lofty album title — but they’re not wrong!

🎺 Rex Rolls In (1955)

Next up, Rex Stewart with his 1955 take for Elite:

Great to hear Lawrence Brown alongside Rex.

🎙️ Ella Reimagines the Lyric (1957)

Ella Fitzgerald returns with this cut from her 1957 Duke Ellington Songbook album on Verve:

Ella takes even more liberties with the lyrics than Al Hibbler!

🎺 Cat Hits the Stratosphere (1959)

We move to 1959 for Cat Anderson’s version from his wonderfully titled Mercury album Cat on a Hot Tin Horn:

Those high notes — pure Cat!

🎺 Cootie Circles Back (1960)

Cootie Williams, the trumpet star from the original 1940 recording, returns with another track from his 1960 Warwick album Do Nothing Till You Hear from Cootie:

It’s fascinating to compare the styles of Cootie, Cat, and Rex.

🎷 Johnny Brings It Home (1962)

Johnny Hodges brings his alto back to the tune for his 1962 Verve album Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra:

Awkward title — great record. In addition to Billy Strayhorn, Cat, Lawrence and Harry Carney are among the Ellingtonians on the album!

🎺 Duke & Satchmo Share the Spotlight (1963)

Duke himself returns as he joins Louis Armstrong and his All‑Stars on their Roulette album The Great Reunion:

Trummy Young on trombone and old pal Barney Bigard on clarinet give great support to Satch (who sings the lyrics pretty straight) and Duke.

The track was actually recorded in 1961 during the sessions for Duke and Louis’ earlier album — they cut so many sides that there was enough for another release a couple of years later. So, not exactly a reunion!

🎶 A Snappy Reprise (1965)

Finally, Duke and the band deliver this crisp instrumental take from the 1965 Reprise album Will Big Bands Ever Return?:

It was recorded in late 1962, with Johnny, Cootie, and Lawrence all back in the fold — so at least that band returned.

📀 A Tune with a Thousand Lives

These recordings barely scratch the surface of the zillions of versions of Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, but what a scratch we scratched!

Monday Side-Session: The Sidemen Shine in '39

Following yesterday’s look at Something to Live For, which introduced us to composer/arranger/pianist Billy Strayhorn and vocalist Jean Eldridge, today’s side-session keeps both of them in the spotlight. We’re dipping into a handful of 1939 small‑unit sides recorded for the Vocalion label — little pockets of Ellingtonia where the sidemen stretch out and the textures get wonderfully intimate.

Johnny & Jean

We start with a Johnny Hodges–led date from February, featuring Jean on vocal. Here’s Like a Ship in the Night:

Flip the disc and you get the instrumental Swingin’ on the Campus:

Jean returns for Mississippi Dream Boat:

And here’s that record’s instrumental flipside, Dooji Wooji:

You can really hear Ivie Anderson’s influence in Jean's phrasing, which makes sense given that her main role was as a relief vocalist when Ivie’s asthma kept her off the bandstand.

It’s nice that Jean got a couple of studio moments with members of the band; she’s a small but distinctive part of the Ellington story, and these sides give her a little corner of the warehouse shelf.

Billy Sits In

The next few numbers feature Billy Strayhorn sitting in on piano and contributing arrangements — early glimpses of the voice that would soon become inseparable from Duke’s.

From June, here’s the Cootie Williams–led “Blues A Poppin’”:

Billy’s piano solo is a gem, and Cootie on trumpet with Johnny on alto is always a guaranteed good time.

Cootie and Billy return for September’s Johnny Hodges–led The Rabbit’s Jump:

“The Rabbit” was one of Johnny’s nicknames — and yes, he could jump!

Next up is October’s Tired Socks, also from the Hodges unit:

I’ve always wondered about that title. Is it just a bit of whimsical nonsense, or was someone in the band making a sly comment about life on the road?

November: A New Sound Arrives

We hit November as Barney Bigard leads his unit — with Strayhorn at the piano — on Minuet in Blues:

It’s a lovely showcase for Barney’s clarinet, with Rex Stewart adding his unmistakable cornet color.

And here’s the historical kicker: Duke’s new bassist, Jimmy Blanton, had joined the band by this point and plays on this side. Duke recognized immediately that Blanton was something extraordinary, and at the same session he recorded a pair of duets with him for Columbia.

Here’s the simply titled Blues:

And the flipside, Plucked Again:

With Billy Strayhorn and Jimmy Blanton arriving in 1939 — and Ben Webster soon to join in January 1940 — the Ellington orchestra was on the brink of one of its most astonishing periods. You can feel the ground shifting under these small‑group sides.

Warehouse Whispers

Back-room bulletin from the label files

1939 wasn’t just a musical turning point — it was a business one. Duke severed his long-running relationship with Irving Mills that year, reshaping the machinery behind the band just as the music itself was evolving. A pivotal year on every front!

Monday Side‑Session: Getting Rexatious

After enjoying yesterday’s Rex Stewart showcase, Boy Meets Horn, with Duke Ellington’s full band, today we swing our side‑session spotlight over to a handful of small‑group outings that put Rex right at the front of the stand. All were released as by Rex Stewart and his 52nd Street Stompers on Irving Mills’ short‑lived but fascinating Variety label — a perfect home for these little planets orbiting the Ellington universe.

December 1936: Enter “Rexatious”

This session yielded two titles. Rex is on cornet, joined by Lawrence Brown (trombone), Johnny Hodges (alto), and Harry Carney (clarinet and baritone sax). The rhythm section is Billy Taylor on bass, Sonny Greer on drums, and non‑Ellington ringer Ceelle Burke on guitar. Duke sits this one out — no piano on the date.

First up is the grammatically challenged but cleverly titled Rexatious.

Flip the disc and you get Lazy Man’s Shuffle.

The surprise here is Ceelle Burke switching to steel guitar — and it’s a delight. A tiny glint of Hawaiian sunshine sneaking into the Ellington orbit.

July 1937: Four Sides, One Session

The next four titles come from a single July 1937 session. Duke returns on piano, but the rest of the rhythm section is decidedly non‑Ellingtonian: Brick Fleagle (guitar), Hayes Alvis (bass), and Jack Maisel (drums). Johnny and Harry are back on saxes, with no trombone this time.

We start with The Back Room Romp. Freddie Jenkins joins on trumpet for this one number only.

It's subtitled “A Contrapuntal Stomp,” and it earns it — lines weaving, ducking, and teasing each other. And whatever Freddie is doing to get that trumpet sound… I dig it!

The flipside drops the subtitle (and Freddie), but keeps the wordplay charm — Tea and Trumpets.

For the next disc, we start with Swing, Baby, Swing:

Here’s where the label intrigue begins: later pressings quietly retitled the tune Love in My Heart. You’d assume lyrics were added, but the composer credits remain Duke and Hayes Alvis, and no vocal version seems to exist. A Variety‑label mystery for the ages.

The flipside keeps its original name — and it’s one of those titles that only reveals its alliteration when spoken aloud: Sugar Hill Shim Sham:

A Little Planet Called Rex

These small‑group sides are pure fun — relaxed, inventive, and full of personality. Everyone sounds like they’re having a blast, and Rex is unmistakably in his element. They’re miniature worlds in the Ellington cosmos, glowing with their own little atmospheres.

Aren’t we glad Rex met his horn?

Sundays with Duke #27 - Rex Meets Horn

We finish Duke Ellington’s impressive run of 1938 recordings with one more classic - Boy Meets Horn.

Two from Duke and Rex

The piece was written by Duke in collaboration with cornetist Rex Stewart specifically to show off Rex’s half‑valve technique. Duke supposedly enjoyed the challenge of building a melody around Rex’s six best notes - and somehow turning that limitation into a feature.

Let’s give the Brunswick record a spin:

That’s just a lot of fun. Rex is practically winking at us with his cornet, but the record never tips into pure novelty. It’s clever, but it swings!

Interestingly, the band had recorded an earlier version a few months before, in September 1938, under the odd title Twits and Twerps:

That one does lean more toward novelty. I kind of like it, but the finalized version holds up better - and Boy Meets Horn is an awesome title!

A Contemporary Cover

For a fascinating early cover of the tune, jump ahead to 1940 for this Columbia version by Benny Goodman, featuring trumpeter Chris Griffin:

Chris really shows his prowess here. He was an excellent all‑around musician - a real pro - but he’s mostly remembered as something of a footnote, the “other” guy in Benny’s powerhouse 1930s trumpet section alongside Harry James and Ziggy Elman. How could you attract any attention with two of the most extroverted, charismatic trumpet stars of the entire era playing next to you?

Another curiosity: this is one of the relatively few Benny Goodman records without a clarinet solo by BG. The only other one that comes immediately to mind is Ziggy’s And the Angels Sing. There must be a couple more. Anyone know one?

This was actually the first version of Boy Meets Horn that I was familiar with, as it was the flipside of the 78 of BG's theme song Let's Dance and I've had that 78 forever!

Rex Takes It With Him

As with other showcase numbers Duke wrote for his sidemen - like Echoes of Harlem” for Cootie Williams - the band played Boy Meets Horn frequently on the radio and at personal appearances. But Duke never recorded it again in the studio. Everything had already been said.

And just as Cootie kept Echoes of Harlem in his book after leaving the band, Rex continued to feature “Boy Meets Horn” as a signature piece. He recorded it several times with his own groups.

Here’s a fun version from 1946 on the new Mercury label:

Still sounds great!

Hi‑Fi Nostalgia Arrives

Because the tune was so closely associated with Rex, there don’t seem to have been many versions by other artists until the late 1950s, when hi‑fi remakes of big‑band favorites became a trend.

Case in point: this 1957 version by Tutti Camarata, from his Disneyland album Tutti’s Trumpets, featuring Shorty Sherock:

Tutti and Shorty had worked together in the Jimmy Dorsey band in the 1930s, and by 1957 both were in high demand - Tutti as arranger/conductor, Shorty as a top studio trumpeter.

One more tribute came along in 1962, when Jonah Jones and his trio teamed with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra for this Capitol track:

Lots of fun when the boys meet the horns!

In the end, Boy Meets Horn stands as one of those perfect Ellington moments where a private joke, a technical challenge, and a musician’s personality all fuse into something timeless. What began as Duke teasing a melody out of Rex Stewart’s favorite six notes became a signature piece, a calling card and a small masterpiece of charm and invention!

Word Association Wednesday: Getting Frantic

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?