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Discovery Records
specialist music - mail order |
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• The complete Ellington sextet album “Back to Back” - the Duke’s arrangements of blues-based classics - remains a unique album for several reasons.
• It was recorded in a small group format – a sextet with just two horns and a rhythm section with Ellington on piano, and, oddly enough, Count Basie’s veteran drummer Jo Jones. Contrary to most of Ellington’s releases, which usually favour his own (or Strayhorn’s) compositions, ‘Back to Back’ presents only material by other composers (he would record a second blues album, titled ‘Blues in Orbit’, shortly after, which contained primarily his own blues compositions.
• Unusually, the album was co-led by Hodges, and Ellington’s own piano playing is particularly prominent throughout. They made a follow-up album, “Side by Side2 the same year.
• There are nine bonus tracks from Ellington sessions recorded during the same period, which prominently feature both Hodges and the blues.
• Personnel : Duke Ellington, piano; Johnny Hodges, alto sax; Harry “Sweets” Edison, trumpet; Les Spann, guitar; Sam Jones, bass; Jo Jones, drums - New York, February 20, 1959. On bonus tracks : Johnny Hodges (as), Ray Nance (tp), Quentin Jackson, Booty Wood, Britt Woodman, John Sanders Matthew Gee (tb), Harry Carney (bar), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Russell Procope (cl, as), Paul Gonsalves (ts),Duke Ellington (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard, Jimmy Johnson (d).. New York, February 25, 1959. |
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Track Listing for Back to Back + bonus tracks
1 WABASH BLUES 6:30
2 BASIN STREET BLUES 8:05
3 BEALE STREET BLUES 7:39
4 WEARY BLUES 6:58
5 ST. LOUIS BLUES 5:51
6 LOVELESS LOVE 7:13
7 ROYAL GARDEN BLUES 5:24
8 VILLES VILLE IS THE PLACE, MAN 2:32*
9 BROWN PENNY 3:01*
10 SENTIMENTAL LADY [aka I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT YOU] 4:02*
11 SMADA 2:37*
12 THE SWINGER’S JUMP 3:52*
13 THE SWINGERS GET THE BLUES, TOO 3:08*
14 BLUES IN BLUEPRINT 3:42*
15 THREE J’s BLUES 2:53*
16 C JAM BLUES 4:50*
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Discovery catalogue available for
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges
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Side by Side + 1 bonus track (180g)
Back to Back + bonus tracks
Side by Side
Back to Back + Side by Side
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