First Time: Count Meets the Duke

Count Basie, Duke Ellington - First Time: Count Meets the Duke

First Time: Count Meets the Duke
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CD Details

Artist: Count Basie, Duke Ellington
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-02-01
Music Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
Soundtracks:
  1. Battle Royal
  2. To You
  3. Take the "A" Train
  4. Corner Pocket (AKA Until I Met You)
  5. Wild Man (AKA Wild Man Moore)
  6. Segue in C
  7. B D B
  8. Jumpin' at the Woodside

Music reviews of First Time: Count Meets the Duke

Music Review: A Royal Ball (one casualty)
Rating: 4 Stars

This is not the cacophonous circus that two big bands playing together (for the first time, without rehearsal, and in one 12-hour session) might have become. Think of it as one large ensemble (like Kenton's 40+ piece mellophone orchestra) commanded by a first captain (Ellington) and two assistant directors (Basie and Strayhorn). Basie, the spokesperson for understatement, and Ellington, the supreme creator of small ensembles within larger ensembles: the result is sensible, swinging, and frequently exhilarating music--with enough spontaneity to satisfy even a Charles Mingus.

In fact, Mingus was the only musician the ultra permissive Ellington ever fired from his band--at the insistence of Juan Tizol, after the volatile bassman had come at the trombonist with a fire ax. On the occasion of this recording, Tizol again insisted that Ellington fire someone--trumpeter Cat Anderson, who had nearly sliced off his head with a spiraling Sam Woodyard cymbal. " It's him or me," said Juan. Ellington may have been agreeable, but the Maestro was not about to submit to an ultimatum issued in public by his trombonist. So "First Time" was the last time for Juan Tizol.

Musical highlights include some heated exchanges between the two bands' top soloists, especially Thad Jones vs. Cat Anderson, and Frank Foster + Frank Wess vs. Paul Gonsalves (who could hold his own in any company). Also, Wess' flute (an instrument that didn't interest Ellington) and Jimmy Hamilton's clarinet do a memorable "pas de deux." At the same time, not bringing together the lead altoists--Johnny Hodges and Marshall Royal--is a wasted opportunity. On the whole, the affair favors Basie over Ellington, whose subtle, nuanced palette and sophisticated compositional genius are less apparent than usual. The Freddie Green rhythm guitar would all but clinch it as a primarily Basie date were it not for the rich percussive colors and personal back-beat (as opposed to Sonny Payne's broader stroke) of Sam Woodyard.

A minor disappointment is the audio on this 2008 edition. There's some breaking up of the sound during the climactic ensemble passages of the main burner, "Battle Royal." Perhaps mine is a defective copy, because after the perfect sound of the digitalized and reissued "Ellington at Newport 1956," a buyer would have the right to expect as much of a 1962 date. Otherwise, the reissue presents complete tracks for the first time and adds 11 tracks to the 8 on the original album. The notes are copious, informative, and frequently absorbing.

Like the Ellington/Coltrane meeting, this is not an Ellington essential, but then again it's one no fan of either member of the royal pair would want to be without.
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