Duke Ellington Orchestra live in Holland, 1958

A big "thank you" to Kalamu ya Salaam for posting this fabulous 81 minute concert of the Duke Ellington Orchestra live in 1958, apparently the earliest know full-length Ellington gig caught on tape. Mr. ya Salaam writes in the accompanying blog post:

"Filmed at Amsterdam’s famed Concertgebouw (The Netherlands), this 80-minute concert features the 16-piece Duke Ellington Orchestra two years after their stunning performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, which Duke considered his second birth. This epic performance includes legendary players Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves, Quentin Jackson and Ray Nance performing some of the most beloved American music ever written."

The sound quality here is very good, too.

Since there seems to be no restriction on embedding, I'm posting the 'tube video here, but all credit must go to Kalumu ya Salaam.

Listening Booth: grade round-up.

Really poor week, writing wise. In particular, I've been stuck on an article that should've been a piece of cake, but is now overdue and needs finishing. Posted another mix tape on the 1984 page (see the sidebar), and did get through a good few records, but somehow never wrote any notes worth posting here. I figure it's best to just throw them out there and move on. Note that more than the regular Listening Booth, which normally include notes, these grades are particularly tentative, and are probably only useful to me as, say, a means to "cross out" records on my "new(-ish) records" shelf. Nevertheless ...

• JD Allen Trio: Victory! (Sunnyside) - They've become a tight group, focusing on short, rough and bluesy tunes. There are shades of post-Coltrane in Allen's music and saxophone playing, always has been, but I like how they hold back length wise, and instead focus on blowing full steam for the ca. 3 minute they allow themselves. As if say "I've said my piece on the matter, now let's move on." 7
• Art Brut: Brilliant! Tragic! (Cooking Vinyl) - Not as sharp as they used to be. Not as funny, either, and Eddie Argos is a better reader/shouter than he is a singer. 6
• Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (And Other American Stories) (Lost Highway) 7
• Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble: The Prairie Prophet (Delmark) 8
• Let's Wrestle: Nursing Home (Merge) 7
• Wadada Leo Smith's Organic: Heart's Reflections (Cuneiform, 2CD) - Pheeroan akLaff is as much the star of this as Wadada Leo Smith, who provides his customary trumpet stabs and echoes, or any of the other "Organics" for that matter. akLaff pushes the record along with a most solid, funky back-beat. Powerful and groovy stuff. 8
• TV on the Radio: Nine Types of Light (Interscope) - Dear Science was snarly and punchy, this one's trudges along by comparison, though the musical scenery is nice enough. Prefer TVOTR snarling and punching, though. 7
• The Weeknd: House of Balloons (mixtape/self released download) 8
• Yuck: Yuck (Fat Possum) 7

I am holding back a few records, and may revisit a couple of the above if things improve in the coming week.

A quick post to point out that the blog is not dead, with some notes and a preliminary grade for Brad Paisley. The 1984 project is still going strong, and I'm also busy doing some work for [secret]. I will have a proper Listening Booth up in a couple of days, or Monday next week at least, with notes and grades for the latest Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, Wadada Leo Smith's Organic, Matana Roberts, Frank Ocean (has crept up to the top of my 2011 list), TV on the Radio and a few others.

Quick Listening Booth: "I'm not dead yet", says blog.

A quick post to point out that the blog is not dead, with some notes and a preliminary grade for Brad Paisley. The 1984 project is still going strong, and I'm also busy doing some work for [secret]. I will have a proper Listening Booth up in a couple of days, or Monday next week at least, with notes and grades for the latest Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, Wadada Leo Smith's Organic, Matana Roberts, Frank Ocean (has crept up to the top of my 2011 list), TV on the Radio and a few others.

• Brad Paisley: This Is Country Music (Sony Music Entertainment) - Disappointed that he feels the need to take the "we may not be hip, but we sing about real life" defense in the title track - country music ain't got the sole rights to "real life" subjects, and you're smart enough to know that, Brad. Also, I can't imagine he ever got much stick from "hipsters" (whoever they are), as the liberal minded country fans' (myself included) great hope. Wish he held back a bit with his virtuosic guitar picking too, but aside from this this is vintage Paisley, smart a** fun songs ("Working on a Tan") and bitter sweet luv (sic.) songs ("Remind Me") included. 7 *