Treasury Shows, Vol. 6

AMG Review of Treasury Shows, Vol. 6

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

The Duke Ellington Treasury Series, which was aired weekly during April-November 1945 and April-October 1946, was initially issued by the Merritt Record Society on LPs in the 1980s. Storyville, in its DETS series, has been not only bringing back all of the music in its two-fer series, but augmenting the broadcasts with other live Ellington performances from the era. All of these broadcasts are well-recorded and feature the underrated mid-'40s Ellington orchestra in prime form. One has to sit through a few bond promos during each program, which are delivered a bit heavy-handedly, but the valuable music makes it well worth it. At the time, the Ellington band had major soloists in trumpeters/cornetists Rex Stewart, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, and Ray Nance, trombonists Tricky Sam Nanton and Lawrence Brown, Al Sears on tenor, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, altoist Johnny Hodges, and baritonist Harry Carney, not to mention the leader on piano and fine singers in Al Hibbler, Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, and Ray Nance; there is certainly no shortage in talent! The repertoire in the series includes Ellington standards, a few tunes that Duke never otherwise recorded, and extended works, including on this two-fer "New World A-Comin'." Other highlights of this set (which has two Treasury Show broadcasts from June 1945 and an October 1945 set from the Zanzibar) include fine versions of "India," "Cotton Tail," "Let the Zoomers Drool," "Stompy Jones," and "Body & Soul." Duke Ellington fans will want all of the entries in this extensive series.