Treasury Shows, Vol. 8

AMG Review of Treasury Shows, Vol. 8

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

During 1945 and 1946, Duke Ellington recorded a number of broadcast transcriptions for use by the U.S. Treasury Department to promote the sale of war bonds. This eighth volume, issued by Storyville, is yet another two-disc set that compiles three different broadcasts. While the sound quality is decent for the soloists and only so-so for the whole band, the occasional rarity like "Let the Zoomers Drool" or "Ultra Violet," as well as superb renditions of favorites like "C Jam Blues," "Ko-Ko," and "Main Stem" will be of interest to Ellington collectors. A surprise inclusion is Ellington's nearly 12-minute tone poem from 1935, "Reminiscing in Tempo," though it was no favorite of star soloists like Johnny Hodges, who preferred opportunities to blow. But this volume falls a little bit short in value compared to earlier sets in the series, because of inconsistent sound quality and overall programs that are not as interesting as a typical Ellington concert, though at least the long medleys of hits always featured in his later years are not present.