Ellington's Days 1929-1940

Even if the title is a bit awkward in translation -- obviously they meant to say "Ellington Days" -- this is one fine sampler of Duke Ellington's music from 1929 to 1940, with the spotlight on trumpeter Charles "Cootie" Williams, a formidably expressive player who with Bubber Miley and Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton defined the brass element in Ellington's orchestra. The Jazz Archives label doesn't always lay things out chronologically, but here they've done exactly that, and as a special treat there's an index of who solos on each tune. That makes this disc a valuable listening tool for anyone seeking to learn Ellington's primary soloists during the 1930s. Williams also sings on "Sweet Chariot" and on the bluesy "She's Gone," a lone example of his Rug Cutters band that the producers have included as a sort of aperitif. An excellent tribute to a powerful performer, focusing upon works he accomplished as a member of the greatest jazz orchestra of the 1930s. ~ arwulf arwulf|