Embora geralmente não sejam tão celebradas quanto suas gravações para a RCA Victor do mesmo período, as apresentações de Duke Ellington para a OKeh (posteriormente adquirida pela Columbia) estão entre as melhores do período, apresentando solos distintos de trompetistas como o trompetista Bubber Miley (e mais tarde seu substituto Cootie Williams), o trombonista Tricky Sam Nanton (que, como Miley, era um especialista em mudos wah-wah), o clarinetista Barney Bigard e o sax alto Johnny Hodges , entre outros. Essas 50 faixas (que ignoram as tomadas alternativas de Ellington) contêm muitos clássicos, incluindo seu tema original East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Black and Tan Fantasy, The Mooche, Mood Indigo e seus primeiros solos ao piano. Este é um dos melhores registros dos primeiros Ellington disponíveis.
Duke Ellington: The OKeh Ellington
1-1 The Washingtonians– East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Written-By – B. Miley*, D. Ellington*
3:03
1-2 The Washingtonians– Hop Head
Written-By – D. Ellington*
2:55
1-3 The Washingtonians– Down In Our Alley Blues
Written By – J. Kapp
Written-By – D. Ellington*, O. Hardwick*
3:01
1-4 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– What Can A Poor Fellow Do?
Written-By – B. Meyers*, E. Schoebel*
3:08
1-5 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Black And Tan Fantasy
Written-By – B. Miley*, D. Ellington*
3:23
1-6 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Chicago Stomp Down
Vocals – Adelaide Hall
Written-By – H. Creamer*, J. Johnson*
2:46
1-7 The Washingtonians– Sweet Mama (Papa’s Getting Mad)
Written By – G. Little, P. Frost
Written-By – F. Rose*
2:52
1-8 The Washingtonians– Stack O’Lee Blues
Written By – L. Colwell, R. Lopez
2:49
1-9 The Washingtonians– Bugle Call Rag
Written-By – B. Meyers*, E. Schoebel*, J. Pettis*
2:37
1-10 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Take It Easy
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:12
1-11 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Jubilee Stomp
Written-By – D. Ellington*
2:42
1-12 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Harlem Twist (East St. Louis Toodle-oo)
Written-By – B. MIley*, D. Ellington*
3:15
1-13 The Harlem Footwarmers– Diga Diga Doo
Vocals – Irving Mills
Written-By – D. Fields*, J. McHugh*
2:51
1-14 The Harlem Footwarmers– Doin’ The New Low Down
Vocals – Irving Mills
Written-By – D. Fields*, J. McHugh*
3:05
1-15 Duke Ellington– Black Beauty
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:00
1-16 Duke Ellington– Swampy River
Written-By – D. Ellington*
2:48
1-17 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– The Mooche
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:11
1-18 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Move Over
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:03
1-19 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Hot And Bothered
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:15
1-20 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– The Blues With A Feelin’
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:13
1-21 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Goin’ To Town
Written-By – B. Miley*, D. Ellington*
2:55
1-22 Duke Ellington & His Orchestra*– Misty Mornin’
Written-By – A. Whetsol*, D. Ellington*
3:20
1-23 Joe Turner & His Memphis Men*– I Must Have That Man
Written-By – D. Fields*, J. McHugh*
3:19
1-24 Joe Turner & His Memphis Men*– Freeze And Melt
Written-By – D. Fields*, J. McHugh*
2:51
1-25 Joe Turner & His Memphis Men*– Mississippi Moan
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:24
2-1 Sonny Greer & His Memphis Men*– That Rhythm Man
Written-By – A. Razaf*, T. Waller*, H. Brooks*
2:41
2-2 Sonny Greer & His Memphis Men*– Beggar’s Blues
Written By – J. Hodge
Written-By – A. Bigard*
3:16
2-3 Sonny Greer & His Memphis Men*– Saturday Night Function
Written-By – A. Bigard*, D. Ellington*
3:22
2-4 The Harlem Footwarmers– Jungle Jamboree
Written-By – A. Razaf*, T. Waller*, H. Brooks*
3:02
2-5 The Harlem Footwarmers– Snake Hip Dance
Written-By – A. Razaf*, T. Waller*, H. Brooks*
2:48
2-6 The Harlem Footwarmers– Lazy Duke
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:06
2-7 The Harlem Footwarmers– Blues Of The Vagabond
Written-By – D. Ellington*
3:13
2-8 The Harlem Footwarmers– Syncopated Shuffle
Written-By – D. Ellington*
2:45
2-9 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– The Mooche
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:20
2-10 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– Ragamuffin Romeo
Written-By – H. DeCosta*, M. Wayne*
3:15
2-11 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Written-By – B. Miley*, D. Ellington*
3:13
2-12 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– Sweet Mama
Written-By – H. DeCosta*, M. Wayne*
3:00
2-13 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– Hot And Bothered
Written-By – D. Ellington*
2:52
2-14 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– Double Check Stomp
Written-By – A. Bigard*, I. Mills*
3:20
2-15 Mills’ Ten Blackberries– Black And Tan Fantasy
Written-By – B. Miley*, D. Ellington*
3:07
2-16 The Harlem Footwarmers– Big House Blues
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:01
2-17 The Harlem Footwarmers– Rocky Mountain Blues
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:08
2-18 The Harlem Footwarmers– Ring Dem Bells
Vocals – Cootie Williams
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
2:47
2-19 Frank Brown & His Tooters*– Three Little Words
Vocals – Irving Mills
Written-By – B. Kalmar*, H. Ruby*
3:12
2-20 The Harlem Footwarmers– Old Man Blues
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:05
2-21 The Harlem Footwarmers– Sweet Chariot
Vocals – Cootie Williams
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
2:47
2-22 The Harlem Footwarmers– Mood Indigo
Written-By – A. Bigard*, D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
3:06
2-23 The New York Syncopators– I Can’t Realize You Love Me
Vocals – Sid Garry
Written-By – B. DeSylva*, W. Donaldson*
3:23
2-24 The New York Syncopators– I’m So In Love With You
Vocals – Sid Garry
Written-By – D. Ellington*, I. Mills*
2:56
2-25 The Harlem Footwarmers– Rockin’ In Rhythm
Written-By – D. Ellington*, H. Carney*, I. Mills*
3:14
Banjo – Fred Guy
Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Harry Carney
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges (tracks: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17 to 2-25)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Barney Bigard (tracks: From 1-7), Prince Robinson (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3), Rudy Jackson (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6)
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud (tracks: From 1-4)
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Lonnie Johnson (2) (tracks: 1-17 to 1-19, 1-22)
Piano, Arranged By, Leader – Duke Ellington
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Otto Hardwick (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12)
Trombone – Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton*
Trumpet – Arthur Whetsol* (tracks: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17 to 2-5, 2-7 to 2-25), Bubber Miley (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-7 to 1-14, 1-17 to 1-23), Cootie Williams (tracks: 1-23 to 1-25, 2-6 to 2-15, 2-18 to 2-25), Freddie Jenkins* (tracks: 1-20 to 2-3, 2-6 to 2-15, 2-18 to 2-25), Jabbo Smith (tracks: 1-4 to 1-6), Louis Metcalf (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12)
Tuba – Henry Edwards (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3)
Valve Trombone – Juan Tizol (tracks: 2-7 to 2-11, 2-18 to 2-25)
Vocals – Baby Cox (tracks: 1-17, 1-19)
Recording dates:
1-1 to 1-3: March 22, 1927.
1-4 to 1-6: November 3, 1927.
1-7 to 1-9: January 9, 1928.
1-10 to 1-12: January 19, 1928.
1-13, 1-14: July 10, 1928.
1-15, 1-16: October 1, 1928.
1-17 to 1-19: October 1, 1928.
1-20 to 1-22: November 22, 1928.
1-23 to 1-25: April 4, 1929.
2-01 to 2-03: May 28, 1929.
2-04, 2-05: August 2, 1929.
2-06 to 2-08: November 20, 1929.
2-09 to 2-11: April 3, 1930.
2-12 to 2-15: June 12, 1930.
2-16, 2-17: October 14, 1930.
2-18, 2-20 to 2-22: October 30, 1930.
2-19: October 30, 1930.
2-23 to 2-25: November 8, 1930.
Original 78s from the collections of Robert Altschuler, Michael Brooks, and the Institute of Jazz Studies, Newark, New Jersey.
PQP