Favorite Duke Ellington Orchestra Solos

Subject to change, of course.

Grade Audio Soloist Date Title Source New Desor
100 Audio Joya Sherrill, vocal December 1, 1944 I'm Beginning To See The Light The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk N (Track 3) DE4435c
99 Audio Johnny Hodges, alto sax May 3, 1957 Star-Crossed Lovers Complete Columbia Studio Albums 1951-1958 (Such Sweet Thunder, Track 9) DE5721d
99 Audio Jimmy Hamilton, Clarinet April 15, 1957 Sonnet For Caesar Complete Columbia Studio Albums 1951-1958 (Such Sweet Thunder, Track 2) DE5715a
98 Audio Ella Fitzgerald, vocal July 28, 1966 Something To Live For Côte D'Azur Concerts (Disk 5, Track 5) DE6664
98 Audio Cootie Williams, trumpet December 10, 1929 Sweet Mama Classics 1929-1930 (Track 21) DE2921a
98 Audio Bubber Miley, muted trumpet March 14, 1927 East St. Louis Toodle-Oo The Duke Steps Out (Track 1) DE2704a
98 Audio Al Sears, tenor sax December 11-12, 1944 The Blues The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk N (Track 9) DE4436c
97 Audio Barney Bigard, Clarinet February 11, 1932 Creole Love Call The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia, and Master Recordings (Disc 1, Track 7) DE3205c
97 Audio Arthur Whetsel, trumpet October 2, 1928 Awful Sad Volume 5 1928 Complete Edition (Track 1) DE2809a
97 Audio Juan Tizol, valve trombone January 9, 1935 Moonlight Fiesta The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia, and Master Recordings (Disc 5, Track 4) DE3501d
97 Audio Ben Webster, tenor sax January 15, 1941 Frenesi The Centennial Anthology (CD, Track 2) DE4101f
97 Audio Clark Terry, trumpet April 30, 1953 Don't Worry 'Bout Me Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 1 (Track 3) DE5318e
97 Audio Cat Anderson, trumpet April 30, 1953 Summertime Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 2 (Track 1) DE5318n
97 Audio Ozzie Bailey, vocal December 6, 1956 You Better Know It Complete Columbia Studio Albums 1951-1958 (A Drum Is A Woman, Track 8) DE5638b
97 Audio Ray Nance, Cornet February 15, 1941 Take The "A" Train The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk K (Track 8) DE4105a
97 Audio Freddy Jenkins, trumpet November 20, 1929 Blues Of The Vagabond The OKeh Ellington, Disk 2 (Track 7) DE2920b
96 Audio Lawrence Brown, trombone June 2, 1945 Way Low Date With the Duke (Disk 4, Track 2e) DE4537f
96 Audio Ray Nance, Violin April 29, 1954 Maybe I Should Change My Ways Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 4 (Track 3) DE5407f
96 Audio Harry Carney, baritone sax May 1, 1945 Everything But You The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk N (Track 16) DE4525a
96 Audio Rex Stewart, trumpet March 20, 1939 San Juan Hill The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion and Okeh Small Group Sessions (CD 6, Track 8) DE3906a
96 Harold Baker, trumpet January 28, 1943 Cy Runs Rock Waltz Archive.org DE4302l
95 Audio Adelaide Hall, vocal December 21, 1932 Baby! 1932-1933 Chronological Classics (Track 16) DE3213c
95 Audio Alice Babs, vocal March 1, 1963 Come Sunday Alice Babs & Duke Ellington and Orchestra Serenade to Sweden (Track 7) DE6338ab
95 Audio Al Hibbler, vocal November 20, 1947 Don't Get Around Much Anymore His Great Vocalists (Track 8) DE4732d
95 Audio Ivie Anderson, vocal February 2, 1932 It Don't Mean A Thing His Great Vocalists (Track 1) DE3201b
95 Audio Ray Nance, vocal September 3, 1946 My Honey's Lovin' Arms The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk P (Track 17) DE4640a
95 Audio Joe Nanton, muted trombone June 16, 1945 Johnny Come Lately The Treasury Shows, Vol. 6, Disk 1 (Track 13) DE4539m
95 Audio Harold Baker, muted trumpet December 10, 1948 Suddenly It Jumped Cornell University, First Set (Track 3) DE4808c
94 Audio Joe Nanton, trombone November 3, 1927 Chicago Stomp Down The OKeh Ellington, Disk 1 (Track 6) DE2710d
95 Audio Otto Hardwick, alto sax March 26, 1928 Got Everything But You Chronogical 1928 (Track 4) DE2805c
95 Audio Kay Davis, Vocal December 5, 1946 Minnehaha Happy-Go-Lucky Local (Track 9) DE4651d
95 Audio Taft Jordan, trumpet November 8, 1943 Blue Skies World Broadcasting Series Volume One (Track 5) DE4359f
95 Russell Procope, clarinet April 28 & 29, 1964 Creole Love Call in concerto (New York 1964) (Track 2b) DE6436c
95 Audio Russell Procope, alto sax September 28, 1968 Black And Tan Fantasy Live in Mexico (Track 2a) DE6852a
95 Audio Quentin Jackson, muted trombone April 29, 1954 Johnny Come Lately Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 4 (Track 2) DE5407e
95 Audio Tyree Glenn, muted trombone August 14, 1947 H'ya Sue Classics 1946-1947 (Track 18) DE4717c
95 Audio Jimmy Hamilton, tenor sax December 22, 1949 B-Sharp Boston Vol. 10 (1947-1951) The Alternative Takes (Track 20) DE4920l
95 Audio Clark Terry, flugelhorn August 28, 1967 Upper Manhattan Medical Group The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Disk W, And His Mother Called Him Bill (Track 14) DE6781y
95 Audio Duke Ellington, piano June 30, 1960 In The Hall Of The Mountain King Three Suites (Track 11) DE6019b
94 Audio Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax April 30, 1953 Lullaby Of Birdland Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 1 (Track 1) DE5318f
94 Audio Willie Cook, trumpet April 30, 1953 Tenderly Happy Birthday, Duke!, Disk 3 (Track 4) DE5318ae
93 Britt Woodman, trombone January 5, 1952 Serious Serenade Rare Live Recordings 1952-3 (Disk 1, Track 3) DE5201c
93 Audio Wallace Jones, trumpet December 11, 1943 Black And Tan Fantasy The Duke Box, Disk 6 (Track 8) DE4364s