Duke Ellington - Masterpieces By Ellington (SACD Analogue Productions)

Columbia Records transformed the former church (the Adams-Parkhurst Memorial Presbyterian Church, dedicated in 1875) into a recording studio in 1949. The studio had 100-foot high ceilings, a 100-foot floorspace to record, and the control room was on the second floor — a tight fit at 8x14 feet. It was later moved to the ground floor.

Suddenly, for the first time in his career, Ellington was able to forgo the 3 minutes-and-change restrictions afforded by the short running time of the 78 RPM disc. He and his band rose to the occasion with extended (11-minute plus) 'uncut concert arrangements' of three of his signature songs — “Mood Indigo,” “Sophisticated Lady,” with evocative vocals by Yvonne Lanauze, as well as “Solitude.” Masterpieces was also notable for the debut of the full-bodied, surprise-laden “The Tattooed Bride,” and for the swansongs of three Ellintonian giants of longstanding: drummer Sonny Greer, trombonist Lawrence Brown and alto saxist Johnny Hodges (the latter two would eventually return to the fold).

Masterpieces is a revelation and a throwback to a golden recording age. So much history and so much luck combined make this album truly special.

✓ A historic record — recorded just four years removed from the dawn of the analog tape era!
✓ Remastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes
✓ Recorded originally on an Ampex 200, using 3M-111 magnetic tape running at 15 inches per second

Tracks:
1. Mood Indigo
2. Sophisticated Lady
3. The Tattooed Bride
4. Solitude
Bonus Tracks:
5. Vagabonds
6. Smada
7. Rock Slippin’ At The Blue Note