The Centennial Edition: Complete RCA Victor Recordings

It is only fitting that the greatest figure in 20th-century popular music is the subject of this most wondrous box set. Across 24 discs, the majesty and unparalleled genius of Duke Ellington is on vivid display. Listening to the box from start to finish in chronological order, you discover a composer, bandleader, and pianist who consistently and daringly pushed his music ever forward. As fascinating as it is to hear his artistic progression as it unfolds, it is even more remarkable to digest these CDs out of order. During the course of 50 years, Ellington's creative wellspring gushed an amazing variety of music delivered in a multitude of different styles and settings; yet somehow, someway, it all sounds like Ellington. Whereas some artists find the blues idiom constricting, Duke saw it as a highly malleable and versatile foundation.

The first seven CDs chronicle the maestro's Cotton Club days and his theatrical, visceral "jungle music," which was created as part of the club's African-themed stage shows and "tribal" dances. Even at this early stage, Ellington showed a tremendous ability to create expressive moods and keen imagery through his compositions as well as an uncanny understanding of his players' strengths. Six discs are dedicated to the early 1940s, when tenor sax player Ben Webster and bassist Jimmy Blanton elevated the band to new heights. The next three CDs cover the mid-1940s, when the Duke began experimenting with longer pieces. Another combines mid-1940s all-star jams with a full 1952 Seattle concert. All three of Ellington's Sacred Concerts follow, a bold, pioneering fusion of jazz and church, complete with choir and dance, that used the language of music to eloquently sermonize on the subjects of personal freedom, spirituality, and communication with God. The collection wraps up with four discs' worth of late-period magic, including the exotic and dramatic Far East Suite and an homage to recently departed Billy Strayhorn.

This stunning package also serves as a tribute to all of the superior musicians that found a home in the Ellington Orchestra. Special mention must be made of altoist Johnny Hodges, who first recorded with Ellington in 1928 and stayed with him (except for a brief respite in the 1950s) until his death in 1970. Throughout, his sublime tone and fertile imagination epitomize the beauty, inventiveness, and dignity that is the essence of jazz. Also of note are the many superb compositions and arrangements from Strayhorn, who managed to carve a vital niche for himself while remaining true to the sound of Ellingtonia.

The accompanying 128-page full-color book overflows with wonderful photos and insightful essays that explore Ellington from every possible angle. The discographical information is delivered with excruciating detail and the package as a whole exudes love, devotion, and respect.

Somewhere deep inside the book, producer Orrin Keepnews writes, "When dealing with the music of Edward Kennedy Ellington, there is no excuse for stopping anywhere short of perfection." Mission accomplished. --Marc Greilsamer

(Casual listeners might prefer the single-CD sampler.)

We have experimented a wide range of emotions! For example, the inclusion of the "Three Sacred Concerts", we believe, was a great idea with the addition of the Second one, thanks to "Fantasy Records" permission.

Also, we are impressed by the early 1930's "stereo sound". It is really amazing to hear this special effect from that time. Surely, Duke Ellington would be feeling happy to listen to this, as he loved -and this is a fundamental fact about his musical legacy- the recording technology, and used it to record and record again, having the concept of the Great Music, and the wonderful Art of Improvisation, being recorded for the posterity, and for the new generations of young people who really love music.

Here, we believe that it is important to remember that a genuine "Jazz Performance" is only one, and it never will be the same the next opportunity.

Also, we like the box set book for its sober, satin finish pages, the magnificent photos, general design, and, of course, the invaluable and complete information.

Undoubtely, this box set is the result of a very hard, extensive and extraordinary research, writing, audio restoration, remastering, printing and special manufacturing work, and we, with deep admiration, congratulate the Duke Ellington's legacy lovers, Steven Lasker and Orrin Keepnews, among other persons at RCA-BMG, for this Giant Homage to Duke.

If you really love music, and the musical legacy from Edward Kennedy Ellington, this box set is a must! Imagine: ALL the Duke Ellington's RCA recordings stored on the box set's 24 compact discs, and with that magnificent restored sound...!

This BMG-RCA Duke Ellington's Centennial Edition, 24 Compact Discs Box Set, is an authentic HISTORIC TREASURE.

Finally, as this box set is a limited edition product, we would like to receive an "online" serial number, from one of a certain quantity of items that were manufactured by BMG-RCA.

Problems with Noise Reduction
Review Date: 2001-11-10 Rating: 8 out of 10

I have to agree with music fan from Texas. The problem, though, is not too little noise reduction, but too much. The high-pitched whistling he cites is, I think, an artifact of hiss reduction. It ruins the whole set, in my opinion. An awful shame, considering the importance of this music, and the fact that the remastering was otherwise most meticulously done. BMG, why did you allow this to happen?
***LATER***The late John R. T. Davies, who was during his lifetime the world's foremost restorer of 78 r.p.m. recordings, confirmed in correspondence with me that the whistling noise I refer to is an artifact of the master recording and is not caused by electronic noise reduction. Specifically, it is caused by the cooling of the wax master during recording. There are ways of minimizing it during transfer and remastering, and I wish BMG had taken advantage of these.

No excuse for the crummy packaging
Review Date: 2001-08-06 Rating: 8 out of 10

I agree with the person who complained about the cheap packaging. Yes the music is great. But cardboard sleeves? In addition to the problems that person cited, sliding discs in and out of the sleeve is going to scratch them.

Next, the little ribbons used for lifting the CDs out of their wells in the plastic box insert are glued in place. Guess what? They come unglued! Unless you reglue them, you have to turn the box upside down and shake out all the CDs to get the one you want.

Finally, the lovely book that comes with the set is cheaply bound. I haven't even read it once and there are pages coming loose.

Come on, RCA! This is meant to be your highest tribute to America's greatest composer, and you aren't exactly giving it away. You could have used better binding and real jewel cases, sold it at the same price, and still profited handsomely. Shame on you!

Unparalleled music - cheap packaging
Review Date: 2000-02-16 Rating: 8 out of 10

You can't go wrong with the man who was truly 'Beyond Category' - the greatest musician in American history, and, very likely, the greatest artist in American history -period - the great Duke Ellington.

RCA got a lot right with this set: the music - all 24 cds worth - is amazing, the remastering of the recordings from the 30s and40s is astonishing, and the lavishly illustrated booklet provides a comprehensive overview of the Duke's career.

The one thing that RCA got wrong, however, was the packaging of the individual cds. Each disc is enclosed in a cheap, flimsy, cardboard sleeve instead of in a jewel box. You can't get a disc out of its cardboard prison without reaching in and getting your fingerprints all over it . You can't store your new Ellington cds with the rest of your collection, because the sleeves won't fit in your cd shelf, nor will they stand up straight like a jewel box will. Even if you do stack them at the end of your row of normal cds, you still have to sort through them to find the disc you want, because you can't read the spine like you can on a normal jewel box. If you are spending this kind of money to buy a box set, I suspect that your interest in the Duke will last for a lifetime. I guarantee that the cheap cardboard sleeves in this set won't. If you are spending this kind of money to buy a box set, you shouldn't have to buy 24 empty jewel boxes to preserve your investment. That's what I plan to do, however. I suspect that many others will do the same.