Duke Ellington's Finest Hour

Discography Browser

  • Masterpieces by Ellington
  • The 1953 Pasadena Concert
  • Ellington Uptown
  • The Duke Plays Ellington [Capitol]
  • Ellington '55
  • The Duke and His Men
  • Ellington at Newport
  • Historically Speaking: The Duke
  • Duke Ellington and the Buck Clayton All-Stars at Newport
  • A Drum Is a Woman
  • Such Sweet Thunder
  • Indigos
  • The Cosmic Scene: Duke Ellington's Spacemen
  • Newport 1958
  • Black, Brown and Beige
  • Festival Session
  • Side by Side
  • Jazz Party
  • Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues
  • Anatomy of a Murder [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
  • Piano in the Background
  • Duke Ellington: Three Suites
  • Blues in Orbit
  • Recording Together for the First Time
  • First Time! The Count Meets the Duke
  • Money Jungle
  • Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
  • Duke Ellington And His Orchestra Featuring Paul Gonsalves
  • Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session
  • Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
  • Will Big Bands Ever Come Back?
  • The Symphonic Ellington
  • My People
  • The Great Paris Concert [Atlantic]
  • Afro-Bossa
  • Ellington '65
  • Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins
  • Concert in the Virgin Islands
  • Ella at Duke's Place
  • Orchestral Works
  • Soul Call
  • Serenade to Sweden
  • Sacred Music
  • The Popular Duke Ellington
  • Francis A. & Edward K.
  • Ella & Duke at the Côte D'Azur
  • The Duke Ellington's Far East Suite
  • ...And His Mother Called Him Bill
  • Yale Concert
  • Second Sacred Concert
  • New Orleans Suite
  • Latin American Suite
  • The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
  • Togo Brava Suite
  • This One's for Blanton
  • Up in Duke's Workshop
  • Eastbourne Performance
  • Collages
  • Duke Ellington's Third Sacred Concert
  • Music Is My Mistress
  • American Songbook Series: Duke Ellington
  • Mood Indigo: Capitol Sings Duke Ellington
  • Play On [Original Broadway Cast]
  • Jazz Hits, Vol. 1
  • Duke Ellington: Queenie Pie
  • Paris Blues [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
  • That's Life: Nicole Herzog Meets Don Menza
  • Baby's Party

Release Date

February 12, 2002

Duration

01:03:05

Genre

Styles

Recording Date

November 29, 1926 - January 10, 1972
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Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington's Finest Hour

  • AllMusic Rating
    7
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AllMusic Review by

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about this entry in Verve's Finest Hour series is that it covers 46 years in Ellington's career, from the very beginning of his recording career in 1926, to the very end in 1972. There are brilliant stops along the way with the Blanton/Webster edition of the band, and many of the '30s versions of his classics as well. Both parts of "Creole Rhapsody" are here, as are rather unexpected entries like "Stompy Jones," and "Self Portrait (Of a Bean)." There are better collections to be sure, but this is not one to discount for its cheesy title or for its sound, which is exceptionally good.

Track Listing

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Duke Ellington / Bubber Miley
Duke Ellington
feat: Duke Ellington & His Kentucky Club Orchestra
2:54 Spotify
2
Duke Ellington / Bubber Miley
Duke Ellington
feat: The Washingtonians
3:19 Spotify
3
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
feat: Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra
2:46 Spotify
4
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
3:14 Spotify
5
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Duke Ellington
feat: Duke Ellington & His Cotton Club Orchestra
3:13 Spotify
6
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges
Duke Ellington
feat: Jungle Band
3:27 Spotify
7
Barney Bigard / Irving Mills
Duke Ellington
feat: Jungle Band
2:53 Spotify
8
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Duke Ellington
2:58 Spotify
9
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
feat: Jungle Band
3:09 Spotify
10
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
feat: Jungle Band
3:21 Spotify
11
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
feat: Johnny Hodges
6:39 Spotify
12
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
feat: Coleman Hawkins
3:54 Spotify
13
Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills
Duke Ellington
feat: John Coltrane
4:16 Spotify
14
Billy Strayhorn
Duke Ellington
4:56
15
Duke Ellington / Irving Gordon / Irving Mills
Duke Ellington
feat: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
4:29
16
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish
Duke Ellington
4:45
17
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
Duke Ellington
2:52
blue highlight denotes track pick