Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington has often been called a genius and a number of fine biographies will illuminates the whys and where fors. Here’s a very short list:

(1) Duke Ellington’s autobiography Music Is My Mistress; (2) Beyond Category: The Life And Genius Of Duke Ellington by John Edward Hasse; (3) The World of Duke Ellington by Stanley Dance, and (4) for children, Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney and Brian Pinkney.
 
 
 



Take the “A” Train by Pete Petersen and the Collection Jazz Orchestra recording Playin in the Park.
Prelude To A Kiss on The Overwhelming Joe Williams.

Day Dream by Phil Kelly on My Museum.

Isfahan on Duke Ellington’s The Far East Suite.
Main Stem – Duke on At The Hurricane 1943 or on The Golden Years of Duke Ellington.
 

Johnny Come Lately – Duke on Black Beauty or on C Jam Blues .
It Don’t Mean A Thing – Sarah Vaughan on The Ellington Songbook, vol 2 .
After All – Duke on Complete Standard Transcriptions.

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Harold Arlen composed “I’ve Got the World on a String”. Here Lena Horne sings (lyrics by Ted Koehler) and Phil Woods plays on Lena: A New Album.

Harold Arlen also wrote “Ill Wind”. This time Koehler’s lyrics are sung by Dinah Washington on Vol 4 of Mercury’s The Complete Dinah Washington. (The box set is pricy but you can download individual tracks for 99-cents.)

Matt Dennis (pictured) is the composer of “The Night We Called It A Day”, played here by Oscar Peterson recorded At the London House.

Josef Myrow composed “You Make Me Feel So Young” sung here by Frank Sinatra on Songs For Swingin’ Lovers (lyrics by Mack Gordon).

Bronislaw Kaper (L) composed “Green Dolphin Street” and “Invitation”. Sung here by Sarah Vaughan (lyrics by Ned Washington an Paul Francis Webster, respectively), bot are on her CD titled You’re Mine You.

Burton Lane (R) wrote the music to “You Won’t Forget Me” (lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner). Shirley Horn sings it on You Won’t Forget Me.

Matt Dennis composed “Angel Eyes”. It is a bonus track on Oscar Peterson’s Pastel Moods recording.

Harold Arlen composed “Blues In the Night” and “Violets For Your Furs”. The first is on Frank Sinatra Sings the Select Johnny Mercer, followed by Phil Woods’ instrumental performance of Violets from Groovin’ To Marty Paich.

Burton Lane’s “On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever) is from Oscar Peterson’s On A Clear Day recording and in the UK on My Personal Choice.

“As Time Goes By” was composed by Herman Hupfeld. Peggy Lee sings it on her If You Go recording available on CD combined with The Man I Love.

Harold Arlen’s “Come Rain Or Come Shine” is played here by David Sanborn on his Pearls CD (also available as a single track).

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DIVA, an all-female big band headed by drummer Sherri Maricle, playing You Stepped Out of a Dream and If I Should Lose You – both tunes are on Something’s Coming

Pianist Lynne Arriale with her Trio

playing A Night in Tunisia

on Long Road Home

Pianist Renee Rosnes

playing With A Little Help From My Friends

on Art & Soul with her Trio in 1999

Nan Schwartz’ arrangement of

Don’t You Love Me Anymore? on Ray Charles’

Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection

Ali Ryerson, on flute, playing Joy Spring on an album titled Alto: Joe Beck & Ali Ryerson

Bassist Kristen Korb playing her own composition Mac on Where You’ll Find Me

Guitarist Emily Remler’s original composition Blues For Herb on her East to Wes recording

Natalie Cole singing to

Nan Schwartz’ arrangement of

Here’s That Rainy Day

on Still Unforgettable

Sherri Maricle, again leading of DIVA, this time playing her arrangement of one of her own compositions 80 Chestnut Street on Something’s Coming

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Here’s To Life, written by Artie Butler & Phyllis Molinary (both pictured below), is the first song on Shirley Horn’s Here’s To Life CD.

When I Was A Child, written by Floyd Huddleston (pictured) and Mark McIntyre, and

Oh Love Hast Thou Forsaken Me?
composed by William Bowers

both sung by Peggy Lee
on her If You Go recording.

Children Will Listen

composed by Steven Sondheim

sung by Barbra Streisand

on her Back to Broadway CD.

An Older Man Is Like an Elegant Wine, composed by Lee Wing, and A Woman’s Intuition, written by Victor Young and Ned Washington (all pictured below), both on Carol Sloane’s Sweet and Slow CD.

Don’t Touch Me

composed by Teddy Edwards

sung by Ernestine Anderson

on Blues, Dues & Love News

I Told You So

composed by Duncan Lamont,

sung by Natalie Cole

on Ask A Woman Who Knows

Where Do You Start (music by Johnny Mandel with lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman – all three pictured below) on Shirley Horn’s Here’s To Life, and Someone You’ve Loved composed by Johnny Pate and first recorded by Shirley Horn in 1965 on Travelin Light.

You Don’t Have to Say You’re Sorry

written by Patti Austin

sung by Vanessa Williams

on The Sweetest Days

Every time we say goodbye

composed by Cole Porter

sung by Diane Schuur

on In Tribute

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Soon (on “Ask A Woman Who Knows”) and Don’t Explain (on “Take A Look”).

Tell Me About It (on “Ask A Woman” ) and Ahmad’s Blues (on “StarDust”).

I Told You So (on “Ask A Woman Who Knows”) and Teach Me Tonight (on “Star Dust”) and Smile (on “Unforgettable” ).

Beginning To See The Light (on “Take A Look”) and
Lush Life (on “Unforgettable”).

Let There Be Love and Take A Look (on “Take A Look”).

My Baby Just Cares (on “Ask A Woman”).

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It Might As Well Be Spring / L.A. Breakdown
Grady Tate on his Body & Soul CD and Jack Jones singing his title track recording.

Don’t You Love Me Anymore / Mandy Is Two
Ray Charles on Disc 5 of Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection and Frank D’Rone on Brand New Morning.

Oasis / Taste Of Honey

Al Jarreau on All I Got and Bobby Scott on a double reissue Taste of Honey/The Complete Musician.

I Just Called To Say I Love You / Never Kiss & Run
Raul Midon on Herbie Hancock’s CD Possibilitiesand Bill Henderson on Beautiful Memory: Live at the Vic OR Complete Vee Jay Recordings, Vol. 2 (1993)

Someone You’ve Loved / Everything Must Change
Joe Williams on his Here’s To Life CD and Bernard Ighner on Quincy Jones The Best.

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SURREY WITH THE FRINGE ON TOP as played by

 

George Shearing on How Beautiful Is Night

Ahmad Jamal on Okeh Jazz compilation

and the Gene Harris and the Philip Morris SuperBand on Live at Town Hall, arranged by John Clayton

 


LOVE YOU MADLY by

Ella Fitzgerald on Best of the Verve Song Books: Love Songs

Oscar Peterson on The Soul of Oscar Peterson

 
WORK SONG by

Milt Jackson on Oscar Peterson with Milt Jackson Work Song/Reunion Blues 1963

Billy Eckstine & Quincy Jones on Live at Basin Street East

 
I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN by

 
Lu Elliott on Lu Elliott Sings Way Out From Down Under (1967 out of print) 

Diana Krall on When I Look In Your Eyes
 
 
 

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The Best Is Yet To Come / Wild Is The Wind

Let There Be Love / You Are There

You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To / Never Let Me Go / I Know That You Know

Luiza

Something Happens To Me

All tracks are from “You and the Night and the Music” except the song Luiza which is on “Passion Flower”