This is the discography of Duke Ellington. The majority of these recordings are listed under the year they were recorded, rather than released. Reissues are listed for most of the recordings released before the 1950s, as the original 78s are rare. A full discography up to the 1942 recording ban is available at http://www.ellingtonia.com. The US chart listing information should be taken as being very tentative, since sources like the Joel Whitburn "Pop Memories" book does not take the cheaper dime-store records into account. During this period, records sold by song title, not specifically by artist, although there are exceptions. Based on many years of research by scores of collectors, the general opinion is that the easier it is to find an old record at a second hand shop that sells 78's the more likely it was a good seller. Many of the below titles are fairly easy to find.
A much more comprehensive discography is available at http://www.ellingtonia.com and at http://ellingtonweb.ca/.
During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Ellington and his band recorded for almost every label (BluDisc, Pathé, Perfect, Victor, Brunswick, Columbia Records, Okeh, Vocalion, Cameo, Romeo, Lincoln, Banner, Domino, Jewel, and Hit of the Week). Some labels, such as RCA Victor, Okeh and Brunswick, have collected Ellington's early recordings into box sets, while material from other labels is scattered. The most comprehensive source for Ellington's early work are the Classics releases, although note that these records omit alternate takes, which may be found in other collections.
1926
1924–1926: The Birth of A Band Vol. 1 (EPM Musique) (released 1988)
The Birth of Big Band Jazz (Riverside) (EP) (released 1956)
Complete Edition (1924–1926) (Masters of Jazz)
1927
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1924–1927 (Classics)
Complete Edition (1926–1927) (Masters of Jazz)
1928
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: 1927–1928 (Classics) (Released 1996)
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: 1928 (Classics)
Complete Vol. 1: 1925–1928 (Columbia – France) (released 1973)
Duke Ellington: The Beginning 1926–1928 (Decca Jazz Heritage Series)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1927–1928 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1928 (Classics)
Complete Edition (1927–1928) (Masters of Jazz)
Complete Edition (1928) (2 discs) (Masters of Jazz)
1929
Flaming Youth (1927–1929) (RCA Victor) (Released 1965)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1928–1929 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1929 (Classics)
Complete Edition (1929) (2 discs) (Masters of Jazz)
1930
The OKeh Ellington (Columbia) (1927–1930) (released 1991)
The Works of Duke: Vol. 1 – Vol. 5 (RCA) (1927–1930)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1929–1930 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1930 (2 volume) (Classics)
Complete Edition (1929–1930) (Masters of Jazz)
Complete Edition (1930) (2 discs) (Masters of Jazz)
1931
Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick Recordings (3 discs) (Decca) (1926–1931) (released 1994)
Jazz Heritage Brunswick/Vocalion Rarities (1926–1931) (MCA) (released 1983)
Mood Indigo (1927–1931) (Columbia) (released 1992)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1930–31 (Classics)
Complete Edition (1930–1931) (Masters of Jazz)
1932
Jungle Nights in Harlem (1927–1932) (Bluebird) (released 1991)
Jazz Cocktail (AVS/Living Era) (1928–1932)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1931–32 (Classics)
1933
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1932–33 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1933 (Classics)
1934
Early Ellington: 1927–1934 (Bluebird) (released 1954; CD release 1990 on RCA)
Duke Ellington 1927–1934 (Nimbus) (1991)
Great Original Performances 1927–1934 (Mobile Fidelity (released 1989)
Jubilee Stomp (Bluebird) (1928–1934)
1935
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1933–35 (Classics)
1936
Rockin' in Rhythm (1927–1936) (Jazz Hour) (Released 1996)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1935–36 (Classics)
1937
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1936–37 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1937 (2 volumes) (Classics)
1938
Braggin' in Brass: The Immortal 1938 Year (Portrait)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1938 (Classics)
1939
Duke Ellington Playing the Blues (1927–1939) (Black and Blue) (Released 2002)
The Duke's Men: Small Groups vol. 2, 1938–1939 (Columbia/Vocalion)
The Blanton–Webster Band (1939–1942) (RCA/BlueBird)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1938–39 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1939 (2 volumes) (Classics)
The early 1940s saw limited output due to the recording ban, but Ellington did make annual visits to Carnegie Hall, listed below. In the January 1943 concert, Ellington introduced his first extended suite, "Black, Brown and Beige." This era also saw the appearance of the "Liberian Suite" and his highly regarded recordings featuring Jimmy Blanton and Ben Webster, "the best Ellington band" according to critic Bob Blumenthal.
1940
On the Air
Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live (Vintage Jazz Classics)
The Duke in Boston (Jazz Unlimited)
The British Connection: 1933–1940 (Jazz Unlimited)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1939–40 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1940 (2 volumes) (Classics)
1941
Take the 'A' Train (Vintage Jazz Classics)
The Great Ellington Units (Bluebird)
"1941 Classics – Live in Hollywood" (Alamac)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1940–41 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1941 (Classics)
1942
Hollywood Swing & Jazz (1937–1942) (Rhino)
Never No Lament: The Blanton–Webster Band (1939–1942)
1943
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 (Prestige – released 1977)
Black, Brown and Beige (RCA)
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1943 (Storyville)
Live at the Hurricane (Storyville)
1944
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1944 (Prestige – released 1977)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1942–44 (Classics)
1945
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1944–45 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1945 (2 volumes) (Classics)
The Treasury Shows 1943–1945 (13 double LPs) (D.E.T.S.)
Duke's Joint (1943–1945) (Buddha)
The Duke Ellington World Broadcasting Series (Circle)
1946
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1946 (Prestige – released 1977)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1945–46 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1946 (2 volumes) (Classics)
The Great Chicago Concerts (Music Masters)
Happy Go Lucky Local (Musicraft)
1947
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: December 1947 (Prestige – released 1977)
Daybreak Express
Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Duke Ellington Vol. 4: April 30, 1947
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1946–47 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1947 (2 volumes) (Classics)
Duke Ellington at Ciro's (Dems)
Liberian Suite (Columbia)
1948
Live at Click Restaurant Philadelphia Vol. 1
Live at Click Restaurant Philadelphia Vol. 2
Carnegie Hall 30 November 1948
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1947–48 (Classics)
Cornell University (Music Masters)
1949
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1948–49 (Classics)
Duke Ellington at the Hollywood Empire (Storyville)
Ellington began the 1950s losing Johnny Hodges, Sonny Greer and Lawrence Brown. The second half of the 1950s, however, feature his famous "comeback" appearance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, with Paul Gonsalves running through 27 choruses of "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue."
1950
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1949–50 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1950 (Classics)
Live In Zurich, Switzerland 2.5.1950 (TCB)
Great Times! (Riverside)
1951
Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, and Billy Strayhorn All Stars (Prestige)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1950–51 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1951 (Classics)
Masterpieces by Ellington (Columbia)
1952
Ellington Uptown
Duke on the Air
The Seattle Concert
Live at the Blue Note (Bandstand)
Duke Ellington at Birdland (Jazz Unlimited)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1952 (Classics)
1953
The Pasadena Concert (GNP)
Duke Ellington Plays the Blues
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1952–53 (Classics)
The Chronological Duke Ellington & His Orchestra 1953 (2 volumes) (Classics)
Premiered by Ellington (Capitol)
The Duke Plays Ellington (Capitol) released on CD as Piano Reflections
1954
Ellington '55 (Capitol)
Dance to the Duke! (Capitol)
Duke Ellington Plays
Happy Birthday Duke! April 29 Birthday Sessions (Laserlight)
1954 Los Angeles Concert (GNP)
1955
Ellington Showcase (Capitol)
Duke's Mixture (Columbia)
Here's the Duke (Columbia)
The Duke and His Men
Jazz Masters: 1953–1955 (EMI)
The Washington, D.C. Armory Concert (Jazz Guild)
The Complete Capitol Recordings of Duke Ellington
The Carnegie Hall Concerts: March 1955
1956
Blue Rose (Columbia, with Rosemary Clooney)
Historically Speaking (Bethlehem)
Duke Ellington Presents... (Bethlehem)
Ellington at Newport (Columbia) rereleased with restoration of the complete 1956 Newport Jazz Festival performance in 1999 as Ellington at Newport Complete
Duke Ellington and the Buck Clayton All Stars at Newport
Al Hibbler Sings with the Duke (Columbia)
The Complete Porgy and Bess
Ellington '56 (Charly)
Live From The 1956 Stratford Festival (Music and Arts)
A Drum Is a Woman (Columbia)
1957
Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956 (LMR) – released as The Private Sessions Volume One in 1987
Such Sweet Thunder (Columbia)
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook (Verve, with Ella Fitzgerald)
Live at the 1957 Stratford Music Festival (Music & Arts)
All–Star Road Band – Volume 2 (CBS)
In a Mellotone (RCA– Victor)
1958
Black, Brown and Beige (Columbia)
Dance Concerts, California 1958 (LMR) – released as The Private Sessions Volume Two in 1987
Dance Dates, California 1958 (LMR) – released as The Private Sessions Volume Six in 1987
Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque (Columbia)
The Cosmic Scene (Columbia)
Happy Reunion (Sony)
Ellington Indigos (Columbia)
Newport 1958 (Columbia) Later re–released on an extended double CD as Live at Newport 1958.
Jazz at the Plaza Vol. II (Columbia)
Duke Ellington at the Alhambra (Pablo, live)
1959
Jazz Party (Columbia)
Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues (Verve)
Side by Side (Verve)
Anatomy of a Murder (Columbia – soundtrack album)
Live at the Blue Note (Roulette)
Festival Session (Columbia)
Blues in Orbit (Columbia)
In the 1960s, Ellington made recordings with a number of top stars, including Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald and Coleman Hawkins. He also wrote and recorded a number of suites, such as his religious "Sacred Concerts", the "Perfume Suite" and the "Latin American Suite."
1960
The Nutcracker Suite (Columbia) released on CD as part of Three Suites
Piano in the Background (Columbia)
Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. (aka Peer Gynt Suite/Suite Thursday) released on CD as part of Three Suites
Unknown Session (Columbia, released 1979)
Hot Summer Dance (Red Baron)
Live at Monterey 1960 (Status)
1961
Piano in the Foreground (Columbia)
The Great Reunion with Louis Armstrong (Roulette)
Together Again with Louis Armstrong (Roulette)
The above two were later re–released together in 2001 by Blue Note as
The Great Summit.
Paris Blues (United Artists)
First Time! The Count Meets the Duke – with Count Basie (Columbia)
The Girl's Suite & The Perfume Suite (Columbia)
The Asphalt Jungle (television series theme; composer)
1962
All American in Jazz (Columbia)
Featuring Paul Gonsalves (Fantasy)
Studio Sessions 1957 & 1962 (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Seven in 1987
Midnight in Paris (Columbia)
Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins (Impulse!)
Money Jungle (United Artists)
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (Impulse!, released 1963)
Will the Big Bands Ever Come Back? (Reprise)
Studio Sessions, New York, 1962 (LMR) – released as The Private Collection Volume Three in 1987
Recollections of the Big Band Era (Atlantic, released 1974)
The Feeling of Jazz (Black Lion)
Duke 56/62 (in three volumes) (CBS)
1963
Afro–Bossa (Reprise)
The Great Paris Concert (Atlantic, released 1973)
The Symphonic Ellington (Reprise)
Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session (Atlantic, released 1976)
Serenade to Sweden – with Alice Babs (Reprise)
Studio Sessions New York 1963 (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Four in 1987
My People (Red Baron)
1964
Ellington '65 (Reprise)
Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins (Reprise)
Jazz Group 1964 (Jazz Anthology)
Live at Carnegie Hall 1964 (Jazz Up)
Harlem (Pablo)
All–Star Road Band (CBS)
At Basin Street East (Music & Arts)
London: The Great Concerts (MusicMasters)
New York Concert (Musicmasters)
1965
Ellington '66 (Reprise)
Concert in the Virgin Islands (Reprise)
Ella at Duke's Place (Verve)
The Duke at Tanglewood
Jumpin' Pumkins
'65 Revisited (Affinity)
Two Great Concerts (1949 and 1965) (Accord)
A Concert of Sacred Music From Grace Cathedral (Status)
1966
The Stockholm Concert, 1966 (Pablo, with Ella Fitzgerald, live)
The Popular Duke Ellington (RCA)
In the Uncommon Market (recorded 1963–66 – released 1986) (Pablo)
Soul Call (Verve, live)
Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur (Verve, with Ella Fitzgerald, live)
The Far East Suite (RCA)
1967
Johnny Come Lately
North of the Border in Canada
Live at the Rainbow Grill
Beyond Category: The Musical Genius of Duke Ellington (1927–1967) (Smithsonian)
Live In Italy (Jazz–up)
Studio Sessions, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, San Francisco, Chicago, New York (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Eight in 1987
Berlin '65/Paris '67 (Pablo)
The Jaywalker (recorded 1966–7 – released 2004) (Storyville)
The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World (Pablo, live)
...And His Mother Called Him Bill (RCA)
Francis A. & Edward K. (Reprise, with Frank Sinatra)
1968
Yale Concert (issued 1973) (Fantasy)
Second Sacred Concert (Prestige)
Studio Sessions New York, 1968 (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Nine in 1987
1969
70th Birthday Concert (Solid State)
•[In my solitude LP]
Ellington remained active to the end of his life, recording three final major suites in the 1970s, the "New Orleans Suite", his "Third Sacred Concert", the "Toga Brava Suite", and "The Afro–Eurasian Eclipse", his most explicit venture into what would be called "world music." His concert at Eastbourne was Ellington's final recording.
1970
Latin American Suite (recorded 1968 & 1970 – released 1972) (Fantasy)
The Pianist (recorded 1966 & 1970 – released 1974) (Fantasy)
New Orleans Suite (Atlantic)
Orchestral Works (Decca)
The Suites, New York 1968 & 1970 (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Five in 1987
The Intimacy of the Blues (recorded 1967–70 – released 1986) (Fantasy)
1971
The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (Fantasy)
Studio Sessions New York & Chicago, 1965, 1966 & 1971 (LMR) released as The Private Collection Volume Ten in 1987
The Intimate Ellington (recorded 1969–71 – released 1977) (Pablo)
Togo Brava Suite (United Artists)
1972
Live at the Whitney (released 1995) (Impulse!)
The Ellington Suites (recorded 1959–72 – released 1976) (Pablo)
This One's for Blanton! – with Ray Brown (Pablo)
Up in Duke's Workshop (recorded 1969–72 – released 1979) (Pablo)
1973
Duke's Big 4 (Pablo)
It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing – with Teresa Brewer (Flying Dutchman)
Third Sacred Concert (RCA)
1974
Eastbourne Performance (RCA)
Complete Works: 1924–1947 (Proper UK) (2003) (40 discs)
Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick and Vocalion Recordings of Duke Ellington, 1926–1931 (GRP/ Verve Music Group) (3 discs)
The Best of Early Duke Ellington (GRP/ Verve Music Group) (1 disc) [1926–1931]
Masterpieces, 1926–1949 (Proper) (4 discs)
The Beginning Vol. 1 (Decca Jazz Heritage Series) (1 disc, DL 9224) [1926–1928]
Hot in Harlem Vol. 2 (Decca Jazz Heritage Series) (1 disc) [1928–1929]
Rockin' in Rhythm Vol. 3 (Decca Jazz Heritage Series) (1 disc, DL 79247) [1929–1931]
The Duke Box (Storyville) (2007) (8 discs)
The Gold Collection, 40 Classic Performances (Proper/Retro) (2 discs)
1936–40 Small Group Sessions (Mosaic) (7 discs)
The Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA-Victor Recordings (1999) (24 discs)
The Complete RCA-Victor Mid-Forties Recordings (2000)
The Complete Capitol Recordings (Blue Note) (1999) (5 discs) [mid–1950s]
The Private Collection (1956–1971) (Saja) (10 discs)
The Reprise Studio Recordings (Mosaic) (5 discs) [early 1960s]
Duke Ellington's Incidental Music for Shakespeare's Play Timon of Athens, adapted by Stanley Silverman (1993). Ellington does not perform on this recording, but it includes previously unreleased compositions.
