Easy for YOU to Say

The female singer/dancer is Marie Bryant, who you can read about here. The reference in the article about her making calypso recordings makes me wonder if she is the same Marie Bryant who sings Don't Touch Me Tomato from this album.

I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter

Featuring the glorious Ivie Anderson with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Found by my Facebook pal JLN, thank you, sir!

Cotton Club Legends

Page Mr. Volstead is offering a succulent collection of music from legendary musicians who played Harlem's Cotton Club from the late 20s through the early 40s, including Jimmie Lunceford, Duke Ellington. Eubie Blake, and Cab Calloway. I'm loving Billy Banks' Scat Song, featuring some tips on writing your own Depression era wedding vows, skate 'n skeet, and hidey-hi, and scat-a-lat-a-lat indeed.

And now that you're in that era's musical groove, try the interestingly named Young Man With an Organ collection by Fats Waller courtesy of Good Old Ones.

On The Fringe Of The Jungle

Duke Ellington - On The Fringe Of The Jungle:

1967 - Duke Ellington - On The Fringe Of The Jungle
Uploaded by savelonp

Billy Strayhorn takes the "A" train

"... There’s a legend about this song. However legends in the jazz world have so much proliferated through the years that it’s hard to say whether they’re true or not. Strayhorn had already met Ellington in 1938 and had tried to impress him with his musical taste and ability on the piano. He probably succeeded in doing so, since Ellington told him they would have been in touch again in the near future. However, in January 1939, Strayhorn had still not heard from Duke. He decided to go and meet him again. He called Ellington’s office and found out he was out on a gig in Harlem. He went all the way from his home in Pittsburgh to NYC and when there he called again Ellington’s office to have directions on how to get where the Duke was playing. He had already in his pocket a composition he had prepared at home, hoping to impress the seasoned band leader. He eventually reached Harlem and got to actually play for Ellington. The old leader was obviously impressed with the song and asked him what the title was. Strayhorn was so excited he could only come up with the last thing he had heard: the directions he got from Ellington’s office to reach Harlem! That’s how the song came to be called “Take the 'A' train”. ..." (Quoted from Wikipedia Entry)

Here's Billy Strayhorn sitting in with the Duke and his orchestra in 1965:

Added by brian740