Duke Ellington -- At the Cotton Club in Harlem 1929-1930

Three selections from 'Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club', issued in 1958 on an RCA-Camden long-play disc, number CAL459; the visual is part of the jacket cover. The selections presented here are-- 1) Jungle Nights In Harlem (Ellington), recorded 4 June 1930; with Cootie Williams, Arthur Whetsel, Freddie Jenkins, trumpets; Tricky Sam Nanton, Juan Tizol, trombones; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, saxophones; Duke Ellington, piano; Fred Guy, banjo; Wellman Braud, string bass; Sonny Greer, drums. 2) Saratoga Swing (Bigard), recorded 3 May 1929; with Williams, Bigard, Hodges, Ellington, Guy, Braud, Greer. 3) Haunted Nights (Ellington), recorded 16 September 1929; with Williams, Whetsel, Nanton, Tizol, Bigard, Hodges, Carney, Ellington, Guy, Braud, Greer; Teddy Bunn, guitar, added. Near the end of 1927, the liner notes relate, the Cotton Club was preparing for King Oliver's arrival on its bandstand; but Oliver, accustomed to top dollar, said no. Needing a replacement in a hurry, the management brought to Harlem a relatively unknown band that had been playing in a cellar club downtown. The Cotton Club became home to Duke Ellington & His Orchestra for over three years; the frequent broadcasts that originated there carried the Ellington name and music across the country, as did the recordings the band made. By 1931, the Ellingtonians tended to be away from the Cotton Club much of the time, their place on the bandstand being occupied by Cab Calloway fronting the Missourians. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra had become famous.

Added 1 Jun 2026