js “Duke Ellington - Three Mid-Fifties Classic Albums” is a title that makes it quite clear what you get on this CD compilation. The albums “Duke Ellington 55”, “Historically Speaking, the Duke” and “Duke Ellington Presents” are all presented along with ten more bonus tracks recorded about the same time as the “Ellington 55” cuts. “55” consists of material recorded in 53 and was the Duke’s last album for Capitol before they let him go, the other two albums are with the smaller Bethlehem label and were recorded a few years later in early 56. The mid 50s are considered a down time for Ellington and his band as their popularity waned and Ellington was producing very little new material and mostly re-recording past favorites. Still, the band is in fine form and there is some excellent material to be found on here.

“55” is probably the weakest of the three albums with its older style production and preponderance of over played dance tunes made popular by the likes of Glen Miller etc. The two Bethlehem albums feature a much stronger rhythm section production which is driven by the modern back-beat influenced drummer Sam Woodyard. Sam was an important new addition to the band and his strong rhythms propelled the band’s big comeback at Newport soon after these Bethlehem albums were released. The Bethlehem sides are also helped by the return of Johnny Hodges to the band, whose virtuoso saxophone playing always lifts the band to another level.

Some of the standout tracks on here include rip snorting versions of “The Jeep is Jumpin”, “Rockin in Rhythm”, “Cotton Tail” and “Stomp Look and Listen”. Ellington gets into his more modern and abstract sounds on “Lonesome Lullaby” and “Upper Manhattan Medical Group”. The weakest cuts are the bonus tracks from the 53 sessions, they aren’t terrible, buts its easy to see why they weren’t included on an album the first time around, I think lackluster is the term.

Since much of these three albums were made up of past hits, owning all three gives you quite an overview of some of Ellington’s more popular material, all played with energy, enthusiasm and much creativity. The critics were down on these albums at the time of their release for their lack of new material, but the passing of time has made that less relevant today.