I finally have a 78 copy of Duke Ellington's Daybreak Express (above). I've always wanted to discover what kind of restoration job I can do on this classic, and you're about to hear it. The flip, Dear Old Southland, is included to make this a 3-D experience.
A brilliantly performed and conceived 1933 side--scary-good playing and ingenious effects. The flip is quite fine, too, but Daybreak is the reason to download this. It's pretty much Duke Ellington turning Tiger Rag into an accompaniment for a speeding locomotive. Think Pacific 231 without the extreme dissonance. Rockabilly, pepped up, and without a "buh-buh-baby" vocal. No train wreck, this.
To the Ellington: Daybreak Express/Dear Old Southland
Duke Ellington and His Orch., 1933. Victor 24501.
Lee
7 comments:
Nicely done, Lee!
Daylight Express also makes me think of of Django Reinhardt's Mystery Pacific. (In the song Fare-Thee-Well to Harlem, Jack Teagarden dismisses train songs as old time stuff. He made two versions of it, one singing with Johnny Mercer, the other with Nappy LaMare.)
Sounds like cartoon music to me. Which is a good thing!
Yes, I'm holding on to this one. Reminds me a bit of Raymond Scott.
In a post a while back, I used it as evidence against the idea that only Raymond Scott sounded like Raymond Scott. I don't know that this one gets reissued a lot--dunno why. I first heard it on a Victor Vintage Series LP containing a number of great early-'30s Ellington tracks. I was blown away. I left an extra second or so at the end just to prove I didn't swipe RCA's beautiful restoration! Also, I wanted to keep a split second of studio noise that occurs after the cymbal hit. The engineer paused ever so slightly too long.
I think your version is better than the Vintage Series transfer, which I've had for many years.
Wow--thanks!
Lee, you are certainly right about the Raymond Scott influence. And absolutely brilliant playing... Whoo, I can't imagine a band these days being able to play like that!! Hope things are better for you healthwise, later, John
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