Amazon.com

Filmed in 1967 and first shown in 1974, filmmaker Robert Drew's hour-long documentary is less a biography of Duke Ellington, the man now widely regarded as the 20th century's most important composer, than a brief slice of his remarkable life. "Every night I give a house party," Ellington says of his days on the road, "and I'm the guest of honor." Yet while there's plenty of performance footage of the maestro and his musicians (most of it, unfortunately, a bit on the grainy side, with audio that's less than stellar), we also see him in the studio, at work at his piano, doing business, eating his daily breakfast of steak, potatoes, and hot water, attending the funeral of musical partner Billy Strayhorn, and considerably more. What emerges is a reasonably intimate portrait of a smart, debonair (but oh-so-hip) man whose life was simply consumed with music--much to the benefit of us all. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Welcome To Duke's World
"One the Road With Duke Ellington" was first broadcast on October 13, 1967 on NBC. Filming began in earlier that year. Here's an idea of what is included in the film.
In April 1967 Ellington prepared his "Salute to Morgan State." He performed it on May 1, 1967. (Ellington received an Honorary Doctorate from the College.) He also performed "Take the A Train" and "Jones" which are included in the film.
On May 31, 1967 Billy Strayhorn died. Included in this documentary is footage of Ellington at Strayhorn's funeral.
On July 11, 1967 he and his band were in the RCA studios recording "Rondolet." This is included on the "Private Collection Volume 8"cd.
On July 26, 1967 he performed at the Gillmore Brothers Auto Park in Kalamazoo Michigan where (probably) "Traffic Jam" (aka "The Biggest and Busiest Intersection") and "In the Beginning God" were recorded.
Other interviews were filmed during the summer and early fall of 1967.
I don't know when Louis Armstrong showed up back stage to talk to Ellington, but it's very interesting. You see Ellington pull his cheek kissing bit (four kisses--one for each cheek) on Armstrong about two years before he pulled the same bit on Richard Nixon.
It should be said that the musical numbers are often abridged. No doubt that will anger some viewers, but it is fine by me. You can listen to Ellington's music any time. And this film really isn't about Ellington performing his music, it's about Ellington getting up in the morning, having his potato and steak breakfast, making calls, answering his mail, noodling at the piano, going on stage and performing, flirting with women (both young and old). For a 68 year old man, he's living just the way he wants to. He gets to write his music, record it, and perform it. Like I said--Welcome To Duke's World. ... Read more

Description

A star-studded tribute (from the creators of That's Entertainment) to the contributions of Afro-Americans in film over the last century. Vanessa Williams traces the struggles and triumphs of the superstars of music and film.Among the many artists featured are: Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Cab Calloway, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Little Richard, Also included are today's contemporary superstars: Snoop Dogg, Ice T, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, and many, more! 80 minutes plus DVD bonus features. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Way, Way Too Short!
The 3 stars are for the brevity of the disc itself. The content gets 5 stars. The problem we have here is that this should have been a 6 hour (at least) program instead of 80 minutes. Magnificent black artists are only touched upon and many, many are left out all together. The dvd has 6 chapters: THE DANCERS, THE DIVAS, MALE SINGERS, JAZZ & SWING, ROCK & SOUL and HIP HOP. So you have about 10 minutes on the history of black jazz and swing music...yeah, right! And think of the wealth of information disclosed when we are treated to 10 minutes on the history of rock and soul music. RIDICULOUS! It's like getting a smell of the bar-b-q and not being able to taste it. Don't get me wrong....what there is is fantastic. It's just that there is so little! It's so brief that it almost seems to cut off mid-sentance. The rich legacy of entertainment left to us by Sammy Davis Jr is wrapped up in about 2 minutes. The Nicholas Brothers get a little more time but still not nearly enough. It IS probably worth the money but don't expect more than an 80 minute overview of wonderful black entertainers who should have been given a helluva lot more time out of respect for their magnificent efforts. This doesn't apply to the boring Rap & Hip Hop segment. That's all mouth and attitude...not entertainment, and self-confessed players and hustlers of limited talent like Ice T (see "Pimps Up, Ho's Down) should have stayed at home. ... Read more

Description

This 1952 recording includes 2 performances of Duke and his Orchestra, one on Jan. 7, 1952 and one on Aug. 12, 1952. 12 of his signature pieces are featured including Sophisticated Lady, Caravan, The Mooch, VP's Boogie, Solitude, Mood Indigo, The Hawk Talks, I Got It Bad And It Ain't Good, Bli-Blip, Flamingo, Cottontail and C Jam Blues (Hot Chocolate.) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey, Stan Kenton
16034 · Swing Vol. 1
Various "shorties". Benny Goodman And His Orchestra (1937), Artie Shaw And His Orchestra (1939), Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra (1940), Hoagy Carmichael featuring Jack Teagarden And His Big Band (1939) and Stan Kenton And His Orchestra (1947). Many great tunes like "Rockin' Chair", "Star Dust" and "Two Sleepy People". This film is a "must" for people with a passion for swing jazz. ... Read more

Description

As a composer, bandleader, and pianist, Duke Ellington is one of the most remarkable men who ever lived. At the peak of his powers, he was filmed at the Falkoner Center in Copenhagen for two TV specials now presented on DVD for fans of this remarkable jazz legend. ... Read more

Description

Mae West is a popular burlesque singer in this hilarious musical comedy that boasts the musical talents of Duke Ellington and his orchestra. One of the comedienne's most entertaining films. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not Mae's best script, but her best score
Like her nearest competitiors the Marx brothers and W.C. Fields, Mae West worked best in films where the logic of the plot made the least sense (as in I'M NO ANGEL where she's a lion tamer who conquers New York's society lions). In this film version of one of her stage plays, the plot is pretty sensible, which acts to its detriment. Mae doesn't get nearly as great lines as she usually does, and there's all this creaking plot machinery to establish her moral position and that of her no-good boyfriends. Still, it has great sets and costumes, and you get to hear her really cut loose with some of the best honky-tonk songs she ever got to sing in her wonderful adenoidal way, including "My Old Flame" and "Memphis Blues." her accompaniment is by Duke Ellington and his orchestra (you even get to see them with her in one scene), which should let you know how special this score is. And Mae is of course always Mae.

After the Code...still worthwhile
The Production Code certainly did its duty (and damage) with Mae West's films. Her lines and remarks were dramatically "toned down". If you compare this movie with its immediate Pre-Code predecessors "She Done Him Wrong" and "I'm No Angel", you'll know what I mean.

Anyway, still worthwhile to watch, West has a field day as "the flame" of both, St. Louis and New Orléans, with boxer Roger Pryor, upper-class Johnny Mack Brown and villainous casino owner John Miljan, at the top of the list of her admirers. Mae never looked so ravishing again as in this picture, in those awesome 1890s gowns designed especially for her by Paramount's top couturier Travis Banton. She also gets to sing a great deal here, mostly accompanied by a young Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

Sex appeal oozing from her pores
She aint no stick figure, but she is ALL woman. Mae was the sort of woman who knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to ask. She had a great voice for the blues and a good head for the double entendre's. It's a fun movie and never tries to take itself seriously. Well worth a look.

A WEST-ERN GEM FROM 1934
More spectacular than Mae's first two vehicles, BELLE OF THE NINETIES cost more that her previous starrers combined, and still reaped a huge profit. The story was written by Mae herself and it's pretty weak - although the Hays office snapped its scissors on some of her best lines. West's unique presence, and command for innuendo - which could raise laughs from the most innocuous remarks, kept the movie simmering. So did the superb Duke Ellington Orchestra which ably helped Mae through four numbers - most notably the standard to be MY OLD FLAME. Looking like an upholstered egg-timer, the star was kept on the screen front and centre throughout by astute director Leo McCarey in this William Le Baron production from 1934. For trivia buffs, the working title of this flick was IT AIN'T NO SIN - however the censors disagreed, and the title was laundered along with the risque script. Mae struts her stuff as 1890's singer Ruby Carter who gets involved with a boxer.......... Such lines as "It's better to be looked over than overlooked" and such done in her inimitable style gets the point across, even if the prudish and rather foolish Hays office thought otherwise. The rather chunky, 41 year-old star was photographed by Karl Struss and Mae never looked better on film.

Mae West as Ruby Carter
BELLE OF THE NINETIES was originally entitled "It Ain't no Sin". However, the censors disagreed and the result was a changed title and a laundered script. Mae is a nightclub performer who sings "My Old Flame" among other numbers with Duke Ellington's orchestra in the background; Roger Pryor is her love interest, a boxer named Tiger Kid. In one scene John Miljan goes into great detail in describing Mae's physical attributes while proposing, Mae stops him cold: "Wait a moment"! "Is this a proposal or are you takin' inventory! " Directed by Leo McCarey and photographed by Karl Struss (Mae never looked better) this is still an amusing example of West-ern humor! ... Read more

Description

This video compiles different short and medium-length films starring the great Duke Ellington and his orchestra: Black And Tan (1929), Symphony in Black (1935 - featuring the famous sequence with Billie Holiday), plus assorted different musical sequences from other motion pictures, including the three scenes starring Mae West in the 1934 movie Belle Of The Nineties. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Bad but Fascinating
Since I only have seen 3 other reviews, it appears this is not
a very popular item. Since it could NEVER be on television, the
only way to see it is to rent it or buy it as I did. I agree with the other reviewers that it is not funny and it's entertainment value is minimal. But it is Historically/Sociologically fascinating. That a film could be
made with characters in Blackface. That a musical genius like
Duke Ellington would appear in a film like this (I presume for
the money, it was the depression). It was also interesting the
way Amos and Andy interacted with whites. To my knowledge there
were never any whites on the radio or televison show (I am old
enough to have seen the latter), they and the other characters
lived in a self-contained African-American World. The fact that
they refered to how well their late boss Mr. Williams paternalistically (sp?) cared for them in Georgia, referring to
his son as Mr. Richard shows the characters written as having
the child-like subserviant role to whites which was then expected. Well to sum up, if you expect to laugh, forget it.
If you want to see a glimpse of what white society thought of blacks 72 years ago and as a previous reviewer wrote see a young
Duke Ellington and his orchaestra this is a very rare opportunity. Its like a car wreck, it's disturbing but it holds
your attention.

priceless treasure
much like most early cinema society is too dumb to realize the world has changed along with values, i remember getting complaints for customers when i worked at the lowly hollywood video because the films i shows were not in color or were dated, well anyway amos and andy are a historic milestone in cinema and should be appreciated if there were no amos and andy there certainly would be no honeymooners or flintstones or something that joe suburbia would know (sadly)the simpsons. and there is a great performance by the duke (ellington) dont judge unless you have seen the film pc nazi's

Issues of Political Correctness Aside
Okay, everybody who has any interest in A&A knows about it being started by two White men (Gosden and Correll) in Blackface and later hiring real Black actos for the 12950s TV show. With that said, on to the movie itself.

Simply put, it's not that good by any standards. There are a few midly amusing minutes of A&A doing some of their standard schtick such as "Mulsifyin and Revidin" and "Phone Call to Ruby" (as well as the tire changing routine that would later appear on the TV show). But aisde from this and the priceless footage of the Duke Ellington Band, FORGET IT! This early sound film is as dry as toast! A draggy love story not involving the prinicipal characters also helps slow things down like molasses in January. This film was so bad that even Gosden and Correll themselves have gone on record as dismissing it as junk and Charles Correll's son has recently said that his father hated it so much that he forbade his son from watching it! He had a smart daddy.

A Great and Glorious Time
The characters in Amos and Andy cross any racial barriers artificially imposed on in today's Politically Correct times. The humor is priceless and the scenarios are as real today as they were then. So you don't like Lightnin'? Tough! He is an integral part of the "team" and an invaluable asset to the show. Bravo for those who brought this wonderful show back to life!

Light Hearted Fun
this movie is really funny!!!!!! ... Read more

Description

This anthology gathers diferent soundies (short features produced for movie theatres) and telescriptions (the first music videos) dating back from the Forties and early Fifties and featuring material by the Duke Ellington orchestra and the Lionel Hampton big band. To be able to watch the Duke and his men performing Caravan, Flamingo or C Jam Blues or the Hampton organization attacking Midnight Sun or Air Mail Special is truly a gift for the eyes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Between 1965 and 1973, a year before his death, Duke Ellington created three concerts of sacred music, large-scale works that incorporated dancers, choruses, and gospel singers in addition to his own band. Describing these efforts as "the most important thing I have ever done," he said they allowed him to "say openly what I have been saying on my knees." As far as this 1998 version is concerned, well, since the subject is sacred music, perhaps some sacred language (i.e., Latin) is appropriate: caveat emptor. Not because this is terrible--it is not--but because it isn't Duke Ellington. Oh, it's his music all right, but it's played by musicians who may be household names in their native Switzerland (the program was filmed in Lugano) but are unlikely to be mentioned in the same breath as Johnny Hodges, Ray Nance, Harry Carney, or any of the other celebrated members of Ellington's legendary big band (jazz fans may recognize the few Americans, like trumpeter Jon Faddis, drummer Adam Nussbaum, and featured singer Michele Hendricks, daughter of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross's Jon).

Perhaps it's unfair to expect these players and singers to measure up to Ellington's own, because Duke's band was the music; they were the tellers of the stories he wrote. Certainly all of the soloists here--especially Faddis, whose superb muted and open horn work on "The Shepherd" and elsewhere recalls the great Cat Anderson's--are more than capable. Hendricks and fellow singer Allan Harris are fine too. And the material? It's elegant, swinging, soulful, filled with humor and deep spirituality, both worldly and reverent, the voicings and orchestrations inimitably Ellingtonian. But there is something missing--these musicians seem tobe visiting Duke's music rather than inhabiting it. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The whole package BUT...
This DVD has the whole package going for it. The music was very well recorded. (I won't get into the technical aspects of it.) The picture looked great as well...but, and I hate to admit this being a music lover and an Ellington music lover, the Duke's music was good but the film was really boring to me. It wasn't just the religious aspect of the film either-I think I might have been bored to tears anyway. (Apologies to all those religious folks out there.) I found myself listening to the instrumentals and the introductions and moving on.
My suggestion is stay with his records or CDs or tapes

music goes on a life of its own even after its creator(s)'s
it's unfair not only to the musicianship of all those associated with this performance but also to ellington himself. indeed, isn't the dream of any music-maker to create mucis that lives forever> and, especially when you border classical forms, this is a must!
i do think this dvd is a fine performance that fuses jazz and classical for the betterment of the MUSIC!

No Duke Here
This Image Entertainment DVD is a fraud. No Duke Ellington. No Duke Ellington Orchestra. Not one of his great sidemen. Just a mediocre European big band, an embarrassing European choir and four American soloists--none of whom had any association with Duke. Don't believe any of the hype that comes with it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

So That's How Duke Did It
Between September 23 and 29, 1968 Duke Ellington and his Orchestra toured Mexico. Gary Keys filmed Ellington in concert all through that week. This filming resulted in two films. "The Mexican Suite," and then, this film "Memories of the Duke." The two films overlap, but are not the same, as some songs which appear in the first film do not appear in the second film, and vice-a-versa. Nielsen in his "Jazz Records 1942-1980 Volume Six: Duke Ellington" says that some of the songs were recorded in Tequestquitengo on September 24, 1968. What we probably have here is the sound track and the basic shots filmed on September 24, and other shots filmed on the other days.

One of the most interesting features is that we get two versions of "Mood Indigo." The first was one of the Snader Transcriptions recorded on March 14 1952, at Balboa Beach, and the second recorded in Mexico. You get to compare the Ellington sound 16 years apart. Ken Burns did pretty much the same thing in his film "Jazz."

Gary Giddins once asked Mercer Ellington if he knew how his father was able to get the train whistle sound in "Daybreak Express." Mercer said he didn't know, and in fact when he performed that song, a train whistle was used. You see unless you're there and see how it's done you don't know for sure how Duke did it. You just have to imagine. But seeing this wonderful film you can say "so that's how the Duke did it."

A word on the title. The box calls the film "Memories of Duke" but the film titles have "Memories of the Duke." I am using that title here in my review.

great man. great music. so so documentary
duke ellington is of course brilliant. i was excited to buy this dvd seeing how it contains lots of live footage. it would be a great film except for a couple things. 1) it was shot in 68 so the film is dark and blurry. 2) also, since being done in 68, at times the sound is not synced up too well with what you're seeing 3) again with the film/music sync. i got irritated when it was obvious what you are seeing is not what's going on, sometimes evidently not even the same song! Duke miraculously changes suits sometimes 3-4 times during a song! and during a solo in Happy-Go-Lucky-Local by Paul Gonsalves, there is a quick shot where the bass player isn't even playing! what? we're these guys blind putting this stuff together? there are almost constant edits with different shots, again going along with the trend at the time=lots of "too close" close-ups and quick editing. most of this reallybugged me and i haven't finished watching it yet, sad to say. i love ellingtons music and wish i could have seen him perform. while all intentions were good and it is wonderful to see things likethis on dvd, there has to be better, uncut footage out there. someone get on that please! P.S. the two stars i didn't give that would have made it a complete five was just because of this. has nothing to do with the music or perfomances AT ALL. ... Read more