DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA — Such Sweet Thunder (1957) Two Version | Jazz Originals Series | MONO | Columbia Jazz, Duke 100 Years | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Such Sweet Thunder is the 1957 album by Duke Ellington. This is taken from the 1999 Legacy edition released by Sony on 27 April, 1999 and features different takes during these sessions, including alternate, preferred, and different outtakes.
The 1999 reissue of this album marks a total reconstruction and rethinking of the original LP, and such a complete break from the original album that its story could fill a book. Such Sweet Thunder was originally announced as a stereo and mono release, but only showed up in mono thanks to the technical problems inherent in early stereo, in creating a concert-like ambience in which the performance seemed continuous. The reissue presents the original album as it was intended, using alternate takes from the original sessions, plus the stereo masters of the takes used on the original album, all rounded out with a mono outtake or two. The music itself counts among Ellington's most well-realized "concept projects," all inspired by Shakespeare's work and filled with memorable melodies and ample opportunities for solos by Cat Anderson, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Quentin Jackson. The Ellington-Strayhorn compositions treat their soloists like actors doing scenes and, in effect, playing parts, even quoting lines after a fashion – Clark Terry "plays" Puck in "Up and Down, Up and Down (I Will Lead Them Up and Down)," and Johnny Hodges turns in one of the most sensuous performances of his career for "Half the Fun," from Antony and Cleopatra. These moments more than justify the cost of the CD, and the bonus tracks, many of which are different takes and others are simply material that came from the same sessions, more than double the length of the original LP. The extended notes by Phil Schaap deserve some kind of award for detail and clarity. Bruce Eder
Tracklist :
 1 - Such Sweet Thunder 3:22
  Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
2 - Sonnet For Caesar 3:00
  Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
3 - Sonnet To Hank Cinq 1:24
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
4 - Lady Mac 3:41
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
5 - Sonnet In Search Of A Moor 2:22
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
6 - The Telecasters 3:05
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
7 - Up And Down, Up And Down (I Will Lead Them Up & Down) 3:09
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
8 - Sonnet For Sister Kate 2:24
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
9 - The Star-Crossed Lovers (aka Pretty Girl) 4:00
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
10 - Madness In Great Ones (Hamlet) 3:26
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
11 - Half The Fun (aka Lately) 4:19
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
12 - Circle Of Fourths 1:45
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
13 - The Star-Crossed Lovers (aka Pretty Girl) 4:15
  Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
14 - Circle Of Fourths [stereo LP master] 1:47
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
15 - Suburban Beauty [master take] 2:56
 Duke Ellington
16 - A Flat Minor [preferred take] 2:33
 Duke Ellington 
17 - Cafe Au Lait [preferred take] 2:49
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
18 - Half The Fun (aka Lately) [alternate take] 4:08
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
19 - Suburban Beauty [alternate take] 2:56
 Duke Ellington  
20 - A Flat Minor [outtakes] 3:49
 Duke Ellington 
21 - Cafe Au Lait [outtakes - mono] 6:21
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
22 - Pretty Girl (aka The Star-Crossed Lovers) [first recording] 8:54
 Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn 
23 - [end]
Credits :
Duke Ellington - Piano
Russell Procope - Alto Saxophone, Clarinet
Johnny Hodges - Alto Saxophone
Jimmy Hamilton - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Paul Gonsalves - Tenor Saxophone
Harry Carney - Baritone Saxophone
"Cat" Anderson, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Willie Cook - Trumpet
John Sanders, Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson - Trombone
Jimmy Woode - Bass
Sam Woodyard - Drums