There is no possible way to do justice to the music and creative genius of
Duke Ellington in a single disc, not even in a small box set, really. That said, this volume in Sony's
Jazz Profiles series contains a nice overview of his sides for the label from the early OKeh days in the late '20s and early '30s to the blazing progressive orchestral jazz of the 1950s and '60s in a little more than an hour. The biggest of the big tunes are here, of course, from "Take the 'A' Train" to "Satin Doll" as well as 14 others. Along with the music, the liner note sketch contains all the original track information, which makes it easier to suss out where to go next. This is recommended for the novice only. ~ Thom Jurek