Original US Pressings & More: Duke Ellington 3-Album Set from the 1950s

※ Not for individual sale. Please refrain from purchasing if you have extremely high expectations regarding the condition. No claims, no returns, and no refunds.

① "Ellington Uptown" 1953
★ 1955 US Reissue ★
※ Jacket has writing, sticker residue, and tape repairs on the top, bottom, and left sides. Side A has a large scratch, and there is a very small amount of recurring noise, like a light crackle, around the beginning of the second song, but otherwise, there are no particularly noticeable noises.
Includes "Take the 'A' Train," a timeless masterpiece of big band jazz. A masterpiece released in '53.

② "ELLINGTON '55" 1954
★ US Original Pressing ★
※ Both the jacket and the record are generally in good condition.
A collection of famous songs, including Glenn Miller's "In the Mood," Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump," and Benny Goodman's "Stompin' at the Savoy," arranged by Ellington himself.

③ "A Drum Is a Woman"
★ US Original Pressing ★
※ Jacket has a bulge on the front and some soiling on the back. The record is clean and in good condition.
1957
A masterpiece released in 1957, showing Duke Ellington's further new ideas and ambition, who was always ambitious. This work is a concept album with a dramatic story. There are songs and narration, and the history of jazz, the history of black people, and Ellington's autobiography are told musically. It is also a fantastic tone poem and has a surreal beauty. A drum, the favorite of Caribee Joe, a black man brought from Africa as a slave to the West Indies, becomes a woman one day. Joe wants to stay in the jungle, but the woman is known as Madame Zajj and advances to the cities of America, or rather, the world... This story is told by Ellington himself and through songs. Everything is symbolic and fantastic. Moreover, the history of jazz and black people is vividly expressed through sound. The styles of jazz, from primitive calypso rhythms to jungle exotica, New Orleans jazz, and modern jazz, are dramatically shown. This work, consisting of five parts, is a collaboration between Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, his long-time good collaborator. A major concept work created with master musicians including Clark Terry. Many conceptual works were released from the late 60s, including the Beatles, but the advanced content of this work in 1957 is admirable.