The rate of discovery of ‘new’ Ellington has naturally slowed during recent years, but there's still much to be released on CDs before they go out of style. The Saturday afternoon studio broadcasts for the US Treasury Dept. were on limited edition LPs 20 years ago whereas Storyville's 1943 bonus material seems unissued, part of it not even listed in the latest reference books. The unexpected Hep album is from a lengthy dance-date in Oregon, some tracks previously on a bootleg-quality LP, but there's now more material and better reproduction. Sound quality on Storyville is a notch down but, considering it was recorded off-the-air, not bad. The main disadvantage of this series is the ads for national savings (and Duke struggling with the stodgy scripts) yet the music is compelling – a mix of current pop songs and Ellington originals new and old, few of them the obvious ones. As Ken Steiner's notes point out, “jump” music was then in favour, hence the appearance here of ‘Stomp, Look And Listen’ and ‘Three Cent Stomp’, a full two years before they were recorded commercially. Soloists are clearly significant and the voices of Hodges, Brown and Webster's replacement Al Sears make crucial contributions.

Not only the live setting is a key difference on Hep, but this was the period Hodges left, taking Brown, Sears and Sonny Greer with him. However, Ellington more than revived the band by hiring Smith, Woodman, Gonsalves and his first Caucasian employee, Bellson – featured here on his own charts, ‘The Hawk Talks’ and ‘Skin Deep’. By the early-1950s, current pops were out (though the audience request for ‘Tenderly’ inspires a head arrangement) but a couple of old pops blend well with Duke's own oldies and newer material including a great ‘Tattooed Bride’. The pianist has to play the opening two-and-a-half minutes until the band is ready, but the resilience and informality of one more night on the road is impressive.