Storyville Records presents Volume 25 in the Duke Ellington Treasury Shows series, the final volume of this collectors’ special broadcast series. In April 1945 to promote the sale of war bonds, the US Treasury Department contacted Duke Ellington to do a series of 55 minute public broadcasts. These sessions would give Ellington a wide choice of material to perform including his older work, new instrumentals and pop tunes, and his extended works as well. And now it is 2018 and we have made the home run: This volume is the final one of this series of 25 albums altogether, with all the known Treasury shows from 1945 to 1953, and new, hitherto mostly unreleased bonus broadcast material from the 1940s. The release begins with the last known Treasury broadcast. It is from the Blue Note in Chicago, recorded in June 1953, and broadcast on August 1st 1953 as part of the series “All Star Parade of Bands,” launched by NBC to promote bond sales. The second half of the release contains broadcasts from April 22nd 1944 and from May 5th 1944 at the Hurricane Club in New York City.

Storyville Records presents: Volume 24 in the Duke Ellington Treasury Shows series, now approaching the end of this collectors’ special broadcast series. In April 1945, to promote the sale of war bonds, the US Treasury Department contacted Duke Ellington to do a series of 55 min public broadcasts. These sessions would give Ellington a wide choice of material to perform including his older work; new instrumentals and pop tunes and his extended works as well. This extended release contains a series of different radio NBC broadcasts from the famous Blue Note club in Chicago, Illinois from the summer of 1953. The album also incudes a bonus recording from April 1944, a MBS broadcast from the Hurricane Restaurant in New York City. The broadcasts are featured complete with radio speaks and encouragements to buy bonds read by The Duke himself, plus bonus material and liner notes.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves during the Civil War, jazz giant Duke Ellington began work on a special suite of music commemorating the struggles, triumphs and ongoing battle for the civil rights of blacks in America. This jazz masterpiece debuted in Chicago in the summer of 1963. Legends such as pianist and composer Billy Strayhorn and drummer Louie Bellson were a big part of the performance. And while portions of this master suite have been available for years, this is the very first time the complete piece has been available in it's entirety.