Where Was FourWallsdo?: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

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How about that, in one day we’ve made it across the state of Missouri! That’s easy when you’re doing a music list…not so easy when you’re driving it. To be fair, it’s only about 250 miles, so it’s not that bad. Not a Jacksonville to Miami trek (which is over 300 miles, in just one state!) So, to Jim’s dismay, here’s another musical pin for the map that’s an instrumental. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - Duke Ellington It was Duke Ellington and… Ellington recorded this a blue billion times, and each time with a different name for his orchestra. This particular version, from 1927, is the Kentucky Club Orchestra. Later that year he recorded it with the Washingtonians. I guess that’s a good way to get the audience on your side: if you’re in Peoria, introduce your band as “the Peoria Orchestra.” (Truthfully, he did stick with the Washingtonians name for the orchestra.) Sir Duke. That’s how Stevie Wonder addressed him in the 1976 hit. Edward Kennedy Ellington (no kidding, that’s his name…and he was born in 1899, so he wasn’t named after the politician ) didn’t like the term “jazz,” famously saying, “There’s only two kinds of music: good and bad.” Still, his jumping swing jungle sound resonated with jazz fans (and all kinds of fans) throughout the 20s and 30s, the jazz era. This song is credited with originating the “jungle music” sound (which may be a racial slur these days; however, it was used by Ellington and other African-American artists in describing the sound). Believe it or not, the mute of the trumpet is a toilet plunger! As the popularity of the sound grew, they made nicer mutes for the brass instruments, thankfully. Here’s some trivia (for everyone except NJ Chic, who hates these guys ): Steely Dan only recorded ONE cover song in their entire career. It was “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo.” This is one of the classics of American music. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo Written by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley Recorded by Duke Ellington and the Kentucky Club Orchestra Released as a single, 1927 Swinging jazz, 1920s style: