Prelude to a Kiss

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Prelude to a Kiss (m. Duke Ellington, w. Irving Gordon, Irving Mills)

Jazzstandards.com indicates that Ellington recorded the song twice in August 1938, first with his orchestra on the 9th and then on the 24th with Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra. The Hodges orchestra was composed of members of the Ellington band including Duke himself.

Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra — recorded on 9 August 1938 (matrix M 884); issued on the 78 rpm single Brunswick m8204, as the B-side of “Lambeth Walk”

Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra, vocal: Mary McHugh — recorded on 24 August 1938; issued on the single Vocalion v4386, b/w “The Jeep is Jumpin'”

VBR MP3 audio file from archive.org:

Benny Carter and his Orchestra – 1946

Stan Getz and Swedish All Stars – Stockholm, Sweden, 23 March 1951 — Stan Getz (ts), Bengt Hallberg (p), Gunnar Johnson (b), Kenneth Fagerlund (d), released on The Sound (Roost RLP 2207)

Barney Kessel – recorded 4 June 1954, Los Angeles, CA, and released by Contemporary Records (C 3512) on an album containing tracks from three different sessions during 1954-55, Barney Kessel Vol. 2: Kessel Plays Standards, 1955

Personnel: Bob Cooper (ts, ob) Claude Williamson (p) Barney Kessel (g) Monty Budwig (b) Shelly Manne (d)

Sarah Vaughan – from her 1957 album Swingin’ Easy, recorded 2 April 1954, and 14 February 1957, though Wikipedia notes, “Eight of the tracks, recorded on April 2, 1954 with John Malachi on piano and Joe Benjamin on bass, were originally released that year on a 10” LP entitled Images.”

Billie Holiday – Session #73 Los Angeles 23 August 1955 — Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra (Verve) — Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison (tp) Benny Carter (as) Jimmy Rowles (p) Barney Kessel (g) John Simmons (b) Larry Bunker (d) Billie Holiday (v) . As usual the credits come from the site billieholidaysongs.com.

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra – from his album Ellington Indigos, 1958; track recorded 11 October 1957. Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone.

Wes Montgomery – recorded 18 April 1963, Plaza Sound Studios, NYC

Phil Bodner (woodwinds) Mac Ceppos, Winston Collymore, Arnold Eidus, Leo Kruczek, Harry Lookofsky, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, Raoul Poliakin, Isadore Zir (vln) Alfred Brown, Burt Fisch (vla) Charles McCracken, George Ricci (vlc) Gloria Agostini (harp) Hank Jones (p, cel) Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery (g) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d) Jimmy Jones (arr, cond) — released on Wes Montgomery – The Complete Riverside Recordings (Riverside 12RCD 4408-2)

Nancy Wilson – from her 1969 album But Beautiful , composed of standards from the 1930s and ’40s

Jim Hall & Ron Carter – from their album Alone Together, recorded 4 August 1972 and released that year

Eddie Duran – Aurex Jazz Festival at Budokan, Tokyo, 3 September 1980 — Eddie Duran: g, Al Obidenski: b, John Markham: d

Keith Jarrett Trio – Whisper Not – 1999

Claudia Acuna – date unknown, recent

Gilad Hekselman Trio – Montreux 2006

Gilad Hekselman – Guitar
Dave Robaire – Bass
Ferenc Nemeth – Drums

THE FAT CATS “In a sentimental Duke” – Teatro Sierra de Aracena, Aracena – Huelva, Spain 18-10-08 (18 October 2008). CELIA MUR – voice, KIKO AGUADO – guitar, ROGELIO GIL – alto sax, GUILLERMO MORENTE – bass. kikoaguado.com