DUKE ELLINGTON Ellington Moods (Rare 1959 US 12-track LP featuring exclusive recordings made for the Society of European Stage Authors & Composers [a smaller competitor to ASCAP], intended for music library use. Recorded on March 27th 1959 inNew York, this saw an Ellington band featuring Johnny Hodges, Chico Hamilton, Clark Terry, Paul Gonsalves & more pouring their talents into this 'side' recording in order to help pay for the incredible expense of keeping such a talented orchestra going. The textured picture sleeve has a unique pasted overlay and this album was never available for retail sale. The original charts went to the Smithsonian and the recording rights were held by SESAC, who paid a royalty to the band on airing. The sleeve shows a couple of tape repairs to the opening edges & bottom seam, but still manages to hold its own. The vinyl, whilst not mint, retains a VG-/VG grading. The scuffs and hairlines that can be obviously seen are not deep and the album plays through cleanly with minimal clicks or background noise. A very acceptable VG-/VG copy of this very hard to find album at an advantageous price! N-2701/2)