DUKE ELLINGTON Seven Double Sided 12" Acetates (For the collector, this is a little treasure trove. No fewer than SEVEN double sided metal based high quality methyl cellulose lacquer acetates. The mystery comes from the fact that two ofthese acetates are not labelled at all and the paper sleeves are simply marked 'Duke Ellington 2' & 'Duke Ellington 4'. For the Ellington novice, like myself, these could be from any period at all. It is unlikely that they are Broadcast Transcriptions as they tended to be on 16" discs way back then and did not run at 33RPM like these. Of the five that are annotated on the labels, one has EMIDisc labels & typewritten 'San Remo Jazz Festival' text & dated '22/3/64'. Another has 'Portage Linköping' labels, is Swedish & contains tracks from the Stockholm Concert of 1958. The next is annotated as the 'No.2' recording of the Esquire Concert of 1945, with the final two giving twenty eight tracks that are simply annotated 'Alternate Takes' one and two. A fantastic & unique collection, which it is to our shame that we can give no further details as to the release status of these recordings in any other format. One for the serious Ellington collector, as all these acetates are as pristine as you could ever hope for. The Swedish acetate does show a little surface tarnishing, but no disc has anything approaching a scratch or any more than minor paper scuffs visible. Someone, somewhere, is going to get a real treat at a bargain price!)