Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra

“Keep A Song In Your Soul”
Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra; Chick Bullock, vocal
1931  (Victor 22614-A)
Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra – Keep A Song In Your Soul]

“The River And Me”
Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra; Chick Bullock, vocal
1931 (Victor 22614-B)
Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra – The River And Me]

Here are two of six songs that Chick Bullock recorded with Duke Ellington’s Orchestra in January 1931.   The selections featured here come from a January 16 recording session for Victor.   A few days earlier on January 10, Ellington and Bullock had a recording session for the ARC labels under the pseudonym of “The Whoopee Makers.”  Ellington’s contract with Victor did not prohibit him from recording for rival labels – only from doing so under the name of “Duke Ellington.”