DO NOTHIN´ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME

Music: Duke Ellington- Lyrics: Bob Russell

Year: 1943

Origin of the song

On 15 March 1940, Duke Ellington’s orchestra recorded in Chicago ‘Concerto for Cootie’ (Victor 26598-A). It is a different play from ‘Echoes of Harlem (Cootie’s Concerto)’, written in 1935, which is sometimes mistaken with. The disc entered the Rhythm & Blues charts on 8 January 1944 and reached the top, where it remained for eight weeks. It was also popular in the Pop charts, where it reached the tenth position. ‘Concerto for Cootie’ has one only movement and Ellington dedicated it to the trumpet player Cootie Williams, who was then at the peak of his career and had developed a unique technique and style.

In 1942, Bob Russell wrote the lyrics for the song and they changed its name to ‘Do Nothin’ Till You Hearn From Me’. In April of that year, Ellington’s orchestra started working in the Hurricane Restaurant of New York and his performance was broadcast on the radio. On 14 August 1943, the band played ‘Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me’ for the first time, sang by Al Hibbler. Ellington did not record commercially the vocal version until on 18 November 1947, inside a series of sessions that took place in the Liederkranz Hall of New York (Columbia 39363).

Duke Ellington and Bob Russell also collaborated in ‘Warm Valley’ (1940), ‘Don't Get Around Much Anymore’ (1942), and ‘I Didn't Know About You’ (1944).

Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	DAY OF ENTRANCE	PERMANENCE WEEKS	HIGH POSITION REACHED
Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra	1940.03.15	1944.01.08	18	1 (eight weeks)	Instrumental Rhythm & Blues charts
Woody Herman Orchestra	1943.11.08	1944.02.19	4	4	Woody Herman (voc) Rhythm & Blues charts
Stan Kenton Orchestra	1943.11.19	1944.02.26	8	8	Red Dorris (voc) Rhythm & Blues charts

Jazz. Outstanding performances

Instrumental

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra	1940.03.15	Duke Ellington (p, dir), Rex Stewart (cnt), Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Barney Bigard (cl), Johnny Hodges (ss, as, cl), Otto Hardwick (as), Ben Webster (ts), Harry Carney (cl, as, bars), Fred Guy (g), Jimmy Blanton (b), Sonny Greer (d)
Oscar Peterson Trio	1952.12.01	Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b)
Art Tatum	1955.01.19	Art Tatum (p)
Cootie Williams & Rex Stewart	1957.04.30	Cootie Williams (tp), Rex Stewart (cnt), Lawrence Brown, J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Coleman Hawkins, Bud Freeman (ts), Billy Bauer (g), Hank Jones (p), Milton Hinton (b), Gus Johnson (d)
Wynton Kelly Trio	1959.03.10	Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d)
Oscar Peterson Trio	1959.07.??	Oscar Peterson (p), Ray Brown (b), Ed Thigpen (d)
Charles Mingus Nonet	1960.05.25	Ted Curson (tp), Jimmy Knepper (tb), Eric Dolphy (as, cl, fl), Booker Ervin, Joe Farrell (ts), Yusef Lateef (ts, fl), Roland Hanna (p), Charles Mingus (b), Dannie Richmond (d)
Zoot Sims Quartet	1973.05.30	Zoot Sims (ts, ss), Hank Jones (p), Milt Hinton (b), Louis Bellson (d)
Kenny Burrell Orchestra	1975.02.05	Kenny Burrell (g), Thad Jones (tp, fis), Jon Faddis, Snooky Young (tp), Joe Henderson (ts), Jerome Richardson (ts, ss), Jimmy Jones (p), Jimmy Smith (org), Stanley Gilbert (b), Jimmie Smith (d)
Ellis Marsalis	1999.03.24	Ellis Marsalis (p)

Vocal

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
Stan Kenton Orchestra	1943.11.19	Stan Kenton (p, dir), Ray Borden, John Carroll, Buddy Childers, Karl George, Dick Morse (tp), Harry Forbes, George Faye, Bart Varsalona (tb), Eddie Meyers, Art Pepper (as), Red Dorris (ts, voc), Maurice Beeson (ts), Bob Gioga (bars), Bob Ahern (g), Clyde Singleton (b), Joe Vernon (d)
Billie Holiday with the All Star Jam Band	1944.01.18	Billie Holiday (voc), Roy Eldrigde (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Barney Bigard (cl), Art Tatum (p), Albert Casey (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Sid Catlett (d)
King Cole Trio	1944.05.23	Nat Cole (p, voc), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)
Duke Ellington Orchestra	1947.11.18	Duke Ellington (p, dir), Taft Jordan, Shelton Hemphill, Francis Williams, Herman Grimes, Wilbur Bascomb, Ray Nance (tp), Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn, Claude Jones (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, ts), Johnny Hodges (as, ss), Russell Procope (as, cl), Al Sears (ts), Harry Carney (bars, cl), Fred Guy (g), Edgar Brown (b), Sonny Greer (d), Al Hibbler (voc)
Billie Holiday	1956.08.14	Billie Holiday (voc), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Barney Kessel (g), Jimmy Rowles (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d)
Ella Fitzgerald	1956.09.04	Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Ben Webster (ts), Stuff Smith (vn), Paul Smith (p), Barney Kessel (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d)
Mose Allison	1959.02.13	Mose Allison (p, voc), Addison Farmer (b), Ronnie Free (d)
June Christy	1959.08.27	June Christy (voc), Frank Rosolino (tb), Bud Shank (as, fl), Bob Cooper (ts), Kathryne Julye (arp), Joe Castro (p), Red Callender (b), Mel Lewis (d)
Duke Ellington with Louis Armstrong All Stars	1961.04.03	Duke Ellington (p), Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d)
Anita O'Day	1961.10.16	Anita O'Day (voc), Doc Severinsen, Bernie Glow, Herb Pomeroy (tp), Willie Dennis, Billy Byers (tb), Bob Brookmeyer (vtb), Walt Levinsky, Phil Woods (as, cl, ww), Jerome Richardson, Zoot Sims (ts, ww), Hank Jones (p), Barry Galbraith (g), George Duvivier (b), Roy Haynes (d), Gary McFarland (dir)
Diana Krall	1992.10.19	Diana Krall (p, voc), John Clayton (b), Jeff Hamilton (d)
Ann Hampton Callaway	1996.??.??	Ann Hampton Callaway (voc), Cyrus Chestnut (p), Christian McBride (b), Lewis Nash (d)

On cinemas

The song 'Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

ORIGINAL TITLE	TITLE IN SPAIN	YEAR OF PRODUCTION	PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM
The Fabulous Baker Boys	Los fabulosos Baker Boys	1989	Duke Ellington Orchestra, Mercer Ellington (dir)