One of Ellington’s more erogenous titles slyly referring a part the female anatomy, this recording for RCA was originally released on the flipside of Flaming Sword in case there was any question as to Ellington’s meaning.

Although Ellington had written and recorded many ballads before, some of which became hits and eventually standards, like Solitude, In A Sentimental Mood, and Sophisticated Lady, it was Warm Valley that captured Billy Strayhorn’s attention and imagination becoming the prototype of all the ballads he wrote for Johnny Hodges. Strayhorn said that both he and Ellington wrote a pile of material for Warm Valley, but Duke didn’t use any of Billy’s music in the final product.

Unlike those other ballads, Warm Valley never became a hit nor were Bob Russell’s geographical lyrics recorded by Ellington. Many years later Johnny Hartman, Alice Babs, Abbey Lincoln, and others did record the lyrics. 

In a perfect use of opposites, Ellington combines a chromatic melody and harmony with a more diatonic accompaniment from the muted brass. Johnny Hodges’ romantic tone and approach is contrasted with Rex Stewart’s more jocular approach.

Due to the slow tempo, the full 72 measures would not fit on a 78-rpm phonograph record. The band recorded three takes on October 17, 1940 experimenting with deleting different sections of ensemble playing from the complete written chart. I’ve reproduced the entire chart as written and planned and transcribed the solo and rhythm section parts from the released recording where possible.