|
Duke
Ellington CD review: |
|
On April 29,
1969 The President, Richard Nixon, threw a party for the Duke, Edward Kennedy Ellington and all the jazz greats turned
out.
Willis Conover, known to the world for his jazz program on Voice
of America but little known in his own country, organized the evening to celebrate Ellington’s 70th birthday where
Ellington received the Medal of Freedom.
That evening’s gala performance was taped and broadcast
internationally on Voice of America but never in the U.S. The tapes not used
commercially until Leonard
Garment, Nixon’s White House Counsel at that time, remembered the event later
and was instrumental in getting the Blue Note label to release this
never-before-heard performance some thirty-three years later.
Conover brought together 16 jazz greats, including the Duke.
Pianists Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines, Hank Jones and Billy Taylor; saxophonists
Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan; guitarist Jim Hall; trombonists Urbie Green
and J.J. Johnson; trumpeters Bill Berry and Clark Terry; bassist Milt Hinton;
drummer Louie Bellson; and vocalists Joe Williams and Mary Mayo take part in the event. The Blue Note CD contains 27 tracks from the Ellington-Billy
Strayhorn Songbook, plus
an original composition by Duke to the First Lady. Billy
Strayhorn, you may recall, was born in Dayton.
Because these
artists were not the regular Ellington band members you get a CD with a unique
input by these outstanding artists on Duke’s music. Each artist adding his or her own personal touch, truly a one of
a kind event. You will recognize Paul
Desmond’s touch on “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” J.J. Johnson’s play on
“Satin Doll” and Urbie Green’s solo on “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good”. Then there’s Clark Terry and Bill Berry on
“Squeeze Me” and Joe Williams’ on “Heritage” and “Come Sunday” the spiritual
portion of the concert.
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington composed jazz and popular music
for over fifty years, played more than 20,000 performances worldwide, and made
countless recordings. This CD covers the wide span of Ellington’s music, from
the mellow Mood Indigo to rousing Perdido.
A review should accurately reflect the quality of the music and the
performers but in this case to try to write a critical review on Duke Ellington
at this stage in history would be the same as trying to write a critical review
on the Bible. The same goes for the all-star players on this CD;
everything that can be said about this music and these musicians has been said,
a thousand times over. The merit of this CD is not because there is
anything new, it's because of the history of its coming to be, being a very
good overall representation of the man's music and the personal input by such
great performers. It's truly a collector’s item. The
fidelity on this CD, being recorded in 1969 and released in 2002, is clear
and easy to listen to.
<Ron Gable