Ellington-a-thon

[jeffcrom]

...Dolores Parker is the vocalist, and does a pretty good job with a song that couldn't have been easy to sing.

Just to be pedantic, the spelling is actually "Delores" Parker. And that tune is the last one she ever recorded with the band.

Where did you get that spelling? The album notes and Ellington's Music Is My Mistress both list her as "Dolores."

[jeffcrom]

I've been waiting for someone to comment on Steve Lacy's version of "The Mystery Song," from his 1961 Evidence album. As far as I know, this is the only version of the piece other than Ellington's. I heard Lacy's version before the original. Of course, there's no way to reproduce the sound Ellington gets out of his band, but Lacy manages to capture the mysterious quality of the piece with only a quartet - Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, and bassist Carl Brown are the other musicians. They play a stripped-down version of the tune which, according to the liner notes, Lacy learned from the sheet music rather than from the recording. Higgins' drumming adds a lot to the atmosphere. A very cool recording, in my opinion.

[Ted O'Reilly]

...Dolores Parker is the vocalist, and does a pretty good job with a song that couldn't have been easy to sing.

Just to be pedantic, the spelling is actually "Delores" Parker. And that tune is the last one she ever recorded with the band.

Where did you get that spelling? The album notes and Ellington's Music Is My Mistress both list her as "Dolores."

You're right -- "Dolores". The misspelling of "I Could Get A Man" is on Chronogical Classics 1119, the version I was listening to on your suggestion. Their mistake, and I wrongly passed it on. Sorry. :blush2:

And you were wondering about the song itself: Klaus Stratemann's book Duke Ellington Day By Day and Film by Film (p. 282) offers the names of Hee and Cottrell in this way (using DownBeat as a source)--

"...Ellington was already reported to be at work on a new stage show "backed by movie money" and tentatively titled "Cole Black And The Seven Dwarfs" [DB 15.1.46]. The show was mentioned again during Ellington's 1948 tour of Europe, when Ernest Borneman was told that "it was going to have a book and lyrics by T. Hee and William Cottrell", and that William Hertz Jr. wanted to produce it [DB 25.8.48]."

That would seem to tell that "I Could Get A Man" was proof that Hee/Cottrell/Ellington indeed were at work on the aborted show, but Duke was not someone to waste a song... (T. Hee, indeed!!! )

[jeffcrom]

It doesn't look like anybody is going to "bite" on "Sumpin' 'Bout Rhythm" from set 6, so here goes. The mid thirties, like the mid fifties, seem like one of those lesser periods in Ellington's career - but maybe only in retrospect. The innovations of the 1920s were past, but the brilliance of 1937 to 1942 was a few years away when "Sumpin' 'Bout Rhythm" was recorded. But it's still pretty good, just not a masterpiece. It's a nice little swing tune - Ellington features himself on piano more than usual, and there are some typically Ellingtonian tone colors. The sometimes-forgotten Freddy Jenkins is in what I think of as the "Rex Stewart" role - the quirky, but hot trumpet chair, as opposed to the growl trumpet chair (Bubber Miley, Cootie Williams, sometimes Ray Nance) and the sweet trumpet chair (Artie Whetsol, Wallace Jones, even Shorty Baker). Pretty good record - just not brilliant.

[Chuck Nessa]

The mid 30s were just fine. I have a bunch of favorites from that era.

[jeffcrom]

The mid 30s were just fine. I have a bunch of favorites from that era.

I don't think that it matched 1927-32 in terms of innovation, or 1937-42 in terms of consistent brilliance, but I agree that there was plenty of great Ellington music from this and every other period.

[Chuck Nessa]

The depression probably caused more "pap" in the mix, but.....

[A Lark Ascending]

Finally catching up. A few personal responses:

Creole Rhapsody

Just listened to ‘Creole Rhapsody’ with Jeff’s analysis in front of me. I don’t have the Brunswick version but the comments certainly opened up the RCA for me. It’s always been a piece I’ve found interesting rather than ‘loved’. I have to say I still find it a bit episodic (but that might have more to do with bringing [half understood!] European classical expectations to bear on music with rather different origins). The first part really works for me, but by ‘side two’ it all seems to drift a bit (and the rather manic ‘citiscape' part-way does recall Gershwin to these ears – An American in Paris).

Limehouse Blues

Always loved this tune and I really like the arrangement here – the ‘Donkey Serenade-ish’ opening and closing sections, the way the rhythms chop around and a marvellous clarinet/baritone exchange in the middle.

Echoes of the Jungle

Really love this. Marvellous Hodges and Williams in the main, major theme and then that fabulous central passage where it moves into the minor and seems to attempt a directly pictorial ‘jungle’ feel (must have been a part of those themed Cotton Club sets?) – ghostly clarinet, those shimmering banjo strums (which remind me of some of the cartoon soundtracks of the 30s), Nanton adding to the feel with wah-wah trombone.

The Mystery Song

Nothing I could possibly add to Jeff’s comments apart from to echo the impact of that first section; doesn’t seem a million miles from the mysterious centre of Echoes of the Jungle.

Just to demonstrate my inattentiveness, I’d never noticed that the Steve Lacy ‘The Mystery Song’ was a version of the Ellington! Am I hearing a bossa nova rhythm at the start of that? Nice version overall – all the rich ornamentation removed to leave an Ornettish approach. I really like the Lacy/Cherry harmonies, especially on the way out.

As always, apologies for any musicological gaffs – a musical inarticulate attempting to communicate what's affecting me.

A bit more later.

[A Lark Ascending]

Bensonality

A rather brash, strip-club blues with some nice tenor – sounds like Paul Gonsalves.

The Controversial Suite

Thanks to Papsrus and Jsngry for providing context for this. There’s a section early on in the first part that has been borrowed from an earlier suite – I think one of the short passages at the end of BB&B though I might be wrong.

I've always felt that the "Later" movement was a parody/dig at the Kenton school of "progressivism" as being practiced at the time. Straight-faced "random", loud dissonances with no intent or interest in anything resembling "jazz". Very wry, I think.

The mechanical tick-tock rhythm that runs through the piece would seem to support that interpretation! Another Ellington piece I find more ‘interesting’ than engaging.

Chelsea Bridge 1941 RCA version

Surprised no-one has picked up on this one. A glorious melody that seems to show more than a passing nod to Ravel/Debussy. Love the piano runs at the start and finish of this by Strayhorn (they remind me, in a more melodic way, of those strange runs at the end of Koko). I’m right at the limits of my musical knowledge here but am I right in hearing the use of a more chromatic scale here? The piano opening is wonderful leaving you unsure where the music is going.

The middle eight seems more conventional, ‘sweet music’ than the main section, but dovetails quite nicely and is beautifully played by Webster.

Throughout the constantly changing orchestration really keeps your attention (especially in the second chorus). Tizol seems to be playing a written melodic line (does he fluff the last note second time round?).

[jeffcrom]

Chelsea Bridge 1941 RCA version

Surprised no-one has picked up on this one. A glorious melody that seems to show more than a passing nod to Ravel/Debussy. Love the piano runs at the start and finish of this by Strayhorn (they remind me, in a more melodic way, of those strange runs at the end of Koko). I’m right at the limits of my musical knowledge here but am I right in hearing the use of a more chromatic scale here? The piano opening is wonderful leaving you unsure where the music is going.

The middle eight seems more conventional, ‘sweet music’ than the main section, but dovetails quite nicely and is beautifully played by Webster.

Throughout the constantly changing orchestration really keeps your attention (especially in the second chorus). Tizol seems to be playing a written melodic line (does he fluff the last note second time round?).

I'm trying to control my enthusiasm for this thread and not just jump in to talk about every piece. I stayed away from this one, thinking it would attract lots of comments, but I'll jump in now.

The chromaticism you're hearing comes from the use of minor chords with a major seventh on top - an unusual chord for the time. And ain't Ben Webster pretty here?

I listened to two recordings of "Chelsea Bridge" which preceded the Victor studio recording - the Standard transcription and a live version from February, 1941. The biggest revelation is that Jimmy Blanton was featured in both in a dialogue with the reed section's variation in the second chorus. Since he was already ill and out of the band by the time of the Victor session, Strayhorn's piano "converses" with the reeds. I hope Junior Raglin's feelings weren't hurt.

The live version is four and a half minutes long and has an entire extra chorus. Nothing too surprising - it's a pretty conventional statement of the melody by the full ensemble, although Harry Carney takes the bridge.

A beautiful piece - and it's a lot of fun to play, too.

[papsrus]

The mid 30s were just fine. I have a bunch of favorites from that era.

I don't think that it matched 1927-32 in terms of innovation, or 1937-42 in terms of consistent brilliance, but I agree that there was plenty of great Ellington music from this and every other period.

Was just flipping through Stanley Dance's notes with 'Jubilee Stomp' where he points to the late '20s, the Blanton-Webster band and the rebirth of sorts in '56 at Newport as three peaks for Ellington. (Although he leaves the door open as to whether these were artistic peaks). And then he talks about the "great, rewarding plateaux that existed between them. ..."

I like that.

Chelsea Bridge 1941 RCA version. ... A glorious melody that seems to show more than a passing nod to Ravel/Debussy. Love the piano runs at the start and finish of this by Strayhorn (they remind me, in a more melodic way, of those strange runs at the end of Koko). I’m right at the limits of my musical knowledge here but am I right in hearing the use of a more chromatic scale here? The piano opening is wonderful leaving you unsure where the music is going. ...

... The chromaticism you're hearing comes from the use of minor chords with a major seventh on top - an unusual chord for the time. ... The biggest revelation is that Jimmy Blanton was featured in both in a dialogue with the reed section's variation in the second chorus. ...

A beautiful piece - and it's a lot of fun to play, too.

Yes, gorgeous. Thanks for highlighting this one, Bev.

I love Jeff's characterization of Blanton's playing here as a dialog. I wonder if this is one of his more renowned moments on record?

But more than that, just how the whole piece unfolds melodically, with the chromatic hues that Bev talked about and which Jeff clearly distilled in more technical terms, really helps me hear pieces like this in a much richer way.

Thanks!

[A Lark Ascending]

Thought I'd listen to a few other Chelsea Bridge's later on today. AMG tells me I can choose from:

Abdullah Ibrahim, Ahmad Jamal Aki Takase Aki Takase Alan Barnes Albert "Tootie" Heath Alberto Girardi Alex Harding Allan Harris André Previn André Villéger Andrea Brachfeld Andy LaVerne Ann Collins Anton Schwartz Art Blakey Art Farmer Art Pepper Art Taylor's Wailers Barbara Carroll Ben Webster Ben Webster Bennett Paster Bennie Wallace Bill Doggett Bill Easley Bill Frisell Billie Pierce Billy Strayhorn Blechschaden Bob Florence Bob Florence Bob Mocarsky Bobby Ferrel Bobby Hutcherson Booty Wood Braden-Rapp Brian Betz Brian Lemon Brian Patneaude Buck Hill Buddy Rich Carol Akerson Cassandra Wilson Cat Anderson Cecil Brooks III Cedar Walton Trio Center City Brass Quintet Charlie Doggett Chris McCann Christian Garrick Claude Bolling Colin Wenhardt Dan Gibson David "Fathead" Newman David Hazeltine David Murray Quartet David Murray Trio David Sills David Sills Dean Speedwell Brodrick Denny Zeitlin Derek Smith Dizzy Gillespie DMP Big Band Don Sebesky Don Weller Doug Raney Doug Raney John Surman Duke Ellington Ed Thigpen Elise Wood Ella Fitzgerald Eric Alexander Eric Bolvin Erickson Ramsdell Frank Southecorvo Fraser MacPherson Garden District Trio Gary Bartz Keith Jarrett Gary Thomas Gene Krupa George Colligan George Mraz Gerry Mulligan + Ben Webster Great Jazz Trio Gunter Wehinger Gunther Klatt Guy Gardner Hank Jones Harry Allen Harry James Harvie S Henry Mancini Ian Hendrickson-Smith Ian McDougall IMI Yorkshire Imperial Band Jack Sheldon Jack Wilkins Jason Wanner Jesper Thilo Jim Campilongo Jim Hall Jim Rattigan Jimmy Rushing Jimmy Raney Jimmy Witherspoon Jodie Christian Joe Ascione Joe Henderson Joe Lovano John Abercrombie John Gross John Hicks John Shapley Johnny Barnes Johnny Bothwell Keith Ingham Kenny Barron Kenny Burrell Kenny Karsh Kjell Jansson Lena Horne Les Brown Leslie Baker Lew Tabackin Lou Caputo Louis Hayes Louis Hayes Louis Philippe Louis Stewart Marc Pompe Marcus Printup Marian McPartland Matt Olson Matt Savage Mel Graves Mike Whitwell Milt Jackson Miyuki Hegarty Nancie Banks NDR Bigband Oranj Symphonette Orbert Davis Paul Gill Paul Motian Pee Wee Russell Quartet Peggy Stern Pepper Adams Pete Mills Peter Compo Peter Leitch Peter Welker Phineas Newborn, Jr. Potomac Jazz Project Ralph Burns Orchestra Ray Bryant Ray Nance Rene Jenkins Rhonda Giannelli Ricky Ford Rinus Greenfield Rita Thies Robert Kyle Rolf Ericson Ron Carter Ron Surace Roy Eldridge Russell Schmidt Sabine Meyer Sadao Watanabe Sarah Vaughan Scott Hamilton Signe Hensel Stan Kenton Stephan Abel Steve Nelson Ted Nash Terry Gibbs The Four Freshmen The Houdini's The Mitchell-Ruff Duo The Timeless Art Orchestra Thomas Talbert Tina May Tommy Flanagan Tommy Smith Tony Bennett Tony d'Aveni Tony Reedus Tony Williams Valery Ponomarev Vincent Herring Warren Vaché Widespread Depression Orchestra

Some of those are overlaps of name who appear on the same track. But it seems quite popular!

*************

Sauntering back and forth across Chelsea Bridge:

Ben Webster - Played three versions back to back. All gorgeous, thought the 1957 version (on 'The Soul of...') made least impression. The version with strings (and Strayhorn on piano and arrangement) sounded amazing - surprised me as I'm usually a bit iffy about jazz and strings. The sound canvass was very deep. Then the version with Gerry Mulligan which really benefits from the contrast between the two horns; some lovely, yet very restrained, counter melodies from Mullligan in the opening and closing.

Kenny Burrell - Off the first volume of his Ellington albums. Given a slightly Latin feel - nice version with a half a chorus Burrell solo. Sounds very much of the 70s - the way the bass is recorded.

Louis Stewart and Heiner Franz - Very beautiful version - two guitars bringing out the harmonic richness, not straying far from the original in pace or feel. Each guitarist takes a solo during the second chorus - I'd guess its Stewart in the main section, Franz in the bridge, then back to the written arrangement for the lasst few bars.

Ella Fitzgerald and the Duke Ellington Orchestra - From the 'Songbook'. A wordless vocal that keeps the mystery of the original. The percussion gives it all a twilight in the jungle feel; some lovely clarinet rising out of the orchestra and then a tenor rips in, very different to Webster. Gonsalves?

Tina May - With so many female jazz vocalists over here, Tina May often gets overlooked. She's probably too jazz-rooted to make the crossover successfully. This is probably the bleakest of all the versions that I've listened to. She's accompanied by the Britten Quartet (arranged by Colin Towns). Very slow, very wide-awake at 3 in the morning with your world falling down around you. Not sure where the lyric is from - did Strayhorn write one? Absolutely spine-tingling coda. Worth chasing down.

The NDR Big Band - A fairly conventional big band version with tenor player sounding like a strange mix of Webster, Gonsalves and Archie Shepp! Comes across as much more of a blues than normal. Very nice piano from Walter Norris. Tomasz Stanko sweeps in towards the end, sounding more Cootie Williams than Tomasz Stanko! Would be interesting to hear him do this in his own quartet - would suit his bleak approach. A smattering of vibes before the tenor takes the piece out with band and piano playing up the blues again. Arrangement by Francy Boland.

Edited October 26, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[Guy Berger]

Keith Jarrett's trio performed "Chelsea Bridge" - you can hear it on the album Whisper Not. The first version I heard of this lovely tune.

[JSngry]

Bensonality

A rather brash, strip-club blues with some nice tenor – sounds like Paul Gonsalves.

It's been a while since I've heard it, but I think that might be Jimmy Hamilton, whose tenor playing was quite the "conceptual" opposite of his clarinet playing,

[A Lark Ascending]

Bensonality

A rather brash, strip-club blues with some nice tenor – sounds like Paul Gonsalves.

It's been a while since I've heard it, but I think that might be Jimmy Hamilton, whose tenor playing was quite the "conceptual" opposite of his clarinet playing,

You are correct, Jim:

http://www.jr.com/product/music/pm/_478939/#productTabCredits

[JSngry]

Yeah, Hamilton could play some really gritty tenor when he felt like it, even if his tone was kind of "closed".

[carnivore]

Thought I'd listen to a few other Chelsea Bridge's later on today. AMG tells me I can choose from:

Abdullah Ibrahim, Ahmad Jamal Aki Takase Aki Takase Alan Barnes Albert "Tootie" Heath Alberto Girardi Alex Harding Allan Harris André Previn André Villéger Andrea Brachfeld Andy LaVerne Ann Collins Anton Schwartz Art Blakey Art Farmer Art Pepper Art Taylor's Wailers Barbara Carroll Ben Webster Ben Webster Bennett Paster Bennie Wallace Bill Doggett Bill Easley Bill Frisell Billie Pierce Billy Strayhorn Blechschaden Bob Florence Bob Florence Bob Mocarsky Bobby Ferrel Bobby Hutcherson Booty Wood Braden-Rapp Brian Betz Brian Lemon Brian Patneaude Buck Hill Buddy Rich Carol Akerson Cassandra Wilson Cat Anderson Cecil Brooks III Cedar Walton Trio Center City Brass Quintet Charlie Doggett Chris McCann Christian Garrick Claude Bolling Colin Wenhardt Dan Gibson David "Fathead" Newman David Hazeltine David Murray Quartet David Murray Trio David Sills David Sills Dean Speedwell Brodrick Denny Zeitlin Derek Smith Dizzy Gillespie DMP Big Band Don Sebesky Don Weller Doug Raney Doug Raney John Surman Duke Ellington Ed Thigpen Elise Wood Ella Fitzgerald Eric Alexander Eric Bolvin Erickson Ramsdell Frank Southecorvo Fraser MacPherson Garden District Trio Gary Bartz Keith Jarrett Gary Thomas Gene Krupa George Colligan George Mraz Gerry Mulligan + Ben Webster Great Jazz Trio Gunter Wehinger Gunther Klatt Guy Gardner Hank Jones Harry Allen Harry James Harvie S Henry Mancini Ian Hendrickson-Smith Ian McDougall IMI Yorkshire Imperial Band Jack Sheldon Jack Wilkins Jason Wanner Jesper Thilo Jim Campilongo Jim Hall Jim Rattigan Jimmy Rushing Jimmy Raney Jimmy Witherspoon Jodie Christian Joe Ascione Joe Henderson Joe Lovano John Abercrombie John Gross John Hicks John Shapley Johnny Barnes Johnny Bothwell Keith Ingham Kenny Barron Kenny Burrell Kenny Karsh Kjell Jansson Lena Horne Les Brown Leslie Baker Lew Tabackin Lou Caputo Louis Hayes Louis Hayes Louis Philippe Louis Stewart Marc Pompe Marcus Printup Marian McPartland Matt Olson Matt Savage Mel Graves Mike Whitwell Milt Jackson Miyuki Hegarty Nancie Banks NDR Bigband Oranj Symphonette Orbert Davis Paul Gill Paul Motian Pee Wee Russell Quartet Peggy Stern Pepper Adams Pete Mills Peter Compo Peter Leitch Peter Welker Phineas Newborn, Jr. Potomac Jazz Project Ralph Burns Orchestra Ray Bryant Ray Nance Rene Jenkins Rhonda Giannelli Ricky Ford Rinus Greenfield Rita Thies Robert Kyle Rolf Ericson Ron Carter Ron Surace Roy Eldridge Russell Schmidt Sabine Meyer Sadao Watanabe Sarah Vaughan Scott Hamilton Signe Hensel Stan Kenton Stephan Abel Steve Nelson Ted Nash Terry Gibbs The Four Freshmen The Houdini's The Mitchell-Ruff Duo The Timeless Art Orchestra Thomas Talbert Tina May Tommy Flanagan Tommy Smith Tony Bennett Tony d'Aveni Tony Reedus Tony Williams Valery Ponomarev Vincent Herring Warren Vaché Widespread Depression Orchestra

Some of those are overlaps of name who appear on the same track. But it seems quite popular!

*************

Sauntering back and forth across Chelsea Bridge:

Ben Webster - Played three versions back to back. All gorgeous, thought the 1957 version (on 'The Soul of...') made least impression. The version with strings (and Strayhorn on piano and arrangement) sounded amazing - surprised me as I'm usually a bit iffy about jazz and strings. The sound canvass was very deep. Then the version with Gerry Mulligan which really benefits from the contrast between the two horns; some lovely, yet very restrained, counter melodies from Mullligan in the opening and closing.

Kenny Burrell - Off the first volume of his Ellington albums. Given a slightly Latin feel - nice version with a half a chorus Burrell solo. Sounds very much of the 70s - the way the bass is recorded.

Louis Stewart and Heiner Franz - Very beautiful version - two guitars bringing out the harmonic richness, not straying far from the original in pace or feel. Each guitarist takes a solo during the second chorus - I'd guess its Stewart in the main section, Franz in the bridge, then back to the written arrangement for the lasst few bars.

Ella Fitzgerald and the Duke Ellington Orchestra - From the 'Songbook'. A wordless vocal that keeps the mystery of the original. The percussion gives it all a twilight in the jungle feel; some lovely clarinet rising out of the orchestra and then a tenor rips in, very different to Webster. Gonsalves?

Tina May - With so many female jazz vocalists over here, Tina May often gets overlooked. She's probably too jazz-rooted to make the crossover successfully. This is probably the bleakest of all the versions that I've listened to. She's accompanied by the Britten Quartet (arranged by Colin Towns). Very slow, very wide-awake at 3 in the morning with your world falling down around you. Not sure where the lyric is from - did Strayhorn write one? Absolutely spine-tingling coda. Worth chasing down.

The NDR Big Band - A fairly conventional big band version with tenor player sounding like a strange mix of Webster, Gonsalves and Archie Shepp! Comes across as much more of a blues than normal. Very nice piano from Walter Norris. Tomasz Stanko sweeps in towards the end, sounding more Cootie Williams than Tomasz Stanko! Would be interesting to hear him do this in his own quartet - would suit his bleak approach. A smattering of vibes before the tenor takes the piece out with band and piano playing up the blues again. Arrangement by Francy Boland.

One of the most beautiful and original workings is that by Tom Talbert on his album 'Duke's Domain' A gorgeous treatment by a band of the best players on the West Coast.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 7

Grievin’ [Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn] - 1939

This one deserves at least a mention - it's one of Billy Strayhorn's earliest contributions to the book. The band tried it in the studio in August, 1939, but that version ran pretty long for a 78, and wasn't released until the Smithsonian's 1939 collection. A revised arrangement at a faster tempo was recorded in October.

It's a good chart, which in retrospect has elements which seem typically Strayhornian - a rich ensemble sonority that has a certain "lightness" to the sound, and a beautiful sax chorus. Hodges is featured in the melody statement, and there are also solos by "usual suspects" Cootie Williams and Lawrence Brown. An excellent early contribution from Mr. Strayhorn.

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 6

• Limehouse Blues [Philip Braham/Douglas Furber] 1931
  
• Echoes Of The Jungle [Cootie Williams-Irving Mills] 1931
  

"Ellington is at his best in Limehouse Blues and Echoes of the Jungle (Victor 232283), a disc that will amaze even those who are familiar with the Duke's achievements in the past. The elaborate texture and diabolically ingenious arrangements will astound even the student of such modern orchestrators as Ravel and Stravinsky."

- R. D. Darrell, Phonograph Monthly Review, September, 1931

Darrell (1903-1988) was an intriguing figure - a graduate of the New England Conservatory who became a classical music critic. He also wrote the "Dance Records" column for the Phonograph Monthly Review. His reviews of Ellington's early records have been collected in Mark Tucker's The Duke Ellington Reader; it's fun to see Darrell gradually realize that jazz had produced a compositional genius.

Darrell's enthusiasm for Ellington led him to write a full-length critical essay on Ellington for the magazine Disques. "Black Beauty" is a pretty amazing article for 1932. The writing is a little overripe, but it's full of amazing insights; it's definitely one of the best pieces of early jazz criticism. It's also in The Duke Ellington Reader.

Edited October 27, 2010 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Has anyone heard "Cowboy Rhumba?" Is it as bad as it sounds?

[jeffcrom]

Ellington-a-thon: 7

Blues Of The Vagabond [Duke Ellington] - 1929

I didn't have a clear mental picture (mental recording?) of this one, so I went back and played it from The Okeh Ellington. It's good - suffering only from comparison to the even better Ellington pieces from around the same time. It's not a blues at all; it's a moody minor piece with a contrasting major theme. If it has a weakness, it's that the major theme seems kind of corny compared to the minor sections. It's a problem Ellington struggled with in his early years - how to provide contrast without letdown. He eventually figured it out, but it took awhile. I would guess that Ellington himself thought this piece was a lesser effort - he only recorded it once, for Okeh. In any case, I like it.

I'm glad I played "Blues of the Vagabond" just after hearing "Echoes of the Jungle," otherwise I might not have noticed an example of Ellington's reluctance to waste a good idea. There's a little three-note sax figure followed by an ascending banjo tremolo that appears several times in "Vagabond" - the first time it starts in the third measure, just a few seconds into the recording. In "Echoes of the Jungle," the same figure (or very nearly) shows up at the 1:47 mark, this time played by Barney Bigard's clarinet. The very cool banjo lick is the really distinguishing feature. Hey, Bach borrowed from himself all the time.

Edited October 27, 2010 by jeffcrom

[A Lark Ascending]

'Grievin' is on the Ellington album with Rosemary Clooney ('Blue Rose'). Nice song on an excellent album (Clooney apparently taped the vocals on the other coast whilst pregnant!) Will return to this record as it contains one of my favourite Ellington tracks!

I heard 'Cowboy Rhumba' the other day on one of the Classics discs - it passed by unnoticed.

Edit: Just did my duty on 'Cowboy Rhumba' - silly song sung by a lounge vocalist about a Texan meeting a Latin lady and the sparks that fly. Latin rhythm, silly words that draw in nonsense from country and Latin music. The instrumental bit in the middle is pleasant enough - a bit of mariachi trumpet followed by brief exchanges between wah-wah trombone and trumpet.

Your life will still be complete if you never hear this.

Edited October 27, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Ellington-a-thon: 8

• 
  
  
• VIRGIN ISLAND SUITE - Jungle Kitty, Island Virgin, Virgin Jungle, and Fiddle On The Diddle - 1965 [Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn]
  
• Blue Reverie - 1937 [Duke Ellington-Harry Carney]
  
• Cincinnati Daddy - 1929 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Hottentot - 1928 [Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields]
  
• Ebony Rhapsody - 1934 [Arthur Johnson/Sam Coslow]
  
• Lily Belle - 1945 [irving Taylor-Dave Franklin]
  
• New World A-Comin’ - 1943 [Duke Ellington]
  
• Mexicali Rose - 1937 [Jack B. Tunney-Helen Stone]
  
• Georgia Grind - 1926 [spencer Williams]
  
• Purple Gazelle - 1962 [Duke Ellington]
  

Edited October 27, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[jeffcrom]

Suggestion: "Island Virgin" is part of the Virgin Islands Suite. How 'bout putting the suite together?

[A Lark Ascending]

Suggestion: "Island Virgin" is part of the Virgin Islands Suite. How 'bout putting the suite together?

Good idea.

I've been trying to do that, but the list I'm using also has parts of suites credited individually. Some slip through. Let me know every time I miss one (I know I missed one earlier with 'Fugue-a-Ditty' from 'A Tonal Group').