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Duke Ellington
Masterpieces by Ellington / Ellington
Uptown / Festival Session
(Columbia/Legacy)
First Appeared in The Music Box, June 2004, Volume 11, #6
Written by John Metzger
In 1948, the 33-1/3 rpm Long-Playing record was introduced to the commercial
market, ushering in a new era for music. One of the artists who benefitted
tremendously from the then-modern format was Duke Ellington, whose lengthy
suites formerly were truncated due to the limitations of the 78 rpm single.
Liberated from these constraints, he recorded Masterpieces by Ellington,
which found the composer revisiting a trio of his best-known works — Mood
Indigo, Sophisticated Lady, and Solitude — all of which were
originally penned in the ’30s but were now given extended treatments that
matched their gloriously epic concert counterparts.
There’s no question that Ellington’s compositional style was quite different
from the rowdy New Orleans jazz and swing of the ’20s and ’30s, and that it
wasn’t as rambunctiously adventurous as the experiments of Miles Davis, John
Coltrane, and Sun Ra. Instead, Ellington wrote songs that were sophisticated and
stately, having as much in common with classical and pop performance pieces as
they did those from the jazz world. In fact, his greatest influence may have
been George Gershwin, whose Rhapsody in Blue — or its essence, at least —
bubbles through much of Masterpieces by Ellington. Still, while it’s
certainly true that his productions were scored and heavily orchestrated, they
also managed to convey an added texture that contained a groovier air, allowing
him to walk perfectly along a line that separated refined dignity from Saturday
night debauchery. The three bonus tracks that now amend the initial album are
all abbreviated singles, but they’re also lively distillations of Ellington’s
concert sound.
In 1952, Ellington returned with Ellington Uptown, which once again
found the composer turning to older material, recording extended renditions of
classics from his repertoire (Take the ‘A’ Train, The Mooche, and
Perdido) while adding two new pieces — the percolating, percussion-driven
Skin Deep and the theatrical A Tone Parallel to Harlem (Harlem Suite).
Despite the departure of alto sax player Johnny Hodges, Ellington and his band
lost none of its drive, passion, or creativity, and in fact, given its greater
stylistic diversity, this collection arguably is the better of the two LPs from
this transitional era. Even more satisfying is the recent reissue of
Ellington Uptown, which now features all of the compositions that appeared
on the three variations of the LP, including Ellington’s musical commentary on
the changing jazz world known as The Controversial Suite, and the
exotically panoramic, six-part song-cycle titled The Liberian Suite.
These latter two pieces are essential Ellington, and they brilliantly showcase
an artist who, after more than 25 years in the business, still had plenty to
contribute.
By 1959, the jazz world had changed significantly due to the advent of the
festival circuit, which linked together a series of outdoor concerts held in
amphitheaters across the country under the warm, summer sun. On September 8,
following the completion of his U.S. tour and just two days before heading to
Europe, Ellington reconvened his ensemble for a period of recording, conducted
between 8:00 am and noon, that resulted in Festival Session. There are
quiet moments scattered here and there throughout the collection, but the bulk
of the album delves into the type of playfully robust fare that was well-suited
to summer’s celebratory scene. Nearly every track was propelled by sprightly
rhythmic undercurrents with horns and reeds adding splashes of color as the
soloists took turns unleashing their fiery blasts of brilliance. Though the
songs still carried an orchestral ambience — particularly the two new suites
Duael Fuel and Idiom ’59 — they also, by necessity, lost the
classical air of many of Ellington’s other works, venturing largely into
unbridled, free-spirited swing. The reissue adds a pair of bonus tracks (V.I.P.’s
Boogie and Jam with Sam) that originated as a one segment from a
larger piece, but were divided for release as singles.
Taken in total, Masterpieces by Ellington, Ellington Uptown,
and Festival Session shine a spotlight on Ellington’s amazing talent by
highlighting an artist who was unparalleled in his craft, but remained aware of
the times in which he wrote. As such, it charts his evolution, showcasing the
manner in which his compositional style changed while never losing sight of the
innovations he brought to bear on the world of jazz.
Masterpieces by Ellington — 
Ellington Uptown —
Festival Session —
Masterpieces by Ellington is available from Amazon.com.
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Ellington Uptown is available from Amazon.com.
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Festival Session is available from Amazon.com.
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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