Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ Ellington wrote some of the twentieth century’s greatest big band music, but he also wrote in a variety of forms. The boisterous...

Edward Kennedy ‘Duke’ Ellington wrote some of the twentieth century’s greatest big band music, but he also wrote in a variety of forms. The boisterous and evocative Harlem pays tribute to Ellington’s roots; Black, Brown, and Beige imagines work songs and spirituals; and the suite from The River shows his genius in writing for the stage. Three Black Kings, scored as a ballet, was left unfinished at his death, but shows no lessening of invention. Ellington’s arrangement of Billy Strayhorn’s Take the ‘A’ Train became famous around the world after the outbreak of World War II, and ranks among the most widely recorded standards of all time.

REVIEWS:

Harlem is sub-titled A Tone Parallel to Harlem. It’s a work blessed with a mercurial wealth of ideas smoothly and kaleidoscopically varied. The versatile Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and JoAnn Falletta have no blushes and only confidence for its big-band jazzy jolt. The brass and percussion in particular play it down and dirty with total conviction as in the smokily delivered up-swelling at 8:33 in Harlem.

The Black, Brown, and Beige suite swings, sashays and smooches moodily in the two outer movements, which occasionally can be heard casting sideway glances at Gershwin.

Three Black Kings deploys railroad rhythm excitement in King of the Magi, more dank Delian bluesiness and sighing romance in King Solomon and deep affection in the extremely likeable Martin Luther King movement.

Take the ‘A’ Train was Ellington’s signature number. It is incurably up-beat and street-confident. That’s what it gets from Buffalo and Falletta. The extended violin solo from Amy Licata is worthy of Grappelli.

A vital and very generous collection showcasing a concert Ellington who loved his commercial roots yet had more to give and gave it.

-- MusicWeb International