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Ellington Suites (20 Bit Mastering)
Duke Ellington
Ellington Suites (20 Bit Mastering)
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (15) - Disc #1

Duke Ellington was the greatest composer in jazz history, and he composed a number of magnificent suites. This CD, originally released in 1976, features Ellington and his incredible orchestra on three of his distinctive e...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Duke Ellington
Title: Ellington Suites (20 Bit Mastering)
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Pablo
Release Date: 5/1/2001
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Style: Swing Jazz
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 025218483421

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Duke Ellington was the greatest composer in jazz history, and he composed a number of magnificent suites. This CD, originally released in 1976, features Ellington and his incredible orchestra on three of his distinctive extended works. "The Goutelas Suite" is a moving, six-part fanfare-oriented tribute to a French chateau Ellington visited in 1966. "The UWIS Suite" is a three-part Ellingtonian shout out to the University of Wisconsin at Madison, which hosted a weeklong Ellington Festival in 1972. But perhaps the most magical work in this collection is "The Queen's Suite," which Ellington wrote for the Queen of England in 1959. Ellington made only one copy for the Queen and played the haunting piano feature, "The Single Petal of a Rose," for years. The full suite was released on this recording for the first time, and the other majestic songs, including "Northern Lights," "Sunset and the Mockingbird," and "Le Sucrier Velours" became standards. Of course, Ellington's spare, blues-drenched piano is heard on most of the suites, along with Harry Carney's distinctive baritone saxophone, Johnny Hodges's silken alto sax tones, and Russell Procope's poetic clarinet, who add more luster to the already illuminative work of maestro Ellington. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

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CD Reviews

ELLINGTON FLYING SOLO = UNDERRATED MASTERWORKS!!!
Joseph Cavaseno | Bellerose, NY United States | 01/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a major purchase for anyone serious about the creative work of Duke Ellington. I am a major believer that despite Billy Strayhorn's great influence on Ellington, his presence alongside Ellington served as a musical crutch, and upon Strayhorn's passing, Duke was, for the first time since the late 1930's, forced to rely upon his own creative devices. Duke's output after1967 soared! Without Strayhorn, he was relegated to his own creative devices, and he suddenly exhibits the following changes in his compositional style: 1)an awareness of pop music and culture, and a willingness to infuse elements in keeping with the times... 2)a newly found plaintivity, similar aesthetically perhaps to his 'jungle band'(1926-1933)days....dark, richly textured voicings, raw emotional outcrying. ... 3)a new sparsity, an importance and urgency now seems attached to fewer notes and musical phrases...everything seems heightened, more meaningful 4)an overall accumulation of influences 'learned' from the Strayhorn period (1938-67), such as a fuller appreciation of the their own serious formats (note: I don't use the word classical) What I am leading up to here is this: the recordings documented here from the post-Strayhorn era (1968-1974), namely the Goutelas and Uwis Suites, are totally revolutionary works of art from Duke Ellington's most intense creative period, in my opinion. Of course, the Queen's Suite, from 1959 is also totally incredible work, and probably more accesable to most 'jazz' listeners, format and texture-wise, and still bears much of the Strayhorn sound. The Queen's Suite is still written in the format Duke designed in the year 1944, with his Perfume Suite: Ellington/Strayhorn dealing in series of short 'songs' featuring a variety of mood pieces with certain formulaic textures. Well, get ready, because the Uwis and Goutelas, though still basically formatted in the short song format, totally break camp where texture is concerned. Duke tries everything f rom an atonal flute/piccolo duet in fourths, to a damn Polka. And the beauty of it? It's all pure Ellington, raw and uncut, without the Strayhorn cleanliness. if anything, these pieces will remind you of David Murray's Octet of the 1980's or perhaps Sun Ra! Duke seems to believe in himself so much here, and seems to be totally unconcerend with any need to make a 'hit' or be accessible at all. He is just writing here, pure and honest and deep ly, from the well of emotions he had on tap that made him the greatest American composer. The result is some of the rawest, darkest, most emotionally intense music I have ever heard. Buy it!"
Perfect music
Felix Guerenabarrena | ondarroa, bizkaia Euzkadi | 09/19/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a proof that Ellington's composing skills rank up there with XX century's most brilliant musicians, both in the classical and jazz realms. According to the liner notes this music was entirely written by Ellington as a present for the Queen of England. It is a music that shines for its sheer beauty. Perhaps it is less swinging than some other jazz pieces, but it is so enchanting that anyone with ears will be thrilled by it. Don't hesitate to buy this CD since it is a remastered version of a previous release. The remastering is most evident in the Queen's suite, as now most of the hiss has been removed and the instruments sound sharper than ever. We should feel blessed for being able to listen to these masterpieces."
I never knew about this, still I was stunned
freereign | Ocean of Corn, MN | 11/12/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard the "back story" of this music, I just picked this out of the used record bins at the sight of the name Ellington. I just put it on one day while composing emails, and I was simply stunned. I'm no jazz expert, no music theorist who can tell you a d flat minor from a G major, I just like what I hear. I learned a little about Ellington's genius years ago and he's never let me down, even though I haven't felt a need to study his music. I just let it happen and you very likely can do the same."