Black Brown & Beige [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 27, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1943
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000IMYC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,758 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 1

2. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 2

3. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 3 [aka Light]

4. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 4 [AKA Come Sunday]

5. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 5 [AKA Come Sunday]

6. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 4 [23rd Psalm]

7. Track 360 [Aka Trains][Alternate Take][#][*]

8. Blues in Orbit [Aka Tender][Alternate Take][#][*]

9. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 1 [Alternate Take][#]

10. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 2 [Alternate Take][#]

11. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 3 [Alternate Take][#]

12. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 4 [AKA Come Sunday][Alternate Take][#]

13. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 5 [AKA Come Sunday][Alternate Take][#]

14. Black, Brown and Beige, Pt. 4 [23rd Psalm][Alternate Take]

15. Come Sunday [#]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ellington at his Best, June 2, 2000

By 

James Stevenson (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Brown & Beige (Audio CD)

The idea of an extended jazz work more suitable for the concert hall than dance floor was nothing new, Gershwin had gone down that road in 1924 with "Rhapsody in Blue." But Ellington's "Black, Brown & beige," is light years ahead of "Rhapsody," both harmonically (listen to Ellington's orchestration of "Come Sunday") and in capturing that fiery spirit and spirituality which seemed to elude Gershwin. Ellington's band could swing with the best of them, but there is also quite a bit of extrodinary detail in this work. His orchestration is a sure-footed as anything you find in the works of his more classically-minded contemporaries (e.g Hanson, Piston, Bernstien or Barber) and certainly his melodic sense is similarly refined. It really shouldn't have come as any surprise that Ellington would venture out into the concert world; as far back as the early 30's he was producing works of astonishing complexity - look no further than "Ko-Ko" for proof of that. A great recording, essential to any student or lover of Swing - and that not even considering Mahalia Jackson's stunning vocals.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Official Portrait., July 28, 2005

By 

Steve Schwartz (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Brown & Beige (Audio CD)

Ellington's "Black, Brown, & Beige" ranks as probably his most ambitious work and the one in which he made his heaviest emotional investment. When critics mauled its premiere in the early Forties, Ellington more or less withdrew it. Fifteen years later, he brought it back, substantially reworked, and with at least two of the original movements gone. We get here a kind of Official Portrait of, in my opinion, a more interesting original, but it's still an extraordinarily beautiful work. Also, the Ellington band plays the bejeezus out of it. Ellington wanted Mahalia Jackson for the recording. She had doubts, but Ellington soothed her out of them. Good thing, too. Her "Come Sunday" (written especially for her) ranks as one of her most extraordinary, uplifting performances, and that's saying something. I also love the solos from John Sanders on valve trombone and especially Ray Nance on violin. Grappelli, eat your heart out!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Queen and the Duke: Three and One Half Stars, November 14, 2005

By 

saint james (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Brown & Beige (Audio CD)

Firstly, I want to address an errror in the songlisting: Mahalia Jackson does not "swear" on this CD. Where did that come from? On the title track # 15 (the track in question) Mahalia says; "Aww Duke, you finna (Fixing to) cut this too!?... Jesus." Who heard a cuss word in that?

Anyway, I have only heard of this project in Mahalia's and Ellington's bios. I had never had an opportunity to hear it until recently. The majesty of the Duke's arrangements are classical in their approach with a feeling of a sacred contata. At times while listening I was reminded of musical arrangements such as "Porgy and Bess". Duke Ellington's jazz flourishes are well represented and present throughout the sections they are more subdued and less prominent on the "Twenty-Third Psalm" and "Come Sunday".

At times the CD is difficult to listen to as a entire project. It lacks fluidity because it's divided in the way the CD is formatted. I would've preferred the project be presented with the sections that comprised the original release with the previously unreleased sections as an addendum. The additions are what sounds like rehearsal outakes or re-takes because of errors; as in once instance Mahalia's need to cough. My disatisfaction with the formatt does not diminish the commanding performances of the Ellington Orchestra or Mahalia Jackson's rich and soaring contralto. On the acappela version of "Come Sunday" she is absolutely magnificent. This was recorded during a period in her career where her voice was matured and at its most lucious. The bottom of her voice is deep and resonant. Her upper register is in the mezzo-sporano range; simply beautiful. Her characteristic mispronunciations and her pronounced New Orleans accent are the only things that keep this song from passing as an operatic solo.

This is jazz and the sacred at its pinnacle. A superb blend. I'm glad I made the decision to track it down and purchse it. You will too.