Duke With a Difference

Clark Terry | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 3, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wea Corp
• ASIN: B000000YCU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,363 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. C Jam Blues

2. In a Sentimental Mood

3. Cotton Tail

4. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)

5. Mood Indigo

6. Take the "A" Train

7. In a Mellow Tone

8. Come Sunday

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A septet of veteran Ellingtonians manage to find a new vibe, February 5, 2009

By 

Matthew Watters (Vietnam) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duke With a Difference (Audio CD)

The other reviewer is actually quite right, although the comments are a bit telegraphic. The "difference" of this album from other Ellington small unit sessions is the presence of vibes instead of piano. The album is really a piano-less septet session of Ellingtonians from September 1957, with two tracks from a June 1957 session added on to bring the length of the LP up. These two tracks really just serve to detract from the vision of what Terry was trying to do here, however, as they feature Strayhorn on piano and, on "In a Sentimental Mood", a disturbingly operatic vocal by Marian Bruce. The September tracks, on the other hand, are all top-notch, and "Mood Inigo" is definitely the stand-out track. Note how Johnny Hodges, who has probably improvised on this material thousands of times, adjusts his approach to the sort of otherworldy atmosphere the vibes give to the tune. Hodges finds yet another beautiful new way to solo on "Mood Indigo". Throughout, the only player who doesn't make these adjustments to the small-group, piano-less setting is drummer Sam Woodyard. He doesn't do anything wrong; he just gives the same cymbal-riding, swing-oriented performance he would have with the Ellington band. I can only imagine how much more amazing this album would have been with a drummer with a different conception, like Art Blakey, for instance. A nice set, still, for fans of Terry, Hodges and Paul Gonsalves, who all get nice solo turns. Just program the CD to skip the two June tracks. They don't fit in here at all.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible, full of sensibility., January 13, 2009

By 

Dani Alonso "Dani Alonso" (Barcelona, Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duke With a Difference (Audio CD)

It's a Wonderful recording. It's one of my favourites, a Cd to remember all your life.

The ballad Mood Indigo is magnificient, with Hodges, Terry, Gonsalves, Tyre Gleen on Vibes, and Quentin Jackson on trombone.One of the best ballads i have ever listen.

Wonderful arrangements for four horns.

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for a Mood Indigo like no other, June 11, 2010

By 

C. Morgan (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Duke With a Difference (Audio CD)

If you bought this CD and for some reason it was scratched and could only play Mood Indigo over and over again, it would be worth 5 stars. Johnny Hodges plays this Ellington standard as if channelling God, and Clark Terry gives a brilliant muted improv to savor like a piece of dark bittersweet chocolate. Dig this, and dig it again.