Customer Reviews

Ellington Suites

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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!

This review is an excerpt from my "So You'd Like To..." guide called, "Explore the Music of Duke Ellington: Part I."

In 1958, Duke Ellington agreed to appear at a musical festival held in England on the account of a chance to meet Queen Elizabeth II. At the festival, Duke Ellington was presented to the queen, and she reportedly conversed with him longer than anyone else. Charmed, Duke Ellington returned to the U.S. and, within a few months, composed The Queen's Suite in Queen Elizabeth's honor. After the suite was recorded at his expense, it was made into a single copy and sent to Buckingham Palace. For seventeen years, it would remain the only copy until the Duke Ellington estate released the recording two years after the Duke's passing, and we are extraordinarily previleged. Now issued on "Ellington Suites" along with The Goutelas Suite and The UWIS Suite, The Queen's Suite is a collection of compositions based on some of the beauty experiences in Duke Ellington's life. The first movement, "Sunset and the Mocking bird," was composed on a pretty melody that Duke Ellington once heard a bird sing. Jimmy Hamilton renders the major statement beautifully with his clarinet, while the Duke and Johnny Hodges also contribute brilliantly as soloists. Perhaps due to the suite's focus on aesthetic, the compositions are not especially demanding, but every minute of the suite is a pleasurable listen with many memorable moments. The fifth movement, "The Single Petal of a Rose," is a beautiful duet between the Duke's piano and Jimmy Woode's bowed bass. It is a reflective piece that Duke Ellington often played at concerts.

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 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.

"The Queen's Suite" is worth the purchase of this title. The remaining selections were written and recorded after the deaths of Billy Strayhorn and Johnny Hodges and show a marked lack of interest by Ellington.

"The Queen's Suite" is the most memorable work in this collection, and shows a respect for the Queen which she has rarely been given by other musicians. One of the more crass examples being the recent Golden Jubilee. Ellington offers up a lovely collection of vignettes that are most gracious and very entertaining. The Suite was written after his royal engagement in 1958, in which the Queen singled him out at the reception, apparently leaving him speechless in reply. Instead, he and Billy Strayhorn played for her a series of short pieces, which they eventually formed into "The Queen's Suite." The other two suites in this collection are also enjoyable, but don't have the same resonance.

This fabulous recording not only features the maestro himself on piano, but lots of other greats like Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, and Booty Wood. This is how his music was intended to be played.

Some of the pieces were not well performed, off key notes, orchestra not cohesive. Some pieces were energetic and strong as well as a really pretty piano piece by Duke Ellington which he played.