Customer Reviews

Jazz Violin Session

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Duke made this recording back in early 1963 in Paris. Atlantic (the original label) didn't see fit to release it until 1977 (3 years after Ellington passed away). Let me tell you, it was one of the recordings that got me hooked on jazz. And to add insult to injury, the CD version didn't come out until 2004; what were record executives thinking? Anyway, it's finally here in CD form and it's great for lots of reasons.

For starters, the instrumentation: 2 violins, viola, piano, bass, drums, and with some brass on the 2nd half. Stephane Grappelli, Ray Nance, both on violin, and Svend Assussen on viola, handle the strings with superb ensemble work, accompaniment, and soloing. These guys prove that violins, violas, even cellos can swing with the best of them when they're in the right hands. It's also interesting to hear how each string player swings and improvises, but with a sound distinctive from the other 2.

Duke is right on tops of things directing the whole show from the piano chair. Ernie Shepperd, the bassist, provides solid bass lines and a wonderful syncronized vocal-bass solo, a la Slam Stewart, on Take the A Train, but he's humming and plucking instead of humming and bowing.

Lastly, there are combination of familiar and more obscure Ellington compositions in this collection. For those of you who know that Ellington is the greatest composer and one of the greatest pianists that America ever had, in any genre, this is an essential or near-essential CD to buy. Like all great jazz, it hasn't dated at all.

I've been looking for this CD for more than 10 years - I had the original vynil edition, and was already one of my favorite Duke Ellington recordings.

This album features violinist Stephane Grappelli, a legend of his own, who imparts a gipsy mood whenever he is present. It is amazing to hear his recordings with so many different people and genres, like Duke's (small version) band and other artists like Brazilian violonist Baden Powell.

Perhaps surprisingly, though, the resulting mix is very cool, as if both parties were looking for a common ground elsewhere, without loosing their own personnality.

To me, the recording of "In a Sentimental Mood" is the most beautiful and haunting I've ever heard - it starts with a violin solo, and Duke's "kitchen" (including himself at the piano) joins in the coolest way. If it's true that Paul Desmond (from Dave Brubeck's great quartet) managed to sound like a dry martini, this song is the closest to a sentimental mood you will ever get.

Curiously, this album was released after Duke's death. There is another terrific album, appropriately called "For Duke", made by Bill Berry and a great deal of Ellington's former band as a tribute for him, after he died.

Together, these two albums might be the best post-mortem tribute any musician might want, and even though I have many other albums by Duke Ellington, these two are among the ones I love the most.

I wouldn't mind if Ray Nance took his cornet out of the box on this one as well, but that's not significant...

He, S. Grappelli and S. Asmussen are marvelous fiddlers (the Dane plays viola, the other two violin), with Duke, Ernie Shepard (a wilder, Slam Stewart type of bassist, judging from some tracks) and Sam woodyard,
plus the gentle backup of P. Gonsalves (tenor sax), R. Procope (alto) and Buster Cooper (tb) on some tracks...
And Billy Strayhorn giving a hand on few tracks...
No wonder this is a winner, at the same time a part of Ellington pantheon of best albums
and an all-stars collaboration where Ellington clashes with other titans (NOT combatively as on "Money Jungle" album, but elegantly instead).

There are completely gently concieved tracks, there are few hard swingers and everything in between...
Recorded in Paris, this is a genuine jazz festival on one well-concieved and even better executed album. A must for all violin fans, Ellington fans, swing fans, mainstream fans...

BTW,
a strange fact;
on an excellent DVD-portrait of Grappelli, old and gentle violin giant mentioned that he never received his copy of this album... The interview was recorded, I guess, some 25 years after the album was made (and it was recorded in Paris in 1963)...

I thought anything The Duke produced was going to dazzle me. Not so. Guess I need to stay with the tried-and-true jazz standards,

DUKE ELLINGTON'S JAZZ VIOLIN SESSION is packed with musical treasure; my own favorite is "Pretty Little One," but every track is exquisite in its own way.