Duke Ellington Billy Strayhorn - 1950 - Piano Duets Great Times! [@320]

Duke Ellington (piano)
Billy Strayhorn (piano, celeste)
Oscar Pettiford (cello)
Wendell Marshall, Joe Shulman, Lloyd Trotman (bass)
Jo Jones (drums)

* Release Date: 1984
* Type: Compilation (best of), Instrumental

*Reedit. 2008

      Este CD incluye reediciones de tres fechas de un inusual  combo de Duke Ellington. Dos de las sesiones cuentan con Ellington y su antiguo socio musical Billy Strayhorn  tocando el piano, asistido por Wendell Marshall o Joe Shulman en el bajo y algunas veces un baterista no identificado. El futurista "Tonk" es el tema más afamado, pero los ocho números (que incluyen "Cotton Tail" y "Johnny Come Lately ") son bastante fascinantes. El resto de la sesión cuenta con cuatro canciones que sirven principalmente para el lucimiento del violonchelo de Oscar Pettiford, del que se acompaña Ellington, el bajista Lloyd Trotman, el batería Jo Jones y, en dos canciones, el celo de Strayhorn, "Perdido" y "Take the 'A "Tren" son las más memorables. Intrigante música. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

        This CD reissues three unusual combo dates by Duke Ellington. Two of the sessions feature Ellington and his longtime musical partner Billy Strayhorn both playing piano (while assisted by either Wendell Marshall or Joe Shulman on bass and sometimes an unidentified drummer). The futuristic "Tonk" is the best-known performance but all eight numbers (which include "Cotton Tail" and "Johnny Come Lately") are quite fascinating. The remaining date has four songs that primarily serve as features for the cello of Oscar Pettiford who is accompanied by Ellington, bassist Lloyd Trotman, drummer Jo Jones and (on two tunes) the celeste of Strayhorn; "Perdido" and "Take the 'A' Train" are most memorable. Intriguing music. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

       These unique performances were recorded in 1950 and were originally released as 10-inch LPs. They were combined in their present form in 1964 on Riverside (475). Includes liner notes by Jack Maher.

Digitally remastered by Joe Tarantino (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California).

According to the liner notes, Leonard Feather got the idea for this recording from an elegant piece of party schtick in which Ellington and Strayhorn would play four-handed on a single piano. As recorded here, that piece, "Tonk," and seven others are not strictly duets, in that the pair of composers (presumably playing two separate pianos in the studio) are joined by a bassist. Still, one can see why Feather was charmed into preserving the idea on tape. "Tonk" is, in fact, an exquisite miniature, by turns stormy and whimsical, as if Rimsky-Korsakov and Rumpelstiltskin sat down to play "Chopsticks" for a silent movie.

       Elsewhere, the two pianists evoke a kind of relaxed, swinging telepathy, as on the rolling, four-to-the-bar "Bang-Up Blues," which exudes both ease and confidence. On "Johnny Come Lately" the duo conjures up the reeds and brass they would ordinarily have at their disposal. Four additional tunes round out this reissue; they are of a similar vintage but include Jo Jones on drums and feature Oscar Pettiford on the cello. Strayhorn plays celeste on two of these cuts.

         Includes liner notes by Jack Maher.

        Down Beat - "These are not 'immortal' performances and not meant to be, but no lover of Ellington will want to be without them."

Listado de Temas:

1 - Cottontail - 02:55 min.
2 - C Jam Blues - 02:59 min.
3 - Flamingo - 03:01 min.
4 - Bang-Up Blues - 03:08 min.
5 - Tonk - 03:00 min.
6 - Johnny Come Lately - 03:01 min.
7 - In A Blue Summer Garden - 04:07 min.
8 - Great Times - 02:57 min.
9 - Perdido - 02:58 min.
10 - Take The 'A' Train - 02:21 min.
11 - Oscalypso - 02:45 min.
12 - Blues For Blanton - 02:37 min.

12 Temas - Tiempo Total: 00:35:49 - 83,72 MB mp3@320
   

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