Ellingtones and Coltranes
Events have conspired to keep me away from this blog the past couple of days. I've barely had the time to give the music the proper attention it deserved. Anyway, we're back.
The other day I concluded my Duke Ellington vinyl with mixed feelings: it was a happy week of listening indeed, but I also felt ashamed by my lack of some crucial Ellington recordings. Why don't I own a decent collection of his small group recordings? What about the middle period suites such as Such Sweet Thunder, The Far East Suite (my sources say get the "Special Mix" on CD--I'll look for that next month), and A Drum Is a Woman? I will! I will! You must understand, Record Buying Id, that a recent reduction in my work hours is going to result in some serious music budgeting...Yeah, sure.
Be all that as it may, the final two vinyl Ellingtons currently in my possession are The Latin American Suite and The Ellington Suites, which contains three works: The Queen's Suite; The Goutelas Suite; The Uwis Suite (this one notable for an Ellington band attempt to play in the polka style). The Latin American Suite is the stronger of the two records. Ellington being Ellington, he takes his impressions of a few Latin American countries that he had toured and gives his Ellington music a bit of south of the border flavor--in other words they don't transform into a bossa nova band. It's always Ellingtonia, no matter what spices are thrown in. My favorite tunes are the opener, Oclupaca, and the closer, Brasilliance, which features a slithery Paul Gonsalves solo.
The Queen's Suite is the most interesting of the three pieces on the Ellington Suites record. The Duke's tribute to young Queen Elizabeth (recorded in1959) is perhaps highlighted by his solo performance of The Single Petal of a Rose--a classic Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration). More Ellington to come when we get to his spot in the CDs.
And speaking of CDs: It's now time to make our second sweep through the discography of John Coltrane. We begin with a couple of his Prestige recordings--Lush Life and Black Pearls. I've devoted so much time to the glories of Trane's music during his Atlantic and Impulse! periods, that I forget how enjoyable his "sheets of sound" phase can be. It's 1957-58 and arguably only Sonny Rollins is a bigger hotshot on the tenor sax. Trane is kicking his heroin habit, playing with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, chasing the sound that will take him far into the stratosphere during this last decade of his life. He'll make music you can base a church on (The Church of St. John Coltrane, based right here in S.F.).
So, lets appreciate Coltrane getting it together, attempting to find the the right backing musicians for his solo excursions. Of the two recordings, I'm more fond of Lush Life, especially Trane's interpretation of the Billy Strayhorn title composition. Of course, Trane will go on to record a devastating version of this tune with vocalist Johnny Hartman (discussed a few months ago when we were listening to Coltrane vinyl). As far as the uptempo numbers on both records, Trane's getting there, but he's not there yet.
Upcoming: Much more Coltrane on CD and a consideration of three great Joe Ely records.
The other day I concluded my Duke Ellington vinyl with mixed feelings: it was a happy week of listening indeed, but I also felt ashamed by my lack of some crucial Ellington recordings. Why don't I own a decent collection of his small group recordings? What about the middle period suites such as Such Sweet Thunder, The Far East Suite (my sources say get the "Special Mix" on CD--I'll look for that next month), and A Drum Is a Woman? I will! I will! You must understand, Record Buying Id, that a recent reduction in my work hours is going to result in some serious music budgeting...Yeah, sure.
Be all that as it may, the final two vinyl Ellingtons currently in my possession are The Latin American Suite and The Ellington Suites, which contains three works: The Queen's Suite; The Goutelas Suite; The Uwis Suite (this one notable for an Ellington band attempt to play in the polka style). The Latin American Suite is the stronger of the two records. Ellington being Ellington, he takes his impressions of a few Latin American countries that he had toured and gives his Ellington music a bit of south of the border flavor--in other words they don't transform into a bossa nova band. It's always Ellingtonia, no matter what spices are thrown in. My favorite tunes are the opener, Oclupaca, and the closer, Brasilliance, which features a slithery Paul Gonsalves solo.
The Queen's Suite is the most interesting of the three pieces on the Ellington Suites record. The Duke's tribute to young Queen Elizabeth (recorded in1959) is perhaps highlighted by his solo performance of The Single Petal of a Rose--a classic Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration). More Ellington to come when we get to his spot in the CDs.
And speaking of CDs: It's now time to make our second sweep through the discography of John Coltrane. We begin with a couple of his Prestige recordings--Lush Life and Black Pearls. I've devoted so much time to the glories of Trane's music during his Atlantic and Impulse! periods, that I forget how enjoyable his "sheets of sound" phase can be. It's 1957-58 and arguably only Sonny Rollins is a bigger hotshot on the tenor sax. Trane is kicking his heroin habit, playing with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, chasing the sound that will take him far into the stratosphere during this last decade of his life. He'll make music you can base a church on (The Church of St. John Coltrane, based right here in S.F.).
So, lets appreciate Coltrane getting it together, attempting to find the the right backing musicians for his solo excursions. Of the two recordings, I'm more fond of Lush Life, especially Trane's interpretation of the Billy Strayhorn title composition. Of course, Trane will go on to record a devastating version of this tune with vocalist Johnny Hartman (discussed a few months ago when we were listening to Coltrane vinyl). As far as the uptempo numbers on both records, Trane's getting there, but he's not there yet.
Upcoming: Much more Coltrane on CD and a consideration of three great Joe Ely records.
posted by ken at 12:59 PM
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