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Duke Ellington - Three Suites Audio CD

A fair review of the Duke Ellington "Three Suites" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Duke Ellington reviews here, or go back to the Duke Ellington tabs.

Duke Ellington Band: Duke Ellington
Title: Three Suites
Rating:
Release Date: 2008-02-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Overture 2: Toot Toot Tootie Toot (Dance of the Reed-Pipes) 3: Peanut Brittle Brigade [March] 4: Sugar Rum Cherry (Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy) 5: Entr'acte 6: Volga Vouty (Russian Dance) 7: Chinoiserie (Chinese Dance) 8: Dance of the Floreadores (Waltz of the Flowers) 9: Arabesque Cookie (Arabian Dance) 10: Morning Mood 11: In the Hall of the Mountain King 12: Solvejg's Song 13: Ase's Death 14: Anitra's Dance 15: Misfit Blues 16: Schwiphti 17: Zweet Zurzday 18: Lay-By

ADAPTATIONS BY A PEERLESS GENT
These adaptations of works by Tchaikovsky and Grieg tend to get ignored by the jazz critics, and are probably deplored by the classical ones. This is a melding of two earlier albums, both recorded around 1960. Which is a pity, because the love affair between the two genres goes back a long way, think of Stravinsky and Ravel, for example. This was another attempt to bridge the gap, by orchestrating the Nutcracker and Peer Gynt suites for Ellington's orchestra. But whereas the Duke composed with his instrumentalists in mind, neither Peter Ilich nor Edvard had that advantage.

Of the two, I think Peer Gynt has the edge, mainly because the resultant textures are more keeping with the spirit of the music. Duke's attitude to the Nutcracker suite is more tongue-in-cheek, as witness his retitlings, but it's an interesting approach nevertheless. The filler is the Ellington/Strayhorn "Suite Thursday", which the band attacks with relish.
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Good for fans of Ellington, fans of the Nutcracker
But if you know someone who likes to have as wide a variety of Christmas music as possible, get them this. I'm not much on jazz, so I can't really comment on how it compares to Ellington's other work or other jazz. A large part of the collection is a bunch of renditions on the most memorable of the Nutcracker music.


What a great program
When you hear it you feel so alive. It is one of my most favorite programs by Duke Ellington. What a masterpiece! The program includes Tchaikovsky: Teh Nutcracker Suite, Crieg: Peer Gynt Suites Nos 1 and 2 and Ellington-Strayhorn: Suite Thursday (when you count it make them 4 suites though :-) - probably Math was not their strongest skill).

It is a great program I am sure you will enjoy. Buy it now if you did not do it yet :-) .


Epitome of Ellington
His music for Jazz Orchestra from the Nutcracker takes the music of Tchaikovsky to a new, modern dimension that will no doubt resonate with many the way the classical ballet music does not. Three Suites highlights the genius that is Duke Ellington. The music for Peer Gynt is all at once subtle, dramatic and at times, haunting. I am not a passionate jazz fan, but Ellington seems to reach beyond to bring even the more wary among us along on the ride. If you don't have any other work by Ellington in your collection, this is a pretty good one to start with.


Needs remaster/repackage treatment
The cover is also very cheep looking. First of all, this needs to be remastered the way "Blues In Orbit" and the rest of the new Ellington reissues are being reissued, with DSD transfer. This cd sounds good (although very shrill at some points, like movement three on nutcracker, but needs more spacing between instruments. Second, this will please begginer Ellington fans, more than the expierenced. This is hardly essential, although it has many moments. "Suite-Thursday", to me is the best suite here. I don't listen to Ellington/Strayhorn's work for interperatations, I listen to them for thier brilliant original compositions. "Suite Thursday" is the only orginal work here and therefore takes top priority. "Nutcracker" upon first listened, sounded dissipointing, but I am beginning to come around to the arragements. "Peter Grant Suite" strike me as much better than "Nutcracker". One of the best jazz clarinetist's, Jimmy Hamilton shines throughout the whole thing. .


You can see a complete list of all Duke Ellington discography, or go back to the Duke Ellington tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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