Fretplay.com Duke Ellington & His Orchestra CD reviews Duke Ellington & His Orchestra guitar tabs Duke Ellington & His Orchestra CD reviews Duke Ellington & His Orchestra tabs Such Sweet Thunder


Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Such Sweet Thunder Audio CD

A fair review of the Duke Ellington & His Orchestra "Such Sweet Thunder" 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 & His Orchestra reviews here, or go back to the Duke Ellington & His Orchestra tabs.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Band: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Title: Such Sweet Thunder
Rating:
Release Date: 2008-03-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Such Sweet Thunder 2: Sonnet for Caesar 3: Sonnet to Hank Cinq 4: Lady Mac 5: Sonnet in Search of a Moor 6: Telecasters 7: Up and Down, Up and Down (I Will Lead Them Up and Down) 8: Sonnet for Sister Kate 9: Star-Crossed Lovers 10: Madness in Great Ones 11: Half the Fun (aka Lately) 12: Circle of Fourths 13: Star-Crossed Lovers (aka Pretty Girl) [Stereo LP Master][#][*] 14: Circle of Fourths [Stereo LP Master][#][*] 15: Suburban Beauty [Master Take][*] 16: A-Flat Minor [Preferred Take][*] 17: Café au Lait [Preferred Take][*] 18: Half the Fun [Alternate Take][*] 19: Suburban Beauty [Alternate Take][*] 20: A-Flat Minor [#][*][Outtake] 21: Café au Lait (aka the Star-Crossed Lovers) [*][Outtake] 22: Pretty Girl [*]

Such Sweet Music
Duke's extensive knowledge of the big band and how it functions harmonically is quite breathtaking. This album by Duke Ellington, was quite amazing. This album shows how amazing jazz music can be if done properly. .


Out on a limb? The greatest Jazz album?


Simply, if there's one album I'd put in a time capsule that could teach distant generations what jazz is and how to play it - this is it. I've argued this is the greatest jazz album while conceding there are many perfect works - Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" at the top. Power, tenderness, bravado and swing. Each instrument is showcased by virtuoso artists. How do you play jazz violin? Trumpet? And Muted? Sax? Clarinet? Baritone sax? Drums? Bass? Piano (well, Ellington)? Compositions of genius. From this seed, the entire artform could be reborn. So if greatness serves these virtues as well as pleasure, I'm sure Miles would be okay with the silver medal.
.


Shakespeare would've loved it
Needless to say, it has the right take of Up And Down. Be jealous of me - I own CD Col 469140 2, which was an earlier reissue that I bought somewhere in Europe. . . Look for it! This is Duke and Billy's finest writing together - from the swagger of the title track, with its hidden references to Birmingham Breakdown and Jumpin' Punkins, and its use of Duke's "African" motto theme (check out Dance #5 from Liberian Suite) to the very particular decadent elegance of Lady Mac (note the use of Procope's alto). And then one of Duke's very best usages of Clark Terry in that great piece of musical humor, Up And Down, and his best - ever piece for Cat Anderson, the stunning Madness in Great Ones - one of Duke's most "cutting edge" pieces (though I have to admit I don't love the climax - it feels a little overblown). It seems that no one but myself has ever heard some slight nods towards Gil Evans in this suite. Something in the very particular transparency of the scoring - the lightness of the brass writing. Some sonorities. . . I could see them feeling it. But whatever, this is a masterpiece. One should expect nothing less from Duke, although now that we're living in the age of Ellington hagiography, where (albeit brilliant) sketches like Afro - Eurasian Eclipse are treated like the second coming of Ko-Ko, I think the critical standard is a little low in general. But put that all aside - this CD is a triumph.


Ellington and the Bard
Most of the selections are inspired by a particular character (Othello, Caesar, Henry V, for example), and most feature the work of a particular band member.
This is Duke Ellington's suite in tribute to Shakespeare. SONNET TO HAND CINQ features Britt Woodman's trombone to good effect; LADY MAC, a waltz and one of the best tunes in the suite, has excellent Clark Terry work; CIRCLE OF FOURTHS, the only track that is taken up-tempo, has a good Paul Gonsalves solo. The most famous selection is STAR-CROSSED LOVERS and features Johnny Hodges on alto in a beautiful solo. Other musicians featured are Harry Carney on THE TELECASTERS and Quentin Jackson on trombone in SONNET FOR SISTER KATE. The music in this suite is introspective for the most part and highly personal; how connected it is to anything Shakespearean is up for debate. The better pieces are quite attractive; it's the kind of music Ellington hoped to be remembered for. .


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

Classically inspired, Such Sweet Thunder, also known as The Shakespearean Suite, is an intriguing work for those who have affinity toward classical music. The songs are dedicated to the characters from Shakesphere's plays, and some of the outstanding pieces are the solemn "Sonnet for Caesar" with its tragic ending, the delightful "Lady Mac" who enjoys a bit of ragtime, and Clark Terry's trumpet goes "Up and Down, Up and Down" as Puck who laughs at the world. Billy Strayhorn's "Pretty Girl" was adopted into the suite and entitled, "The Star-Crossed Lovers. " With its fluttering notes, the sudden opening by Ellington on the piano lifts the mind right up to the state of high drama and romantic tragedy. Paul Gonzalves plays the part of Romeo. Known for his sensuous phrases and the purest of tone, the peerless Johnny Hodges plays with all the love and heartache that Juliet feels. Ellington ends on the very same notes as the opening and, as Bill Berry in the liner notes put it perfectly, "It leaves one suspended. ".


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

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]