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In jazz camp this summer we were playing It Ain't Neccesarily So, which is 8 bars, and I slipped into 12 bar blues a couple of times. Hard to get that 12 bar feel out of your head sometimes.
Which reminds me of Falling Grace. Anyone know falling Grace? 14 bar + 10 bar? Everyone gets lost because no one thinks of 14 bars for an A section. It's a problem if you don't know the melody. If you do, it's ok.
.. I read about the Ellington bio by Teachout on amazon. I'm overstocked on books but please share any good anecdotes. A lot of rich folklore in Ellington's universe. I read "Lush Life" by David Hadju. Billy Strayhorn was gay in a time when one couldn't be open. Except for places like NYC. And Ellington kept him creatively employed. One time when he wanted to quit and forge his own career and name, Ellington lured him back(can't remember all the details) and sent him to Paris for 3 weeks (as I recall).
I'm sharing what I think are some mind blowing stuff by Mr. E's universe. I'm really partial to Al Hibbler. I have a theory that Strayhorn did many of his arrangements. Anyway please share some anecdotes.
Ellington w/Al Hibbler doing Old Man River This version blows me away. Notice how the lyrics are underscored at around 1:48 with the dissonant chords. And the really cool piano figures. And the chord at 1:58. I don't know if it's available commercially but it blows my mind. ...
Dave,
Coincidences abound! Here we are chatting about Ellington & Co. Last night I went to a benefit concert in support of The American Jazz Piano Competition. This was a jazz piano concert by Jeremy Siskind. I had no idea what to expect. He walked onstage and said he was going to do an all-Ellington concert! I said to myself – great, maybe he will do some of those wonderful but obscure songs like Reflections In D. Then he said – I am going to open with a song called Reflections In D. I was so surprised, I let out an inadvertent yelp! Great concert, BTW.
Never hear those recording of OMR before. Terrific!
Re Strayhorn: In prehistoric times I saw Ellington and his orchestra several times. I don’t remember seeing or hearing about Strayhorn at all, except that he was the composer of Take The A Train. But when YOUTUBE came into being, there was a pianist named VOLVOXBURGER (I have forgotten his real name) who posted a lot of jazz piano videos. One was of a song called A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing, by Strayhorn. He played it quite well and commented that it took a real genius to compose that bridge. I found a lead sheet and showed it to my teacher, who was not familiar with it, but immediately got very excited, raving about what a great song it was. The rest of my lesson consisted of listening to him play it, all the while muttering he was going to get his band to play it, etc. Anyway, ever since that, I have been on the lookout for Strayhorn songs. Lots of great stuff there.
If you really want an anecdote, here is the story about the words Ellington supposedly said as he fired Mingus:
Quote
Now Charles, I've got to tell you, I'm in a terrible bind. You see, on the one hand, some people find it difficult to cope with your occasional bad moods. These moods may seem mezzo forte to you, but some folks hear them as fortissimo, and call them violent rampages. I hate to say this, Charles, but these people want me to let you go. Can you believe it? But you know me, Charles, I am just not up to firing anybody, I'm much too tranquillo, too pianissimo. So, you see, Charles, my friend, I really need a way out of this terrible dilemma, and I'm hoping you can help me. You would be doing me a great favor, and I would be forever grateful for it, if you could see yourself clear to handing in your notice. I hope that's not too much to ask, Charles, considering our deep friendship and our mutual admiration.
Well, OK, that is my wild exaggeration of a story that was probably exaggerated to begin with, but I’m sure you get the point.
Love this stuff. Mercer Ellington, his son, said (quoted in "Lush Life" the Strayhorn biography) that Duke ran his business like a family and his family like a business.
When Al Hibbler quit Ellington (again from my memory reading "Lush Life") Duke scornfully said "Who do you think you are ? Sinatra ? Billy Eckstein ?" . To which (supposedly) Hibbler replied, "No, I don't think I'm either of them. But I do know I don't want to work for you anymore, you baggy eyed c***su***r".
He seems to have carefully crafted his band with people and tried to do whatever he could to keep them. One time I read a question to Duke: "how do you keep such a great band together ?" He answered "I pay them". He kept them on salary even when they weren't on the road playing. From what I read this was unusual with bandleaders. He supposedly at times used songwriting royalties to keep the band paid when there was no gigging.
The thing with DE was he needed the players he had in the band. Because he needed the personalities they brought to the band and not just the right notes.
One of the great Strayhorn tunes is Upper Manhattan Medical Group ..
Also 'The Duke Ellington Reader' is a great book! And Monk Plays Ellington is another great recording. Which brings to mind Earl Hines Plays Ellington (solo piano and seriously amazing!)
Here's the two latest Jam of the Week submissions:
I like your harmonizations Chris. Especially like the first 15 seconds or so of "Sugar".
Funny, but I ordered the Ellington Reader last night too. Something like $.30 plus $3.99 for shipping. For hardcover used library copy. I remembered that I have, and tracked down another book I had forgotten I have "Something to Live For...The Music of Billy Strayhorn" by Walter van de Leur. I randomly opened this book and read something about "Overture To A Jam Session" Parts 1 and 2. Searched on youbute and there they were. Some pretty forward looking music for mid-1940's.
I just recorded "Have You Met Miss Jones". I've been working on playing descending arpeggios It occurred to me it was something that turned me on musically and I wasn't doing them.Also did "Invitation". Having rotator cuff surgery Monday so I won't be able to play for several weeks.
Very nicely done Chris. Unique melodic ideas on this tune. Not easy to come up with something sensible on this I found. So I hardly play it. I think I mangled it at a gig once (or maybe the other players mangled it).
It's always a treat to understand how your ear has developed.
I just turned on the recorder and gave it a single try. This is a reharm (mine) of Silent Night -- Bossa/Jazz style. I was practicing for my Christmas gigs this week.
