Nimbus has been picking
up MusicMasters’ catalogue and restoring
some highly diverting things to the
catalogue. This one is a case in point.
Maurice Peresss and the American Composers
Orchestra are joined by some elite soloists
to set down estimable recordings of
four of Duke Ellington’s suites - two
well known and two markedly less so.
The best known of the
quartet, Black, Brown and Beige,
has been orchestrated by Peress. We
can hear what has to be the baritone
saxophone of Joe Temperley in this one,
whose evocation of Harry Carney is appropriate
yet manages to retain total tonal independence
of the illustrious model. Temperley
– and Eugene Moye, the cello principal
of the orchestra and Walt Weiskopf,
the alto player in the orchestra – are
not mentioned on the jewel box credits
but they are noted in the booklet. Richard
Chamberlain cleaves closer to Tricky
Sam Nanton in his role and altoist Frank
Wess, very much his own man, takes the
Johnny Hodges role. It’s true that the
orchestral garb can somewhat blunt the
pungency of the Ellington scoring but
this alternative look at one of Ellington’s
most impressive, albeit most contentious,
scores is splendidly realised on its
own terms.
Three Black Kings
was once written off by James Lincoln
Collier – himself no stranger to controversy
– as "movie music." What I
think got to Collier was the rather
generic, piecemeal quality of this ballet
suite. Ellington’s three songs here
were King of the Magi, King Solomon
and Martin Luther King and the soloist
is Jimmy Heath on tenor and soprano
saxophones. There are some feints toward
the exotic East and everything – not
least Heath’s articulate playing – is
exceptionally pleasant. But I’m with
Collier here – the music lacks real
distinction; it’s fluent but melodically
uninvolving and strangely naïve
for Ellington. It’s no great surprise
to realise that it was left incomplete
on Ellington’s death.
New World A-Comin’
is like Black, Brown and Beige
another wartime work, again heard here
in Peress’ revision. Roland Hanna takes
the Ellingtonian piano part, which has
been transcribed from the 1943 concert
performance; Hanna though improvises
the final cadenza. There’s also an excellent
solo from clarinettist Stephen Hart.
Finally there is Harlem – for Jazz
Band and Orchestra perhaps the most
impressive, because the most sheerly
integrated, of all. There is a stellar
quartet of soloists to attend this one
and they play with tremendous awareness
and control. The seamless quality of
Harlem is certainly apparent
in this tremendous performance – the
variety of moods and textures; the stylistic
variety; and that drum solo, played
with verve by Butch Miles. And to have
alongside you, Jon Faddis, Ron Carter
and clarinettist Bill Easley is no bad
thing.
The recording quality
back in 1989 was – and remains – first
class and we also have the advantage
of Peress’s own sleeve notes. Symphonic
Ellington strides confidently in this
re-release.
Jonathan Woolf
for details
Frank Wess (alto saxophone); Richard Chamberlain
(trombone); Jimmy Heath (tenor and soprano
saxophones); Roland Hanna (piano); Stephen
Hart (clarinet); John Faddis (trumpet);
Bill Easley (clarinet); Ron Carter (bass);
Butch Miles (drums) 
