Edward Kennedy Ellington Part 2

by | Sep 13, 2024 | Audio, Big Band

On his first trip to Africa, Duke Ellington wrote a piece of African music for the First International Festival of Art in Senegal, entitled La Plus Belle Africaine. The video (above) was later recorded at the Ellington Orchestra’s Norwegian concert in 1969. My three part interview with Mercer Ellington (below) took place a few years ago … back in my radio days.

As son of one of the most important and prolific composers of the 20th Century, not to mention his prowess as an arranger, musician and bandleader, it now fell to Mercer to continue and enhance Duke’s legacy. While their relationship was sometimes contentious, Mercer’s love and respect are evident, even as he struggled to emerge from a giant shadow and establish his own identity. I was privileged to sit down for an extended interview with Mercer Ellington in his Manhattan apartment, with a big pot of coffee and a New York size platter of Danish pasties.  For two hours I received an intimate look at the father through the eyes of his son … revealing many of The Duke’s opinions, philosophies, and foibles. I hope you’ll find my visit with Mercer as fascinating and fun as I did.

Music Was Their Mistress Pt. 1

by Fred Masey | JS #019

Music Was Their Mistress Pt. 2

by Fred Masey | JS #20

Music Was Their Mistress Pt. 3

by Fred Masey | JS #21

Edward Kennedy Ellington Part 1

by | Sep 6, 2024 | Big Band

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was one of the most important creative forces in the music of the twentieth century. His influence on classical music, popular music and, of course, jazz can’t be overstated. His childhood friends noticed that his casual, offhand manner and dapper dress gave him the bearing of a young nobleman, so they began calling him “Duke.” Though Ellington took piano lessons as a child, he also loved playing outdoors. In his memoir, Ellington recounts playing baseball with his friends in Washington D.C., where he was sometimes visited by President Theodore Roosevelt on horseback!

On November 3rd 1969, Duke Ellington and his orchestra held a concert in Bergen Norway. Below are just three excerpts from that concert, which featured a band that was nearly a who’s who of jazz legends: Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Harold “Money” Johnson (t); Lawrence Brown (tb); Chuck Connors (btb); Russell Procope (cl,as); Norris Turney (fl,cl,as,ts); Johnny Hodges (as); Harold Ashby (ts,cl); Paul Gonsalves (ts); Harry Carney (cl,bcl,as,bar); Duke Ellington (p); Wild Bill Davis (o); Victor Gaskin (b); Rufus Jones (d). The first tune is the Ellington/Strayhorn classic, Take the A-Train, with a trumpet solo by Cootie Williams.

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, another Ellington composition which became a standard, features a sax solo by the great Johnny Hodges.

Rufus Jones was new with Ellington at the time, having earlier been the drumming force driving the Basie band. This brief solo, called Coming Off the Veldt, shows why he was also known as Speedy Jones!