Search - Duke Ellington :: Popular (24bt)

An acquired taste

Neil L. Inglis | Bethesda, Maryland USA | 12/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A glorious burst of inspiration from late-period Ellington. This means "approach with caution" -- my junior school science teacher, a devout Ellington fan, heard a live gig from the orchestra at around the same time and walked out halfway through in despair. Indeed, on this album the recordings take some getting used to, as the arrangements are not the more approachable blends of previous decades, but spiked with modernistic touches. Hodges, Williams, and Brown are still on form to show what made them such peerless soloists -- Brown's two standout tracks are, for my money, his finest moments on disc. Hodges' glorious solo on "Got it bad" -- slurred, yet bracing -- is a jolt for those who remember the vocal version with I. Anderson as the singer from the 1940s (which is also indispensable, but in an entirely different way). Spend time with this album and it will penetrate your psychic DNA. But one listening isn't nearly enough."

Wonderful music on good equipment

Lawrence J. Gubas | Las Vegas | 01/04/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this on record many years ago and I fell in love with the higher fidelity that it offered and the new variations on wonderful old themes. After 40+ years this session still sounds great. The band and soloists are wonderful and while it is not identical to the earlier sessions, it is just as fresh as can be. Highly recommended."