Duke Ellington - Such Sweet Thunder (22 tracks) +Album Reviews

Ellington and the Bard

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 03/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
This is Duke Ellington's suite in tribute to Shakespeare. 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. 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."

Shakespeare would've loved it

jive rhapsodist | NYC, NY United States | 05/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Be jealous of me - I own CD Col 469140 2, which was an earlier reissue that I bought somewhere in Europe. Needless to say, it has the right take of Up And Down...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."

Out on a limb? The greatest Jazz album?

D. Taylor | Reston, Va United States | 12/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

" I've argued this is the greatest jazz album while conceding there are many perfect works - Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" at the top.

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. 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.

"

Another huge disappointment

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 09/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"[The pictured Spanish edition finally arrived. Despite the advertising, it's not the Columbia LP version with CT/Puck's famous quotation at the end. The pressing otherwise is first-rate, with fuller-sounding piano in the mix than the Sony/Columbia reissue. Still, it's enough to make you want to strangle someone. Duke's discography is served so poorly in the first place, but here the crime is compounded because of all the self-congratulatory hype surrounding the release, a lot of tech talk (a stereo take was discovered and used instead of the original, different mono version) that fails to mention the damage inflicted upon the music itself by this unfortunate, counterproductive decision. At least in this European import we're spared Phil Schaap's essay along with the reminders (no fewer than three!) of a musical moment that the purchaser of either CD will discover is not present on the disc.]

I've ordered two copies of the Columbia/Sony CD and been disheartened in both instances. Arguably Duke's greatest work, "Such Sweet Thunder" is also especially useful for illustrating the essence of Ellington's genius, especially his writing for individual "tonal personalities," or instrumental "voices," as much as generic saxes, brass, rhythm. No where is the emphasis on the individual voice of the musician more striking than on "Up and Down," the piece inspired by "Midsummer Night's Dream." On the original LP, Duke assigns the role of Puck to Clark Terry, who literally makes his flugelhorn "speak" the words "Lord, what fools these mortals be." It's the most memorable moment on a recording rich with nuanced, subtle characterizations and complex ensembles of interacting dramatis personae.

Unfortunately, the Sony/Columbia reissue, despite lavish production values, numerous extra tracks, lots of scholarship, essays, archival research, etc., manages to preserve the "wrong" version of "Up and Down." Terry plays a respectable-sounding lick at the end of the tune, but nothing resembling the Puck-specific statement of the original. To make matters worse, the producers of the album show no awareness of their colossal gaffe, despite including two earlier essays (one from the original album) that single out Terry's Puck quote as a highlight. Instead the album makers seem so impressed with their discovery of stereo vs. monaural tapes, of tracks recorded with or without "ambient" sound, that the musical "content" all but eludes them.

Spanish reissues have come to the rescue on many occasions. Whether or not they do so again, I'll report back. If they fail, and if you no longer play LPs, you still must have some version of this essential Ellington work and may as well go with the Columbia/Sony edition (though because of the defect, I'd put ahead of it: "Three Suites" (including the priceless Ellington "Nutcracker") and "Ellington at Newport '56" (the most impressive job of digital restoration I've ever come across).

In the meantime, consider getting the old turntable back in shape. This is one of those rare examples of a vinyl recording that could go up in value. (Duke's "A Drum Is a Woman" is another.")"

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