The Harlem Nutcracker — composed by Duke Ellington Billy Strayhorn David Berger — recorded by David Berger & The Sultans of Swing — "The Harlem Nutcracker" cast recording jumps with the fabulous swing music of "The Harl... more »em Nutcracker" dance production that tours nationally each holiday season. The new, original tracks by David Berger complement beautifully the included selections from "Nutcracker Suite" by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn to epitomize the timelessness of swing.« less
The Harlem Nutcracker
composed by Duke Ellington Billy Strayhorn David Berger
recorded by David Berger & The Sultans of Swing
"The Harlem Nutcracker" cast recording jumps with the fabulous swing music of "The Harlem Nutcracker" dance production that tours nationally each holiday season. The new, original tracks by David Berger complement beautifully the included selections from "Nutcracker Suite" by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn to epitomize the timelessness of swing.
"My family saw this performed live at The Brooklyn Academy of Music last year. My five year old daughter enjoyed it more than the classic version we had seen on stage just a few weeks earlier. We were very disappointed to find there wasn't a soundtrack CD out, but now there is. This is an excellent recording, by the same band that was performing at BAM. Outstanding."
A nutcracker that swings ...but still has the enchantment
mypetconcubine | Waianae, Hawaii U.S.A. | 08/05/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am afan of the play and i have the cd playing all the time. Than during the christmas holiday i saw the metro...perform the harlem nutcracker and let me tell you my entire family enjoyed it....it swings but it still has the enchantment of the play....this is a must have..."
Setting the record straight on Billy Berger's arrangement .
M. Fraker | Washington DC | 05/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As I understand it, Billy Berger was commissioned by the choreographer Donald Byrd, who wanted to create an evening-length ballet called Harlem Nutcracker. (As you may know, Tchaikovsky composed two scores -- a full-length Nutcracker, which is used in the evening-length ballet, and a shorter Nutcracker Suite. Ellington's jazz arrangement is of the shorter "Suite.") Donald Byrd used all of the original Ellington music, and commissioned Berger to fill in around it to create an evening-length work. (For the record, I have never met Billy Berger, though I do know Donald Byrd.) Thank you."
Buy the original please
R. Barics | SF Bay Area | 12/15/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"david berger's entire career is almost completely based on transcribing other musician's genuis - most notably Duke Ellington. to any of those who think that these are new "jazzy" arrangements of the nutcracker you should be interested in picking up the original, scored and arranged by Ellington and Strayhorn on a CD entitled "Three Suites". dont get me wrong - his band is good and he has some very accomplished musicians - but c'mon now - you really need to go with the Duke on this one."