Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognized as one of duke ellington s most important albums of the 1960s. He wrote thousands of works, composing popular songs, art songs, a wide variety of instrumentals, suites, symphonic works, movie and tv scores, and music for ballet all of a very high quality. The new testament duke ellington gave to evie ellington in 1963 was on display at the museum december 9, 2016, during the smithsonian jazz masterworks orchestras spirituality and jazz performance, part of the religion in america initiatives sounds of faith concert series. Only schools authorized by the ib organization can offer any of its three academic programmes. Duke ellington, american pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time.
Studio sessions, chicago 1956 such sweet thunder ellington indigos black, brown and beige duke. Apr 08, 2014 the tchaikovskys nutcracker suite rearranged by duke ellington and billy strayhorn duke ellington and his orchestra. Duke ellington and his kentucky club orchestra grew to a group of ten players. One of the originators of bigband jazz, ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in all of western music. Ellingtons reworking of griegs peer gynt suites including in the hall of the mountain king and his tribute to john steinbeck suite thursday are also among his better extended works, really. In tribute to dance chicagos 25th anniversary, the music institute is featuring new material this year, including. This nutcracker performance, curated by dance chicago, pairs the classical tchaikovsky and jazz duke ellingtonbilly strayhorn versions of the holiday favorite, performed by professional brass and woodwind quintets. It juxtaposes two versions of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite on the same disc. The nutcracker gets a chance to swing the new york times. The duke ellington house is a historic residence at 935 st. Charles osgood reports on the harlem nutcracker, a reinvention of the classic tchaikovsky ballet, reimagined by way of duke ellington and billy strayhorn.
This album featured tasty jazz versions of music by tchaikovsky and grieg, which i believe even classics lovers might enjoy as well, the only drawback lies in a few original dukelike numbers tacked on at the and which failed to hit the mark, and arent really worth listening to. On a night in 1960, legendary musician and band leader duke ellington, along with his collaborator billy strayhorn, decided to jazz up tchaikovskys christmastime staple, nutcracker suite. Duke ellington part 1 by duke ellington genre et sous style. But when i wrote sophisticated lady it took me 30 days, because i couldnt decide which way i wanted to go in the 17th bar. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognised as one of duke ellingtons most important albums of the 1960s. The orchestra played popular duke ellington classics as well as less known songs. Dec 03, 2015 the marquee at the apollo advertises duke ellington s nutcracker suite december 11, 2014 in new york. It opens with trumpet, playing blues sounds in f minor over the ostinato pattern, followed by a segment of 14 bars with some harmony. David berger and the sultans of swing jazz up the holiday season with a sample from duke ellingtons version of. Johnny hodges returns to dukes band after a 5 year absence and just blows everybody away.
Find duke ellington credit information on allmusic. Donald byrd choreographs the harlem nutcracker for donald. The band leader kept us entertained as he introduced each song sometimes adding a bit of humor. A piece with a jazz blues sound in f minor with an ostinato piano pattern, it has been cited as one of ellington s mood pieces. Duke ellington among other artists played a major role in the development of the harlem renaissance. Duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky the nutcracker suite. Liberian suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1947. The marquee at the apollo advertises duke ellingtons nutcracker suite december 11, 2014 in new york. Curated by dance chicago, this performance pairs the. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite. Echoes of harlem, also known as cooties concerto, is a 1936 composition by duke ellington.
Yet when the duke and his writing partner billy strayhorn first announced plans to take the classical ballet and perform a jazz version, even members of duke s orchestra expressed. The musical performance will take place december, 14, 2014 at the apollo. Duke, a master titlegiver, described the work as a concerto grosso for jazz band and symphony orchestra. Artist robert graham created a statue of duke ellington to honor the jazz greats contributions to the harlem music scene. Jan 15, 20 duke, a master titlegiver, described the work as a concerto grosso for jazz band and symphony orchestra. Duke ellingtons christmas gift national museum of american. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognized as one of duke ellingtons most important albums of the 1960s. David berger and the sultans of swing, duke ellington, billy.
The album was ellingons second 10 lp album and one of his earlier works on the columbia label. David berger and the sultans of swing jazz up the holiday season with a sample from duke ellington s version of the nutcracker suite performed by david berger jazz. The ensemble is austins first african american group to. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The acclaimed chicago jazz orchestra cjo will debut a new holiday music tradition in chicago when it presents duke ellington and billy strayhorns the nutcracker suite, a jazzinfused. The suite represents one of ellingtons early extended compositions and was commissioned for the liberian centennial. In a box of miscellaneous items in the duke ellington collection in. Duke ellington orchestra tickets, 2020 concert tour dates. Yet when the duke and his writing partner billy strayhorn first announced plans to take the classical ballet and perform a jazz version, even members of dukes orchestra expressed.
Highlights include what may be hodges most seductive, sensual solo ever on prelude to a kiss, and an incredibly salty, greasy blues solo on long time blues, which shows why b. Cottontail 1940 and harlem airshaft 1940, ellington embarked on more expansive pieces, including such sweet thunder 1957 and the nutcracker suite 1960, that stretched the boundaries. The suite represents one of ellington s early extended compositions and was commissioned for the liberian centennial. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite 1960. The nutcracker suite duke ellington album wikipedia. Join the dance theatre of harlem school for its annual holiday delight. Duke ellington was the true master of the big band era, although a lot of benny goodman followers might disagree. David berger and the sultans of swing, duke ellington, billy strayhorn, david berger, pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky harlem nutcracker music. The tchaikovskys nutcracker suite rearranged by duke ellington and billy strayhorn duke ellington and his orchestra. Johnny hodges returns to duke s band after a 5 year absence and just blows everybody away. Solitude in 20 minutes in chicago, standing up against a glass enclosure, waiting for another band to finish recording. The nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The harlem nutcracker dance critics choice chicago reader.
A colorful interpretation of a holiday classic set to the music of duke ellington s the nutcracker suite. Apartment 4a in this apartment house was the home of duke ellington 18991974, the noted african american composer and jazz pianist, from 1939 through 1961. Use our guide to find the nutcracker in nyc in 2019. This set came about, in part, as a result of ellingtons signing to frank sinatras reprise label in november 1962, with the ending of his exclusive contract to columbia. Ballet afrique presents duke ellingtons the nutcracker. Duke ellingtons jazz interpretations of the nutcracker tickets.
The great chicago concerts musicmasters jazz, 1946. December 2, 1938 billy strayhorn meets duke ellington at the stanley theater, where ellington was performing with his orchestra. As part of the great migration, jazz legend duke ellington moved from washington d. Six numbers from the three paris dates were initially edited and released by reprise as part of the tensong duke ellingtons greatest, but the bulk of the performances from those shows didnt surface until many years later. Nutcracker is set to the music of tchaikovsky and duke ellington. Trumpets, saxes, flutes, trombones, piano and drums outstanding musicians and music. Donald byrds the harlem nutcracker hails from new york, where the full version was first performed in 1996. Edward kennedy duke ellington april 29, 1899 may 24, 1974 was an american composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death over a career spanning more than six decades born in washington, d. The billy taylor trio, plus ellington s nutcracker suite.
Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. The nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1960 featuring jazz interpretations of the nutcracker by tchaikovsky, arranged by ellington and billy strayhorn. Nutcracker ballet nyc dance shows for the 2019 holidays time out. One of the originators of bigband jazz, ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in. This album featured tasty jazz versions of music by tchaikovsky and grieg, which i believe even classics lovers might enjoy as well, the only drawback lies in a few original duke like numbers tacked on at the and which failed to hit the mark, and arent really worth listening to. Apr 25, 2020 duke ellington, american pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time.
In 1996 berger collaborated with choreographer donald byrd to create the harlem nutcracker, a full. It was listed on the national register of historic places as a national historic landmark in 1976. The nutcracker suite duke ellington credits allmusic. The billy taylor trio, plus ellingtons nutcracker suite. The liberian suite was released on cd as bonus tracks. He was a jazz artist who played with a big band in popular clubs such as the cotton club. Duke ellington and the harlem renaissance the year of. Split between a pair of separate concerts that took place in chicago, this twocd release of mostly previously unissued material features such top soloists as trumpeters taft jordan, cat anderson, harold shorty baker and ray nance, trombonist lawrence brown, altoist johnny hodges, clarinetist. The 1946 duke ellington orchestra is heard in superior form throughout this highly recommended set.
One of duke ellingtons most delightful adaptations of another composers material is his reworking of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite into jazz. Watch the full performance at the smithsonian jazz facebook page. One of the greatest composers of the 20th century, and the leader for 50 years of a band that became the greatest of all jazz orchestras. Duke ellington presents the nutcracker suite youtube. Duke ellington elementary school is an authorized ib world school with a middle years programme. David berger, the music director, has added an hourandahalfs worth of new material to the halfhourlong suite originally scored in 1964 by ellington and strayhorn, and he deserves much of the credit for the success of the harlem nutcracker. Ellington and strayhorns the nutcracker suite at studenaker. The duke at tanglewood is a live album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington fronting the boston pops orchestra conducted by arthur fiedler which was recorded at tanglewood and released on rca victors classical red seal label. A sweet duke ellington suite, is a tribute to duke ellington, the harlem renaissance pianist and composer.
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