Duke ellington dance of the floreadores waltz of the. Ucs college conservatory of music presents a special seasonal treat at 4 p. Duke ellington, billy strayhorn, and the adventures of. In 1960 duke ellington and his orchestra recorded an album for the columbia label titled swinging suites by edward e. Duke ellington, american pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. I think bernie grundman tube cut if thats the right term piano in the background and foreground. This is the second time i bought this lost the first disc but had to have it back in my collection. In 1960, duke ellington and billy strayhorn arranged their own adaptation of pyotr ilyich tchaikovskys the nutcracker suite for the duke ellington orchestra. The hope college symphony orchestra and jazz arts collective will present a unique opportunity to hear two versions of a holiday favorite with sidebyside performance of the pyotr tchaikovsky and duke ellington nutcracker suites on thursday, nov. Ellington s sugar rum cherry for the jazzy holiday season. In 1960 the american pianist, composer, and bandleader arranged the suite with his collaborator, billy strayhorn, successfully reimagining tchaikovskys 1892 score into jumpin jazz. Its difficult to find mastering credits, etc on much that is currently available of ellington on vinyl. 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.
Enjoy our original retelling of ellington s remarkable adaptation of the nutcracker suite, brought to life with. Duke ellington audiophile pressings steve hoffman music. Production combines ellington s jazzy nutcracker suite and tchaikovskys classical composition. Duke ellington the nutcracker suite 180g lp elusive disc. Duke ellington and his orchestra nutcracker suite peer. From duke s nutcracker to a cynical carol, jazz for christmas american routes host nick spitzer calls in to chat with nprs david greene about noteworthy christmas contributions from some of. 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.
The queens suite is as beautiful and fascinating as the story of its creation, which begins when an american duke met the queen of england. Writing it was easy, it was finished in less than three months, but convincing the musicians of the idea was another matter. This album paired two multimovement compositions created collaboratively by duke ellington and billy strayhorn. Madison college jazz ensemble will open the concert with fred sturm and a beautiful arrangement of skylark by bob brookmeyer. The nutcracker suite cajkovskiellingtonstrayhorn, priredba j. Duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky the nutcracker suite. From dukes nutcracker to a cynical carol, jazz for. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognised as one of duke ellington s most important albums of the 1960s. This year, we present duke ellingtons nutcracker suite.
After the enchanting melodies of tchaikovskys colorful original delight you, well put a toetapping jazz spin on it with duke ellington. Rare christmas music duke ellington sugar rum cherry by. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite. Ccm jazz and musical theatre present duke ellingtons nutcracker suite nov. Ellingtonstrayhorntchaikovsky nutcracker suite act. Duke ellingtons nutcracker with duke ellington orchestra.
Ccm jazz and musical theatre present duke ellingtons. Duke ellington s nutcracker suite once upon a masterpiece by anna harwell celenza and don tate sep 25, 2018. First recorded in 1960, duke ellington and billy strayhorns jazz interpretation takes the russian composers classic, amps the tempo and makes it swing. 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. Ellingtons remarkable adaptation of the nutcracker suite is brought to.
Duke ellington presents the nutcracker suite youtube. Tchaikovskys nutcracker suite, which premiered the week before christmas in 1892, is among the most iconic works of art associated with the holiday. Few holiday pieces bring a bigger smile to audiences faces than the nutcracker, and were going to play it two ways. 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. The tchaikovskys nutcracker suite rearranged by duke ellington and billy strayhorn duke ellington and his orchestra. Marcus samuelsson miami miami overtown restaurants. Sme, kontor new media music on behalf of school of jazz records. Duke ellington, billy strayhorn, and the adventures of peer gynt in america 3 figure 1. Duke ellington s nutcracker suite once upon a masterpiece anna harwell celenza. Duke ellington, billy strayhorn and the adventures of peer. 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. 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. Nutcracker suite is a work that most of us know from the christmas holiday, a ballet that as a schoolchild one had to see.
I cant find it on spotify or youtube, so i bought the cd. Swingin nutcracker featuring the nutcracker suite by tchaikovsky 1892. This book tells in storyform how duke ellington was inspired to take tchaikovskys nutcracker suite and write it for jazz. This authentic edition of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite, as arranged in 1960 by billy strayhorn and duke ellington, was assembled from the original manuscripts held in the strayhorn repository and the ellington collection of the smithsonian institutions national museum of american history. Duke ellington it dont mean a thing 1943 by bretodeau. Coarranged by billy strayhorn, this is a remarkable work by the ellington orchestra.
Presented by university of cincinnati collegeconservatory of music ccm at ccms corbett auditorium, cincinnati oh. Ccm presents duke ellingtons nutcracker suite presented. The nutcracker suite is duke ellington and billy strayhorns masterful arrangement of tchaikovskys classic. Ellington strayhorn jazz nutcracker suite central washington university jazz band 1. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In 1960 duke ellington and billy strayhorn reinvented peter ilyich tchaikovskys holiday ballet classic, the nutcracker suite, as a jazzy, brassy melting pot of musical styles past and present, according to the new york times. Complete your duke ellington and his orchestra ellington. Duke ellington takes the classic suites of music from tchiakovskys nutcracker and griegs peer gynt and adapts them for the instrumentation and style of his own orchestra. Description featured in michael fremers heavy rotation in the july 2009 issue of stereophile. While performing at the leeds music festival in 1958, composer, pianist, and band leader duke ellington was invited to attend the mayors reception at leeds civic hall. This orchestracentered concert features both ellington hits and the elegant and sophisticated music of billy strayhorn all sung by versatile tenor. Descriptionfeaturing 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. Duke ellington and billy strayhorn collaborated on some of the most beloved jazz standards of all time, including take the a train, satin doll and the legendary ellington strayhorn adaptation of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite.
The sugar plum fairy emerged as the sultry sugar rum cherry, while the dance of the reed pipes became toot. It takes such an instrument to handle the featured selection of thursdays concert, the nutcracker suite, in which jazz whizzes duke ellington and billy strayhorn re. I have just ordered steves mastering of duke ellington s nutcracker suite in plenty of time for christmas, i hope. A 1959 promo video for duke ellingtons version of the nutcracker suite, featuring paul gonsalves, butter jackson, and ray nance. 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 their doubts that the. He met duke ellington when he was 23 years old and began working with him soon after. Join the thompson jazz studies program for a joyful and swinging evening of the hippest holiday music ever. By describing peer gynts adventures in america, i am situating the ellington strayhorn peer gynt suites in its cultural context to expand listeners comprehension of and appreciation for the music.