Labor of Love

Vienna Art Orchestra - Duke Ellington's Sound of Love (1999) {TCB 99802}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 378 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 154 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 129 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1999 TCB Records | TCB 99802
Jazz / Big Band / Experimental Big Band / Avant-Garde Jazz

One might think this disc would focus on the more romantic side of the Ellington-Strayhorn catalog. But don't let the title fool you. Mathias Ruegg's large band gives tunes like "Red Garter" and "Smada" a playful, blasting treatment. Particularly noteworthy is the transformation of "Mood Indigo" into something of a drunkard's lament, with a deep, wobbling trombone line. It's a labor of love that some Ellington purists might find a bit appalling, but it deserves kudos for its new approach.