The Orwell Conundrum: A Cry of Despair or Faith in The Spirit of Man？

With a small jazz scene to recruit from, and no funding in the early years, Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith has turned his country's national jazz orchestra into a world-class outfit. This Duke Ellington-dedicated recording, captured on the road, ostensibly represents the band in a more conservative, classic-repertory guise (they're just as adept at contemporary music or original material). But it's an exhilarating re-enactment of Ellington's gigs, right down to the stage setup, and a spontaneous celebration rather than a routine run-through of famous material. Smith got his players to memorise many of the parts so they could bounce off Ellington's directions without anxious glances at the map. Moreover, Smith decided to select music from Ellington's and Billy Strayhorn's canon from the 1920s to the 50s…