Duke Ellington Jazz Piano Solos

Blues in Orbit lacks the intellectual cache of the suites and concept pieces that loomed large in Ellington's recordings of this period, but it's an album worth tracking down, if only to hear the band run through a lighter side of its sound - indeed, it captures the essence of a late-night recording date that was as much a loose jam as a formal studio date, balancing the spontaneity of the former and the technical polish of the latter. Ellington and company were just back from a European tour when the bulk of this album was recorded at one after-midnight session in New York on December 2, 1959 - the arrangements had to be hastily written out when the copyist failed to appear for the gig…

Duke Ellington was so brilliant as a bandleader, arranger and composer that sometimes his piano playing was taken for granted. He gave few solo concerts in his career, which makes this particular Music Masters disc something special. At a 1964 appearance before the New York chapter of the Duke Ellington Society, the pianist played several trio numbers ("Take the 'A' Train," "Satin Doll," "Caravan," a drum showcase and a "Blues Medley") with his bassist Peck Morrison and drummer Sam Woodyard. There is also a joyous feature for Willie "The Lion" Smith (Duke's biggest influence) on "Carolina Shout," a remake of the Ellington-Billy Strayhorn piano duet "Tonk," and (best of all) four unaccompanied Ellington solos which are generally thoughtful and moody. This set is a must for Duke Ellington collectors.

This 13-song, mid-priced compilation covers material dating from "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me," cut on March 8, 1935 to "Mood Indigo" from March 31, 1964. The contents include concert versions of "Take the 'A' Train" and "Satin Doll" from the All-Star Road Band releases; the 1940-vintage "Stormy Weather" (previously in print on the double-album Duke Ellington Presents Ivie Anderson); "Autumn Leaves" with Ozzie Bailey on vocals; a pair of cuts ("St. Louis Blues," "Body and Soul") off the otherwise unavailable Cosmic Scene LP, and "I Can't Get Started" from the until-recently unavailable Piano in the Foreground album…

Duke Ellington was widely recorded in concert over his many decades in jazz, but the discovery of a previously unreleased live tape from 1950, in surprisingly listenable fidelity, is still an occasion worthy of applause. Of course the mere surfacing of the recording wouldn't mean a thing if it didn't have that swing, and this set does indeed. Accompanied by a relatively small group consisting of trumpeter Ray Nance (who also sings), clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Jimmy Hamilton, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, bassist/bass clarinetist Harry Carney, both Sonny Greer and Butch Ballard on drums, and Ellington's longtime co-writer Billy Strayhorn also on piano, plus the vocalist Kay Davis, Ellington is in fine form throughout…

Blues in Orbit is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the Columbia label in 1959 and released in 1960.