DUKE ELLINGTON — Ellington Indigos (review)

DUKE ELLINGTON — Ellington Indigos album cover Album · 1958 · Big Band Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
js
This isn’t the most adventurous album you will find by Ellington, maybe Columbia was on him to generate some cash as this is mostly mellow ballads possibly for background music, but I certainly wouldn’t lower this to the level of ‘easy listening’. As usual, Ellington’s orchestrations are just incredible, absolutely no one gets the sound out of an orchestra that he does. Likewise the players on here are tops and all the melodic horn solos carry the charismatic flavor of jazz at this time. Of particular note is Johnny Hodges sax melody on the soulful ‘Prelude to a Kiss‘.

Despite the album having a certain mellow mood, Ellington still can not resist the urge to experiment. The version of ‘Autumn Leaves’ on here is odd and abstract as trumpeter Ray Nance takes up the violin and improvises the melody against stark low pedal tones in the brass until vocalist Ozzie Bailey enters to a similar accompaniment. Possible the oddest arrangement of this old standard ever.

This album may be slightly commercial, but it still has that Ellington magic and his soloists play with that relaxed swing and provide heavily nuanced solos that no one today can seem to imitate. If you like Ellington in a mellow mood you will probably enjoy this one.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Hackensack West Pop/Art Song/Folk
ANTHONY WILSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Golem & Other Tales World Fusion
SAM REIDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Room for Dancing Latin Jazz
JOHN CRAWFORD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through the Passages Vocal Jazz
NANCY ERICKSON LAMONT
Buy this album from MMA partners
Frank Gratkowski & Ensemble Modern : Mature Hybird Talking Third Stream
FRANK GRATKOWSKI
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

"Miles Between" // by Shawn Schlogel & Nancy Erickson Lamont
NANCY ERICKSON LAMONT
js· 22 minutes ago
Mature Hybird Talking
FRANK GRATKOWSKI
js· 1 day ago
Perspective (Peace & Love)
ISAIAH COLLIER
js· 2 days ago
T-SQUARE 45th Anniversary Celebration Concert & Tour 2023 @Zepp Nagoya ?CLIMAX?
T-SQUARE
js· 2 days ago
Cravo E Canela (Cloves & Cinnamon)
LEE RITENOUR
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed