Native newyorker and trumpeter mike lewis presents duke ellingtons nutcracker suite, featuring the mike lewis big band and pianist tommy james. Find album credit information for the nutcracker suite duke ellington on allmusic. Conductor david berger leads a fullscale ballet based on themes of tchaikovskys classic holiday piece the nutcracker, but this version is quite different from the original. The harlem nutcracker will be presented at the wiltern theatre next friday and dec. Mercer kennedy ellington march 11, 1919 february 8, 1996 was an american musician, composer, and arranger. Ellingtons band memebers were not so sure that a classical ballet could become a coolcat jazz number. Coarranged by billy strayhorn, this is a remarkable work by the ellington orchestra. This album featured tasty jazz versions of music by tchaikovsky and grieg, which i believe even classics lovers might enjoy as well, the only drawback lies in a few original dukelike numbers tacked on at the and which failed to hit the mark, and arent really worth listening to.
He wrote thousands of works, composing popular songs, art songs, a wide variety of instrumentals, suites, symphonic works, movie and tv scores, and music for ballet all of a very high quality. Duke ellington harlem air shaft by jazz and blues experience. Nutcracker miniature overture countryrock invincible czars duration. The bso will delight the entire family with the peanut brittle brigade and dance of the floreadors and a few old favorites too. On a night in 1960, legendary musician and band leader duke ellington, along with his collaborator billy strayhorn, decided to jazz up tchaikovskys christmastime staple, nutcracker suite.
The dances are to the music of duke ellington and billy strayhorns nutcracker suite, with additional ellingtoninspired interpretations of tchaikovskys score by david berger. 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 orchestra expressed. Here is the entire nutcracker suite by duke ellington. 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. Featuring brand new choreography from dcbased dance troupe step afrika. In 1960, duke ellington and billy strayhorn arranged a clever adaptation of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite for the duke ellington orchestra. The musical performance will take place december, 14, 2014 at the apollo. Duke ellington was the true master of the big band era, although a lot of benny goodman followers might disagree. Its a work that is reimagined by the composing genius. The marquee at the apollo advertises duke ellingtons nutcracker suite december 11, 2014 in new york. The nutcracker suite duke ellington credits allmusic. Duke ellington and his orchestra nutcracker suite 1979. Duke ellington and his kentucky club orchestra grew to a tenpiece organization, developing their distinct sound, displaying the nontraditional expression of ellingtons arrangements, the street rhythms of harlem, and the exoticsounding trombone growls and wahwahs, highsquealing trumpets, and sultry saxophone blues licks of the band. One of duke ellingtons most delightful adaptations of another composers material is his reworking of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite into jazz.
Its a challenge to transform the nutcracker suites romantic orchestra into jumpin jazz melodies, but thats exactly what duke ellington and his collaborator, billy strayhorn, did. The show will highlight the jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker as arranged by duke ellington, as well as many other ellington hits. Licensed to youtube by sme, wmg on behalf of milan records. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite. Artist robert graham created a statue of duke ellington to honor the jazz greats contributions to the harlem music scene. The show hasnt been performed anywhere in nearly two decades. Donald byrds the harlem nutcracker premiered in 1996 in new york. Duke ellingtons nutcracker baltimore symphony orchestra. As part of the great migration, jazz legend duke ellington moved from washington d. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognized as one of duke ellingtons most important albums of the 1960s. However this cd is very disappointing because 1 it is taken from a vinyl source you can hear the surface noise 2 the ending of the last movement is chopped off, and 3 there is only 31 mins of music on the whole cd cds take 75 mins with ease. Nutcracker suite is a work that most of us know from the christmas holiday, a ballet that as a schoolchild one had to see. Army blues duke ellington nutcracker youtube duke ellington and his orchestra. 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.
The new testament duke ellington gave to evie ellington in 1963 was on display at the museum december 9, 2016, during the smithsonian jazz masterworks orchestras spirituality and jazz performance, part of the religion in america initiatives sounds of faith concert series. Classical swing is a unique musical juxtaposition of the nutcracker suite by piotr tchaikovsky and the peer gynt. 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. Duke ellington drop me off in harlem lyrics genius lyrics. It juxtaposes two versions of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite on the same disc. Duke ellington duke ellington the best of by classic. His father was duke ellington, from whose musical shadow he rarely tried to travel. This is some of the greatest music of the suites written or in this case, arranged by ellington and strayhorn. Friends university presents 2019 ellingtons nutcracker. Ellingtons nutcracker will be set to a live jazz band playing the duke ellington orchestras composition. The friends university ballet department will once again present the jazz version of a holiday favorite, ellingtons nutcracker. Complete your duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky collection. This isnt the actual story version but how ellington actually decided to write his version there are story versions with africanamerican characters using duke ellingtons music available not sure where. Duke ellington, american pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time.
A 1959 promo video for duke ellingtons version of the nutcracker suite, featuring paul gonsalves, butter jackson, and ray nance. Duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky the nutcracker suite. Drop me off in harlem any place in harlem theres someone waiting there who makes it seem like heaven up in harlem i dont want your dixie you can keep. The nutcracker suite duke ellington album wikipedia. Watch the full performance at the smithsonian jazz facebook page. The duke plays ellington capitol capitol universal.
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