- Audio CD (20 Mar 1999)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Universal Classics
- ASIN: B00002537L
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 197,157 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
From Amazon.com
Perhaps looking to renew his inspiration or maybe simply wanting to broaden his horizons, Duke Ellington began a string of collaborations in the second half of his career--whereas before that, his own band was stimulus enough. Whatever the reason, almost all of his collaborations succeeded at high levels, although none of his shared sessions are more intriguing on the surface than this 1962 date with the preeminent sax star of the day. In reality, the record amounts to "Coltrane Plays Ellington" (plus one Coltrane original) because the tenor man is the whole show--and what a show it is. Only Coltrane could be as "fiercely tender," and there's no better forum for his sensitive side than the music of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, who contributes the album's true vertex, "My Little Brown Book." The rhythm section alternates between Duke's and Trane's, each adding a different texture to the proceedings. Ellington is wise enough to appreciate the nature of the session, and he is quite content to feed chords in service of the young master--proving the old master's open mind and good taste. Hearing Coltrane seize "In a Sentimental Mood" is thanks enough. --Marc Greilsamer
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
One of the joys of the best jazz music is hearing great artists playing off each other. These two giants complement each other perfectly here. Coltrane's lyricism floats over Ellington's delicately textured piano playing to beautiful effect, especially in In A Sentimental Mood. An essential purchase for lovers of Trane and the Duke alike.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
37 reviews
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together.
27 Oct 2002
Format:Audio CD
Duke Ellington and John Coltrane are, individually, two tremendously influential and vital figures in the world of jazz who could do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. But when you combine their talents on record, then you have a recording that's not only music, it's also a piece of history. Though it's a brisk ride at 35 minutes in length, this collaborative effort brings out the best of both worlds during these seven tracks. "In a Sentimental Mood" is a stroke of brilliance: Ellington's angelic piano touches are set to Coltrane's velvet-smooth sax during this gentle number. It's a classic for the ages that must be heard to be believed. The tempo picks up in "Take the Coltrane," which has both in solid harmony. Few tracks can top the ultrasuave swagger of "Stevie," and the slow number "My Little Brown Book" has smooth touches which are underscored by Coltrane's light sax and drums by Sam Woodyard. A mastery of style, technique, and substance, this album is one of those must-have items that'll make your collection all the more complete.
Duke Ellington. John Coltrane. Two visionaries. One album. Who can ask for anything more?
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
There's only so much style and class to go around...
2 May 2002
Format:Audio CD
...and these two legends of their own time done amassed it all into this one 35-minute recording. A collaboration like this is, well, basically, the stuff dreams are made of. And this is the cool and calculated nightclub album that all the newly-open ears to jazz are looking for. When you take Duke Ellington, possibly the single most important figure in jazz history, give him a set list of his own classic standards, then have him handling all the piano parts and such, then place him alongside one of the most popular and rule-changing jazz ensembles of the day, the John Coltrane Quartet, headed by the inimitable Coltrane saxophone, as well as having Ellington's own bassist Aaron Bell and drummer Sam Woodyard sit in on the sessions. Ohhh, baby, you done mixed a drink that's gonna make everybody in the bar smile. These recordings are just purely respectful to the original compositions and masterfully-performed. When you hear John take on an old 1940s Ellington standard like 'In a Sentimental Mood', all them World War II veterans that were gettin' on in their years must've been proud of the young saxophonist. But, as most others have mentioned, absolutely nothing tops the interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's 'My Little Brown Book'. It will just absolutely move you to tears. It's cool, it's sophisticated, it'll make you sweat and the build-up and movement of the lines Coltrane plays go down perfectly. Even more perfectly when coupled with some cognac. This is just not something any jazz fan or Coltrane completist or Ellington historian, or whatever you are, should be without. I rank it among my Top 5 favorite jazz recordings, truth be told. So that right there should be enough to peak your curiosity.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Meeting of Minds
28 Dec 2000
Format:Audio CD
One couldn't find two more different artists stylistically than Coltrane and Ellington, but that difference emerges as a positive on this great release. Ellington's spare, understated piano offers a satisfying contrast to Coltrane's torrential tenor and soprano.
In fact, if you expected Coltrane to put his technique under wraps for this session, you're in for a surprise. To the contrary, this recording finds the saxophonist at his powerful best on "Take the Coltrane," "The Feeling of Jazz," "Stevie," and "Big Nick." Ellington frequently comps early in Trane's solos, then lays out while Coltrane rips away over bass and drums.
The concentration of Trane's solo statements is also satisfying on this release. There are no extended improvisations, a la the Village Vanguard performances. The brevity is in no way a minus. Each solo seems a perfectly formed statement; the sound is contained in a smaller framework, but that containment increases its power.
As usual, a ballad offers some of Coltrane's finest moments. "In a Sentimental Mood" shows how closely he and Ellington were in touch during the session. Coltrane honors the song and its composer with an attentive reading that draws attention to the song's beauty rather than to his own technique.
If I've said more about Coltrane than about Ellington, it's not to slight Duke. Coltrane merely stands out more on the release. Ellington's lovely soloing and comping add to the richness of the performance, and his taste is on display throughout as he seems to know precisely when to step aside and give his partner more space.
"Coltrane and Ellington" was released during a period of Coltrane's career that some critics have cited as a pulling-back after the controversy of his Vanguard recordings. If his performances on this CD were a pulling-back, then one can only regret there wasn't more of it. This is a great session, one not to be excluded from either your Coltrane or your Ellington collection.
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