Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Duke Ellington; Rosemary Clooney (vocals). | | There are certain songs in the world ("Satin Doll," and "Mood Indigo" for example) that have become so much a part of the cultural vocabulary that it's easy to forget who wrote them. This handful of fine recordings from the supreme master of orchestral jazz arrangement serves as a reminder that Duke Ellington was not only a gifted bandleader, musician, and one of America's great musical ambassadors, but a great composer to boot. It's hard to resist a sigh of satisfaction as the band downshifts to the beautifully easy swing of "Solitude," or to stop toes from tapping during "Things Ain't What They Used To Be." | | The listeners' feelings about Rosemary Clooney (whose timbre is rich and sweet but whose delivery is unremittingly straightforward) may influence their estimation of the album, since she is featured on four of the album's ten tracks, including "Sophisticated Lady" and "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing." However, the sensual, snake-charmer saxophone melody of "Prelude to a Kiss" is difficult to resist against any odds. These tracks confirm the Duke's rightful place in the aristocracy of jazz. |
Musical Guests | | Rosemary Clooney |
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