With musicological thoroughness, some crack musicians and the best of intentions,
John Lewis
leads
New York's American Jazz Orchestra
in 15 transcriptions from one of
Duke Ellington's
prime periods (1940-43), plus
"Rockin' In Rhythm"
from 1930. If you had not heard the originals, you would probably come away from these reinterpretations exhilarated, because
the AJO
does a scrupulously vigorous job. The soloists occasionally parrot the notes of the original
Ellington
ians but are also allowed at other times to go their own way, with tenor saxophonist/orchestra manager
Loren Schoenberg
taking on the mantle of
Ben Webster
with a light touch.
Lewis
himself appears on piano only in
"Bojangles"
and a freely adapted
;
Mel Lewis
drives the rhythm section expertly, if more flamboyantly than the style of
Duke's
Sonny Greer
. Besides standards like
"Take the 'A' Train,"
"Warm Valley,"
"Jack the Bear,"
"Concerto for Cootie,"
and
"Cotton Tail,"
there is also room for less-heralded but worthy swingers like the
ian treatment of
"Sidewalks of New York."
Still, although it is certainly true that the music is there in the score -- as a visitor to the sessions commented -- the unique timbres and blendings of the
orchestra are elusive as ever, although there are times (
) when the spirit almost conjures itself. If a choice has to be made between the originals and these reinterpretations, go with the originals, but the
AJO
versions aren't a bad second choice at all. ~ Richard S. Ginell