曲目リスト
1 | Happy Go Lucky Local |
2 | What Am I Here For |
3 | Kinda Dukish/Rockin' In Rhythm |
4 | Perdido |
5 | I'm Beginning To See The Light |
6 | Mid-Riff |
7 | It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) |
8 | Main Stem |
9 | Take The 'A' Train |
10 | Lullaby Of Birdland |
11 | The Wailer |
12 | Dreamy Sort Of Thing |
13 | Lullaby Of Birdland [alternate take] |
14 | Harlem Air Shaft |
商品の説明
Amazonレビュー
Forget the misleading title: though Duke Ellington is heard with his orchestra on these reissued 1960 recordings--not with a trio, as on the exceptional companion release Piano in the Foreground (1961)--he is still very much the table-setter, the driving force, the pilot, the master framer on keyboard. Recorded in Los Angeles, Piano in the Background consists of remakes of Ducal classics including "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (both arranged by Gerald Wilson), and "Perdido" (arranged by Bill Mathieu). If there were occasions when that format resulted in mortal performances, the band is in upbeat form here, delighting in fresh charts that remake the songs via tantalizing introductions, offbeat rhythms and accents, and bold off-center harmonies. Bonus cuts include two lively versions of George Shearing's "Lullaby of Broadway," the Billy Strayhorn ballad "Dreamy Sort of Thing" (featuring the composer on piano and alto Johnny Hodges), and Wilson's bluesy "The Wailer." There's also a previously unissued 1961 version of "Harlem Air Shaft." --Lloyd Sachs
登録情報
- 製品サイズ : 14.27 x 12.5 x 0.84 cm; 108.86 g
- メーカー : Sony
- EAN : 0696998710726
- 製造元リファレンス : 696998710726
- レーベル : Sony
- ASIN : B0002J58P6
- ディスク枚数 : 1
- カスタマーレビュー:
カスタマーレビュー
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トップレビュー
上位レビュー、対象国: 日本
レビューのフィルタリング中に問題が発生しました。後でもう一度試してください。
Andres Merenghito, Willie Cook, Eddie Mullens, Ray Nance (tp); Britt Woodman, Booty Wood, Lawrence Brown (tb); Johnny Hodges (as); Russell Procope (as, cl); Jimmy Hamilton (ts, cl); Paul Gonsalves (ts); Harry Carney (bs, bcl); Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn (p); Aaron Bell (b); Sam Woodyard (ds); Gerald Wilson (tp); Juan Tizol (v-tb)
まず1曲目のHappy Go Lucky Localはエリントンお得意の「列車もの」である。Localだから今回は各駅停車ですね。まずこの曲で、音の迫力と鮮明さに驚かされる。ベースのしっかりした低音からトランペットの高音まで、ついこの間の録音といっても通りそうな鮮度の高さ。汽車が走っていく様子が目に浮かんでくるような、見事な作曲・アレンジである。
次の注目曲は3曲目。有名なRockin' In Rhythmに対するイントロとして、エリントンがコンサートで弾いていたのがKinda Dukishで、それをメドレーとして録音したらしい。昔大西順子というピアニストがこのオーケストラの演奏をピアノトリオ用にアレンジして演奏していたのを思い出す。そのアルバムのライナーのインタビューで聞き手が「テーマが出てくる瞬間、感じちゃうよね」といったら、大西が「本物聴いたら、もっと感じちゃいますよ」と返したという、その「本物」がこれである。やはり迫力があってカッコイイ。盛り上がってくると気合いというか、合いの手を入れるような声がきこえてきて、相当ノッていることがわかる。
他の聴きどころは、老齢ながら現在も現役で活躍している編曲家Gerald Wilson(当時はまだ若かった!)がPerdido, The Wailerの2曲でアレンジを提供していること。特にPerdidoは、すごくモダンでフレッシュな、すばらしいアレンジだと思う。
とにかくこのアルバムにおけるエリントン楽団のスイング感はものすごい。ベイシー楽団も真っ青、というくらい強烈である。ビックリするような大音量で聴いて欲しい。
他の国からのトップレビュー
The Ellington orchestra at their best, which is usually, made works of art. This is big band jazz, easy to take for granted, but it sounds as modern as yesterday, urgent as this morning`s headlines. There was a spectrum of colours, a panoramic sound to this orchestra that defies time and trends, transcending genre. This is, simply, great music. "World music" if you will.
This album is now over fifty years old. That the music is so stunningly good is no surprise, that it should sound so damn fine in its remastered form is cause for celebration.
The time-honoured medley of Duke`s wonderful cascading solo, Kinda Dukish, leading into Rockin` In Rhythm may not be quite as overwhelming as on The Great Paris Concert, but it`s just as irresistible. In fact it`s an exciting reading, followed by a madcap, edge-of-the-seat Perdido. Another thrilling rollercoaster number is Billy Strayhorn`s immortal Take The "A" Train, which closed the original LP. But, oh joy, we have five extras here, including Ellington`s fine Harlem Air Shaft. The Wailer is terrific too, with Duke`s always deft piano to the fore. Like Basie, his piano solos are rare and precious things - both men knew how to say a lot by saying not too much.
This reissue has been remastered within an inch of its life, to the extent that the band can sound a little otherworldly at times, but it really doesn`t impair the enjoyment of hearing such grandly eloquent, gut-bustingly uplifting music.
There`s so much intelligence in Ellington. Emotion aplenty too. His music can stand comparison with any other American composer`s, jazz or classical. But he never forgot to entertain, or to create multi-faceted, many shaded music, and he certainly never neglected to swing!
What a peerless group of musicians he gathered around him over the years. A fellow reviewer has listed the participants on this date, so I won`t. But it`s a roll-call
to which it`s worth paying tribute.
As his name implies, the Duke was jazz royalty. This is aristocratically, indefatigably, indisputably marvellous music, and, as the man himself might have said - I love it madly.
Listening to 'Piano In The Background' today as a CD I am surprised to find that the music still sounds as fresh and exciting as it did all these years ago. This CD is a must for all still existing Ellington fans.