Trouble describing a great performer

Press, 29 February 1984, Page 14

Trouble describing a great performer

Jazz review by

ALLAN FRANCIS

LEGENDARY DUKE ELLINGTON. 18 Legendary Performances. CBS CSP 168. Sleeve writers would have been hard-pressed to find new titles for record covers if the terms “legendary,” “immortal” or “greatest” had not been invented. With a composer the stature of Duke Ellington, when is any performance anything but immortal or legandary — especially now that he died in the early 70s? Having given this one the choice tag it deserves, the sleeve writer then left the rest to the collector’s imagination. There are no recording dates, no personnel listings and there are two serious misprints. Billy Strayhorn’s masterpiece, “Take the A Train,” and the Duke’s own little fantasia, “C Jam Blues,” are listed as “composer unknown.”

It seems that most of the tracks on this generous issue are taken from about 1957 or 1958 as some are already listed on the album CBS SBP 473551 (“Greatest Hits”), which are in turn taken from various other • compilations. What makes this one truly distinguished is the inclusion of a few tracks which are not from the Duke’s pen, namely “Sunny Side of the Street,” “How High the Moon,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” and “I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love with Me” plus a few lesserknown works of the Duke which do not appear as regularly as most. Even the hardy annuals are interesting though, with the 1956 version of “A Train” and Betty Roche providing the listener with yet another of the Duke’s infinite variations, “Satin Doll” from 1958, “Mood Indigo” from 1957, and a pungently atmospheric “Creole Love Call” with an unlisted female vocalist.

I suspect that Al Kibbler provides the laid back vocals on “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” but no-one would know for sure — except the musicologists. Yet another incognito female vocalist appears on the tongue-in-cheek “The Greatest There Is,” one of the Duke’s lesser-played pieces.

As with Mary Poppins, the Duke has managed to write some eminently satisfying jazz out of a few standards which might otherwise not have tempted many jazz buffs. His trademark is entirely stamped all over these somewhat trifling pops from the 30s and add further laurels to his unassailable genius. Other items of interest to this unusual party are: “New York City Blues,” “Eighth Veil,” “Boogie Bop Blues,” “Sultry Serenade,” “Good Woman Blues” and “On A Turquoise Cloud.” THE GRIFFITH PARK COLLECTION. Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and Lenny White. 6 tracks by the group. ELECTRA MUSICIAN label released by WEA. Any resemblance between this group and that headed by Miles Davis is purely accidental. Whereas Davis harks to no-one, Freddie Hubbard’s warm horn owes much to the strength and prettiness of Clifford Brown.

At least this could reasonably be claimed as the early influence whereas Chick Corea’s eclectic style reaches into jazz rock, classical or fiercely introspective but still influenced by Bud Powell and Horace Silver.

Corea is responsible for “October Ballade,” while

Lenny White wrote “L’s Bop” and “Guernica.” “Happy Times” is a typical Hubbard composition where the author alternates on flugelhorn and trumpet with remarkable dexterity. Joe Henderson’s tenor saxophone perhaps lacks the quality of John Coltrane or Julian Adderley, but it has moments of genuine inspiration where it rises above mere decoration. Of all the numbers recorded here, perhaps the only one written by an outsider, Steve Swallow, is the most significant. “Remember” is nostalgic without getting syrupy and is delicately phrased. As the intelligent drummer, Lenny White, is responsible for one third of the session — plus the liner' notes — it is essential to give at least that share of the credit to him. In conclusion, this meeting may not be as exciting as say, the Pablo recording of the Northsea Jazz Festival 1980 on 2620 113, but it has many fine moments and is good value.