Gary Giddins on the Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (1976)

Abstract The posthumous works of no major contemporary artist have inspired greater interest than Duke Ellington’s, except perhaps for Hemingway’s. The ‘60s saw a stunning rejuvenation in Ellington the composer and the result was both a series of sacred concerts and the far more ecumenical suites based on geo graphical motifs. Three of the most ambitious and successful works issued on record during the last decade of his life were “The Far East Suite,” “Ad Lib on Nippon,” and “The Latin American Suite.” But there were other suites and extended works that have never appeared on record. Moreover, there were rumors of major pieces which Ellington committed to tape but never or rarely performed. It isn’t generally known what was preserved and what wasn’t. In the past, he had neglected to get studio time for “The Deep South Suite” and, more incredibly, the complete “Black, Brown and Beige,” so how can we be sure we’ll ever hear “Timon of Athens,” “Murder in the Cathedral,” or “The Goutelas Suite?”