Eddie Lambert: “Duke Ellington-1963” (1963)

Abstract The presence of Duke Ellington and his musicians was enough to warm up even a January so cold as that just experienced, and as one drove, walked, stumbled and cursed through snow, ice, fog and slush to attend the various concerts, one could, for once, feel assured that it would all be very worthwhile. The sound of this Ellington band is now a memory, to be stored along with those of the 1958 orchestra. On that tour, as we all know, many writers were highly critical of Duke’s policy and the band was adjudged disappointing in the context of the programmes presented. This year the critics did an about face and in considering the Ellington band sans ballad medley decided that now the Duke was really presenting his music in undiluted form. Four years ago I was frankly bowled over, for the sound of the band was so much more glorious than even the finest records suggested and despite the medley and the drum solo found their concerts to be the finest I had ever experienced in the jazz field. One does not always agree with Ellington’s programming, but before going on to criticise what Duke did place before our ears in 1963 we should remember that this music comes from a road band leading the unsettled exis tence of all touring orchestras. Whatever criticisms one may make of Ellington the fact remains that his concerts still have more “meat,” more musical sub stance than those of any other figure in jazz.