Rediscovered Ellington is a rarity that comes along once every few decades, a trove of mostly unheard music by a music legend fashioned into a glimmering yet meditative production. The great Duke Ellington, for whom this album is a tribute, once observed that there are two kinds of music, the kind that connects to the audience with sincerity and the kind that doesn't. Judging by the response of listeners worldwide, Ellington's music is of the first kind: beautiful, cultivated, resonant, and timeless. But for there to be any audience connection at all, the music must first be heard. And that's what is special about this stunner. Maestros in their own right, Garry Dial, Dick Oatts, and Rich DeRosa unearthed these compositions from obscurity, They turned musical amnesia into memorable and vivid works that bring Ellington's life and music into sharper focus not only for the seasoned Ellington diaspora but those new to his sizable repertoire. Dial, Oatts, and DeRosa shaping these compositions with colorful and immaculate arrangements, rendering Ellington afresh and anew. Prior to this recording, few of these works had a brief public life. Most were unknown to the general public. While a few of the arrangements suggest an homage to Ellington's sound, most of the works showcase how music may be given new and refreshing life while respecting the composer's essence. The album opens with Hey Baby, a mid-tempo swing number recorded in 1946 and released on RCA Victor. It's also a well-known tune from Blue Rose, the 1956 Rosemary Clooney album. It brings the virtuosity of soloists Oatts (soprano sax), Paul Heller (tenor sax), Dial (piano) and Johan Hörlen (alto sax) to the forefront, and showcases the big band's mighty brass section in multicolored shout sections. Let The Zoomers Drool, an Ellington/Johnny Hodges tune, was originally released as a live album in 1945 on the Jazz Society label. Kabir Sehgal, multiple GRAMMY winning producer.
