Dear Jazz Fan,
I'd like to tell you about an album, "Rediscovered Ellington", that I think you will enjoy as much as I have.
I met Garry Dial at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and
Medicine’s Gala for Music Therapy a few years back . Garry has a
music therapy fund in his name for the Center at Mount Sinai West in New
York City as well as being a performer at the annual Gala.
Last year he brought to my attention his new cd “Re-Discovered
Ellington”. To quote a recent review of the cd in the jazz journal“All
about Jazz”:
"After sitting on his archival collection of rare Duke Ellington music
for close to forty years, pianist Garry Dial decided it was time the
music was heard. Connecting with his musical partner and prominent
reedman Dick Oatts, the Rediscovered Ellington project was
launched. Illustrating the mystical relationship that Dial and Oatts
have with Ellington and Hodges, "I Must Be Mad" is performed in hushed
tones as a fitting farewell to the music, and in honor of their enduring
contribution to Jazz history. The Duke would certainly approve."
I am thrilled that Garry ,Dick and Richard have rediscovered my
grandfather Duke Ellington’s rare and unheard music after all this time
.They have recorded a beautiful project with respect, elegance and
dignity. Our family is very proud .
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Dear Jazz Lover,
I am writing to share "Re-Discovered Ellington" with you. I'm very excited about this release because it is personal for me.
In the late 1970’s my mother Ruth Ellington and I hired pianist Garry
Dial to record for the family’s archives the vast catalogue of music my
uncle Duke Ellington left behind.
It's brought me great pleasure that after 38 years Garry has teamed up
with saxophonist Dick Oatts and Richard DeRosa, arranger and conductor
of the WDR Big Band, to record their arrangements of my uncle’s rare and
unheard music. Their arrangements and performances have captured the
essence of Duke Ellington while giving the music a personal and modern
twist .
Dial & Oatts
Rich DeRosa
The WDR Big Band
“Rediscovered Ellington”
New Takes on Duke's Rare and Unheard Music
It’s
no secret that jazz composers have been profoundly influenced by
classical composers and vice versa. Duke’s version of Tchaikovsky’s
Nutcracker Suite is a fine example. Duke embraced the classical
composer’s music with love and respect but transformed it in his own
beautifully sincere way – the way it worked most naturally for his band
and himself. Miles Davis and Gil Evans fell in love with JoaquÃn
Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez which became part of their project
Sketches of Spain.
Rediscovered Ellington is presented in the same respectful manner. To
continue Ellington’s legacy, we resurrected these compositions with our
perspective through personalized arrangements. Although a few of them
suggest a “tip of the hat” to Duke’s sound, most of these renditions
showcase how quality music may be transformed into something new and
refreshing while respecting the original essence of its composer. We
hope you enjoy these compositions in this context.
Garry Dial, Dick Oatts, and Rich DeRosa.
In 1979, my mother, Ruth Ellington, and I wanted to record and archive
all of the Tempo Music catalogue. This included compositions by my
uncle, Duke Ellington, and many of his musical associates. We hired
Garry Dial to do this job. I am thrilled, that after 38 years, Garry has
revisited the more obscure tunes of Duke Ellington. Rediscovered
Ellington will bring this beautiful, rarely heard music to the public
eye. Garry Dial, Dick Oatts and Rich DeRosa, along with the WDR Big
Band, have managed to capture the essence of Ellington. I am proud of
their swinging contribution and I know my mother and uncle would be
smiling.
Stephen James
Nephew of Duke Ellington
Here’s the story of how a poodle named Bravo inadvertently became
responsible for this collection of rarely heard gems by the great Duke
Ellington.
In the late 1970's I had the honor of working with Duke Ellington's
sister Ruth and her son Stephen James. They hired me to record in
alphabetical order the entire Tempo Music catalogue of Duke's music and
his associates for their family archive. Entering Ruth's apartment was
quite an experience. There stood Duke's famous white piano with his
original painting of Satin Doll hanging on the wall. I was speechless
and somewhat daunted. Ruth and Stephen were most gracious and warm to
me, putting me at ease.
They described the job and when I saw how incredibly prolific Duke had
been, I said, “You probably need ten pianists to complete this project!”
I suggested Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron and Dick Hyman
among others. “Do you want this job or not?” said Ruth. I gulped and
said, “Yessssssss!”
I went to Ruth's apartment for about three months, five days a week. The
music was in various forms: a sketch, a score, and even a published
lead sheet. I was a kid in a candy store. As I played through the tunes,
Stephen and his brother Michael would stop over and give me the eye if I
wasn't getting the feel right. A wink meant I nailed it. In this way
their wisdom guided me.
When it was time to record, the little poodle Bravo began singing along.
It became evident he was not to be silenced. Therefore I suggested to
Ruth that I should copy the pages, take them to my apartment and record
them there without the barking. That's why 38 years later I am in the
unique position of having these scores of Duke's music in my filing
cabinets.
Rich DeRosa, Dick Oatts and I have collaborated on many projects
together over the years. In 2015, Rich was chief conductor and arranger
for the WDR Big Band. He contacted me about doing a Dial & Oatts
project with the band. I thought of the trove of Duke Ellington
treasures I had on file. Why not resurrect these rare, obscure tunes and
present them for a new audience as well as diehard Ellington fans?
We selected nine tunes and got to work arranging them in our own style
for the big band. We traveled to Cologne, Germany, where we performed
the arrangements with the band at the Philharmonic halls in Cologne and
Essen. During the day we recorded this CD in the studio. What a thrill
to play our versions of Duke's tunes with these great musicians!
It's always an honor to work with my musical brothers, Dick Oatts and
Rich DeRosa. Both Dick and Richie's fathers were great musicians in the
era of Ellington. Oatts' dad, Jack, played alto in the style of Johnny
Hodges. Richie's dad, Clem, was a drummer and arranger who led many
famous bands including the Glen Miller Big Band. These dads would be so
proud of their sons and this project!
A few months after we made the recording, I ran into Duke's
granddaughter Mercedes at an event. I told her about our "Rediscovered
Ellington" project and she gave us her blessing. Thank you, Mercedes!
I called Stephen, now president of Tempo Music, to tell him about the
work. It was like old home week. We reminisced about the days I came to
the apartment to help archive Duke's music. I thank him for his support,
love of life and belief in our project. Much appreciated, Stephen.
Bravo!
Garry Dial
During the summer of 1961, my father took my brother Jim and me to a
joint concert of Duke Ellington and Count Basie at the Des Moines Art
Center. My father was a musician and huge fan of both bands. They were
all legends in the Oatts house and, at 8 years old, my dream was to get
an autograph of Duke and Johnny Hodges. During the short break, I had my
pad and pencil ready for anyone in a tuxedo to sign their name. I was
very shy but went up to two gentlemen who were standing together near
the outside bar. I waited until they were done with their conversation
and they saw me standing there wide-eyed.
They asked if they could help me so I asked for their autographs. They
were extremely patient and nice and when they gave them back, I was
shocked to read the names Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges. All I could
stutter was a "thank you". Then my father came over to translate my
surprise and ultimate gratitude. To this day, it was probably the most
inspiring musical memory from my childhood.
As I watched all those great musicians get on the bus after the concert,
my dream to play great music as a career began. Mom threw out our
baseball cards twenty years later and the autographs probably went with them….
Dick Oatts
Duke Ellington showed jazz composers and arrangers the concept of
writing not only for instruments but, more importantly, for the people
who would play them. In my role as arranger/orchestrator for the WDR Big
Band, Duke’s model has been a great influence for me. My choices of
soloists, written and improvised, were always made for specific members
of the band. Consequently, the unique personality of each player is
naturally connected to the context of each arrangement.
Rich DeRosa
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 shaped 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. It opens with a ruminating stride piano
riff, enveloped by a slower swing feel, rich with a bluesy
call-and-response between the piano and ensemble.
I Like Singing is a gorgeous ballad from Saturday
Laughter, a musical Ellington wrote with the still-living lyricist
Herbert Martin – and it draws upon Ellington’s classical influence:
opening without drums, the sections take on an orchestral quality that
features reedy doubles and a plush piano solo by Dial. The drums and
bass enter, and the tune transforms into an engaging yet pensive
ballad.
Just A Gentle Word From You Will Do is vintage Ellington with a
straight-ahead melody recast across the horn and reed sections. This
work was composed mostly by Onzy Matthews, a pianist and arranger who
worked with Ellington in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was
undoubtedly performed live, but there is no previously-known recording.
And to wit, this is some debut rendition, with Oatts on flute and Ludwig
Nuss on trombone!
Introspection has no known recording, and is anything but introspective.
The up-tempo swing sets up the WDR to showcase its legendary tightness
of sound and precision of phrases. Similarly, Kiki also has no known
recording. On this track, the big band is fully portrayed with a full,
plush, even lavish aesthetic, which makes this album required listening
for those looking to learn or merely just enjoy the craft of large jazz
ensemble performance. For example, the trumpet section commands the lead
line with alacrity, and John Marshall’s blazing trumpet solo stands out
with achingly beautiful timbre.
Love Came was recorded in 1965 and released on the Red Baron label. The
melancholy and longing melodic line is presented by trumpeter Andy
Haderer, and the tune opens into a jazz ballad, allowing for one of the
quieter and more introspective spaces on the album.
The penultimate tune of this album, KCOR (rock spelled backward), is
thought to have been written late in Ellington’s life. But very little
information exists on its origins: this long-form piece diverges so
sharply in style from Ellington’s body of work that it probably did not
receive much attention through his life.
The final track, I Must Be Mad, was written by Ellington and Patricia
Petremont. She was a lyricist for several of Ellington’s more obscure
works such as My Lonely Love, When You’ve Had It All, and This Is Where I
Get Off – all from the late 1960s. The searching ballad begins with an
alto sax and piano duet that illustrates the uncanny parallel
relationship that Dial and Oatts have to Ellington and Hodges. Both Dial
and Ellington have a way of orchestrating at the piano that enhances a
melody. Although Oatts’ sound is different from Hodges’, both embrace a
melody with warmth and soulfulness. Here it is Dial and Oatts who give
the album a loving, thoughtful send-off.
Rediscovered Ellington is a through-and-through treasure, and music
lovers should reserve their deepest gratitude for Dial, Oatts, DeRosa,
and the WDR Big Band who have given the world the album of the year
whose musical genesis spans many decades.
Kabir Sehgal
Primary Artists
Garry Dial - piano, arranger, Dick Oatts - soprano sax, alto sax, flute,
arranger, Rich DeRosa - conductor, arranger, big band orchestrations,
The WDR Big Band: Johan Hörlen - alto sax, flute, and clarinet.
Karolina Strassmeyer - alto sax and flute. Olivier Peters, Paul Heller -
tenor sax and clarinet. Jens Neufang - baritone sax, bass sax, and bass
clarinet. Andy Haderer (lead), Wim Both (alt lead), Rob Bruynen, Ruud
Breuls, John Marshall, trumpet Ludwig Nuss (lead), Shannon Barnett, Andy
Hunter, trombone Mattis Cederberg, bass trombone and tuba John Goldsby,
bass Hans Dekker, drums
Label Website: http://www.zohomusic.com/
ZOHO ® is distributed by Music Video Distributors 203 Windsor Road Pottstown, PA 19464 www.mvdentertainment.com
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