SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA – In
The Spirit Of Duke
Spartacus Records STS017
Tommy Smith (ts, dir); Brian Kellock (p); Ruaraidh Pattison (as, ss, cl); Martin Kershaw (cl, as); Konrad Wiszniewski (as, ts, cl); Bill Fleming (as, bs, cl, bcl); Ryan Quigley, Cameron Jay, Tom MacNiven, James Marr (t); Chris Greive, Phil O’Malley (tb0; Michael Owers (btb); Calum Gourlay (b); Alyn Cosker (d)
Recorded 24th-28th October 2012
After the success of their ECM tribute recording Celebration (see 2012 CD Reviews) the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra follow up with a programme of Ellingtonia that shows another side of the orchestra’s collective persona in a swinging live set that features sixteen of Duke’s well loved and some lesser known numbers.
The lengths that director Tommy Smith and the members of the orchestra have gone to replicate authentically the sound of the Ellington Orchestra in phenomenal. From sourcing copies of original scores to transcribing from recordings, as in a live 1958 version of ‘Black And Tan Fantasy’, and even locating some authentic mutes for the brass section there has been a tremendous amount of hard work and planning that has gone into the tour and subsequent recording that we have here.
In short, the preparation has been well worth the effort as the performances here are truly spectacular. If Ellington’s music was a jewel in the crown of the 20th Century, then its timelessness is vindicated tenfold, displaying its uniqueness and vitality in the opening decades of the new millennium.
As if attention to detail in the scores wasn’t sufficient, Smith asked members of the orchestra to memorise certain passages or even entire compositions in order that the music could breathe freely rather than being bogged down in manuscript, or as Tommy says “it is better to have the music in your head than your head in the music”.
The chosen programme features a wide range of Ellington’s output from throughout his long career, with the intention of featuring individual compositions as opposed to focussing on the suites, as the orchestra has performed several in their entirety on previous outings.
From the early years we have the fore mentioned ‘Black And Tan Fantasy’ and ‘Creole Love Call’, whilst Tom MacNiven revels in his role on ‘Concerto For Cootie’. Ru Pattison, the 2011 Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, shines on a beautiful rendition of ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ with a performance that belies his years.
The Blanton-Webster years are acknowledged with a stunning ‘Ko-Ko’ and Calum Gourlay tackles Jimmy Blanton’s part on ‘Jack The Bear’; and director Smith gets to bring the album to a rousing climax taking Paul Gonsalves’ role on ‘Diminuendo In Blue, Crescendo in Blue’.
Not to completely dismiss the suites, there are three compositions a piece taken from the Queens Suiite (including a captivating duet performance of ‘The Single Petal Of A Rose’ for Smith and pianist, Brian Kellock), and from Grieg’s Peer Gynt with arrangements by Ellington and Strayhorn. Originally met with hostility in Grieg’s native Norway when released in 1960, the orchestra show the depth of the Duke and Strayhorn scores and swinging mightily on ‘Anitra’s Dance’.
Another world class performance from the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, that will have you reaching for the repeat button, and also returning to the source material.
Spartacus Records STS017
Tommy Smith (ts, dir); Brian Kellock (p); Ruaraidh Pattison (as, ss, cl); Martin Kershaw (cl, as); Konrad Wiszniewski (as, ts, cl); Bill Fleming (as, bs, cl, bcl); Ryan Quigley, Cameron Jay, Tom MacNiven, James Marr (t); Chris Greive, Phil O’Malley (tb0; Michael Owers (btb); Calum Gourlay (b); Alyn Cosker (d)
Recorded 24th-28th October 2012
After the success of their ECM tribute recording Celebration (see 2012 CD Reviews) the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra follow up with a programme of Ellingtonia that shows another side of the orchestra’s collective persona in a swinging live set that features sixteen of Duke’s well loved and some lesser known numbers.
The lengths that director Tommy Smith and the members of the orchestra have gone to replicate authentically the sound of the Ellington Orchestra in phenomenal. From sourcing copies of original scores to transcribing from recordings, as in a live 1958 version of ‘Black And Tan Fantasy’, and even locating some authentic mutes for the brass section there has been a tremendous amount of hard work and planning that has gone into the tour and subsequent recording that we have here.
In short, the preparation has been well worth the effort as the performances here are truly spectacular. If Ellington’s music was a jewel in the crown of the 20th Century, then its timelessness is vindicated tenfold, displaying its uniqueness and vitality in the opening decades of the new millennium.
As if attention to detail in the scores wasn’t sufficient, Smith asked members of the orchestra to memorise certain passages or even entire compositions in order that the music could breathe freely rather than being bogged down in manuscript, or as Tommy says “it is better to have the music in your head than your head in the music”.
The chosen programme features a wide range of Ellington’s output from throughout his long career, with the intention of featuring individual compositions as opposed to focussing on the suites, as the orchestra has performed several in their entirety on previous outings.
From the early years we have the fore mentioned ‘Black And Tan Fantasy’ and ‘Creole Love Call’, whilst Tom MacNiven revels in his role on ‘Concerto For Cootie’. Ru Pattison, the 2011 Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, shines on a beautiful rendition of ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ with a performance that belies his years.
The Blanton-Webster years are acknowledged with a stunning ‘Ko-Ko’ and Calum Gourlay tackles Jimmy Blanton’s part on ‘Jack The Bear’; and director Smith gets to bring the album to a rousing climax taking Paul Gonsalves’ role on ‘Diminuendo In Blue, Crescendo in Blue’.
Not to completely dismiss the suites, there are three compositions a piece taken from the Queens Suiite (including a captivating duet performance of ‘The Single Petal Of A Rose’ for Smith and pianist, Brian Kellock), and from Grieg’s Peer Gynt with arrangements by Ellington and Strayhorn. Originally met with hostility in Grieg’s native Norway when released in 1960, the orchestra show the depth of the Duke and Strayhorn scores and swinging mightily on ‘Anitra’s Dance’.
Another world class performance from the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, that will have you reaching for the repeat button, and also returning to the source material.