The Duke Plays Ellington – Duke Ellington

Album: The Duke Plays Ellington

Artist: Duke Ellington

Year: 1953

Genre: Jazz

Grade: A-

Many consider the early ‘50s to be a “down” period for Ellington. Big band was going out of style, and so too was the Duke’s popularity. But his critical standing never wavered — for the third straight decade, he remained the world’s most respected jazz musician.

Whatever the financial situation of the charismatic bandleader may have been, several of Ellington’s finest albums were released in this relatively penurious period. By 1953, he was riding the heels of a highly underrated hot streak — Masterpieces by Ellington (long stretched-out standards), Ellington Uptown (big band with ambition) and the stripped-down Duke Plays Ellington (minimalist trio led by piano).

While Uptown may be the best and Masterpieces the most intricate, The Duke Plays is probably my most played. The simple trio of Ellington, Wendell Marshall (bass) and Butch Ballard (drums) is relatively unexplored territory for the Duke, but there’s no doubt he’s comfortable in any jazz setting. Ellington’s elegant chord voicings lead the way over Marshall and Ballard’s relaxed rhythm section.

The album features the most modern playing of the Duke’s career, alternating between bop-influenced stride and classical-infused cool jazz. “Reflections in D” and “Prelude to a Kiss” are quite impressionistic in the way they traverse from scene to scene, while the soothing ballad, “Retrospection,” seems to have a bit of soul in its powerful key changes. Not far behind is “Dancers in Love,” a playful rag whose first 40-or-so seconds seems to point the way toward rock ‘n’ roll.

This album is meant to be off-the-cuff: Ellington takes a break from conducting and reminds everyone he could’ve made a career as a great pianist had he wanted. A critical re-evaluation finds this as one of the most unique releases of the Duke’s legendary career. It’s a shame he didn’t release more solo work like this.

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