Duke Ellington: Black, Brown, and Beige
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
JoAnn Falletta, Conductor
Naxos 8.559737 (2013)
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was a Jazz and Classical Musician who is featured at AfriClassical.com The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's 2013 Naxos CD features Three Black Kings.
Duke Ellington (Daily Record)
Daily Record
Martin Luther King Jr. tribute presented by NJSO
Sept. 6, 2013
The
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra opens its 2013-14 season with a program
that pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Titled
“Promise of the New World,” the evening’s music includes work by the
great African-American composer, songwriter and bandleader Duke
Ellington, and the premiere of a work composed by jazz pianist Geri
Allen, performing as soloist.
Continuing
those nods to African-American influence on music traditions is Antonin
Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”
...
Ellington is best known as a bandleader behind such Cold War-era
smash hits as “Take the A-Train” and “Satin Doll.” (“Take the A-Train,”
although forever associated with Ellington, was actually written by his
arranger, Billy Strayhorn.) But Ellington viewed his own music in a much
wider context, preferring to describe it only as American music. In
addition to his band and small ensemble arrangements he also composed
for full orchestra, including famous works like “Black, Brown and Beige”
and “Three Black Kings.” The latter work, featuring a tribute to Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. in its final movement, is featured on the NJSO
program, along with an arrangement of Ellington’s band composition, “New
World A-Comin’.”
Ellington
wasn’t content with sneaking into the orches tral repertoire with
safely conservative compositions, but rather stormed in as himself —
tuneful, larger-than-life, fully honest about his place in the classical
repertoire as an early, accepted black composer heavily influenced by
popular jazz and blues. His music takes chances, makes demands and
offers a casual but honest political view. Yet, probably because of his
experience as a popular entertainer, it remains easily accessible.
Performances
of the “Promise of the New World” program will be 7 p.m. Friday, Sept.
27, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at the New Jersey Performing Arts
Center, One Centre Street, Newark, and at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at
the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick.
More information on the program can be found at the orchestra’s website, www.njsymphony.org, or by calling 800-255-3476.
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