The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse - Duke Ellington

 

Chinoiserie

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse

Duke Ellington

Art Direction: Phil Carroll

Recording Engineer: Roger Rhodes

Recorded February 17, 1971, at National Recording Studio, New York

Remix Engineer: Jim Stern

Remixed 1975 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, under the supervision of Mercer Ellington

Fantasy Records F-9498

1975

Personnel:

Piano: Duke Ellington

Trumpets: Cootie Williams, Money Johnson, Mercer Ellington & Eddie Preston

Trombones: Booty Wood & Malcolm Taylor

Bass Trombone: Chuck Connors

Alto Sax, Clarinet: Russell Procope

Alto Sax, Clarinet & Flute: Norris Turney

Tenor Saxes: Paul Gonsalves & Harold Ashby

Bariton Sax: Harry Carney

Bass: Joe Benjamin

Drums: Rufus Jones

From the back cover: The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse is explained in the witty speech that introduces this album and "Chinoiserie." It is a speech that Ellington not only enjoyed delivering, but delivered with consummate skill. Audiences enjoyed it too, but were never quite sure at first whether they were being put on or upstaged. Probably not one person in a thousand knew what a didgeridoo was, but there was always laughter when he referred to this instrument of the Australian aborigines. It sounded funny. Could it possibly be risqué? Then his remarks about Down Under and Out Back gave them clues to the context.

A lengthy section of his book, Music Is My Mistress (Doubleday), amplifies the explanation given in the speech. Beginning with his "Notes on the State Department Tour, 1963," there is a series of what some superior souls dismissed as "travelogues." When the recorded music of this period is eventually all released and studied, these notes and journals may, as Ellington anticipated, become more valuable to listeners. The journeys and experiences they describe relate to the music, and account for much of its color, character, and inspiration. Marshall McLuhan's theory about the world going oriental certainly intrigued Ellington, because it confirmed some of his own impressions. More important, it stimulated him to interpret them in music.

Chinoiserie

Didjeridoo

Afrique

Acht O'Clock Rock

Gong

Tang

True

Hard Way