Impressions Of Duke Ellington - Billy Byers

 

Chelsea Bridge

Impressions Of Duke Ellington

Arranged and Conducted by Billy Byers

Perfect Presence Sound

Mercury Records PPS 6025

From the back cover: This album – a rare fusion of singularly imaginative content and extraordinary accuracy and range of sound reproduction – is above all, one of the most challenging possible tests for an arranger-orchestrator. Duke Ellington is not only the pre-eminent composer in jazz history so far, but he has also developed a uniquely subtle orchestral language which has provided him with an unparalleled scope of expressivity. For another writer to undertake an album of Ellington compositions requires through technical competence and alert inventiveness.

Quincy Jones, who supervised this unusual musical experience, selected Billy Byres because, as Quincy explains, "I knew Billy had so much ability as an orchestrator that he wouldn't  have to worry about the technical end of the assignment. He succeeded brilliantly, and thereby did honor not only Duke, but to his own insufficiently recognized abilities."

Temperamentally, Billy Byres resembles Ellington in his urbanity, mocking wit, and cosmopolitan tastes. A widely experienced trombonist and arranger, Byers had spent part of the past six years in Paris. He got to know Ellington well during the filming of Paris Blues, for which Byers was technical advisor. "This album was done with respect and affection. I aimed for the most durable elements of Duke's style, and those included his humor and his diversity of moods."

Byers had a particular advantage in the musicians available for the session. Byres wrote these scores with full awareness of the particular strengths of the men on these dates. There were three different sessions. On the first, Mood Indigo, Just Squeeze Me, All Too Soon, and Solitude were recorded with the following personnel:

Trumpets – Ernie Royal, Doctor Christian, Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Trombones – Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd, French horns – Jimmy Buffington, Ray Alonge, Don Corrado, Bob Northern. Tuba – Harvey Phillips. Reeds – Jerry Dodgion (alto, flute, clarinet), Eric Dixon (tenor, flute, clarinet), Sol Schlinger (bariton and bass clarinet).

The rhythm section was the same on all three sessions – Osie Johnson (drums), Patti Bown (piano), Milt Hinton (bass), Eddie Shaughnessy, Eddie Costa (adde percussion).

Recorded at the second session were Caravan, Don't Get Around Much Any More, and Sophisticated Lady. At the final session, Chelsea Bridge, I'm Beginning To See The Light, and Take The "A" Train were completed. For the second and third dates, Julius Watkins replaced Don Corrado, and Jack Rains replaced Wayne Andre. On the second session, Al De Risi went in for Doctor Christian; and on the final date, Spencer Sinatra took the place of Eric Dixon.

Take The "A" Train

Sophisticated Lady

Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)

Chelsea Bridge

Caravan

Mood Indigo

I'm Beginning To See The Light

Solitude

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

All Too Soon