Latin American Suite

Artist: Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Label: Ojc
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 025218646925
EAN: 0025218646925
ASIN: B000000YQ8

Release Date: 1991-07-01

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Listmania:

Ellington and Strayhorn's Genius in no order really
oye lo bien!...latin jazz for the cocolo in us all
Music for jazz & Beatles fans

Tracks:

Oclupaca
Chico Cuadradino
Eque
Tina
The Sleeping Lady And The Giant Who Watches Over Her
Latin American Sunshine
Brasilliance

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Customer Reviews:

Latin American Suite.......2005-11-14

In September 1968, Ellington took the orchestra to South America, the first time he'd ever been south of the Equator, he said. They toured Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Mexico, and throughout the tour Duke wrote music incorporating various impressions he'd made along the way. When they got back to the States, this album was recorded.

Simplicity is Duke's chief characteristic in this suite, as in many of his longer pieces. A couple of the tunes are blues employing the simplest of themes across the 12-bar form. Ensemble playing is emphasized here over solos, though Paul Gonsalves has a couple of good solo spots (on OCLUPACA and BRASILLIANCE), and Duke has finally given himself some solo space.

Some of the pieces still have the feeling of being works-in-progress (TINA, for example) and just seem to go on until they fade out, as if Duke wasn't quite sure how to end it yet. The rhythm in LATIN AMERICAN SUNSHINE is right out of Ravel's BOLERO. A few other tunes have hardly a Latin feeling to them at all. The suite as a whole is rather on the underwhelming side, with BRASILLIANCE the only piece with any drive to it. It's hard to consider this one of Ellington's major compositional efforts, though, of course, the band plays wonderfully.

Could have been called "This One Will Grow On You Suite" .......2005-05-18

Originally, when I heard this suite, I was not impressed, there were moments but nothing like the other suites of his travels. But as I continually listened, I started to feel the warmth and beauty of the Latin America's. That description makes this music sound slow, but this music isen't slow, if fact it is very upbeat, and powerful. Rufus Jones, is really pounding the drums hear (our they were just overly emphesised by the engineers) and at times it feels like to much, but over all it isen't so bad. The sub-par "Memories of Duke Ellington" DVD has a performance of "The Mexican Suite", which is where 3 sections of what become the "Latin American Suite". Enjoy

Discography.......2002-06-09

Latin American Suite
Nielsen's "Jazz Records, 1942-1980 Volume 6--Duke Ellington." tells us who was in Ellington's band when these recordings were made. For all the songs except "Tina" Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Willie Cook and Mercer Ellington played trumpets, Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors and Buster Cooper played trombones. Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harold Ashby and Harry Carney played the saxophones. Jeff Castleman is the bassist, Rufus Jones is the drummer, and Duke Ellington plays piano.

"Tina" was recorded January 7, 1970 in Las Vegas. Ellington played the piano, Victor Gaskin and Paul Kondziela play bass and Rufus Jones plays the drums.

The Master never disappoints!.......2001-08-09

Sir Duke brings the Latin world home to you... and without the "conga" percussion that is often over used by non-Latin musicians who try to swing with the great Latin Kings!. He surrounds you with Jazz...and there is nothing better.

"The Sleeping Lady and the Giant Who Watches over Her" is the best track of the suite. If you are into Jazz or not, ... you will not be disappointed. Add this CD to your collection.

The Best of Duke's Final Works........2001-05-19

This is, in my opinion, the finest work of Ellington's final creative surge, which i generally feel ran from 1967-1974. The energy and musical strength embodied in this exotic and upbeat set was, i feel, unrivalled in his later work.

The very "Sixties" feeling 'Chico Cuadradino' is grounds enough to own this release. The patient energy and sustaining motion of 'Brasilliance' leads you to want an answer to an unasked question. The answer is "Yes", Duke Ellington WAS the greatest Jazz Musician of the 20th Century.

This is a very Rhythm Section heavy CD. Bass, Piano and Drums are all together impressive. As for soloists, Paul Gonsalves is RED HOT and Duke really is dialed in on the Piano in a very overdue role as a lead soloist for the band on several tracks.

This "Suite" began its life on the 1968 Mexican Tour. Yet when the band went south of the Equator to South America, Ellington came to the realization that a mere "Mexican Suite" would be a severe injustice to the diverse and untapped Latin Americas, both musically and culturally. What resulted was a Suite encapsulating all that was Latin America, (yet in a classic and VERY Duke Ellingtonian interpretaion of course!) From Mexico, to Brazil, to Argentina and more.

This was a fine and very necessary addition to my ever-more overflowing collection of Ellingtonia. Money well spent.

YOUR Ellington collection just wont be up to par without it!

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