Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session

Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1963 but not released on the Atlantic label until 1976.[1] The album features members of Ellington's orchestra performing with Stephane Grappelli and Svend Asmussen. Trumpeter Ray Nance, who was also featured in the Ellington Orchestra as a singer and a violinist, plays violin throughout the session alongside Grappelli. Asmussen, whose primary instrument was violin, plays viola throughout the session. Each of the string players is given a solo feature: Grappelli plays "In a Sentimental Mood," Asmussen plays "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and Nance plays "Day Dream." For the remainder of the session, all three string players are featured soloing in turn.

Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session
Studio album by
Released1976
RecordedFebruary 22, 1963
Barclay Studios, Paris
GenreJazz
LabelAtlantic
Duke Ellington chronology
The Symphonic Ellington
(1963)
Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session
(1976)
Serenade to Sweden
(1963)

Reception

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The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 3½ stars and stated "The soloist and group interplay are gentle, swinging, and utterly and completely graceful and elegant. There is a lighthearted tenderness in this set that borders on sentimentality without ever going there. And the feeling is loose, relaxed, and full of warmth throughout".[2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide     [3]

Track listing

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All music is composed by Duke Ellington except as noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take the "A" Train"Billy Strayhorn4:22
2."In a Sentimental Mood"Ellington, Manny Kurtz, Irving Mills3:47
3."Don't Get Around Much Anymore"Ellington, Bob Russell3:58
4."Day Dream"Ellington, Strayhorn, John La Touche3:11
5."Cotton Tail"Ellington, Jon Hendricks4:39
6."Pretty Little One"Strayhorn4:25
7."Tricky's Licks" 3:18
8."Blues in C" 3:54
9."String Along with Strings" 6:26
10."Limbo Jazz" 5:25
11."The Feeling of Jazz"Ellington, George T. Simon, Bobby Troup3:22

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ A Duke Ellington Panorama accessed May 10, 2010
  2. ^ a b Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed May 10, 2010
  3. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 69. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.