[Dixielandjazz] For Duke

[Marek Boym]

At our jazz evening last night the hostess played Bill Berry's "For
Duke" - IMO probably the best Ellington tribute I've ever heard!
Recorded in January 1978, with Snooky Young, Britt Woodman, Marshall
Royal, Nt Pierce (what a splendid idea - he was much more often in
Basie-like groups), Scott Hamilton, it contains great renditions of
Ellington classics.  These guys are good enough to do justice to the
material without being intimidated, and it shows!  On nost Ellington
tributes, probably out of deference for the master, most musicians
stick too closely to the original versions, so that they hardly ever
take off and soar, like the LP in question!

Another wonderful album we heard was "Mostly Blues" by Count Basie
Septem (sic), with Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Freddie Green (rhytm guitar)
and Joe Pass (solo guitar), and others.  Just right!

Cheers