[Dixielandjazz] That Ellington Sound

[Rick Campbell]

(Looks like Ellington stromg has turned into something new.)

I've tried to play Ellington charts in local "kicks" bands, including  
Gunther Schuller's very accurate transcription of Take the A Train.  
But they never sound like Ellington for several reasons:

1. We're mostly semi-pro players who have never lived and worked  
together on the road for years like Duke's band. We don't have that  
tight polish, nor that easy, half-loaded sense of swing.

2. We're playing on modern saxophones and mouthpieces, which are much  
brighter than those of the 30s and 40s.

3. Duke didn't write parts for instruments (Alto I, Alto II, Tenor I,  
etcetera) but handed out manuscripts headed, "Rabbit", "Barney",  
"Bubber". He was writing for his guys, and until we have another Harry  
Carney, Barney Bigard, and Johnny Hodges, that sound and texture is  
going to elude us, I'm afraid.

4. Tragically, in high school reed sections today, the jazz clarinet  
is ignored. The required double now is flute, and perhaps soprano sax.  
So that makes it pretty hard to re-create Mood Indigo, for example.

By the way, these same bands can do a very credible job of covering  
late Basie charts, because that is what they grew up with in high  
school and college stage band. It is a much more homogenous  
contemporary sound, without the unique colorations of Ellington.

Rick Campbell
Milneburg Social Aid and Pleasure Society Jazz Band
Portland, Oregon USA
(503) 234-9440
ricksax at comcast.net