| ...And His Mother Called Him Bill | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1968 | |||
| Recorded | August 28–November 15, 1967 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 46:12 (Original LP) 71:52 (CD Re-issue) | |||
| Label | Bluebird/RCA Records | |||
| Producer | Steve Backer, Brad McCuen | |||
| Duke Ellington chronology | ||||
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...And His Mother Called Him Bill is a studio album by Duke Ellington recorded in the wake of the 1967 death of his long-time collaborator, Billy Strayhorn. It won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 1968. [1]
Ellington recorded the album as a tribute to Billy Strayhorn, who died of esophageal cancer in May 1967. [2] [3] Strayhorn was a composer, arranger, and one of Ellington's closest friends. [2]
The album was recorded in August and November 1967. [3] The material is Strayhorn's compositions, including some that had not previously been recorded. [2] Ellington chose the songs to demonstrate Strayhorn's versatility and range, as well as to pay homage to the qualities that he most admired in his late writing partner. [2]
"Blood Count" was Strayhorn's last composition, written for the Ellington Orchestra's 1967 concert at Carnegie Hall. Another piece with a medical-related title is "U.M.M.G.", short for 'Upper Manhattan Medical Group'. [3] The 1951 composition "Rock Skippin' at the Blue Note" showcases Cootie Williams, Jimmy Hamilton, and John Sanders. [2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [3] |
...And His Mother Called Him Bill won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 1969. [4] The AllMusic reviewer wrote that, "For a man who issued well over 300 albums, this set is among his most profoundly felt and very finest recorded moments." [2] As the band was packing up to leave the session, Ellington remained at the piano, pouring his heart out on Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom." Fortunately, the mic was open and the tape deck still running.
All compositions by Billy Strayhorn except where noted
Side A
Side B
Bonus Tracks
Ella at Duke's Place is a 1965 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, accompanied by his Orchestra. While it was the second studio album made by Fitzgerald and Ellington, following the 1957 song book recording, a live double album Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur was recorded in 1966. Ella at Duke’s Place was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1967 Grammy Awards.
The Stockholm Concert, 1966 is a 1966 live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied in part by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The recording remained unreleased until 1984.
Far East Suite is a 1967 concept album by American jazz musician Duke Ellington, inspired by his group's tour of Asia. Ellington and longtime collaborator Billy Strayhorn wrote the compositions.
The Great Paris Concert is a 1973 live double album by jazz pianist Duke Ellington preserving pieces of a series of performances given in Paris during February 1963, a decade prior the release. For the 1989 CD reissue, 10 additional recordings from the same series of Paris concerts were added to the release. These 10 performances had previously been released on the 1967 LP Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits: Recorded "Live" In Concert.
Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn is an album by the jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson. Composed of songs written by Billy Strayhorn, the album was a critical and commercial success, leading to the first of three Grammy Awards Henderson would receive while under contract with Verve Records. The album had sold nearly 90,000 copies at the time of Henderson's death in 2001 and has been re-released by Verve, Polygram, and in hybrid SACD format by Universal. Musicians on the album are trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, pianist Stephen Scott, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Gregory Hutchinson.
The Ellington Suites is an album by the American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington. It collects three suites recorded in 1959, 1971, and 1972, and was released on the Pablo label in 1976. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band in 1976. Ellington and Billy Strayhorn wrote "The Queen's Suite" for Queen Elizabeth II who was presented with a single pressing of the recording, which was not commercially issued during Ellington's lifetime.
Togo Brava Suite is an album by the American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington. It was recorded in England and released by United Artists Records in 1971. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band in 1972. The album was later reissued on CD by Blue Note in 1994, and studio recordings of the complete "Togo Brava Suite" were released in 2001 by Storyville.
Ellington '66 is an album by American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington that was recorded and released on the Reprise label in 1965. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance – Large Group or Soloist with Large Group.
Concert in the Virgin Islands is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Reprise label in 1965. The album features studio recordings that Ellington with the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler composed after he and his orchestra played concerts on St. Croix and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands in April, 1965. This album includes the four-part Virgin Islands Suite, as well as numbers played at the concerts on the islands.
Afro-Bossa is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Reprise label in 1963.
Blues in Orbit is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the Columbia label in 1959 and released in 1960.
My People is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington written and recorded in 1963 for a stage show and originally released on Bob Thiele's short-lived Contact label before being reissued on the Flying Dutchman label and later released on CD on the Red Baron label. The album features recordings of compositions by Ellington for a stage show presented in Chicago as part of the Century of Negro Progress Exposition in 1963.
In the Uncommon Market is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in Europe in 1963 and 1966 and released on the Pablo label in 1986.
Midnight in Paris is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1962 for the Columbia label. The album features performances of compositions inspired by or associated with Paris.
Studio Sessions, New York 1962 is the third volume of The Private Collection a series of recordings made by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington for his personal collection which was first released on the LMR label in 1987 and later on the Saja label.
Dance Dates, California 1958 is the sixth volume of The Private Collection a series documenting recordings made by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington for his personal collection which was first publicly released on the LMR label in 1987 and later on the Saja label.
The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World is a 1967 live album featuring Duke Ellington and his orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, T-Bone Walker, Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry and Zoot Sims. It was released in 1975.
Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook is an album by the pianist John Hicks, recorded in 1997 and released on the HighNote label. The album contains ten compositions by Billy Strayhorn, along with two by Hicks.
Duke's in Bed is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label. All arrangements were done by Billy Strayhorn.
All American in Jazz is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1962 and released on the Columbia label. The album features recordings of tunes from the 1962 Broadway theatre musical All American arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
