Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 8, 1996 | |||
Recorded | February 3 & 8 and May 6 & 7, 1996 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Vocal jazz | |||
Length | 52:13 | |||
Label | Philips 446 717–2 | |||
Producer | Robert Sadin | |||
Dee Dee Bridgewater chronology | ||||
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Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album is a studio album by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, recorded in tribute to Duke Ellington. [1] The album was released on October 8, 1996, by Philips Records label. The album title was borrowed from the Ellington's tune. [2] The release contains 12 tracks, which include the pop sounds of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. [3]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
Marcela Breton of JazzTimes wrote, "Do we really need another reworking of the Ellington oeuvre? Enough already. Ellington gets nearly as much attention as John F. Kennedy, Jr... I like Bridgewater’s vocals on "Caravan" and "Bli-Blip," and Bobby Watson’s alto sax on "Midnight Indigo." [5] Mike Joyce in his review for The Washington Post commented, "Duke Ellington's music has a calming effect on jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, and that's a good thing. As talented as she is, Bridgewater is fond of embarking on extended scat flights that sometimes turn strident and long-winded. Not here, though." [2] Ken Dryden of AllMusic noted, "But it is her hypnotic, chanting introduction, backed by Middle Eastern percussion and Steve Turre's conch shells, that gives this release an occasional freshness usually lacking in similar Ellington tributes." [3]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Midnight Indigo" | Duke Ellington | 2:26 |
2. | "I'm Beginning to See the Light" | Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James | 5:03 |
3. | "Bli Blip" | Duke Ellington, Sid Kuller | 4:16 |
4. | "Fleurette Africaine" | Duke Ellington | 3:32 |
5. | "Prelude to a Kiss" | Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills | 3:52 |
6. | "Caravan" | Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol | 4:29 |
7. | "Solitude" | Eddie DeLange, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills | 4:20 |
8. | "Mood Indigo" | Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills | 4:28 |
9. | "Night Creature: Fast" | Duke Ellington | 4:16 |
10. | "Night Creature: Andante misterioso" | Duke Ellington | 7:29 |
11. | "Night Creature: Moderato - Faster Swing - Moderato" | Duke Ellington | 3:53 |
12. | "Come Sunday" | Duke Ellington | 4:09 |
Total length: | 52:13 |
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book is a 1957 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by Duke Ellington and his orchestra, focusing on Ellington's songs.
Ellington Indigos is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington.
Plays Duke Ellington is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet, released in 1986.
Dear Ella is a 1997 studio album by Dee Dee Bridgewater, recorded in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, who had died the previous year.
"Caravan" is an American jazz standard by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, first performed by Ellington in 1936. Irving Mills wrote lyrics, but they are rarely sung. The song has regained popularity since being featured prominently in the 2014 film Whiplash.
"I'm Beginning to See the Light" is a popular song and jazz standard, with music written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James and lyrics by Don George and published in 1944.
Tribute to Duke Ellington is a big band jazz album recorded in New York in 1999 and is the seventh recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. The first three tracks make up the "Tribute To Duke Ellington Suite" which was composed by Akiyoshi and commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival.
"Prelude to a Kiss" is a 1938 ballad composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills.
A Drum Is a Woman is a musical allegory by American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington and his long-time musical collaborator Billy Strayhorn. It tells the story of Madam Zajj, the personification of African rhythm, and Carribee Joe, who has his roots firmly in the jungle with his drums. Zajj travels out into the world seeking fame and sophistication and melds with the influences of cultures she weaves through the story, which gives a brief history of the rise of jazz and bebop.
Latin American Suite is a studio album by the American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington, mainly recorded in 1968, with one track completed in 1970, and released on the Fantasy label in 1972.
The Jaywalker is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington featuring tracks recorded in 1966 and 1967 and released on the Storyville label in 2004.
Duke Ellington at the Alhambra is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1958 at the Alhambra Theater, Paris and released on the Pablo label in 2002.
Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956 is the first volume of The Private Collection a series documenting recordings made by the 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.
Prelude to a Kiss is a 1958 concept album by Mel Tormé. The album charts the course of a relationship, where each track is interspersed with dialogue. The album was recorded in Los Angeles in November, 1957.
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.
"Come Sunday" is a piece by Duke Ellington, which became a jazz standard. It was written as a part of the first movement of a suite entitled Black, Brown and Beige. Ellington was engaged for a performance at Carnegie Hall on January 23, 1943, for which he wrote the entire composition. In 1958 he revised the suite and recorded it in its entirety for that year's album titled after the suite. "Come Sunday" was originally a centerpiece for alto saxophone player Johnny Hodges; the 1958 album, which contained a vocal version of the piece with new lyrics by Ellington featuring gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, greatly increased its popularity.
Creamy is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1955 and released on the Norgran label.
Joya Sherrill Sings Duke is a 1965 album by Joya Sherrill recorded in tribute to the bandleader and composer Duke Ellington. Several members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra accompany Sherrill on the album.
Bad for Me is the fourth studio album by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, released in 1979 by Elektra Records. The album reached at No. 29 on the Cashbox Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 30 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Patience Higgins is a New York-based jazz saxophonist, flutist, and multi-reed musician. He also plays clarinet, oboe, and English horn. He has performed with Duke Ellington Orchestra, Barry Harris, Archie Shepp, Jimmy Scott, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Paquito D’Rivera, Cleo Laine, and The Sugar Hill Jazz Quartet. Higgins has a history as a Broadway musician. He is a music educator and teaches at the New York Jazz Workshop Music School. Higgins has toured with the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras.