The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse
Studio album by Duke Ellington
Released	1975
Recorded	February 17, 1971
Studio	National Recording Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Length	37:33
Label	Fantasy
Producer	Mercer Ellington
Duke Ellington chronology
The Intimate Ellington (1971) The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (1975) The Intimate Ellington (1969-71)

The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (subtitled A Suite in Eight Parts) is a studio album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1971 and released on the Fantasy label in 1975. Like other world music-influenced suites composed in the last decade of his life, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse was called by NPR music critic David Brent Johnson one of Ellington's, "late-period masterpieces". ^[1]

The album opens with a short spoken word introduction in which Ellington explains that the suite's title is inspired by Marshall McLuhan's vision of the onset of global cultural identity. ^[1]

Reception

Allmusic gave the album four stars out of five, describing it as "compelling, cosmopolitan, and organic ... All in all, a textured, cross-cultural treat for the ears". ^[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Duke Ellington

1. "Chinoiserie" – 8:13
2. "Didjeridoo" – 3:37
3. "Afrique" – 5:23
4. "Acht O'Clock Rock" – 3:04
5. "Gong" – 4:42
6. "Tang" – 4:45
7. "True" – 3:35
8. "Hard Way" – 4:09

Notes:

• Recorded at National Recording Studio in New York, NY on February 17, 1971.
• Track 1 opens with a short spoken word introduction; "Chinoiserie" begins at 1:36.
• Ellington's "Afrique" is not to be confused with the Lee Morgan composition of the same name.

Legacy

The 2001 Duke Ellington tribute album Red Hot + Indigo includes two compositions from The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse: "Didjeridoo" is performed by the jazz-influenced post-rock band Tortoise, and "Acht O'Clock Rock" is performed by jazz-fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood, who also covered "Chinoiserie" on their 1995 album Friday Afternoon in the Universe , and have often performed these and other Ellington compositions live.

Personnel

• Duke Ellington – piano
• Mercer Ellington, Money Johnson, Eddie Preston, Cootie Williams – trumpet
• Malcolm Taylor, Booty Wood – trombone
• Chuck Connors – bass trombone
• Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
• Norris Turney – clarinet, alto saxophone, flute
• Harold Ashby, Paul Gonsalves – tenor saxophone
• Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
• Joe Benjamin – bass
• Rufus Jones – drums

Technical

• Roger Rhodes – recording engineer
• Jim Stern – remix engineer
• Phil Carroll – art direction

References

1. Johnson, David Brent (May 23, 2013). "Duke Ellington: Highlights Of His Twilight". NPR Music: A Blog Supreme. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
2. Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed April 15, 2010
3. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 69. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
4. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 439. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.