Thursday, March 25, 1999
Pops' swing sizzles in Ellington tribute
BY JANELLE GELFAND
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW YORK — He gave us “Take the "A' Train,” “In a Sentimental Mood,” “Satin Doll” and “Mood Indigo.”
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, son of a White House butler, was born 100 years ago (April 29, 1899) in Washington, D.C. In this, his birthday year, his jazz genius is being hailed in tributes across the country. Tuesday in Carnegie Hall, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops joined Mr. Ellington's granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington, in her show, Sophisticated Ellington: Symphony and Swing.
Duke Ellington was one of the first artists to cross the line between jazz, popular and classical music, and his 50-year career took him from the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he started out in 1923, to Carnegie Hall.
“In those days, when you actually got to 57th Street and Carnegie Hall, that was a shrine, really,” said Ms. Ellington, who is co-creator, choreographer and mistress of ceremonies for the show that has been on the road for three years.
Tuesday's was much the same show that traveled to Cincinnati in February — a slick package including slides of scenes from Mr. Ellington's life and career, a quartet of peppy dancers (Mark Esposito, Lyn Wiltshire-Beer Elam, David Combs and Jenifer Ladner) and vocalists Monica Cantrell and Sam Gibson.
What made it different from the other tour stops was Duke Ellington's connection with Mr. Kunzel and the Pops. The crowd of 2,170 got a taste of Cincinnati history when Mr. Kunzel spoke of his collaborations, including “New World A 'Coming,” a jazz concerto recorded by the Pops in 1970 with Mr. Ellington at the piano (now re-released on MCA Classics).
“We just had a great affinity,” said Mr. Kunzel backstage earlier.
Indeed, the orchestra proved it swings like no other — even when jammed back against Carnegie Hall's smallish stage to make room for the dancers.
“New World A' Coming,” which featured Cincinnati pianist Michael Chertock, was one of the evening's highlights and a rare chance for the Pops to strutt its stuff. Mr. Chertock tackled the Rachmaninoff-like flourishes, sly jazz tunes and gospel touches with versatility and a command of colors and shading. The orchestra, a perfect balance of glowing strings and warm brass, soared into Carnegie Hall's sublime acoustical space.
Otherwise, it was part variety show, part cabaret.
“My grandfather thought there were only two kinds of music,” Ms. Ellington told the audience. “The good kind, and the other kind.”
We heard the good kind, tunes like “It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing,” played to a sassy jitterbug. A slide of Dayton, Ohio, native Billy Strayhorn, Mr. Ellington's longtime collaborator, got cheers from the New Yorkers before the start of “Take the "A' Train.” Ms. Ellington, who has danced a few blocks away on Broadway, joined in the snappy routine and brought down the house.
The Pops delivered in bluesy, sizzling standards, such as “I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good),” featuring Ms. Cantrell, whose moves were better than her vocals, and Pops pianist Julie Spangler. In “Caravan,” the Pops sounded sensuous but the dance, done in bare-chested Arabian Nights getups, was a bit corny.
Special guest Darius deHaas, a member of the original cast of Rent and the soon-to-open Fascinatin' Rhythm, jazzed up “Don't Get Around Much Anymore” with scat singing. He joined in the gospel finale with an emotional “Come Sunday” and “Tell Me It's the Truth,” both from Mr. Ellington's Sacred Service, reminding us that Mr. Ellington crossed over to religious music, too.
The latter climaxed when students from New York's Professional Performing Arts School and LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts came rocking and clapping up the aisles.
The best part of this revue, though, were the hits that made Mr. Ellington a legend and where the Pops shone, like Mr. Strayhorn's “Satin Doll” and the mellow “Mood Indigo,” crooned by Mr. Gibson.
Feds flunk light-rail plan
Clinton cancels Cincinnati visit
Clinton's address on airstrikes
Former residents react to bombing
House vote lends moral support
Farmer Gore's adventures in the heartland
Police: Car dragged officer before shooting
I-71 in Warren will be bottleneck
Wide-vehicle drivers face mandatory court appearance
School defended for suspending 6th grade in pot case
On the prom dress prowl
Tips for picking out prom dresses
Tristate's political parochialism stifles progress, planner says
UC cancer center's new chief thinks big
Carlisle's top cop charged with DUI
Fire kills Clermont Co. leader
First trip to state makes Madeira 'a little crazy'
Nurses group says hospital refused ideas of task force
Officer convicted of animal cruelty
Pops' swing sizzles in Ellington tribute
Premieres big in Ensemble's plans
Union leaders like Taft's remarks on law, labor role
Draud hits, gets hit like a candidate
Thrill writer scares himself
Why drag out adoption fight sure to be lost?
Birds clutter skies
Cold Spring chief fired 2nd time
Former reporters summoned to court
Franklin pursues vets' home
Grants to help kids read
Lakota has 2 redistricting meetings
Mason needs ideas on schools
More at-risk kids stay at home
Morrow man escapes from rehab center
Ohio lawmakers look at pay raise
Old Ky. home makes its mark
Party endorses Butler Co. judge
TRISTATE DIGEST
