Score: 4/5
Duke Ellington died more than 40 years ago, but the legacy of the “Father of Jazz” lives on in “Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Conny Plank Session,” an unreleased album recorded around 1970 in collaboration with sound engineer Conny Plank. The album offers Ellington’s fans the first original album since his death and pieces that are still innovative nowadays.
Plank was likewise an innovator in his genre of electro pop music and produced Kraftwerk and Eurythmics. His work helped to usher in an age of electronic production in pop music through the 1980s and still has a hand in contemporary music. The combination of the two artist/producers in pieces revealed so long after Ellington’s death is intriguing and marks a special addition to his brimming selection of jazz music.
A natural progression through the development of jazz is obvious through Ellington’s more than 50-year career. These recordings, marked with unique and progressive tones, stand apart from even that evolution.
Though many of Ellington’s original fans belong to an older generation, this album is well worth a listen for anyone who enjoys contemporary jazz. The work Ellington and Plank did on this album also has a greater effect on other genres of music. Plank was getting his start when he recorded with Ellington but would go on to be known as one of his genres great producers and carry Ellington’s influence with him.
The album comprises six tracks, four of which have never been released. These tracks are variations of two songs, “Alerado” and “Afrique,” that show the progression between takes of each. “Alerado” is a spunky, swing song that should be familiar to many jazz listeners. The song is broken down into three “takes,” each with a slightly different tone. This insight into the creative progression of The Duke’s recordings is exciting for fans of his extensive, brilliant work.
“Afrique” is fast paced, with a hard drum line and interjecting brass and wind tones. The track is broken into three ‘takes’ as well, but its versions show a distinct development. The piece gradually builds in intensity until the soprano vocals included in the third take push it over the edge. “Afrique (Take 3, Vocal)” is a dark, jolting piece that shows a serious and passionate side of Duke Ellington and jazz music.