Duke Ellington is a legend of the music community. That goes without saying. That is because of the songs that he composed and that he and his orchestra performed. Those songs are multitudinous to say the very least. They include and are definitely not limited to the likes of ‘Caravan,’ ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,’ and ‘Black, Brown & Beige.’ There are also the likes of ‘Satin Doll,’ ‘Cotton Tail’ and ‘Ko Ko’ among so many others. Early this spring, the Mercer Hassy Orchestra took on a number of those other, deeper cuts in its latest album, Duke’s Place. Released April 15 through Mercer Hassy Records, the 12-song covers compilation is an intriguing presentation of those lesser-covered Ellington compositions that every jazz fan should hear at least once. That is evidenced right from the collection’s outset in the form of the group’s cover of ‘Daybreak Express.’ This take will be examined shortly. ‘U.M.M.G.,’ another of the entries in the record’s first half, is another deep cut that audiences are just as sure to enjoy. It will be examined a little later. ‘Duke’s Place,’ the penultimate entry in this set, is yet another interesting lesser-covered Ellington composition included in this record worth noting. It will also be examined later. When it and the other tracks noted here are considered alongside other performances, such as those of ‘Hot and Bothered,’ ‘the more commonly covered ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ and ‘Passion Flower,’ and the rest of the record’s entries, the whole therein makes Duke’s Place a welcome addition to the library of any Duke Ellington fan and jazz fan.
Duke’s Place, the recently released Duke Ellington covers collection from the Mercer Hassy Orchestra, is a presentation that any established Duke Ellington fan will find just as appealing as a more casual jazz fan. This is due in large part to the fact that the record’s featured covers are of far lesser-known songs made famous by Ellington and his orchestra. This is obvious right from the album’s outset in the form of the group’s cover of Ellington’s 1933 composition, ‘Daybreak Express.’ Opening with the sounds of a train – made possible through the orchestra’s horns and percussion, the high-energy composition (which clocks in at just under three minutes – two minutes, 51 seconds to be exact) largely stays true to its source material, as Hassy Points out in the collection’s liner notes. Ellington’s original runs two minutes, 55 seconds, with the only real difference between the original and this cover is the more bombastic approach taken by the orchestra in the opening and closing bars as the train leaves the station and enters another respectively. There is more flourish from the horns in the finale in comparison to the original while the train’s startup is more “directed” for lack of better wording in the original composition. Hassy and company go much bigger in their take, really making the song all the more bombastic, especially as it leads into the 1920s-era swing sound that makes up the opus’ main body. The whole makes the updated take a work that any jazz fan will appreciate, to that end.
‘U.M.M.G.,’ another earlier entry in this collection, is another example of the engagement and entertainment that the set is sure to bring audiences. Hassy notes of this song in the record’s liner notes, “The second half of the song was taken almost verbatim from the great original arrangement.” That alone lets audiences know what to expect from part of the song. The cover’s first half meanwhile takes the song in a somewhat different direction, replacing the muted trumpet solo and drums with a full swinging arrangement from the orchestra in whole. There is even a string arrangement that compliments the horns. At points early on, that updated take presents the group’s take as a bit of a lounge act performance, but thankfully the group does pull away from that and end up performing what proves to be a fully engaging work. The trombone and trumpet solos performed respectively by Satsuki Narita and Hiiro Kanazawa make for their own share of engagement and entertainment here, while the steady time keeping and flares from Tacto Kojima (who like fellow drummer Daisuka Mima goes uncredited throughout the liner notes) adds even more kick to the whole, making the overall presentation engaging and entertaining in its own right.
One more more song that makes this collection worth hearing comes much later in its 55-minute run time in the form of ‘Duke’s Place.’ The collection’s penultimate entry, it is a cover of a song that was originally included in Ellington’s 1965 album, Ella at Duke’s Place. The Ella in question is none other than the equally legendary jazz figure, Ella Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s talent is on full display in the original, as are those of Ellington and his musicians. It is a wonderful, bluesy jazzy tune that every jazz fan should hear, as it is a prime example of what makes the pair so beloved. What is really interesting to note in the updates take from Hassy and his orchestra is the use of the saxophones in the introductory bars and the drums. Those lower range sax performances, the way they swing, conjures thoughts of the more soulful tunes from none other than the fictional musical act, The Blues Brothers. That is not necessarily a bad thing, either. Hassy actually addresses this move, stating of the choice to go in this direction in the liner notes, “I hesitated because it was difficult to find a vocal song that would fit this album, but I wanted a song that could be sung in a casual manner, so I chose this song, which is usually played with instruments. I gave a lot of thought about the style and arrangement I wanted. However, one day I had a flash of inspiration to make it Rock ‘n Rolle style, which I love and the arrangement process was quick.” The decision to go the more “rock” direction paid off quite well. This as vocalist Hiroshi Ueno swings just as hard as Fitzgerald as he scats his way through the song. It would have been so easy for him to ham it up and turn himself into a farce, but he really pays full honor to Fitzgerald and her legendary scatting through his performance. The whole is a unique update on the classic composition that again, every jazz fan should hear. When this take on ‘Duke’s Place’ is considered alongside the record’s other examined covers and all of the other entries, the whole makes Duke’s Place overall another rare covers set that is actually worth hearing.
Duke’s Place, the recently released Duke Ellington covers collection from the Mercer Hassy Orchestra is a surprisingly enjoyable offering from the musical collective that Ellington fans and casual jazz audiences alike will appreciate. This is due to the songs chosen for the collection and the performances thereof. The songs are works from Ellington and his orchestra that are themselves far less tackled by so many other acts. The performances thereof are standout presentations in their own right. When they are considered alongside the set’s other entries, the whole makes Duke’s Place a compilation that actually deserves a place among the libraries of any Ellington fans.
Duke’s Place is available now through Mercer Hassy Records. More information on the albums is available along with all of the Mercer Hassy Orchestra’s latest news at http://mercer-hassy.s1.bindsite.jp.