Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album
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.[4] The album was released on October 8, 1996 by Philips Records label. The album title was borrowed from the Ellington's tune.[5] The release contais 12 tracks, which include the pop sounds of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.[1]
Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 8, 1996 | |||
Recorded | February 3 & 8, 1996 at Hollywood; May 6 & 7, 1996 at NYC | |||
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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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz | [3] |
Reception
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."[6] 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."[5] 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."[1]
Track listing
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 |
Personnel
- Dee Dee Bridgewater – vocals
- Bobby Watson – alto saxophone
- Charles McPherson – alto saxophone
- Ira Coleman – bass
- Jeff Hamilton – drum
- Cyro Baptista – percussion
- Cyrus Chestnut – piano
- Steve Turre – trombone
- Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
- Hassan Hakmoun – vocals, percussion, gimbra
- John Mauceri – conductor
References
- Dryden, Ken. "Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album - Dee Dee Bridgewater | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Larkin, Colin. "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". p. 734. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- Larkin, Colin (2004). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz. Virgin. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-85227-183-1. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Clarke, Donald; Cackett, Alan; Balmer, Paul (1998). The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Penguin Books. p. 164. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Joyce, Mike (27 June 1997). "DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER: "PRELUDE TO A KISS -- THE DUKE ELLINGTON ALBUM" / PHILLIPS". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Breton, Marcela (March 1, 1997). "Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra: Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album". JazzTimes. Retrieved 14 July 2020.