Inspired by the Ellington thread below. What is your top take on Duke's faux Oriental classic?
Mine is actually by Marc Ribot, from his Requiem for What's-His-Name album. Ribot knocks the tune's air of desert mystery and romance into a cocked hat with a crazy machine-like rhythm bed and some signature sour twang. Exciting and funny at the same time.
You?
― Lee G (Lee G), Thursday, 5 June 2003 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)
Nice thread idea. So many to pick from...Art Blakey's Caravan beat is pretty classic. Like him or not, Wynton Marsalis's quartet ripped it on his first standards album, and some of Marcus Roberts' comping has become pretty standard. Rebirth Brass Band plays it live, and the brass band sensibility is perfect.
I think my favorite version might be something I only heard once, on the radio years ago. It was slow with lots of clanky, trashy percussion, I think it was the percussionist's record (could have been Kahlil El Zabar???).
― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 June 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)
(btw Juan Tizol wrote it, not Ellington)
― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 June 2003 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)
(btw Juan Tizol wrote it, not Ellington)Yeah, but I believe Duke got a piece of the credit just for signing the checks, as so often happened back in the day. And it is certainly most closely associated with him. Although, true, none of that means he actually wrote it.
― Lee G (Lee G), Thursday, 5 June 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)
a few faves off the top of my head:
Stanley Black - 'Exotic Percussion', Decca Phase 4 (on London in US) - one of the few UK Exotica albums
Pierro Umiliani - on that Musicaelectronica vol 1 comp. crazy synth version going into full big band
Jimi Tenor - totally crazy synth version
Roland Alphonso (the Skatalites) - as 'Ska-ravan' obviously! on the excellent recent Top Deck 8x7" box set. coloured vinyl too.
Ferrante and Teicher - on 'Hi-fireworks', one of their amazing prepared piano albums (before they became a boring old piano duet act)
The Three Suns - on 'Movin' and Groovin', nuts space age pop version. pretty crazy throughout.
Bert Kaempfert - on 'Love that Kaempfert'. nice fuzz guitar and picked electric bass
got a load more but can't remember them off hand. definitely one of those tunes i never tire of hearing.
― michael (michael), Thursday, 5 June 2003 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)
almost forgot - the awesome Dionne Warwick batucada version from a couple of years back...
― michael (michael), Thursday, 5 June 2003 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)