Piano in the Background

Piano in the Background is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1960.[1]

Piano in the Background
Studio album by
Released1960
RecordedMay 31 – June 30, 1960
GenreJazz
LabelColumbia
Duke Ellington chronology
The Nutcracker Suite
(1960)
Piano in the Background
(1960)
Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G.
(1960)

Reception

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The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars and stated "designed to showcase a series of new arrangements for the Ellington Orchestra, it also offers the composer and bandleader as a pianist leading the band... In all, this and the two discs that were reissued as companions to this one, Piano in the Foreground and Blues in Orbit, mark a highly creative and productive time in Ellington's long career".[2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [2]

Track listing

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:All compositions by Duke Ellington except as indicated

  1. "Happy Go Lucky Local" - 3:02
  2. "What Am I Here For" (Duke Ellington, Frankie Laine) - 4:08
  3. "Medley: Kinda Dukish/Rockin' in Rhythm" (Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills) - 5:52
  4. "Perdido" (Juan Tizol) - 6:49
  5. "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James) - 2:06
  6. "Midriff" (Billy Strayhorn) - 4:29
  7. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Mills) - 4:33
  8. "Main Stem" - 4:15
  9. "Take the "A" Train" (Strayhorn) - 5:33
  10. "Lullaby of Birdland" (George Shearing) - 5:23 Bonus track on CD reissue
  11. "The Wailer" (Gerald Wilson) - 4:25 Bonus track on CD reissue
  12. "Dreamy Sort of Thing" (Strayhorn) - 3:56 Bonus track on CD reissue
  13. "Lullaby of Birdland" [alternate take] (Shearing) - 5:27 Bonus track on CD reissue
  14. "Harlem Air Shaft" - 4:03 Bonus track on CD reissue
  • Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles on May 31, 1960 (tracks 4 & 5), June 2, 1960 (track 7), June 20, 1960 (tracks 3, 10, 12 & 13), June 22 (track 8), June 28, 1960 (tracks 6 & 9), June 29, 1960 (track 2) & June 30, 1960 (tracks 1 & 11) and March 3, 1961 (track 14)

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ A Duke Ellington Panorama Archived 2017-09-09 at the Wayback Machine accessed May 14, 2010
  2. ^ a b Jurek, T. Allmusic Review accessed May 14, 2010