Thank You, Duke! Our Tribute To Ellington

Everyone and their uncles were busy cranking out albums in 1999 -- usually with the same imaginative titles ("A Tribute, "Our Tribute, " etc., etc.) -- but this anthology has quite a few individual coups that stand out from the pack. is wonderfully loose and swinging on yet manages an old-time breathy ballad style for receives two renditions: does an affectionate, impressionistic piano solo, and (where has he been all these years?) produces a lovely neo-classical orchestral backing for 's majestic tenor saxophone. A group with on piano, on trumpet, and on vibes that calls itself does an even mellower than did on his breakthrough album. For contrast, check out the often stark, sometimes dissonant duet between soprano saxophonist and pianist on does her own impressionistic solo twist on and stirs up in a piano trio format. Finally Dutch bassist closes with a slightly kooky with some echoes of by tenor player . ~ Richard S. Ginell