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DUKE ELLINGTON
Anatomy Of A Murder (Columbia Legacy)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
It's fairly amazing that the name of Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was attached to the full score of only one feature film during his long and illustrious career as a composer, performer and band leader. On the other hand, given the obstacles facing any African American artist in search of mainstream acceptance during the peak years of that career, it's satisfying to a degree that he did get at least that one opportunity.
The opportunity came in 1959 with the film Anatomy Of A Murder. The singular importance of the sole Duke Ellington film score would be more than enough justification for this special Columbia Legacy release during Ellington's centennial anniversary, but if he'd done a score of scores, the music here would provide equal justification.
Writing a soundtrack required some concessions to the needs of the film, but the music stands fine on its own. For this edition, Columbia has added 13 bonus tracks that show exactly how well the music could stand when removed from the constraints of the soundtrack. Also included is an interview with Ellington in which he describes the inspirations and process behind several of the movie themes. Altogether it's an archival quality treatment of an album that's both musically and historically significant.
Track List: Main Title And Anatomy Of A Murder * Flirtibird * Way Early Subtone * Hero To Zero * Low Key Lightly * Happy Anatomy (Band-Movie) * Midnight Indigo * Almost Cried (Studio) * Sunswept Sunday * Grace Valse * Happy Anatomy (P.I. Five) * Haupe * Upper And Outest * (Bonus Tracks): Anatomy Of A Murder (Stereo Single) * Merrily Rolling Along AKA Hero To Zero/Sunswept Sunday (Movie Stings & Rehearsal) * Beer Garden * Happy Anatomy (Band-Studio) * Polly AKA Grace Valse/Haupe/Low Key Lightly/ Midnight Indigo * Polly (Movie Stings) * Happy Anatomy (Dixieland) * More Blues (P.I. Live) * Almost Cried AKA Flirtibird (Movie) * Soundtrack Music - Anatomy Of A Murder (Duke Ellington A La Guy Lombardo * Anatomy Of A Murder (Mono Single In Stereo) * The Grand Finale (Rehearsal/Lines/Interview/Music/Stings/Murder)
© 1999 - Shaun Dale