Concerto For Cootie, along with Ko-Ko and The Mooche, is often cited as Ellington’s greatest composition. Unlike sports, the beauty of music (and all the arts) cannot and should not be compared. In sports there are winners and losers and lots of statistics that prove superiority, but even then, fans eternally argue about comparing eras.

To hold Ellington in the highest regard as the greatest jazz composer, one must take into account other styles of jazz and other eras. Considering breadth, depth, and totality of output, who can compare to the Maestro. Judging eras of Ellington using the same criteria, 1940-43 stands out as his most inspired, prolific, and in tune with contemporary American popular music tastes.

While Ko-Ko ushered in modern jazz, it went almost unnoticed by the Swing-crazed public. Concerto For Cootie, on the other hand, appealed to both hot and sweet band lovers while nudging the jazz envelope slightly. Not only is there something for everyone, but there is also an easily digested feast with universal appeal. Is this not what Bill Finegan was searching for in his obviously Elllington-inspired arrangement of Sunrise Serenade for Glenn Miller?

Following Duke’s previous concertos for Cootie, Rex, Johnny, and Barney, Ellington stuck with the classical concerto form with its two contrasting themes. Rather than placing the secondary theme in the traditional key of the dominant, Ellington opts for the darker and more provocative third-related shoulder chord key. Cootie’s switch from plunger to open horn shows off the two distinct sides of his personality while providing an added level of contrast between the two themes.

Like all concerti, this piece is an exploration into the relationship between the individual and society, or the self and the universe. We are at once a separate entity with free will, and simultaneously a part of the universal soul. Concerto For Cootie excels in the symbiotic relationship between the soloist and the ensemble—each part is integral to the whole. We relate to Cootie as ourselves and the ensemble as the world. Each part enriches the other without diminishing its own possibilities.

The initial studio recording caused a major change in the Ellington band’s personnel and direction. When the record was released in the summer of 1940, Benny Goodman’s lead trumpet player, Jimmy Maxwell (a big Ellington fan), who sat in the back row of the band bus, played the record over and over to Benny’s annoyance. Finally, Benny called out, “Say, Pops, come down here.” The ensuing conversation went:

Benny: Is that that band you like?

Jimmy: Yes, Duke Ellington.

Benny: Who is the trumpet player?

Jimmy: Cootie Williams.

Benny: Thanks, Pops.

That was it. Shortly afterwards, Benny called Cootie on the phone and offered him a job. $250 per week (Cootie was making $75 with Duke) plus after two years, he would bankroll Cootie’s own big band. Cootie told him that he would have to think about it. He immediately told Ellington about the offer, expecting Duke to make some kind of counteroffer, which he would take. But Ellington’s response was, “When opportunity knocks, far be it for me to stand in its way.” Cootie was crushed and reluctantly handed in his notice.

34 years later, when Cootie told me this story, he still had tears in his eyes. No one loved Ellington’s music more than him. I then asked him what it was like playing with Benny. He said that he loved it. I asked him, “Why?” His answer, “The rehearsals started on time and nobody talked.”

When he joined Benny’s band, Cootie became Maxwell’s roommate. To be able to stay in the same hotel with the white boys, to Jimmy’s embarrassment, Cootie carried Jimmy’s bags through the hotel lobbies and up to their room. When Jimmy protested and offered to carry Cootie’s bags, the ever-practical Cootie told Jimmy not to give it another thought. This is America.

Four years later, Ellington made some alterations to conform to the usual aaba 32-bar song format and Bob Russell added lyrics. Now titled Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, Ellington recorded a new arrangement featuring Al Hibbler’s vocal, which became an instant hit and has remained a standard ever since.