Depk is the fourth of nine parts of the Far East Suite (aka Expressions Of The Far East and Impressions Of The Far East). Ellington wrote five parts (Tourist Point Of View, Depk, Mount Hariessa, Blue Pepper, and Amad, Strayhorn wrote three parts (Bluebird Of Delhi, Isfahan, and Agra), and Ellington and Jimmy Hamilton collaborated on Ad Lib On Nippon).

The suite was inspired by the band’s State Department tour of the Middle and Near East in 1963, which was cut short when President Kennedy was assassinated. Ad Lib On Nippon came later from a 1964 tour of Japan and was not part of the original suite but added for the recording. Strayhorn’s Isfahan was written just prior to the State Department tour and was originally entitled Elf.

Although many of Ellington’s suites are of the highest quality, Such Sweet Thunder and Far East Suite were the most celebrated and influential on future generations of jazz composers and arrangers. Such Sweet Thunder pushed the boundaries of conventional chord progressions and song forms, while Far East Suite, written only six years later, led the way into modal writing primarily with Tourist Point Of View and Amad. Although Ellington denies being influenced by music outside his band, Coltrane’s contribution is felt heavily and will continue to be heard in later Ellington pieces like Chinoiserie from Afro Eurasian Eclipse.

Even while Ellington is at his modernistic best, he does not forsake his earlier swing roots and orchestral colors. Although now framed in the latest style, most of the soloists (Hodges, Carney, and Brown) perform in their now antique ways. Gonsalves and Ellington are more contemporary in their contributions. Hamilton remains unique with one foot in European Classical music and one foot in almost bebop.