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Pronounced “clo-thed”
This obscure 1947 oddity combines pianistic effects, near-atonality and stride in a piano feature originally scored for the full band, performed at Carnegie Hall, recorded in the studio with a small band and then revived as a piano solo in 1961. There are many Ellington pieces that originated in a small group and later were scored for the full band. This is one of the few with an opposite history. The other big band pieces that were pared down were all recorded in the studio with the big band first. This may be the only one that was recorded live with the full band but never documented with a studio version.
Ellington, always the master of opposites, puts his most “modern” music in the same piece as his paeon to his mentor, Willie “The Lion” Smith in a decidedly earlier stride style of the late teens and early 1920s. The combination is sure to evoke smiles from listeners.
Opening with a modernistic solo piano cadenza that at once bends notes through percussive grace notes while evoking a surreal relationship to the blues, the bass, drums and three horns (tenor, baritone and trumpet) join after Ellington sets up the tempo with a familiar vamp.
After a bit of call and response, the horns are dismissed, and the rhythm section switches to a repetitive stride pattern with Ellington providing the simple riff melody. This is the heart of the piece. Finally, the bass and drums drop out, and Ellington repeats his opening cadenza with some liberties and finishes up with a final nod to the blues.
Likely, Thelonious Monk was influenced by this recording both in the rhythmic and harmonic effects and dissonances as well as the feeling of the stride.
Although this is a set piece, Ellington never played it the same way twice. He keeps the general ideas of the cadenzas but changes the details. On the other hand, he is much more consistent in the stride section.
Personnel
Recorded December 30, 1947 New York City CO38671-1 (take 3)
Jimmy Hamilton, tenor sax
Harry Carney, baritone sax
Shorty Baker, trumpet
Duke Ellngton, piano
Junior Raglin, bass
Sonny Greer, drums
Form: ABA
Piano Cadenza
4 bars Vamp
16 bars (8+8) call and response theme
4 bars piano interlude
32 bars stride theme (aaba)
16 bars stride (ba)
3 bars piano interlude
Piano Cadenza