For those not aware, in this diverse and exciting collection from Arkadia’s recording artists, a talented and multifaceted assemblage of musicians – each in his own style and manner – pays tribute to Duke Ellington, playing tunes Duke wrote or made famous.

Ellington’s influence is something for which we will remain in debt for many years to come. As such, we feel very strongly that it is important to say… Thank you, Duke!

Bob Karcy’s ultimate aim is that the Arkadia Jazz All-Stars, in addition to creating new, exciting and stellar music, would emerge as an artistically successful recording group on its own, and serve as a showcase for the Artists on Arkadia Records, allowing them to create awareness and recognition, and helping our Artists expand beyond their hard core fans.

1. ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ - Benny Golson [5:40]
2. ‘In a Sentimental Mood’ - Billy Taylor [5:48]
3. ‘Isfahan’ - Eric Reed [4:17]
4. ‘Chromatic Love Affair’ - T.K. Blue & Randy Weston [5:31]
5. ‘In a Sentimental Mood’ - Harold Land [4:24]
6. ‘Day Dream’ - T.K. Blue [7:59]
7. ‘Mood Indigo’ - Benny Golson [6:44]
8. ‘Sophisticated Lady’ - Joanne Brackeen [4:13]

This wonderfully diverse and thoroughly entertaining, exciting musical tribute to the Duke, opens on the passionately peppy ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ by Benny Golson and an ageless melancholy that veins through ‘In a Sentimental Mood’ by Billy Taylor along next, and then we get the smoothly atmospheric ‘Isfahan’ by Eric Reed, and the simply scintillating ‘Chromatic Love Affair’ from both T.K. Blue and Randy Weston.

Wide in scope and deep in nature, Ellington’s influence is something for which we will remain in debt for many years to come, and this delightfully effervescent recordings continues onward with another ‘In a Sentimental Mood’ (this time by Harold Land), which is in turn backed by a gorgeous epitome of perfection within ‘Day Dream’ by T.K. Blue, the album rounding out on a lushly hypnotic ‘Mood Indigo’ by Benny Golson, closing on a soul stirring ‘Sophisticated Lady’ from jazz pianist Joanne Brackeen.

THE MUSICIANS:
Benny Golson - tenor saxophone
Billy Taylor - piano
T.K. Blue - alto sax and alto flute
Randy Weston - piano
Eric Reed - piano
Harold Land - saxophone
Mulgrew Miller - piano
Joanne Brackeen - piano

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