Franco D'Andrea Trio - Creole Rhapsody (The Duke Ellington Suites (1931-1974) Chapter 1) (2005)

Franco D'Andrea put himself to the test by performing excerpts of a number of Duke Ellington's suites, works written from 1931 to 1974, without the benefit of having a large orchestra to help add color to his arrangements. He captures the exotic flavor of "Afrique" (from The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse), the elegance of "Apes and Peacocks" with his understated approach, and the dark humor within "Bourbon Street Jingling Jollies" (from The New Orleans Suite). In fact, half the fun (which is also a work played during these sessions, written for Such Sweet Thunder) is D'Andrea's choice of material from the many suites heard, usually avoiding the expected selections in favor of less familiar pieces. Bassist Ares Tavolazzi and drummer Massimo Manzi provide outstanding support throughout the disc, which should prove of great interest to serious fans of Duke Ellington's compositions. © Ken Dryden