Blue ZEN Orbit

Song of the Day:

Duke Ellington – Blues in Orbit

Duke Ellington is the American Mozart.  He was a towering, unparalleled talent with an amazing creative legacy and, what a fascinating life!  Picking just one Ellington song is pure folly but, we do have one we would like to share.  We love Blues in Orbit not because it is the Duke’s greatest composition, in fact it’s a bit of a trifle  but, because it shows off Duke’s incredibly relaxed mastery of the piano.  He plays like a composer, of course, and even his tossed off asides have a melodic richness and rhythmic verve that is just stunning.  The track is from a 1960 album of the same name that we love.  Apparently it was mostly recorded in just one night.  It may have been just another night for the Duke’s Men but, we mere mortals are lucky to have it to listen too.  Thank you, Sir Duke!